To think this behaviour regarding Pope's visit to Ireland is despicable

[user1485342611]

The Pope is visiting Ireland in August and two public Masses will be held. For Health and Safety reasons numbers attending have to be limited so free tickets are being allocated, on line, on a first come first served basis.

People who object to his visit are deliberately buying up thousands of tickets, booking in fake coach tours etc to ensure a low turn out and, in the process, deny tickets to those who want to attend.

AIBU to think that, whatever your religious beliefs, this is petty, vindictive, intolerant and downright despicable behaviour>

I’d fight for the right for anybody to turn up and worship God, Allah, Ganesh or the fucking Flying Spaghetti Monster before I stood with people like that.

Me too. And I'm fairly sure the protesters aren't protesting the worship. The Catholic church has exercised massive political and economic power over people, particularly women and children. Defending and allowing terrible abuses up to and including sexual abuse and murder. When does that power and abuse become what the organisation is, rather than it's religious roots?

I'm also fairly sure Jesus, as he is depicted in the bible, would find the Catholic church utterly abhorrent.

Incidentally, when you’ve all finished patting yourselves on the back you might like to do some research on historical examples of movements which attempt to suppress the rights of others to freedom of thought, belief, worship and assembly. Hint: they never end well.

And if any of you think you have the right to complain about TRAs disrupting or attempting to prevent meetings then you are bloody MASSIVE hypocrites.

Cool cool LeahJack.

But seriously though, are you genuinely sticking with your statement that lefty liberals as equally bad as jihadis? I mean, seriously? Like, genuinely that the people doing this protest are as bad as the Manchester bomber, for example, or a fighter for ISIS?

C’mon! Really?

Generally religion causes so many bloody problems - this is the least of my worries

And then fucking “liberals” (who are anything but) turn up and fuck it up for everybody. No better than Jihadis who want to impose their world view on others.

A tad hysterical don't you think? Not to mention inaccurate.

I hope there will be an empty seat to represent every man, woman and child whose life has been blighted by the catholic church.

Feminist haven't invented and maintained a system of abuse. So no, I don't think disrupting feminist meetings is the same.

You do seem to have an issue comparing things @LeahJack And a hyperbole problem.

And Jesus threw the moneylenders out so he was all in favour of protesting shitty behaviours surrounding religion.

I'm also fairly sure Jesus, as he is depicted in the bible, would find the Catholic church utterly abhorrent

I imagine you're right and very much agree with the PP who mentioned those of us who don't buy the current pope's "good guy" image. The well funded PR is all very well, but doesn't stand up to even the simplest scrutiny

What I'd really like to know, though - and of course never will - is exactly what lay behind Benedict's "retirement"

you might like to do some research on historical examples of movements which attempt to suppress the rights of others to freedom of thought, belief, worship and assembly. Hint: they never end well

And this is exactly why some of us wouldn't support this ticket-buying protest. I might believe that some catholic leaders belong behind bars, but until they are it seems a dangerous precedent to prevent public attendance

Those who choose to go along are also free to decide for themselves; if they really want to support such an organisation that's a matter for them, but perhaps they shouldn't be surprised if others question this?

This is nothing to do with religious freedom. It’s a peaceful protest against a visit by a political leader.

Good for them! Why shouldn’t they protest in this ingenious way! All these decades a man made organisation, dictating every aspect of people’s lives, over countless generations, taking their voices away, forbidding free choice, terrorising people into submission with the threat of hell and eternal suffering. All these things should be protested.

But is this really the best way to protest, especially if it allows the organisation to claim victimisation - something they've had long practice at, after all?

Personally I'd rather see more done to encourage legal steps to get criminals out of churches and into jail - though I realise this isn't so "accessible" and their vast wealth would instantly be used to prevent it (something else they've unfortunately got long experience of)

Speaking as someone in possession of 48 tickets, no I don’t feel childish. I feel great.

A few points I'd like to make

1. Bertrand, I'd like to buy you a pint sometime. I bet you're an interesting conversationalist.
2. For those saying we wouldn't protest Jewish/Muslim gatherings in the same way, well, we wouldn't need to. I've never been oppressed by Islam or Judaism. I continue to be oppressed by the RC church.
3. Nobody is preventing the meeting from taking place, merely demonstrating our disapproval of a massive waste of tax-payers money to celebrate the pope's visit.
4. Protesting is part of the spectrum of measures used "to get criminals out of churches and into jail". The church continues to shelter child abusers and tax dodgers. Maybe this kind of protest will help them see that they are losing members because of of the organisation, not people's faith. Protest leads to reform.

Despicable? Worse than, Jesus, I mean where do I even begin with the Catholic Church??? YABU.

As a Catholic, though not in Ireland, this really troubles me.

Noviceoftheweek
As a Catholic, though not in Ireland, this really troubles me.

Does it trouble you as much as the horror that has been suffered by innocent children, carried out by men (i.e. priests) who represent this church? Those men then not brought to justice but shuffled off to another corner of the country to continue their vile actions?

This is made up nonsense, no one could order 800 tickets using different email addresses. The simple fact is there is very little interest in Ireland for this visit and just as they put out disinformation about repeal the 8th a certain element are spreading this rubbish to cover for the fact that there will be a very low turnout to see the pope

Maybe this kind of protest will help them see that they are losing members because of of the organisation, not people's faith

It would be nice to think so but somehow I doubt it; don't forget that, among countless other atrocities, this is the organisation which saw fit to give Bernard Law a full cardinal's funeral (and where the pope himself gave his blessing

I honestly don't think they'll ever take any action they'd prefer not to, unless forced - and forcing them will require the law

I dont see it as anything new I see it as something infantile to be honest.
No seating is a perfectly acceptable way of protesting. Why should people only protest they way they are told to protest? defeats the purpose.

Going to the place where he will be and actually standing there with banners
Not all of us can get to the event to protest in person.

the church is going to look like a pitiful victim of misjustice
ROTFPML

a way that does not make the church the victim.
We WANT to make the church a victim, they are worth it.

There will be no seating supplied at the venue, those attending must bring their own portable seats. half a million seats is a big ask I suppose.

So there we are. There will be no vacant seats.

True.

But hopefully this will reduce the crowd size.

The spectre of 1979 looms large in this protest. I can see why protestors would like very different scenes this time.

Paddy,

Yes I know about 1979, but it was a different Ireland then. But very soon after that visit of JP2 the scandals of the singing Daddy priest with a lover, and a Bishop with the same started the slide away I think. Hypocrisy was writ large there.

Anyway, Let's see what happens. There are several ways to skin a cat, unfortunately I think this protest (which in fairness is totally justified from those who are mad, angry, hurt etc), was not thought through properly for impact.

Facebook again I suppose.

@Jasperoonicle
And none of you booking tickets that you have no intention of using consider yourself childish at all? Seriously
No
Its all i can do from where i am
Plus would you rather people stoop to their level and stand out front calling them murderers, the bringers of evil, a stain on a modern world, signs held up of the dead bodies of women they killed and tortured? That will just have cops called and protesters removed