Why do we still have "The Angelus" on RTE?


I am not religious but at the same time I struggle to see how anyone can be offended by a bell ringing a few times and a few pictures of ordinary people in different poses including one of a farmer with his hand on his cow's This post will be deleted if not edited to remove bad language. What harm is it doing? Are all the little kiddies going to run away to become priests and nuns? Are all the muslims going to convert? Maybe that is the solution to the problems in the middle east...Instead of invading countries or fighting zealots in the desert, we can bombard them with the angelus 24 hours a day. Before you know it, we will all be one happy Christian family. Apart from the Atheists though. Suppose we could just burn them at the stake!!!! Actually maybe I have been brainwashed by those darn bells....
 

You obviously haven't been in Ballinasloe this week
 
truthseeker said:
Interesting that its ok to advise an atheist to 'open their mind' or ignore the church altogether - but an atheist advising a religious person to 'open their mind' is construed as very naughty.
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Tolerance is a two-way street. And its interesting to note the numbers of people who are brave enough to criticise and caricature the religious practices of certain faiths but not brave enough to do the same of others.
 
ubiquitous said:
Tolerance is a two-way street. And its interesting to note the numbers of people who are brave enough to criticise and caricature the religious practices of certain faiths but not brave enough to do the same of others.
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What does that mean ? Atheists believe that all organised religions are a nonsense, no ?
 
Teabag said:
What does that mean ? Atheists believe that all organised religions are a nonsense, no ?
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Did I mention atheists?

What I mean is, there are plenty of people who make a virtue of "bravely" criticising and/or caricaturing certain religions (eg, the Christian Churches) but who are too scared to make even mild criticism of certain other religions for fear of "direct action" from aggrieved members of such faiths.

This is why for example you see the Catholic Church policy on contraception being blamed for "spreading AIDS in Africa" despite the fact that the vast majority of Africans are not Catholics but are members of another religion that takes a far more hardline approach to contraception and "sexual morality" matters in general than the Catholic Church ever did.
 
poor Atheists, an eternity doomed, burning in the fires of hell is what they have to look forward to.
 


My thinking would be that a cult is a hardcore following that does not 'allow' its members to operate outside the guidelines, a church as is obvious in Ireland has many followers who are not fanatical when it comes to their religion but can still call on faith in a time of need.

As regards opening your mind I have no problem in being asked to do so, of course I question the different elements of teachings from when I was brought up and I do enjoy listening to alternitive ideas when it comes to creationism, evolution etc, but if you are asking me to open my mind it should not be in a manner of ' why do you believe in a god when the tooth fairy is more plausible' because that is slightly offensive. An argument can be held on religion without the obligitory thrash talking.
 
The Catholic church is a tradition that goes way back in Ireland and not all people want to forget their traditions. I think we ought to face the fact that despite the mistakes the church made, it brought a lot of civilization to Ireland. The middle ages were terrible for the catholic world, but so is what is happening in the world today.
 
poor Atheists, an eternity doomed, burning in the fires of hell is what they have to look forward to.
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Unless, of course they are correct.
I'm a theist, but the last thing I would want is an afterlife. One life is more than enough!

WRT RTÉ/Angelus, well licence fee is optional. I choose not to support RTÉ. I would be more worried about tax payers' money being used to (unsuccessfully) prop up banks.
 
The answer to all your arguing that is that it is a very cheap one minute programing output. Record set of bells every 10 years or so, play tape until it is knackered, repeat from step 1.
 
I never liked it. The bell is cracked and sounds awful. At least they've toned down the religious artwork that used to be broadcast with it.

It has one advantage too. It gives about 90 seconds to flick over to the BBC and get the headlines. In times of crisis one turns to the BBC.
 
The Church\State divide in Ireland is rather muddled.

I would have no particular issue with the Angelus being removed from RTE. But I also think that it does no harm to be there. And I also think that we are all worse off as a society by not having a day where people shut up shop and rest. Sunday used to be that day. It is a shame that our willingness and desire to reduce the influence of the Church was used to rob us of such a good idea.

Such is our muddled thinking that we allow the Angelus, but ban the Catholic Church from advertising on our airwaves. To be fair, we ban all religions from such advertising. Apparently the free market is not free to those who want to preach their belief in god.

