Less than 1,000 atheists in Ireland

[lostexpectation]

I had thought my parents well knew I wouldn't want to be counted a catholic even though I'd never spoken of it.

I don't go to mass at xmas like my siblings still do.

but then my da who doesn't go to mass either put me down as cathloic on the census form and I had to go change it, its that sorta thing the leads to total miscaulucation of the figures

If you don't follow the popes rulings you shouldn't be allowed list yourself as catholic.

and its nothing to do with offense its to with the seperation of church and state in education

[dubsthcentralboy]

If you don't follow the popes rulings you shouldn't be alloweed list yourself as catholic.

How very rigid of you! Why are you trying to impose your narrow morality on the Catholic Church? Surely it's a a matter for people themselves how they self-describe religiously, or is it up to you to be the fat controller of people's religious expression?

[gaelach]

According to the census figures there are only 929 atheists in the State. Yet we hear calls all the time for the religious ethos of schools, hospitals etc. to be removed so as not to offent atheists!

If you look at my census form it says Christian and and a particular religious ethos of any kind in State institutions offends.

Religion is a private matter not a public one.

[FakeViking]

Jedi for me as well!

Makes more sense than scientology

Let's face it, anything makes more sense than scientology!

[Gunnungagap]

How very rigid of you! Why are you trying to impose your narrow morality on the Catholic Church? Surely it's a a matter for people themselves how they self-describe religiously, or is it up to you to be the fat controller of people's religious expression?

Are you quite serious?

The Pope gets to decide what does and what does not constitute a Roman Catholic communicant. You can describe yourself however you wish, but if you don't believe what they tell you to believe, you're out of the club. Or did you miss that bit?

[dubsthcentralboy]

How very rigid of you! Why are you trying to impose your narrow morality on the Catholic Church? Surely it's a a matter for people themselves how they self-describe religiously, or is it up to you to be the fat controller of people's religious expression?

Are you quite serious?

The Pope gets to decide what does and what does not constitute a Roman Catholic communicant. You can describe yourself however you wish, but if you don't believe what they tell you to believe, you're out of the club. Or did you miss that bit?

Anyone has the right to call themselves Catholic. In fact, the Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral (CoI) had a letter in The Irish Times this week insisting that he was Catholic.

[gaelach]

How very rigid of you! Why are you trying to impose your narrow morality on the Catholic Church? Surely it's a a matter for people themselves how they self-describe religiously, or is it up to you to be the fat controller of people's religious expression?

Are you quite serious?

The Pope gets to decide what does and what does not constitute a Roman Catholic communicant. You can describe yourself however you wish, but if you don't believe what they tell you to believe, you're out of the club. Or did you miss that bit?

Anyone has the right to call themselves Catholic. In fact, the Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral (CoI) had a letter in The Irish Times this week insisting that he was Catholic.

Yep and I`ve got the right to call myself the President of the United States.........doesnt make it true...

[FakeViking]

Hope your Secret Service minders are up to scratch, you've got a lot to answer for

[Gunnungagap]

How very rigid of you! Why are you trying to impose your narrow morality on the Catholic Church? Surely it's a a matter for people themselves how they self-describe religiously, or is it up to you to be the fat controller of people's religious expression?

Are you quite serious?

The Pope gets to decide what does and what does not constitute a Roman Catholic communicant. You can describe yourself however you wish, but if you don't believe what they tell you to believe, you're out of the club. Or did you miss that bit?

Anyone has the right to call themselves Catholic. In fact, the Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral (CoI) had a letter in The Irish Times this week insisting that he was Catholic.

Firstly, I specified Roman Catholic - you appear to have missed the point of what the Anglican churchman was saying. Secondly, no, you are wrong, not anyone can legitimately call themselves a Catholic Christian. You can call yourself a Sufi master if you wish - nobody will deny you that right - but you would be entirely and stupidly wrong.

The ignorance of the vast preponderance of the religious regarding their own faith is sadly amusing.

[chiffon rouge]

According to the census figures there are only 929 atheists in the State. Yet we hear calls all the time for the religious ethos of schools, hospitals etc. to be removed so as not to offent atheists!

But are they protestant atheists or catholic atheists?