How can you get the most devout Irish Catholics and the most fervid Ulster Protestants singing from the same Hymn sheet?

[sandyRoe]

One answer, open a Marie Stopes clinic in Belfast.
This report in the link mentions 40 protesters. The numbers later increased and there were hundreds protesting.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/...hern-ireland-19977527

[ummmm]

Now there's a surprise.

[LazyGun]

Nice to see a united front I suppose, even if that united front is of the "an enemy of my enemy is my friend" variety, and even if they are attempting to impose their faith based worldview on everyone else.

Hopefully, those women who feel the need for an abortion in NI will have the courage to use the facilities, rather than be intimidated by the swivel-eyed fundies :)

[friedgreentomato]

They are there now - can see them from the window there were standing outside the tesco now they are outside the GOH!!

[sandyRoe]

Are you in there offering advice, Friedgreen? Barricade the doors if you think they're going to break in.

[sandyRoe]

The same class of people used to protest outside the Opera House when it had a production of Joseph running. Blasphemy, apparently.

[youngmafbog]

Blasphemy ? Thats a cause to murder isn't it?

[friedgreentomato]

Lol sandy I don't think my particular opinion on this subject is one the protesters would want to hear?

[emmie]

oh dear, see what progress brings..

[lcg]

you can't....it's like trying to have a sensible debate about foxhunting. just not possible! x

[LazyGun]

Is Jeffrey Donaldson a highly regarded politician in NI? Because he came across as something of a fundamentalist on a C4 news article just now....shifty as well, with the typical politicians response of shifting responsibility onto someone else...

[naomi24]

Religion trying to tell other people how to live - again.

[ichkeria]

Jeffrey Donaldson? Depends on your political views as to what you think of him. He's a high ranking unionist who defected from the Ulster Unionists to the DUP years ago. You really need to come from N Ireland perhaps to appreciate that mix of religion and politics. Lots of unionists would support his politics without necessarily sharing his religious views

[LazyGun]

@Ich - Thanks for the info- I think you are right, that NI politics is coloured by the relationship between religion and politics much more than anywhere else in the UK

[ichkeria]

It is, although it's fascinating also to note the ways in which religion and politics collide rather than collude even in N Ireland. Hence the spectacle of the Religious divide uniting across Political boundaries in certain cases such as Marie Stopes. My dad always claimed that the divisions in N Irelsnd were primarily political rather than religious. I never entirely agreed with that but I think it is true that the original argument, which was religious, has long since been overshadowed by politics which largely divide on religious grounds as a legacy of that.

[LazyGun]

@Ichkeria - I have no direct experience of NI, so am personally ill-qualified to comment, beyond the general observation that your last statement just sounds about right.