I think it would be better that Catholics be allowed to have their own privately funded TV and radio stations. There is enough spectrum available, and they are a large enough market to support this. But I think we probably banned that too.

Soccer fans could have their own dedicated channel. Ditto the bookies and horseracing fans. But Catholics? Good [insert your own definition of afterlife]s no.
 
You have to admit, it was a bit odd when they changed it from the holy picture though.

All these people going about their business and suddenly, bong, bong, it was like they were being hypnotised, turning skywards like something out of an Alfred Hitchcock movie.

I suppose all things being equal and comparing one monosylabic drone to another, there is as much entertainment value in one minute of the Angelus as there is in three hours of Pat Kenny, at a fraction of the cost.

Given that the Angelus made an appearance for one year during the Marion Year and just never went away, could Pat Kenny not just make a disappearance to save a few bob during the current credit crunch for a year and perhaps not come back.
 

The only reason the church does not 'allow' its members to to operate outside the guidelines is because it would have less members if it did - keeping the membership numbers up is very important (more money for the coffers in Rome). But surely there is punishment coming on the day of reckoning for those who operate outside the guidelines? For example, is it not a sin to use contraception? To be homosexual? To have sex outside of marriage? If followers are just picking and choosing the bits the want to live by then is it not hypocritical?


I dont understand what is offensive in comparing a god to any other imaginary entity. As much scientific evidence exists to support the existence of the tooth fairy as does to support the existence of a god. I am sorry if you find that offensive. Unfortunately it is the truth. If the truth offends it is because the mind examining it is not open to fact.

If science could prove the existence of a god, in a manner that could be repeated, experiment after experiment then Id be the first to jump on the god bandwagon. But it cannot.

Plus there is the common sense notion that there are a large number of different religions around the world. They cant all be right can they? The only reason a large number of people are Catholic is that they were born of Catholic parents. They were indoctrinated before they had any understanding of the world around them or knew what they were signing up for by being baptised/make communion/confirmed. Its a matter of chance what religion you are.

I fundamentally disagree with a number of different 'rules and regulations' of the Catholic church (like being against homosexuality, contraception, abortion, divorce, sex outside of marriage, sex only for procreation etc).
But that is a totally seperate issue to belief in the existance of a god. And it is intended to be an unquestioning belief. Its very easy to stand by the argument for a god if no one is allowed to question it.
Questioning it and making valid comparisions is classed as 'offensive' - so this prevents open discussion because the religious member can always use the 'you are causing offence' as a fall back position.

The Angelus reminds me of George Orwells 1984, it is a Big Brother type propaganda machine - IMO.
 
truthseeker said:
The only reason the church does not 'allow' its members to to operate outside the guidelines is because it would have less members if it did - keeping the membership numbers up is very important (more money for the coffers in Rome).
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You're contradicting yourself by saying on one hand that the church "controls the masses through fear" and on the other by admitting that they actually don't do that (but they would love to, if they could afford it). Not very convincing
The vast majority of catholics do not believe on this "punishment coming on the day of reckoning" rubbish. You will get a few loonies in every bandwagon. This not mean that everyone is a loony.

truthseeker said:
I fundamentally disagree with a number of different 'rules and regulations' of the Catholic church (like being against homosexuality, contraception, abortion, divorce, sex outside of marriage, sex only for procreation etc).
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The Catholic Church does not forbid homosexuality.

I would be interested if you can quote me a rule of the Catholic Church that states that sex should only be for procreation.

Now, please illuminate us on your views of Islam
 
ubiquitous said:
I would be interested if you can quote me a rule of the Catholic Church that states that sex should only be for procreation.
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Catholic Church Rule Book

Rule 1

Sex Shall not be for fun and only used to create a life in likeness of the Lord.






 
truthseeker said:
I fundamentally disagree with a number of different 'rules and regulations' of the Catholic church (like being against homosexuality, contraception, abortion, divorce, sex outside of marriage, sex only for procreation etc).
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So, send in a letter of resignation, hand back your Holy Communion & Confirmation money & recuse yourself from further discussions ?
 
 
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