Why Do States Like Ireland Keep Catholicism As An Official Religion.......

[ToraToraTora]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-55646902
.. when they are often having to apologise for its atrocities? Surely it's time to disenfranchise the state from religion?

[Khandro]

What would you prefer them to be, Anglicans, pagans?

[ToraToraTora]

read what I said.

[ToraToraTora]

I'd prefer there to be no official religion in ant state. People can believe whatever version of the fairy tales they like but it should not be entwined in the state. Then the leaders of said states won't have to keep apologising for their attrocities.

[Buenchico]

Catholicism hasn't been the 'official' religion of Ireland since 1973:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_Amendment_of_the_Constitution_of_Ireland

[ToraToraTora]

great, so why is the PM apologising for it?

[Sunk]

Same reason the UK has church of England or Israel has judaism.

The state’s institutions were built by the early developers of the country, where only allegiance to the country’s religion meant you got a top jobs.

[ichkeria]

Just because the British PM is incapable of shame ...

[Buenchico]

Oddly, it seems to be countries with constitutions which specifically seek to keep the state and religion apart (such as Turkey and the USA) where one is most likely to find religious fanaticism among a large proportion of the population.

Whereas in countries with constitutions which tie the state to a particular religion (such as the UK), that religion seems to have far less sway within the general population.

[Sunk]

A secular state would be preferable, but hardly anyone does that.
Turkey is a secular state, but in reality muslims rule everything.

[douglas9401]

They only do it to keep you simmering,Tora, and to make you grateful it's not Islam, for your health of course. :-p

[pixie374]

Because it takes so long.... and often upset and violence to officially change anything.
Nobody should have to apologise for other adults... individuals make their own choices.

[TheChair]

He's apologising for the actions of the state, going back many years, which were influenced by the church. It never ceases to amaze me that someone with such poor comprehension of items in the news, manages, nevertheless, to hold such strong opinions on them, TTT.

[Mozz71]

The point your OP misses Tora, is the the Irish PM didn't apologise for the acts of the Catholic church, but for the government's inaction in addressing the crimes against single mothers before now.

"On behalf of the government, the state and its citizens, I apologise for the profound generational wrong visited upon Irish mothers and their children who ended up in a Mother and Baby Home or a County Home."

[Sparta]

The State is apologizing for the events that happened when Catholicism was the State religion and because the State colluded in the terrible crimes committed by the Catholic Church.

[Jackdaw33]

Do the Irish media still broadcast the Angelus daily at 6 p.m.?

[Mamyalynne]

Yes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Angelus_(television_programme)

[Buenchico]

For JD33:
"The Angelus is an Irish radio and television programme first broadcast in 1950. On radio it is broadcast at 12:00 and 18:00 every day. On television, it is broadcast at 18:00, immediately before the main evening news. Since 2009, the programme on television no longer includes Catholic imagery and the Angelus prayer itself is never broadcast"

Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Angelus_(television_programme)

[Buenchico]

Snap (and not for the first time either), Mamya ;-)

[Sparta]

Also the State was the funding authority for the girls in the 'care' of the Church. Another reason why the State is aplogising.

[tamborine]

Its Gov corruption in the catholicism! Where are the families that should support their offspring? Theyre the ones to blame for turning their backs on unwed mothers.