New crime of blasphemous libel proposed for Defamation Bill - goodbye free speech ?

[Cato]

Mandela, Foucault, Thatcher, Tinky-Winky???

It's a loaded question, isn't it? It was one of your former-seminarian, post-catholic, atheist, humanist-friendly chorts, wasn't it??

No Femme. I was just questioning your view that truth is relative to who is uttering it, to whom, and where. To me, that's nonsense.

Truth is truth. If someone makes an observation on your religion, then ask yourself is the comment valid, does it contain some truth, or does it make you seek out more understanding of the issue. Just be open-minded. If the comment contains only falsity, ignore it and rise above it. Why let it bother you?

And no, I don't define myself as a former-seminarian, post-catholic blah blah blah.

Yes, I am an atheist but I believe that those like aggressive & Co. who seem to define their atheism by reference to their hatred for and rejection of Catholicism and religion in general do their atheism any service - "I'm not a Catholic, but my non-Catholicism is going to define me".

You seem to have become a little detached in your last few posts; are you tiring?

[femmefatale]

For example not drinking on Good Friday.

If it wasn't practical for publicans to have a day when they know their competition is closed and they can close to do work inside, then it would eventually be ignored or repealed.

That's kinda sad.

So the only reason Publicans don't kick up a stink about this is because they know they won't be missing out financially and they can do a bit of DIY? Are the pubs open every other day of the year?

[Cato]

To cheer at the death of another human being is a scurrilous, sinful deed indeed. Shame on them.

Incidentally Femme, most of the seminarians from the northern dioceses were right-wing fundamentalists and believe me, they seemed to take satisfaction in his death. Sad that, really.

[myksav]

Do I? Not the kind of Muslim you like, am I? Let me guess, you like me to be a beer swilling, pig eating fornicator

That is entirely up to you if you want to be a "beer swilling, pig eating fornicator".
Personally, I don't consume alcohol, so I won't advise you on that.
Pig eating is a perfectly acceptable practise in colder climates, the proscription against pork by Muslims and Jews is because pork does not keep well in hot climates.
Fornicator? Why?

Oh, you ascribe those 'habits' to non-Muslims. Oh dear, that is discriminatory and there's probably a law against it.

Alterego, my dear fellow, you are a git. Enjoy the glaciation of the equatorial belt.

[Cato]

That's kinda sad.

So the only reason Publicans don't kick up a stink about this is because they know they won't be missing out financially and they can do a bit of DIY? Are the pubs open every other day of the year?

This true. Every pub I worked in usually used it as a day to get loads of deep-cleaning and DIY done. Normally followed by a piss-up. Call it the one time in the year that barmen (and women!) got to drink together.

Pubs must also close on Xmas day.

[Demotruk]

That's kinda sad.

So the only reason Publicans don't kick up a stink about this is because they know they won't be missing out financially and they can do a bit of DIY? Are the pubs open every other day of the year?

I'm not sure how it's sad, I'm sure many of them are genuine believers but if it's a practical situation for the rest that's good enough. As far as I'm aware, they can open on any other day. I'm sure some close on Christmas etc. but that's not a day for DIY.

[Toland]

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[femmefatale]

No Femme. I was just questioning your view that truth is relative to who is uttering it, to whom, and where. To me, that's nonsense.

Truth is truth. If someone makes an observation on your religion, then ask yourself is the comment valid, does it contain some truth, or does it make you seek out more understanding of the issue. Just be open-minded. If the comment contains only falsity, ignore it and rise above it. Why let it bother you?

And no, I don't define myself as a former-seminarian, post-catholic blah blah blah.

Yes, I am an atheist but I believe that those like aggressive & Co. who seem to define their atheism by reference to their hatred for and rejection of Catholicism and religion in general do their atheism any service - "I'm not a Catholic, but my non-Catholicism is going to define me".

You seem to have become a little detached in your last few posts; are you tiring?

You make so much sense and you have a nice calming form of expression - you can take the boy out of the Seminary ....

I hope you realise I wasn't trying to attack you. I do see what aggressive secularist way trying to say about Unionists - I just couldn't concede the point several pages back.

I am tiring. I actually have a major piece of work to do and I'm afraid I have allowed this discussion to become a distraction. (Why does this feel like Confession?) My brain is frazzled. I seem to spend all my time on here debating atheists!! Not what I expected when I signed up.

[myksav]

That's kinda sad.

So the only reason Publicans don't kick up a stink about this is because they know they won't be missing out financially and they can do a bit of DIY? Are the pubs open every other day of the year?

Years back when I worked in a pub, Good Friday was the only day that we could give the place a complete scrub-down.

[Cato]

You don't know a shagging thing about me and how i define myself.

I have chosen to tell you a few of the things I believe and think of as important.

You know nothing else about me. I'll thank you to remember that when attempting to put me in a box.

Chief, I don't to have to know much about that I cannot see from your posts on any thread to do, even tangentially, with religion to see that your atheism seems to be mostly about your anti-Catholicism and hatred for all things religious.

It's OK. I've been there too, but eventually you will need to move beyond it. You get more interesting that way.