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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

... to Protest the Pope?

508 replies

stubbornhubby · 08/09/2010 09:03

A friend of mine told me at the weekend that this will make me an extremist...anyway we had a long thread about this in July and a few people said they'd be keen, like me, to wave a banner as he parades around the country.

There's a big march in London on Sat 18th, Hyde park Corner @ 1.30pm
details here
www.protest-the-pope.org.uk/

Also, if you live in SW London, a Small demo in Strawberry Hill on Fri 17th @9am. (NB official visti website says you will not be able to see the pope arrriving/departing SMUC - I think he must be using helicopter. Or apparating Smile)

OP posts:
Tinnitus · 17/09/2010 14:02

Dione

"He sounds like an intolerant hate freak with pretty fundamentalist views. And there ain't no fun in his mentalism"

With that I fear you have shaken off the incumberence of credibility. I can't be expected to respond to that can I?

sarinha2203 · 17/09/2010 14:03

I was brought up as a catholic but I think it is unfair AND silly that we have to fork out MILLIONS for the Pope's visit! Think of what that money could be spent on...

tokyonambu · 17/09/2010 14:03

"My child is subject to a barrage of Christian nonsense at school and it is a constant battle to stop it. "

Get over yourself. As a life-long atheist from two generations of the same, my children went to a CofE school as it's close. Christian nutters constantly looking for reasons to be offended are tedious, but their atheist brethren are just as bad. As Dawkins shows, there's none so fervent as the newly unconverted.

Dione · 17/09/2010 14:05

Given your very strong feelings on this subject, why did you send your child to a faith school? Is this the only way that religion is interfering in your life?

hobnobsaremyfavourite · 17/09/2010 14:05

Oh Tinitus do get over yourself you sound far more irritating than any religious fundamentalist I have ever met.

hobnobsaremyfavourite · 17/09/2010 14:06

Dione it's Tokyo not Tinnitus who sent their children to a Cof E school.

Treats · 17/09/2010 14:10

How is it not a personal attack on Catholics (me included) if you stated that we should all be 'rooted out' and 'deprogrammed' and that we should all accept that our faith is a 'personal delusion' and you don't have to respect us? That's a very specific attack on individuals, not an argument against what we believe in.

Does your reference to my personal views differing from dogma mean my comment about child rape? Are you implying that child rape is part of the theology of the Catholic Church and I'm a 'bad Catholic' for objecting to it?

And you're surprised that people aren't convinced by your 'rational' arguments?

Tinnitus · 17/09/2010 14:11

tokyonambu

I'm sorry if you have the mistaken impression that I just blurted that out a propes nothing, it was a response to a direct question.

Thank you for your advice about getting over my self. But I don't subscribe to the notion that atheists must sit quietly.

Also I think Dawkins would be the first to say he only "argues" points. and that one certainly doesn't apply to me.

Treats · 17/09/2010 14:12

Sarinha - as pointed out upthread. It was Gordon Brown - the (at the time) democratically elected Prime Minister who invited the Pope for a state visit. Catholics have raised several million to contribute to the costs, which - technically - they didn't have to do.

I don't complain about my taxes paying for the Queen to be Head of the Church of England......

sarinha2203 · 17/09/2010 14:15

I don't complain about my taxes either...but my taxes pay for things "beyond" the Queen being Head of the Church of England, do they not...?

TheCoalitionNeedsYou · 17/09/2010 14:16

Tinnitus - We get it. You think that faith is a delusion. Now what point do you want to make?

TheCoalitionNeedsYou · 17/09/2010 14:17

Treats - A normal state visit doesn't include a stadium tour...

Dione · 17/09/2010 14:19

Hobnobs, Tokyo sent her DC to a CofE school, but Tinnitus says in his 13.59 post that his daughter goes to a school where she is subject to a barrage of christian nonsense.

Once again Tinnitus, why would you send your child to a faith school given your strength of feeling on this matter?

sarinha2203 · 17/09/2010 14:19

Exactly Coalition! And the list goes on...

Treats · 17/09/2010 14:20

Don't know what you mean. All our taxes pay for everything - the government chooses what to spend them on, and it was their choice to invite the Pope. I thought you were having another pop at Catholics (forgive me if I was a bit oversensitive) when it wasn't the church that instigated the visit. My comment was meant to counter those people who say that UK taxpayers shouldn't pay for Catholics to see the Pope - I only meant that Catholic (and non-believing) taxpayers have been contributing to the costs of the CofE for years, so why shouldn't they get a little bit back for once.

But you didn't actually argue that - sorry Blush

Tinnitus · 17/09/2010 14:23

Dione.

It am not a faith school and that is why I am angry about it

hobnobsaremyfave

I can't argue with pure opinion.

Treats

I said you should be rooted out and deprogrammed here, in a debating forum. why are people now supposing that I want to organise gangs to go kicking down doors? also I would distinguish between my opinion of you beliefs and my opinion of you.

And yes. if you break from Dogma you are a heretic and not a true catholic, so your stance on condoms makes you lapsed.

And no. objecting to child abuse makes you a good person obviously. supporting an institution that covers it up is questionable.

TheCoalitionNeedsYou · 17/09/2010 14:23

I DO complain about paying for the Queen to be head of the Church of England ;)

sarinha2203 · 17/09/2010 14:24

Is that for me or Coalition?? I personally was not having a pop at catholics at all...I respect religion and choice etc. I just think that this visit is costing too much that's all...

TheCoalitionNeedsYou · 17/09/2010 14:27

Tinnitus - I've DONE the 'if you don't believe in the literal truth of everything in the bible and the official interpretation thereof you aren't REALLY a Christian, so I am entitled to deal with all discussion of Christianity as if all Christians held these views' argument.

It's not helpful.

Tinnitus · 17/09/2010 14:28

TCNY

"Tinnitus - We get it. You think that faith is a delusion. Now what point do you want to make?"

I've made my point several times here, but just for you I'll spell it out again. If Ratzinger wants to challenge secularism, then the defence that we must respect the right to faith cannot be used. you can't have it both ways.

hope that's clear now.

Tinnitus · 17/09/2010 14:29

TCNY

Please excuse my impertinence but I didn't come here to help you.

Dione · 17/09/2010 14:30

I don't understand 'barrage of christian nonsense' in a non-faith school. What did they say when you and the parents of children of non-christian faith complained? I went to faith school and apart from RE faith didn't come into it at all. Perhaps the solution would be to send her to Catholic school and just ask that she opt out of RE.

Where would the deprogramming take place when you had rooted us all out?

TheCoalitionNeedsYou · 17/09/2010 14:32

Tinnitus. Oh. Is that all? What a lot of fuss over nothing.

Treats · 17/09/2010 14:33

Sarinha - it was for you - hence the apology. I see that you weren't having a pop after all Smile. You are probably right that it's costing too much, but there is a broader historical context here. Teh head of hte RC church has never stood next to the head of the CofE before. If that has any impact on the factionalism that still persists in NI and the west of Scotland, then it might turn out to be money well spent.

tinnitus - I don't understand your logic - did you not mean what you said about 'deprogramming'? In which case, how would you suggest that people went about it if there isn't some kind of organisation? You would have to kick down my door I'm afraid because I definitely wouldn't submit quietly.

Which bit of my stance on condoms makes me lapsed - I thought I'd been broadly supportive of the churches teaching Hmm

Tinnitus · 17/09/2010 14:34

Dione.

I've had this debate here and it was classroom assistants, then evangelist groups taking assembly, then a vicar doing classroom chats.

I tried chatting with the head about it but to no avail.