Your local loon

FinnLizzy

Nominate the die-hard religious nut in your community that will kick up a stink over whatever.

Sandwich boards, letters to the editor, pictures of dead fetuses, the works.

Our local is a chap called [see links for details]. I don't know much about him, nor do I know what he looks like, but he seems to have problems with Potato Jesus.

He has something of a reputation as well for letters to the editor complaining about secularism in any form, or anything that he sees as an attack on his beloved church.

Topics such as Communism, the media's treatment of Dana and what people do with their willys

I thought he was onto something about China's human rights abuses, but it turns out to be a defense for our misunderstood Pope

So, any characters?

Kivaro

The Parish Priest.

I hope you don't expect people to name names.

Turtwig

Ok, I must go to one of Ferry's mass's.

MagicMarker

He's not a loon you insensitive fool! He's just rationally challenged!

Banbh

He complained to the gardaí on the grounds of 'incitement to hatred'. If he complained under the FF/GP anti-blasphemy law, the gardaí would have had to investigate the complaint.

FinnLizzy

Banbh wrote: »

He complained to the gardaí on the grounds of 'incitement to hatred'. If he complained under the FF/GP anti-blasphemy law, the gardaí would have had to investigate the complaint.

He's a retired Garda as well, he knows his ****.

I don't think there's any priest in Sligo that's more right-wing than him!

Nodin

FinnLizzy wrote: »

Nominate the die-hard religious nut in your community that will kick up a stink over whatever.

Sandwich boards, letters to the editor, pictures of dead fetuses, the works.

Our local is a chap called John Ferry. I don't know much about him, nor do I know what he looks like, but he seems to have problems with Potato Jesus.

.....

Potato jesus who gave himself up so that we might have chips? Thats terrible.

Sarky

Potatohead Jesus died for your skins. Mmm, potato skins...

Calibos

Grape jesus died for your Raisins.

eviltwin

Can I nominate my mother? So far she has publicly defended a pedophile priest ( and publicly called his victim a liar ), she protests against the setting up of ET schools because they are "heathen", she refuses to talk to members of the family who have gotten married in registry offices, had babies outside wedlock, lived in sin etc, she is a member of some crazy group of pro-life mob and she is a regular caller to a well known phone in show on religious matters, she'd be the one who gets called a freak no doubt but they wouldn't be wrong

Fortyniner

Is that you, son?

Kivaro

eviltwin wrote: »

Can I nominate my mother? So far she has publicly defended a pedophile priest ( and publicly called his victim a liar ), she protests against the setting up of ET schools because they are "heathen", she refuses to talk to members of the family who have gotten married in registry offices, had babies outside wedlock, lived in sin etc, she is a member of some crazy group of pro-life mob and she is a regular caller to a well known phone in show on religious matters, she'd be the one who gets called a freak no doubt but they wouldn't be wrong

I thought that I'd never say this (being mature and all):

Your Ma .................... (for nomination)

5uspect

I'm related to the crazy old nun who used to stand on O'Connell street with the big old wooden cross. I'm pretty sure she's dead now tho.

Corkfeen

I have a relative that is rather religiously insane... She has shrines up for her favourite priests and everything. You know we have those discussions on how the majority of Catholics aren't really Catholics as they don't believe half of the teachings. I can say without a single doubt that she believes all of it and is an unquestioning follower.

Sonics2k

Corkfeen wrote: »

I have a relative that is rather religiously insane... She has shrines up for her favourite priests and everything. You know we have those discussions on how the majority of Catholics aren't really Catholics as they don't believe half of the teachings. I can say without a single doubt that she believes all of it and is an unquestioning follower.

Except the bit about idolatry :pac:

legspin

Corkfeen wrote: »

I have a relative that is rather religiously insane... She has shrines up for her favourite priests and everything. You know we have those discussions on how the majority of Catholics aren't really Catholics as they don't believe half of the teachings. I can say without a single doubt that she believes all of it and is an unquestioning follower.

