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THE ARCHBISHOP OF Dublin Diarmuid Martin has expressed concern about anti-Islamic sentiments being expressed in social media in Ireland in the wake of the mass shooting at two mosques in New Zealand.
Martin said that some of this anti-Islamic sentiment came from publications “purporting to be of Catholic inspiration”.
At least 49 people were killed in today’s attack in the New Zealand city of Christchurch, at the Masjid Al Noor and Linwood mosques in the city, with many more injured.
Police have arrested and charged a man with murder in relation to the attacks.
Commenting on the attacks, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has expressed his shock at the shootings.
He asked for prayers to be said at all Masses in the Archdiocese of Dublin on Sunday in remembrance of those who were killed or injured.
Martin then expressed his concern about anti-Islamic sentiments being expressed in social media in Ireland.
Gardaí
Following the attack, community gardaí are attending local mosques today to provide support to the country’s Muslim community.
An Garda Síochána today said it has a productive and positive relationship with the Muslim community in Ireland built up over many years.
As part of this and to provide support following the terrible events in New Zealand, community gardaí will be attending Friday prayer in their local mosque and making themselves available to those communities.
Speaking from the United States, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar also expressed Ireland’s condolences and solidarity with the people of New Zealand.
“New Zealand and its people are open, tolerant and welcoming,” Varadkar said in a statement.
We join them today, united in our condemnation of this appalling attack and determined in our resolve that hate will not triumph.
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Rubbish I’m afraid. Horrific anti-muslim violence is contemptible as is anti-muslim rhetoric, but “anti-Islamic” speech is surely the criticism of a religion, which is absolutely fair game no matter what kind of lunatic goes on a terror spree.
If 50 catholics were shot dead tomorrow morning would be discouraged from criticising Catholicism? It’s just a ridiculous position.
People and ideas are separate.
@ihcalaM: The problem is far too often the two are intertwined, and that leads to things like this attack :c
@Keith O’Reilly: Then criticise anti-muslim bigotry as it arises, don’t suggest that criticism of religious ideology alone is somehow beyond the pale, as the good Bishop seems to be saying.
If you’re using a mass murder of Muslims to push your criticism, you’re not doing it out of an ideological objection to the philosophy of Islam. You’re doing it out of hate.
Plenty of anti catholic sentiment going around on the internet aswell
I think the Bishop should be more concerned about the anti Catholic sentiments being expressed in the media.
@Pat Campbell: Which are fully justified as per Murphy, Ryan, Ferns and Cloyne reports.
“The barbarians never take a city until someone holds the gates open to them. And it’s your own multicultural authorities/preachers who will do it for you, resist it while you still can”
― Christopher Hitchens
https://youtu.be/0QPc5UY66Sc
@David Oppenshore: Someone should have definitely closed the gate on the Australian
Sorry diarmuid. Anti-islam is not anti muslim any more than anti catholic church is anti catholic. Religions are little more than (flawed) ideas and opinions pushed by a moral heirarchy in most cases, both of which should always be subject to scrutiny and, where appropriate, criticism.
It’s the usual tactic i.e. criticising a religion/church putting you in the same category as this murderous s€umbag in New Zealand, which couldn’t be further from the truth.
@The Risen: Tá tú i gceart. Is annamh is iontach!
@The Risen: any comments on Gemma’s take on the incident? You’ve historically been a big supporter of hers…
Well Diarmuid. Maybe your past popes should not have sent there armies into the middle east. Backed hundreds of wars (many genocides) in order to grow the business ( I mean spread the word) leaving us all with a historical lack of tolerance
@Tommy C: Muslim armies have paid a few visits to Europe in the past too, you know!
@Gerry Quinn: absolutely Gerry. Your making my point at both ends
@Tommy C: their
@Tommy C: You’re
Look, the thickest people in the country can set up an anonymous social media account and spew their thick opinions to their hearts content. Mute them. Ignore them. But don’t give the state the power to decide who can post what because the state can’t be trusted with that power and we don’t know who may control the state in the future.
He’s right, a lot of racists have converged on The Journal even in the last 3 years, trying to normalise their hate speech by repeating it over and over again. Usually people who becry the ‘mainstream media’.
@Orla Smith: The same eternally outraged people who decry “outrage culture” and love to declare how society has “gone PC mad”.
