Unionism's big opportunity to shed its religious bigotry

[Gnevin]

I see Tony has avoided this thread like the plague

[Tony Baloney]

Fearon or me?

[Gnevin]

Fearon or me?

Fearon.

[stew]

Well the Yanks never put "Roman" before Catholic and we dont so ......

The Yanks spell with a Z instead of an S and don't put a U in Colour - i wouldn't necessarily use them as a point of reference for spelling or use of the English language.

The way they spell makes more sense that the way we do. Olde worlde spelling is what we use.

I have lived here in the states for 16 years, I much prefer the way the yanks spell, our way is outdated.

[nifan]

I never knew that offense was taken here, nor did any of the catholics that I have asked, though most of them would tend to use the term catholic only.

I did notice from a quick search the the vatican.va (the holy see website) does use the term a number (249 times)
first response from there is "ADDRESS OF JOHN PAUL II TO THE MEMBERS OF THE ANGLICAN – ROMAN CATHOLIC WORKING GROUP"
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/speeches/2001/november/documents/hf_jp-ii_spe_20011124_anglican-catholic_en.html

[Roger]

Blinkered people who dwell in a world where their own community is always right, justified to do anything, and who's paranoia knows no bounds believe that if Paisley ever said it, it is automatically offensive.  Afterall them Unionists and Prods are all out to attack and offend people like that. 

FFS, in their wee world the Catholic Church must be Paisleyites too!!! 

You couldn't make it up.

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

Blinkered people who dwell in a world where their own community is always right, justified to do anything, and who's paranoia knows no bounds believe that if Paisley ever said it, it is automatically offensive.  Afterall them Unionists and Prods are all out to attack and offend people like that. 

FFS, in their wee world the Catholic Church must be Paisleyites too!!! 

You couldn't make it up.

Wodger away and take your big wooden spoon back to OWC. 

[Roger]

Blinkered people who dwell in a world where their own community is always right, justified to do anything, and who's paranoia knows no bounds believe that if Paisley ever said it, it is automatically offensive.  Afterall them Unionists and Prods are all out to attack and offend people like that. 

FFS, in their wee world the Catholic Church must be Paisleyites too!!! 

You couldn't make it up.

Wodger away and take your big wooden spoon back to OWC. 

I wasn't on here stirring.  My comments came from being inaccurately accused of being offensive based on what I see from subsequent posts is insular outlook, paranoia and plain ingnorance.

[T Fearon]

I'm not avoiding it. As far as I could see only Empey and Hermon (UUP) were in the chapel and indeed yesterday an anonymous unionist from Portadown (I swear I did not write this letter either) demanded details of DUP attendees if any, in a letter printed in the Irish News

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

Blinkered people who dwell in a world where their own community is always right, justified to do anything, and who's paranoia knows no bounds believe that if Paisley ever said it, it is automatically offensive.  Afterall them Unionists and Prods are all out to attack and offend people like that. 

FFS, in their wee world the Catholic Church must be Paisleyites too!!! 

You couldn't make it up.

Wodger away and take your big wooden spoon back to OWC. 

I wasn't on here stirring.  My comments came from being inaccurately accused of being offensive based on what I see from subsequent posts is insular outlook, paranoia and plain ingnorance.

Actually I would agree pretty much with Lar Naparka's post:

I think the main reason that Nationalists find the “Roman” tag offensive is that it was widely used by Papa Doc and his Free Presbies back in the days when the big fella began to make headlines. It was definitely used in the pejorative sense.
I guess that most on here are too young to have lived through the early days of the Troubles, the late 60s and the early 70s. Believe me, the times were scary back then. Whole communities, from both sides, I might add, lived in fear of being burnt out of their homes. 
Paisley was very prominent back then and he certainly was a far different character to the chubby, avuncular old man who appeared on the Late Later Show in recent months. He bawled and roared throughout the province and in London, using terms from a bygone age in the John Knox tradition.

I am deliberately simplifying matters here as I think those days are best left in the past and we should concentrate on the present and future but Paisley was hated and feared in equal measure by nationalists everywhere.
He did have a particular hatred of Rome and all things Roman and terms like 'whore' and 'harlot' were two a penny with him. He also made the bizarre claim at one stage that the Pope had communist leanings because he wore red socks.
Later, I recall him being interviewed on a British TV program, where he laughed off this remark but at the time it was uttered it did serve to stir up the feelings of his volatile followers.
People from both sides of the divide in the North, with whom I have discussed the matter, agree on this point: to the Free Presbies, the term “Roman” was one of contempt. Probably still is.

Whilst I don't particularily like the RC tag, I would say it's more of an annoyance then an offence, although I do think that many "people" do use the "Roman" bit to offend - alá papa doc.

[nifan]

I'm not avoiding it. As far as I could see only Empey and Hermon (UUP) were in the chapel and indeed yesterday an anonymous unionist from Portadown (I swear I did not write this letter either) demanded details of DUP attendees if any, in a letter printed in the Irish News

Simpson was definitely there, and the reports i saw mentioned DUP members plural.

Also there where more UUP than you mentioned Michael McGimpsey was certainly there, and i think some others.

[Donagh]

I wasn't on here stirring.  My comments came from being inaccurately accused of being offensive based on what I see from subsequent posts is insular outlook, paranoia and plain ingnorance.

Who accused you of being offensive?

[lynchbhoy]

Blinkered people who dwell in a world where their own community is always right, justified to do anything, and who's paranoia knows no bounds believe that if Paisley ever said it, it is automatically offensive.  Afterall them Unionists and Prods are all out to attack and offend people like that. 

FFS, in their wee world the Catholic Church must be Paisleyites too!!! 

You couldn't make it up.

Wodger away and take your big wooden spoon back to OWC. 

I wasn't on here stirring.  My comments came from being inaccurately accused of being offensive based on what I see from subsequent posts is insular outlook, paranoia and plain ingnorance.

Mr Pot, meet mr kettle 

[Boolerhead Mel]

Simpson was definitely there, and the reports i saw mentioned DUP members plural.

Not according to the papers-he was at a different funeral-Jimmy Spratt was there -MLA for South Belfast former RUC man and general half wit. I think he is on the poilcing board-certainly none of thier big names attended

[Roger]

Blinkered people who dwell in a world where their own community is always right, justified to do anything, and who's paranoia knows no bounds believe that if Paisley ever said it, it is automatically offensive.  Afterall them Unionists and Prods are all out to attack and offend people like that. 

FFS, in their wee world the Catholic Church must be Paisleyites too!!! 

You couldn't make it up.

Wodger away and take your big wooden spoon back to OWC. 

I wasn't on here stirring.  My comments came from being inaccurately accused of being offensive based on what I see from subsequent posts is insular outlook, paranoia and plain ingnorance.

Mr Pot, meet mr kettle 

Read post #67 which started this again.  Don't see anything insular, paranoid or ignorant about that.  Subsequent posts by many on this site have simply highlighted the insular, paranoid and ignorance of the response by those arguing with that post.