I'd say just about every Irish family has one of those somewhere. I was talking to some cousins of mine recently and we came to the conclusion that this relative we have was so hung-up on the practices of consenting adults that she was secretly jealous and a good drunken spit-roasting fifty years ago would have sorted her out.

With that we all shivered at the thought of it and changed the subject.

Galvasean

Kivaro wrote: »

I hope you don't expect people to name names.

That was my initial thought, but then again if someone is publishing things with their name attached in public they hardly have any right to anonymity...

Banbh

But I'm not sure you can call them a loon etc as this could be construed as 'common abuse' or 'vulgar abuse' (not sure of the legal term) which is covered by the libel laws.

Perhaps one of our legal brethern could give some pro bono advice on this.

Banbh

I've just read over the thread and a named person has been called a loon (which I believe, M'lod means a lunatic), a die-hard religious nut, rationally challenged and more rightwing than any priest in Sligo.
I suggest that the Mods to remove this post and the thread as quickly as possible.

Dades

Banbh wrote: »

I've just read over the thread and a named person has been called a loon (which I believe, M'lod means a lunatic), a die-hard religious nut, rationally challenged and more rightwing than any priest in Sligo.
I suggest that the Mods to remove this post and the thread as quickly as possible.

Well, that's really just the *opinion* of the OP. And none of the monikers are really that shocking or sticking, tbh.

legspin wrote: »

I'd say just about every Irish family has one of those somewhere.

Took this last month down 'country visiting some of the wife's rels. That water on the mantelpiece tasted awful.

robindch

Dades wrote: »

Took this last month down 'country visiting some of the wife's rels. That water on the mantelpiece tasted awful.

Not surprising since the water seems to have been standing there since JPII was perhaps 60, over 30 years ago... yuk!

And what's with the coffin-shaped red thing? Is there a really, really small vampire in there?

Banbh

The opinion of the Op is published by the website.

Newspapers can't defend themselves by saying that a libel is just the opinion of the person quoted. I know the internet is a new area but the person who publishes the offending piece is as liable as the person quoted.

If the remarks - and they are actionable - were published in a newspaper, the 'loon' would be in for a considerable sum.

When I worked in this area, I always posed the question: "If the remarks were made about you; what would you do?" If the answer is "sue". Then do it.

The publisher of the remark - the website or magazine - must then prove that the remarks are true.

Ellis Dee

Nodin wrote: »

Potato jesus who gave himself up so that we might have chips? Thats terrible.

It's actually funny, but a lot of religious people have no sense of humour at all. This work of art (acrylic, wood, chipboard) by Harro Koskinen is called Sikamessias ("Pig Messiah"). It caused a bit of a stir in Finland when it was first exhibited in 1969 and a complaint was made to the police. No prosecution followed.:)

Koskinen used the language of form of pop to express social criticism. He chose pig themes as a means of calling into question the smugness and indifference that he identified in Finnish society. I guess a work of art like this would still get a lot of backs up in Ireland and prompt an awful lot of bitching.

It is now in the Chiasma Museum of Contemporary Art in Helsinki. Fortunately, most people just shrug their shoulders when the religious whack-jobs get uptight about something. There used to be a few right nutbars around where I live in Laois, but they have either died or come to their senses and the priests are more or less rational, not that I have much to do with them.:)

http://kokoelmat.fng.fi/wandora/w?action=image&url=http://172.20.0.20/wandora/repository/art/N0088200.jpg&profile=topicartwork&imageid=N0088200

Dades

Banbh wrote: »

I know the internet is a new area but the person who publishes the offending piece is as liable as the person quoted...

Well given the recent legal paranoia, and you giving me the willies I've taken the entirely foolproof step of yoinking the name from the OP.

However who the OP is talking about can still easily be gleaned from the links provided - but at least when he types his name into Google (we all know he probably does once a week) it won't direct him straight into this thread, so the chances of him finding it now are pretty slim.

Turtwig

Banbh wrote: »

The publisher of the remark - the website or magazine - must then prove that the remarks are true.

