Joe,

I’m happy to give credit where credit’s due, but you won’t see me do it around here as often as I’d like for the same reason you won’t seem me criticise Islam as often as I’d like: people go over the top with their praise/condemnation, so I feel the need to bring some perspective to the fore. Or perhaps not “over the top”, but it’s very one-sided.

There are a few points I could make that put Christian charity into perspective (e.g. studies indicate that non-believers are actually more charitable, however, no one organises under the banner of non-belief, so...). As I said earlier, it’s a discussion I’ve had many times before.

That’s OLO, though. On some of the Facebook groups I follow, I sometimes find myself defending Christians, and even Christianity, from over-zealous atheists who caricature them. Their misdirected mockery is counter-productive.

Yes, credit where credit’s due. Shall we now discuss the works of Islamic charity organisations? Or the fact that charity (almsgiving) is one of the five pillars of Islam? How about we discuss Quilliam: the Muslim-founded and -operated organisation doing a lot of work to de-radicalise (and often successfully) Islamists and Jihadists in Western countries?

Fat chance of that.

--

Paul1405,

Thanks for the further insights. Perhaps it’s a lack of individuality allowed within Catholicism, or Catholic schools? I went to a Lutheran high school and it was nothing like you describe.

Paul

I have no reason to defend the Catholic church as I believe many of their teachings to total heresy. I will say however as a kid growing up in the Catholic system I never experienced or even saw what you described. I did however find out later in life that some kids were abused by priests in the school I attended. In my opinion the Catholic church has many good genuine people (including priests) but the system stinks. I am the black sheep of my family deserting what a consider was considered the ' true faith'. I find what happened to you abhorrent and to this day find any sort of bullying by authorities as abhorrent especially against children. The Catholic system seemed to employ a lot of weird people. Maybe they thought it was the ' Christian' thing to take on many that others would not. Though I know you disagree a higher percentage than normal seems to be shown of the homosexual persuasion. The homosexual lobby today ios full of bullies.

runner,

You keep trying to blame priest sexual abuse on homosexuality, however, there is absolutely no evidence linking child sex abuse to homosexuality.

Assuming there IS a disproportionate amount of gay people in the priesthood, did it ever occur to you that the Church’s stance on homosexuality pushes gay people into a job where they have to stay celibate anyway (only to find that they can’t)?

Now, what was that I was saying earlier about the damaging effects of Christianity on societies?

AJ
'Now, what was that I was saying earlier about the damaging effects of Christianity on societies?'

AJ since your description of Christianity is either based out of ignorance or deceit so I doubt whether you conclusions are very accurate.

Hi Toni,

Well, that's why I keep asking, because I don't know for sure, and I don't want to fall for any 'fake news'. So I keep asking 'real' questions :)

From the bits and pieces around, it seems that, yes, all major meat producers (except for pork, roo, koala and fish) kill all their animals in the halal style, slowly and facing Mecca. In fact, most food producers, food of any sort, pay for halal certification, and as far as I can tell (no company denies it) passes on the cost to the consumer, even if they are not Muslim. I'm glad that's settled.

Do you know any primary school kids ? Ask them to explain to you that South Park is a satirical program: not all Scotsmen are ginger or like that janitor, although admittedly most are just as unintelligible; not all Jews wear kippot all the time, not all Indians run service stores. But you do seem to have taken some of it literally, although perhaps as a literary or comedic device.

Anyhow: back to topic - it asked, tacitly: is there anybody on the 'Left' who dares to criticise Islamists for attacking homosexuals; are there any homosexuals who would dare to criticise either Islamists for persecuting them, or the 'Left' for not coming to their aid ? You'd need a double-king-size bed to accommodate all those friends. I wonder who sleeps in the middle ? Of course (what am I thinking?), the 'Left': they'd take it from both sides.

And alongside, in a single bed, are a couple of Greens and Islamists, bonding over halal procedures. As long as you're both facing Mecca, I suppose ......

Joe

Just a small point, it is Catholicism that says that Faith should be backed up with Good Works and it is a Protestant idea that Faith alone is sufficient for salvation.
That is why some sects of Presbyterianism (and others, particularly in the USA) insist that they alone are of the Elect and shall go to heaven, this belief is prominent among the Presbyterians in Northern Ireland.

To quote the Rev. Ian Paisley, "I have many Catholic friends, but they're damned, they're all damned!"