Set Your Recorders For....

[Ken4155]

'The Magdalene Sisters', BBC2 11:50 pm. Whilst it is not based on a singke true story, it is said to accurately portray events which were commonplace in such institutions. For those who haven't seen it yet, it is a quite shocking film - the biggest shock, imho, coming in the end credits.

[Svejk]

Ric.ror

///I think that is because the majority of muslims ARE peaceful, yada yada///

I'm sure, ric. I was just, mistakenly, pointing out that the same consideration wasn't given to Catholics.

[tamborine]

The church I know only takes in orphans & dont grab kids from mums unless requested by guardians. Lots of unwed mums have had to give up babes for financial reasons. My sis was an unwed mum, her babe was reared by us. Due to her I was NOT in the same position.

[Ric.ror]

I, somewhat, agree with you there Svejk

[gness]

Ric...there are kind Muslims and kind Catholics who would harm nobody.

I live in a large family of Irish and Scottish Catholics....nuns, priests and a bonkers Bishop.
We get along wonderfully.....but they know that in my black and white world I would expect them, in the light of the dreadful things that have taken place in their church, to walk away and never darken the door of a church again. To make their feeling count in a way that would harm the church.
I feel the same about Muslims.

And, for all we do lots together my family now know that I'm not safe to be invited to things such as ordinations, mind masses and the like......
Not sure whether they fear what I might say or that the roof might cave in.... x

[viv41]

This film is very moving and so sad, have seen it before and can't watch it again.

[tamborine]

Magdalene is in the days before social security when England had work houses for poor families. The church has been the catchnet throughout that period, longer and still is in third world countries.

[Peter Pedant]

I had a roman catholic education - primary thro secondary

and all the obvious defects I hae are down to my religious teachers ....
I am not sure about that to be honest
it may be down to me

[tamborine]

PP my late OH had a state education & died of alcoholism. I dont blame his education for that. We are what we strive for.

[gness]

Being a catch net is good, Tambo...shame it's needed but good nevertheless.... being a cruel and abusive catch net is bad.

[tamborine]

Gness agreed youve had horrid experience but is it all down to the church? As I recall you have issues with your mum.

[gness]

I did answer this for you before, Tambo.......my real issues with the church began when the extent of the abuse....and the attempts to cover up the abuse ...came to light.

Then looking into Mother Teresa sickened me so much my ability to just look the other way and think....Well not for me, but let them get on with it.... deserted me.

My personal experiences with the Catholic Church are light and laughable... only useful for a bit of merriment around the dinner table.

My views, gained in adulthood, on the Catholic Church throughout history and to the present day stand......
I will always wonder why folk, my family included, tolerate this awful institution....

[AliceTickband]

gness...

Well said.

Manmade religion is a complete con, both spiritually and financially.

Faith on the other hand is personal and can be very uplifting.

[gness]

Isn't it just, Alice.....I was talking to a friend about this yesterday and I remembered....Father's Money.....

Every Monday we had to take a sixpence to school for the priests...Oh the shame when a Mum couldn't find enough money for all the children in a family to take a sixpence!
We'd be too ashamed to say Mum has no money but "I'm sorry, I forgot it" didn't go down well with Sister Superior!...☺

[tamborine]

Preaching is not me but the community is the heart of any faith. Monies donated are for the flocks welfare. In Magdalene monies were spent on washing machines.

Mt Theresa took in dieing from the streets for a dignified end (indian standards). Obviously local hospitals or care were not accommodating to street sick.

Hopefully non-church peeps have alternative ways of assissting the fallen thru other charities, a responsibility of those who can.

[gness]

Washing machines! Tambo.....you know when the Magdalenes started?
When my Aunt Maud's friend was taken into the warm and gentle care of The Magdalenes her hands were raw and bloody from the washing and scrubbing....not from pressing the buttons on a Bosch.....
They didn't have electricity....let alone a washing machine.
Read what Mary Merritt has to say about them....from her own experience. Please read her story and then come back and tell me it's fine....it's okay to do this in the name of the Catholic Church.

Tambo.....can you really and truly excuse what these nuns did to young girls and to babies?

And as for Teresa.....we all know the conditions she laid down in exchange for a bit of care...and she didn't put her trust in her God and prayer when she was ill did she.......nor let her nuns care for her.

[tamborine]

Gness the film shows washing machines. Mt Thereas was too ill to refuse medical treatment, however it came.

while your aunt had bleeding hands from scrubbing was possibly the same time my uncle was captured by japs & suffered health and torture on the Burmese railway (river Kwai).

[gness]

Well....we can't blame the nuns for that, can we....☺

[tamborine]

No gness but times were hard all round

[gness]

Were you not a bit touched by the story of Mary Merritt.....what she suffered at their hands both before and after being raped by the priest.....must make you question a little, surely?

[tamborine]

If Mary was the girl who had her necklace stolen, she was taken advantage of for her simplicity. The nuns applied same rules to all.

There are more horrific tortures than girls having to earn their keep scrubbing laundry.