UUP adviser sacked over sex claims

[Eamonnca1]

UUP adviser sacked over sex claims

A minister in Northern Ireland's outgoing power-sharing government has sacked a top adviser over alleged online sexual indiscretions.

Brian Crowe, 40, strenuously denied any wrongdoing, but was shown the door by his boss Danny Kennedy who claimed his position had become untenable.

The married former Church of Ireland minister in Co Tyrone was also suspended from a voluntary role in the church in Lisburn, Co Down.

With May 5 Assembly elections looming, the claims come as the UUP was already under political pressure following a senior resignation and after prominent members clashed over relations with Sinn Fein at Stormont.

The controversy around the ministerial adviser centres on newspaper transcripts of alleged conversations in an internet chatroom with an unidentified lobbyist. The reported exchanges include references to alleged sexual indiscretions.

An initial statement from the Department of Employment and Learning said the adviser had been suspended as a precautionary step after he made the department aware of "serious allegations" levelled against him.

And while it stated that he had strenuously denied the claims, his minister Danny Kennedy said: "The recent allegations about the special adviser Dr Crowe have in my opinion made his position untenable. It is for this reason I have decided to terminate his employment with immediate effect."

A spokesman for the Church of Ireland said: "The Church of Ireland is aware of the allegations made in the Belfast Telegraph concerning Dr Brian Crowe, who has undertaken non-stipendiary ministerial duties in a parish in Lisburn. These are matters which the Church takes very seriously. While the investigations are carried out and the outcome of this process is awaited Dr Crowe's permission to officiate has been withdrawn and he will not undertake parish duties."

The Ulster Unionist Party declined to comment on the claims. But in a statement issued prior to the adviser's dismissal, the Department of Employment and Learning said he had been suspended pending an investigation.

It added: "The allegations have been strenuously denied by the individual concerned. Pending the outcome of this investigation, the department will not be making any further comment. The department has also advised the individual that in accordance with their terms and conditions, they should not make any comment."

Hehe. It's always the anti-sex religious nutjobs that turn out to be either riding all round them or at least trying to, isn't it?

[The Iceman]

every time, its always them, never anybody else, yes you are spot on there
good call

[gallsman]

every time, its always them, never anybody else, yes you are spot on there
good call

They do pretty frequently in fairness. Obviously the irony heightens the publicity a case such as this will receive. The boul' Jeffrey and William McCrea are good examples here.*

*Or so I've heard.

Iceman, you consider yourself religious. Well done. Unless you're freely admitting to being an "anti-sex religious nutjob" then there's really nothing for you to get offended about.

[armaghniac]

It is a good reason not to allow someone log on to the discussion board in your name!

[Eamonnca1]

every time, its always them, never anybody else, yes you are spot on there
good call

[The Iceman]

every time, its always them, never anybody else, yes you are spot on there
good call

They do pretty frequently in fairness. Obviously the irony heightens the publicity a case such as this will receive. The boul' Jeffrey and William McCrea are good examples here.*

*Or so I've heard.

Iceman, you consider yourself religious. Well done. Unless you're freely admitting to being an "anti-sex religious nutjob" then there's really nothing for you to get offended about.

Eamonn's comments and tone on other religion related threads prompted my response.
The absoluteness of his statements is offensive. There are 1000s of sex offenders and horny bastards all over the world. They are not all religious, or self professed "anti-sex" (whatever that means).
If someone doesn't step in at times to balance the thread then people may start to accept and believe that there is no other side to the coin..................

Eamonn, there is nothing straw man about my point. Dont be getting all west coast on me lad

[gallsman]

every time, its always them, never anybody else, yes you are spot on there
good call

They do pretty frequently in fairness. Obviously the irony heightens the publicity a case such as this will receive. The boul' Jeffrey and William McCrea are good examples here.*

*Or so I've heard.

Iceman, you consider yourself religious. Well done. Unless you're freely admitting to being an "anti-sex religious nutjob" then there's really nothing for you to get offended about.

Eamonn's comments and tone on other religion related threads prompted my response.
The absoluteness of his statements is offensive. There are 1000s of sex offenders and horny b**tards all over the world. They are not all religious, or self professed "anti-sex" (whatever that means).
If someone doesn't step in at times to balance the thread then people may start to accept and believe that there is no other side to the coin..................

Eamonn, there is nothing straw man about my point. Dont be getting all west coast on me lad

On the prayer thread you had the cheek to question a poster's (I think it was Eammon) ability to question and make a decision about their faith at the age of 12. I made the same decision. Consciously. I don't believe any of it and never did. I said my prayers and made communion like any other kid because it was what was done and how I was raised. The I started to think for myself and made a decision. You appear to fail to recognise that unless it was drilled into people as a child, it's a decision they wouldn't have to make

You similarly lambasted the Catholic Church and education system in Ireland for its failings in teaching young people. I grew up in a great parish, with kind and caring priests all the time. I went to a brilliant school with brilliant RE teachers. I was a very good student of it, always getting high marks, but gave it up after GCSE as soon as I could. I had less than no interest in it.  My rejection of the faith I was brought up in has absolutely nothing to do with the church or the school I went to.

