Bertie Ahern; Atheist hater and Bigot.

dalk

This article on the same topic, appeared in last Sunday's, Sunday Times:

Liam Fay, The Sunday Times wrote:

Bertie Ahem has been speaking in tongues again. The taoiseach's latest tower of babble tumbled out last Wednesday in the Dail when he attempted yet another public exorcism of the demons he seems to think lurk within people who support the separation of church and state.
What Ahern evidently wanted to say was that the views of these loathsome heathens "stick in my craw". What he actually said was that their views "stick in my claw".
On reflection, however, Ahern may simply have been proclaiming a higher truth. His now routine attacks on what he calls "aggressive secularists" are clearly a white-knuckle electoral ploy, designed to help him claw his way back to office. The hand that smites the ungodly, he obviously believes, is the hand that will rise in victory on (electoral) Judgment Day.
In Wednesday's outburst, he argued that religion should have a "predominant role" in Irish life. Citizens who disagree "infringe on other people's rights". What's more, they should keep their filthy pagan traps shut.
"They are not shy about making their voices heard," he declared. "As an individual, never mind as Taoiseach, I am not afraid to voice my views in response. If they want to stay quiet, I will stay quiet, but when they speak I believe I am entitled to speak."
But who is he talking about? Despite his frequent denunciations of "aggressive secularists", Ahern has declined to identify a single one of these bogeymen.
By appending the slippery adjective aggressive to the simply descriptive term secularist -a water-muddying device borrowed from American culture wars -he's seeking to convey the impression that there's an acceptable form of secularism and another, more belligerent strain that threatens the rights of those who profess faith; In reality, nobody in this country is arguing or campaigning for restrictions on religious freedom. What many nonbelievers and even some believers do strenuously oppose, however, is blurring of the line between religious doctrine and democratic governance, whether through the imposition of Rome rule, sharia or any other divinely inspired authority. Genuine freedom of religion must also guarantee freedom from religion.
Having done his utmost to ensure that Ireland remains anything but a secular state, Ahern is now posing as the courageous lone voice of dissent. His condemnations of "aggressive secularists" sound like attacks on all non-believers. If you don't believe in heaven, it seems, you can go to hell.
Ahem may have trouble pronouncing the word, but that clearly doesn't stop him acting like a craw-thumper.

Dades

dalk wrote:

This article on the same topic, appeared in last Sunday's, Sunday Times:

Normally I can't stand Liam Fay, but this is a good rant.

*Awaits door to door FF politicians eagerly*

Fallen Seraph

Citizens who disagree "infringe on other people's rights".

I'm not normally one to go head over heels on legalising marjihuana, but I find it hypocritical beyond belief that Bertie isn't currently pushing such legislation through in order not to infringe on the rights of the Rastafarians.... I wonder why on earth he isn't defending that particular religion; hm?

Asiaprod

5uspect wrote:

Well, he's been the subject of a few posts in this thread...
(About halfway down, not 56k friendly and probably offensive)

Sorry 5uspect, my post was tounge in cheek. Bertie is well know in our family, me mam knows him from way back. I don't care for him myself, then I have yet to find a politician that I do care for.:)

5uspect

Asiaprod wrote:

Sorry 5uspect, my post was tounge in cheek. Bertie is well know in our family, me mam knows him from way back. I don't care for him myself, then I have yet to find a politician that I do care for.:)

I gathered that! My reply was also tongue in cheek.
Just thought I'd share the joke.