The Clockwork Chartophylax

If you want an example of the kind of malign influence that Catholicism has had (and continues to have) on the public life of Ireland, here’s one with 100% extra free (both via Maman Poulet):

The Irish Catholic:

Catholic politicians have a moral obligation to vote against the upcoming Civil Partnership Bill that will give gay and lesbian couples almost all of the rights of married couples, according to Family Solidarity. In a statement following its AGM last week, the organisation called on its members to remind ”their public representatives of the constitutional rights of the family and of married persons and to seek amendments to the proposed bill to ensure this.”

According to the Vatican: ”When legislation in favour of the recognition of homosexual unions is proposed for the first time in a legislative assembly, the Catholic law-maker has a moral duty to express his opposition clearly and publicly and to vote against it. ”To vote in favour of a law so harmful to the common good is clearly immoral.”

Covering up child rape? A-OK.

Voting in favour of a law that allows gay couples to formalise their partnership in a civil ceremony? Harmful to the common good and immoral.

The Vatican really needs to shut its pope hole about morality and the common good.

And TDs would do well to remember that the Catholic Church no longer has any special constitutional position in the Republic and that they are elected to represent all of their constituents, no matter their beliefs.

Speaking of which, my local TD, Lucinda Creighton is clearly tiring of life in the Dail:

There is growing cross-party support in the Oireachtas for an amendment to protect religious freedom in the proposed Civil Partnership Bill. The legislation, which is expected to be debated in the Dáil before Christmas, does not currently permit a right for people who believe the measures undermine traditional marriage, to refuse to facilitate a civil union.

Fine Gael’s Lucinda Creighton confirmed to this newspaper that she was calling for her own party to support such an amendment. Several of her parliamentary colleagues confirmed that they would support such a motion.

So giving gay people the right to have their partnerships legally recognised by the civil authorities is a threat to religious freedom?

Or to put it more plainly – extending human freedom is a threat to religious freedom.

Way to lose my vote, Lucinda. I’ll be happy to campaign for you to get your p45 come the next election, you tangerine bigot. I’m sure there’s a plum job at the Iona Institute waiting for you.

And if that’s left you depressed about the state of our Republic, here’s a tonic for you:

Good on ya, Nell. Fancy standing vs Lucinda in Dublin South East?

Posted on November 30th, 2009 under Ireland, atheism, religion • Tags: catholic church, civil partnership, creighton, Ireland, lucinda, nell mccafferty, religion. • RSS 2.0 feed • Leave a response, or trackback