They may only be a minority but it just takes a few of them to spread their bile and the end result of someone lost to white supremacist conspiracy theories is the murder of innocents.
thejournal and other platform holders need to get a grip and take responsibility for the messages they’re allowing to fester and corrupt.
@Orla Smith: I utterly and thoroughly disagree with your Black/white observation. I think you should look to non-racist people like say, Noam Chomsky who decry the MSM.
@HavinANatter: Yeah, that’s not what I said, I was pointing out one of the common claims by racists about MSM, it’s a defining charactristic of their conspiracy brain-farts, I was not defending MSM. Might need to work on the old comprehension before flying off the handle.
@Orla Smith: you’ve been around here longer than 5 years yourself Liam. Each account more brain dead than the last.
@Orla Smith: I’m afraid the miscomprehension is all yours. Read his comment again.
@Richard Sweeney: We have another one *rolls eyes*
Where is this anti Islamic stuff he speaks of ? I’ve yet to read one offensive sentence online
What this sc(*)m did should be condemned in the utmost and my heartfelt condolences go out to the victims. But saying this is “pewdiepies” fault, or “candace ownes” fault, or whatever loose connection you want to conjure, is like saying “all muslims are responsible for x, y and z”. We need to be calm in our approach and look rationally at the ideologies that lead this lunatic to do what he did.
I say this because I really fear the widening of an already widened chasm that exists in our discourse.
Secondly if we should for greater security, just know we are sacrificing our freedom to do so.
Lastly, I just want to say that I love our community of Muslims here in Ireland. Honestly have never met such a friendly bunch of people! If any fear exists, you have my solidarity with you.
No us v. them.
Just Love vs. Fear.
@HavinANatter: It’s societies fault for allowing those like pewdiepie into the mainstream and offering them a platform to normalise extremism.
@Rochelle: Explain to me what extremism they have normalized please.
@Rochelle: Anyone who calls Pewdepie an extremist is insane.
@Battaz: I don’t know Pewdepie is but if his views are anywhere near Gemma O’Doherty’s he definitely an extremist.
@HavinANatter: That’s a long list. There was those people he hired to unveil a “death to all Jews” message, that time he casually used the n-word, his promotion of Ben Shapiro and following an extensive list of the whos who in the alt right on his twitter, his insensitive joke about the Charlottesville KKK murder, casual use of “thots” and his defence of a far right Polish MEP who believes women are inherently less intelligent and capable than men.
And of course this is a teen focused streamer mainly appealing through funny memes so slipping in the bits of white supremacy here and there is especially damaging. He was even on the books of Disney until recent controversies forced their hand. If you see no issues with any of that then you’re lost to the malaise yourself.
Religion is the biggest cause of death throughout the world. The fact that people believe in a higher power like god, Allah or other deity’s gets my blood boiling. We are a product of evolution and not some sprinkle of Pixy dust spread on a field millions of years ago. Diarmuid Martin f@ck off back into your cave.
@Michael Courtney: Heart disease is the biggest cause of death throughout the world.
@Michael Courtney: Religion causes mental illness. The HSE should look into that. Any religion that cannot summon it’s god to face the world should be outlawed for making fraudulent claims, misleading people, and conning them out of their time and money.
Religion is an affront to humanity. Just check the track record.
If those 49 misfortunates had been atheists they would still be alive. Sad but true.
Hopefully this will deter people from wasting their time in houses of the holy. Dens of iniquity one and all
The online world is a fake world, keyboard warriors fighting imaginary battles, while I agree it can lend itself to promoting the non talents of a minority of humans, the actuality is people in the flesh are much better.
@Lobert Rester: online we can post then runaway. Face to face not so easy as we face rebuttal, debate, and may actually learn something through that process, and hook up with real friends.
Terrible sad I have a loaf of kiwi mates from when I was over there in 2009 and 10 and am in regular contact with them. There very upset over this slaughter of people at prayer. As for the comments made by an Australian cabinet minister I think that he should be sacked. He blamed immigration in NZ What a complete clown.
@john: I discovered Senator Fraser Anning today and he seems to be a particularly despicable turd
@Ashish Uday Lal: I cannot disagree.
@Ashish Uday Lal: Not as delighted as those using this abomination to signal their own virtues.
@Dill Funk: you must be delighted that 49 of ‘they’ were shot today so…help you keep the peace
No concern for anti gay statements by the church
have your say