Dumb and dumber
Good news! Fundamentalism is on a back foot in at least one part of the world.
The 16th Belfast Pride went off successfully last weekend, in spite of members of the Free Presbyterian Church turning their backs on the marchers.
But these protests have been dwindling, year on year, and the news that an Iposos-Mori survey has revealed that three-quarters of the Northern Irish population says they are tolerant of lesbians, gays and bisexuals, while 88% believe that there should be no discrimination against them, won't have cheered these cheerless evangelicals.
The poll was based on a face-to-face survey of 1,009 people, questioned at 47 different locations across Northern Ireland during February.
Perhaps the most interesting point to emerge was the difference in attitudes toward sexuality between Protestants and Catholics.
Eighty-three per cent of Catholics described themselves as "very accepting" of gays, lesbians and bisexuals, while the figure was 70% amongst Protestants, of whom 14% said that they were "not at all accepting" of the gay community.
This also suggests that, whilst die-hard evangelicals remain entrenched in their bigoted attitudes, the influence of the Pope (and therefore the Catholic church generally) is waning.
Hallelujah! So to speak.
Now, just to prevent over-excitement about diminishing religious idiocy, an anti-abortion group has chosen to show its true colours by condemning the Family Planning Association's Sexual Health Week (see yesterday's story).
The so-called Precious Life group has declared the FPA to be promoting a "safe sex hoax".
A spokeswoman for the group stated that safe sex was responsible for increases in levels of sexually transmitted diseases, and insisted that abstinence should be promoted in order to cut STDs.
Clearly this dangerously stupid example of the species hasn't heard that abstinence campaigns aren't working in the US, despite massive investment from her fellow nutter in the White House.
"Condoms do not protect against STDs," she asserted. Presumably she still believes the Vatican's lies.
(As a slight aside, the Pope now says that married couples where one partner has HIV/Aids can use condoms: will he therefore admit that the Vatican has previously lied about the effectiveness of condoms or does he actually believe that condoms do not stop HIV and is simply a sadistic and opportunistic git?)
However, back to our dotty woman: "Condoms, if used at all, are often used ineffectively", she added. Now, quite apart from the fact that she contradicted herself – how can they be anything other than ineffective if they don't protect against STDs? – that's why education is the answer, you silly, silly person.
But hey, there's nothing like ramming your head in the sand and singing Every Sperm is Sacred without realising that the Pythons were taking the almighty piss out of people exactly like you.
There are days when eugenics seem like a perfectly good idea.
The 16th Belfast Pride went off successfully last weekend, in spite of members of the Free Presbyterian Church turning their backs on the marchers.
But these protests have been dwindling, year on year, and the news that an Iposos-Mori survey has revealed that three-quarters of the Northern Irish population says they are tolerant of lesbians, gays and bisexuals, while 88% believe that there should be no discrimination against them, won't have cheered these cheerless evangelicals.
The poll was based on a face-to-face survey of 1,009 people, questioned at 47 different locations across Northern Ireland during February.
Perhaps the most interesting point to emerge was the difference in attitudes toward sexuality between Protestants and Catholics.
Eighty-three per cent of Catholics described themselves as "very accepting" of gays, lesbians and bisexuals, while the figure was 70% amongst Protestants, of whom 14% said that they were "not at all accepting" of the gay community.
This also suggests that, whilst die-hard evangelicals remain entrenched in their bigoted attitudes, the influence of the Pope (and therefore the Catholic church generally) is waning.
Hallelujah! So to speak.
Now, just to prevent over-excitement about diminishing religious idiocy, an anti-abortion group has chosen to show its true colours by condemning the Family Planning Association's Sexual Health Week (see yesterday's story).
The so-called Precious Life group has declared the FPA to be promoting a "safe sex hoax".
A spokeswoman for the group stated that safe sex was responsible for increases in levels of sexually transmitted diseases, and insisted that abstinence should be promoted in order to cut STDs.
Clearly this dangerously stupid example of the species hasn't heard that abstinence campaigns aren't working in the US, despite massive investment from her fellow nutter in the White House.
"Condoms do not protect against STDs," she asserted. Presumably she still believes the Vatican's lies.
(As a slight aside, the Pope now says that married couples where one partner has HIV/Aids can use condoms: will he therefore admit that the Vatican has previously lied about the effectiveness of condoms or does he actually believe that condoms do not stop HIV and is simply a sadistic and opportunistic git?)
However, back to our dotty woman: "Condoms, if used at all, are often used ineffectively", she added. Now, quite apart from the fact that she contradicted herself – how can they be anything other than ineffective if they don't protect against STDs? – that's why education is the answer, you silly, silly person.
But hey, there's nothing like ramming your head in the sand and singing Every Sperm is Sacred without realising that the Pythons were taking the almighty piss out of people exactly like you.
There are days when eugenics seem like a perfectly good idea.
posted by Amanda Kendal at 9:18 pm
1 Comments:
Love your blog.
Am disappointed though, in my Protestant sisters & brothers who are less likely to support our GBLT friends than the Roman Catholics. Ugh.
Not all church people are ridiculous. (But many are.)
Post a Comment
<< Home