Lough Derg Pilgrimage.

magicbastarder

case in point; my mother is a catholic. voted for divorce in 95. voted for SSM this year. agrees with abolishing the baptismal requirement for national schools, etc. etc. (or maybe just claims all this to keep me quiet).
if you told her - especially if you put a photo of her praying online - that she was supporting persecution of gays, etc., by the fact of her praying, she'd reach a conclusion about you which would be hard to refute.

kylith

Sorry but by supporting an organisation which is against equal rites for homosexuals, secular education, divorce, abortion, etc. then, well, she's supporting an organisation which is against those. Her own thoughts on the matter are irrelevant in the larger scheme of things because she is supporting those who are actively working for the opposite of what she wants.

It's the same with the people on this pilgrimage; unless they are actively campaigning for a change in the church then they are supporting the church's political stance.

Hotblack Desiato

Kidchameleon wrote: »

Your soap boxing now. What have the people who went to the pilgrimage got to do with ANY of the examples you gave?

I was responding to the argument that the mean atheists should just leave those poor religious folk alone (soap boxing? is anything other than derisive one-liners soapboxing now?)

Fact is that atheists have no influence at all on how religious people live their lives (and neither should they) but the opposite is very far from being true.

cowboyBuilder

joseph brand wrote: »

I just caught a segment on Newstalk's Pat Kenny show, where they sent two people up to Lough Derg to report on the pilgrimage. Although it sounds absolutely miserable (like sleeping-under-a-wet-blanket-that-doesn't-cover-the-length-of-your-body miserable), is a complete waste of time, gives credence to beliefs in the supernatural, it's not without a sense of humour. Pilgrims can avail of the 'soup', a generous term for a bowl of water with either salt or pepper added. Someone in the clergy (with a fiendish wit) is, or was a fan of Blackadder.



They don't even serve MILK with the coffee, the heathens. This country was built on milk. Cows, everywhere!





I find this stuff so depressing. A picture is worth a thousand words.

I wonder if the pilgrims are supposed to feel some sense of guilt, for any luxury in their life?



Cold, wet, barefoot, waiting for a spot near the cross to mumble to yourself as it rains on you. (predominantly female)


Christianity has taught these poor old craters that they are filthy sinners who must beg forgiveness. When I picture 'bad' people, old ladies wouldn't be the first demographic to spring to my mind.
This carry on reminds me of that lunatic; Matt Talbot. From his wiki:



I heard that Matt used to do a big shop in Tesco's, wheel the trolley outside the car park, and dump it all in the canal. Because he didn't deserve it. The truth to that story is debatable.


What interests me, is that you won't find any wealthy people carrying on like these pilgrims or Talbot. It always seems to be the poor, the peasants. Give them an expensive meal or some sort of luxury, and they'll be whipping themselves for a year. Maybe not literally, but the guilt is there. Meanwhile the Royal Family have gold leaf passing through their bowels. To they feel like sinners? Do they f*ck!


"Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful." - Lucius Annaeus Seneca


Finally, if you want to pay €70 for the privilege of getting barefoot with a load of oddball strangers, talking to yourself for extended periods (praying) and denying your body a good meal for 72 hours, St Patrick's Purgatory on Lough Derg has it all. Bring the kids*!


* Don't bring the kids. Forcing your child to fast for 3 days is a form of child abuse and they don't want the Garda over again.

Good post OP


It does seem to about suffering and guilt tho, my mother in law never gives herself a break, works herself to the bone .. and for what ??

Maybe its for the glory of the afterlife - such a shame there most likely is none.


Regarding the part in bold, well I don't think the law would get involved,
this kind of abuse seems perfectly valid when "Religion" is involved, lets see though what would happen to parents that fasted their kids for 3 days on "health" reasons.

cowboyBuilder

galljga1 wrote: »

Equally as made up, I suppose. I am an invisible pink unicorn type of dude although I do like the term pastafarian.

Twaddle, everyone knows those unicorns are blue ... not pink !! Blasphemy !!

galljga1

cowboyBuilder wrote: »

Twaddle, everyone knows those unicorns are blue ... not pink !! Blasphemy !!

C'mon, we have gone over this before. I cannot prove he is pink, he just is. Some people believe he exists outside colour or before colour began but I BELIEVE him to always have been pink. That's just that.

pauldla

galljga1 wrote: »

C'mon, we have gone over this before. I cannot prove he is pink, he just is. Some people believe he exists outside colour or before colour began but I BELIEVE him to always have been pink. That's just that.

Unicorns wet their nests.

jank

Where is the mocking thread about people doing Tough Mudder or Ultra-mans?

Cabaal

jank wrote: »

Where is the mocking thread about people doing Tough Mudder or Ultra-mans?

Sh*t, running 100miles means I believe in a invisible being who will forgive me for bad things I do and will look after me when I die?

Here was me thinking it was just to see if I could, mentally and physically with no god or stone age stories in sight.

But you seem to know better

Btw, if you want people talking about ultrarunning and the silly tough Mudder money racket events then perhaps try the athletes forum

robindch

jank wrote: »

Where is the mocking thread about people doing Tough Mudder or Ultra-mans?

If you reckon there's an angle which A+A might enjoy, then do feel free to start one up right beside the thread mocking left wing vegan cookies.

Nodin

jank wrote: »

Where is the mocking thread about people doing Tough Mudder or Ultra-mans?

Yes, because there is a clear comparison between those events, the Tour De France, Le Mans and Lough Derg.

jank

As per expected the three amigos respond in kind.
I wonder if the thread would have gotten as much legs if the OP pictured a bunch of Muslims doing to Hajj or Hindus worshiping on the Ganges.

The latter would probably be viewed as a cultural/tourist experience. A few Irish biddies walking barefoot, oh the horror, the horrooooorrrrr!!