[The Iceman]

On the prayer thread you had the cheek to question a poster's (I think it was Eammon) ability to question and make a decision about their faith at the age of 12. I made the same decision. Consciously. I don't believe any of it and never did. I said my prayers and made communion like any other kid because it was what was done and how I was raised. The I started to think for myself and made a decision. You appear to fail to recognise that unless it was drilled into people as a child, it's a decision they wouldn't have to make

I don't think it was cheeky of me to question the claim of a 12 year old to have figured out the answer to the "does God exist?" question. Most 12 year old's have lots of wrong opinions on lots of different topics which when they spend some serious time looking into often change their mind. I now like Brocolli for example.....
I find it insulting that you could trivilaize such a major decision to one that could be easily figured out by a child............

You similarly lambasted the Catholic Church and education system in Ireland for its failings in teaching young people. I grew up in a great parish, with kind and caring priests all the time. I went to a brilliant school with brilliant RE teachers. I was a very good student of it, always getting high marks, but gave it up after GCSE as soon as I could. I had less than no interest in it.  My rejection of the faith I was brought up in has absolutely nothing to do with the church or the school I went to.

You helped my case here Gallsman whether you intended to or not. You were a good student and the church were good teachers of a subject - that is true. But when it comes to an understanding of the Good News, developing relationship with God and understanding Religion, rather than the syllabus set by whatever education board then I do feel the Church failed. Your own experience should have been affected by the church and the school you went to - thats my point. If they were doing their job then we perhaps would not be having this difference in opinion...............

[gallsman]

I don't think it was cheeky of me to question the claim of a 12 year old to have figured out the answer to the "does God exist?" question. Most 12 year old's have lots of wrong opinions on lots of different topics which when they spend some serious time looking into often change their mind. I now like Brocolli for example.....
I find it insulting that you could trivilaize such a major decision to one that could be easily figured out by a child............

Who said anything about figuring out the answer? That implies that to that person there's a question to be answered in the first place. Trivialize a major decision? To who? First of, it's a major decision for you, not me. The choice of socks in the morning is a more pressing issue to me. Secondly, it's none of you business whatsoever how anyone else makes that decision, so there's nothing for you to get insulted about.

You helped my case here Gallsman whether you intended to or not. You were a good student and the church were good teachers of a subject - that is true. But when it comes to an understanding of the Good News, developing relationship with God and understanding Religion, rather than the syllabus set by whatever education board then I do feel the Church failed. Your own experience should have been affected by the church and the school you went to - thats my point. If they were doing their job then we perhaps would not be having this difference in opinion...............

If they were doing their job? Their job is to educate for f**k's sake, not brainwash. The idea that you think someone has failed at their job and you judge them accordingly because they don't turn out obedient little Christians (presumably, I don't know your preference) is absolutely repugnant.

[ludermor]

TED: We're not all like that! Say if theres two hundred million priests in the world, and 5 per cent of them are paedophiles, thats still only ten million.....

[The Iceman]

Who said anything about brainwashing? If you can't talk civilly about it all then why bother?
The initial conversation was about "figuring out the answer" and I believe I have every right to be insulted by it. If it's not anyone's business then why share, why discuss? Don't be getting in a twist then.

Education to pass exams should not be the Church's primary mission, in fact on paper it isn't. My claim stands and is valid.

[theskull1]

Eamonn's comments and tone on other religion related threads prompted my response.
The absoluteness of his statements is offensive. There are 1000s of sex offenders and horny b**tards all over the world. They are not all religious, or self professed "anti-sex" (whatever that means).

Can one be a Christian and be one of these at the same time?

[The Iceman]

Eamonn's comments and tone on other religion related threads prompted my response.
The absoluteness of his statements is offensive. There are 1000s of sex offenders and horny b**tards all over the world. They are not all religious, or self professed "anti-sex" (whatever that means).

Can one be a Christian and be one of these at the same time?

I'm testimony to it Skull and my two kids in two years would be proof

[gallsman]

Who said anything about brainwashing? If you can't talk civilly about it all then why bother?
The initial conversation was about "figuring out the answer" and I believe I have every right to be insulted by it. If it's not anyone's business then why share, why discuss? Don't be getting in a twist then.

Education to pass exams should not be the Church's primary mission, in fact on paper it isn't. My claim stands and is valid.

I don't give a flying f**k about Christianity.

There you go. My thoughts, my opinion. What right do you have to be insulted?

[The Iceman]

Who said anything about brainwashing? If you can't talk civilly about it all then why bother?
The initial conversation was about "figuring out the answer" and I believe I have every right to be insulted by it. If it's not anyone's business then why share, why discuss? Don't be getting in a twist then.

Education to pass exams should not be the Church's primary mission, in fact on paper it isn't. My claim stands and is valid.

I don't give a flying f**k about Christianity.

There you go. My thoughts, my opinion. What right do you have to be insulted?

Thats not what I was insulted about Gallsman, read the posts before you throw down your handbag on the floor.
I was insulted that something as big as the "does God exist" question would be trivialized into something that could be figured out easily by a 12 year old.