MagicMarker

Banbh wrote: »

The publisher of the remark - the website or magazine - must then prove that the remarks are true.

Hmmm, I wonder if this will work in the christianity forum.

Banbh

Better safe than sorry. I will look further into it and see if there is any case history as regards the web. I have a feeling that there was a test case not so long ago.
Will consult my learned colleagues - that will be 50 guineas if you please.

Turtwig

Banbh wrote: »

Better safe than sorry. I will look further into it and see if there is any case history as regards the web. I have a feeling that there was a test case not so long ago.
Will consult my learned colleagues - that will be 50 guineas if you please.

You never specified if you wanted them dead, alive or both?

Banbh

Just found this excellent summary:

http://www.digitalrights.ie/2006/01/06/libel-laws-in-ireland/

Dades

Banbh wrote: »

Just found this excellent summary:

http://www.digitalrights.ie/2006/01/06/libel-laws-in-ireland/

To be fair if we were to follow that to the letter we might as well pack up our keyboards.

Galvasean

Dades wrote: »

To be fair if we were to follow that to the letter we might as well pack up our keyboards.

It's a bit like the blasphemy law in this country. If you were to take everyone guilty of it to task there would be no room in the jailhouse.

Hotblack Desiato

Dades wrote: »

Took this last month down 'country visiting some of the wife's rels. That water on the mantelpiece tasted awful.

Our Lady of the Screw-Top Head I think every family in Ireland in the 1970s was issued one of these.

Banbh

What's the foul liquid in the other screw-top jar?
I remember being obliged to dip my finger in such stuff by aunts and grannies. I think it was extra-strong holy water from a particular holy well.
They don't sell the xxx holy water anymore as it was putting the hospitals and doctors out of business.

Dades

Pretty sure it was Padre Pio's tears. Could be worth a bit in the "Alive" classifieds.

Knit wit

I would like to nominate my mother also ... She's in her 70s now and spends most of her time in the church or doing church related sh@t! She is just like mrs. doyle ... Thinks priests are marvellous. Our home was adorned with pictures of various saints in every room and holy statues! We had many screw top virgin Mary's too
She is part of that nutty legion o Mary mob that regularly go door to door trying to convert the unsuspecting residents of south county Dublin ...

Hotblack Desiato

My mother developed severe alzheimers. She is in residential care.
She clings on to her prayer books.
She can't recognise me or my sister, but she recognises the prayer books.
I don't know whether to be happy or sad about that.

robindch

I've an elderly female relative who in recent years, has returned with some energy to the warm bosom of the Magesterium. I have yet to see a racist, homophobic or fascist viewpoint she won't embrace with the care, warmth and delicacy of a sniper's bullet.

Last week, said relative announced over drinkies that she'd be voting "no" in the referendum on the Fiscal Compact in order to bring about the collapse not only the EU, but of the Irish State too. When yours truly pointed out that this would involve collapsing the banks and, thereby, toasting their life's savings and putting her and hubby into some IMF-funded poorhouse, she shrugged and said it was worth it. When I pointed out that her granddaughter would die, probably within a few months, since the (no-loner existing) state would be unable to continue to fund the growth factor injections that keep her alive, she first said "oh, never thought of that", then after some more thought, "Well, we all have to die of something".

She refers to me as a "militant atheist", btw.

Banbh

I have a very clear-headed mother who is also an atheist and she, along with her son the economist, her daughter the lecturer and her brother the politician are all voting No in order to save their jobs, pensions, civil liberties and self respect and to show the corrupt elite and their tools with their snouts in the political trough that they cannot ride rough-shod over the working-people and the poorest in our society.

Nice try Robin but a little sneaky. Why not set up a separate tread if you want to lecture us on your vote?

Turtwig

Banbh wrote: »

I have a very clear-headed mother who is also an atheist and she, along with her son the economist, her daughter the lecturer and her brother the politician are all voting No in order to save their jobs, pensions, civil liberties and self respect and to show the corrupt elite and their tools with their snouts in the political trough that they cannot ride rough-shod over the working-people and the poorest in our society.

