Comments on: Being a separate caste

By: Jill

Jill — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 15:14:47 +0000

Hi Ian

Agree totally with your sentiments!

As someone who lived in NI during the years of some of the worst atrocities I always thought it very unhelpful (to put it mildly!) that the press always insisted on adding the labels ‘protestant’ or ‘catholic’ when reporting the name of anyone who met with a violent death. Every such death was a tragedy for the individual concerned, and for their families, no matter what the circumstances and by ‘keeping a tally’ it was surely only adding fuel for the dreadful ‘tit for tit’ killings that took place.

Sorry this response is not exactly rapid but I have only started dipping into your blog – well done – I now know what I’ve been missing out on!

By: Ian Poulton

Ian Poulton — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 17:07:05 +0000

A number of journalists seem to try to co-opt us – if they have a case, why doesn’t it stand on its own merits?

By: Joc

Joc — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 09:18:13 +0000

Nice one, Ian, but is ‘not helpful’ strong enough? How about ‘stupid and dangerous’?

Elaine Byrne uses dodgy sociology to make a Protestant stick with which to beat the (Roman) Catholic Church – ‘any stick will do to beat a dog’. As such it is an attack on all our churches and I agree with Steph that a letter to the editor would be in order!

By: Ian Poulton

Ian Poulton — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 08:21:27 +0000

The “Irish Times” have ignored the last six letters I have sent them; I’ve given up bothering to write.

By: steph

steph — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 08:20:45 +0000

Succinctly put, Ian

I agree entirely with what you say but couldn’t have articulated it so brilliantly.

I’m hoping you sent this as a letter to the editor?

By: Ian Poulton

Ian Poulton — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 07:41:27 +0000

Not sure how many Church of Ireland people would put themselves in the category of “Christians”, we tend to avoid anything that smacks of the “evangelical”!

By: Baino

Baino — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:40:27 +0000

Sadly I know too many ‘christians’ involved in dubious activities. My daughter’s boss is definitely one of the most unscrupulous businesspeople I’ve ever heard of but is an avid churchgoer. Religion, race, sex should not be any form of defence in a trial but it happens. Look at ‘scantily’ clad women being vilified in rape trials or DUI drivers being given exempliary character witnesses by the clergy or prominent people in their community. Just the facts please your Honour, the RELEVANT facts!