Nice try Robin but a little sneaky. Why not set up a separate tread if you want to lecture us on your vote?

An economist, lecturer, and politician and yet the reason they'll vote no is full of bollocks. Humanity, really does test my faith sometimes.

Sarky

I'm from the internet. Every loon is local here.

Corkfeen

Sarky wrote: »

I'm from the internet. Every loon is local here.

Hello, Mr Anderson....

AtomicHorror

Banbh wrote: »

Nice try Robin but a little sneaky. Why not set up a separate tread if you want to lecture us on your vote?

Don't be an arse. He wasn't making an argument either way. He was pointing out that his relative's argument was crazy and remained crazy even after he pointed out the horrible logical extension of what she was hoping for. He wasn't saying or implying that this would be the actual result of a no vote.

Banbh

Well AH, isn't he lucky he has you to explain what he means as he didn't do so in his own reply.
But between his 'full of bollox' and your 'don't be an arse' I think I'll leave you two gentlemen to debate between yourselves.

AtomicHorror

Banbh wrote: »

Well AH, isn't he lucky he has you to explain what he means as he didn't do so in his own reply.

Don't get sulky because you had to have something blatantly obvious explained to you. It's better to take it on the chin or refute it. If you want to have a private chat with robin, maybe PM the guy instead of posting on a public forum.

Banbh wrote: »

But between his 'full of bollox' and your 'don't be an arse' I think I'll leave you two gentlemen to debate between yourselves.

No please stay or something.

Dades

No need for the friction, people. I'm sure Robin will have something to add at some point. It was a sun shiny day today.

Atomic - careful now with how you address other posters.

sbsquarepants

My girlfriends mother. Don't get me wrong she is a lovely woman, but fúck me she is like a cult member when it comes to the church, her father too, to a slightly lesser extent. The other day i was using her printer and on it was a timetable she'd printed marking out the times she was to be in the church - it totalled 20 hours a week (9 of them on one particular day!) I showed to the girlfriend who said she's done that all her life. That's 1000 hours a year devoted to a zombie carpenter and she can't even put up a shelf!! Bad deal missus, very bad deal.
Also the other day i was pottering around on my patio when i heard what i thought was people talking, i looked up and seen it was a neighbour, coming down the street talking to themselves, when they got close eough to hear what she was saying it was the hail mary prayer! That's just odd if you ask me:)

Hotblack Desiato

sbsquarepants wrote: »

My girlfriends mother. Don't get me wrong she is a lovely woman, but fúck me she is like a cult member when it comes to the church, her father too, to a slightly lesser extent.

Tread carefully, it could be hereditary :eek:

robindch

Banbh wrote: »

I have a very clear-headed mother who is also an atheist and she, along with her son the economist, her daughter the lecturer and her brother the politician are all voting No in order to save their jobs, pensions, civil liberties and self respect and to show the corrupt elite and their tools with their snouts in the political trough that they cannot ride rough-shod over the working-people and the poorest in our society. Nice try Robin but a little sneaky.

Banbh, what on earth are you talking about? This thread is for tales about religious nutters, not for twitchy, Ganley/Jorry-level rants about some "corrupt elite".

Banbh wrote: »

Why not set up a separate tread if you want to lecture us on your vote?

If you're interested in discussing tomorrow's referendum, instead of, say delivering more of the above, then there's already a thread here on it:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056562559

Billy Mays

Bloke that lives around the corner from me. Right nutter when it comes to all things church related but has taken it to a new level today. Turned into our Cul De Sac this evening coming home from work to see a load of bunting hanging across the street. Thought it was Ireland bunting for the football (as you would) but as I got closer realized it was papal bunting with a big banner hanging off it proclaiming the Eucharistic Congress coming to Dublin. To say I'm p!ssed off about having to walk passed this sh!te on my own street is an understatement.

MrPudding

I don't really have any IRL, though as has been pointed out, there are plenty around these parts.

MrP