Biblical matters

[BR]

Yesterday morning, I was about to post of my sadness at the news that Bishop (he'll always be father to me) Daly had been called to the Lord, drawn his final breath, shaken off his mortal coil and joined the bleedin' choir celestial. At the time,I did wonder could this be devine intervention but damn it God, I will have my say.

Normally I don't get worked up one way or the other at the passing of "known" figures, but unless something comes to light about him that I don't know, he was an extraordinarily good man.

Like many, I expect this is the first occasion when he entered your consciousness, the priest with the bloody hanky.

Fr.Daly.jpg

Mrs Trousers knew him long before that, it was he who heard the first of her made up confessions which he severely chastised her for with a penance of a few Hail Mary's. My own only meeting with him was at my mother-in-law's wake, whom he had known well, when as the bishop he called in and spent time taking to Mrs.T's father & sisters individually about Big Mary.

A good & decent man and I sincerely hope his reputation stays that way, I liked him.

You see Baggy - you really do like these priesty people, after all!

As I have opined a number of times on here - I think the vast majority of them (from whatever tradition) are good & decent men/woman. Of them, very few reach either the ecclesiastical heights or the public notoriety of Fr Daly. Obviously one way of achieving notoriety is to be bad & indecent (thankfully in the modern age); and there is a good argument that those who are best at their pastoral role are not suited/interested in reaching ecclesiastical heights.

Of the army of good & decent priests, some are undoubtedly better equipped than others to perform their duties (maybe they are the gooder & decenter priests), but I firmly believe that most have that primary intention.

Organised religion has a lot to be ashamed of, but also a lot to be proud of, and very often it is the work done by or originating from the grunts on the ground that is the true value of these multi-million pound businesses .

[BaggyTrousers]

Don't doubt that you are right on any of that BR - apart from any general admission of clergy loving.

I've said many times that I've met several collaredbastards over the years that I have found both decent and rather good company at times (in smallish doses), several during my work & marriage in Derry, the odd one here and there including a splendid C.of Ireland chap on the N'Ards Road in the 1990's a grumpy looking sod - like me - but a good man and quietly darkly humourous.

I was also hugged rather more violently than I thought strictly necessary by a priest from Cork, whose name I never knew when Gordy Hamilton scored his career try fernest the Aussies in 1991.

[Shan]

I was also hugged rather more violently than I thought strictly necessary by a priest from Cork, whose name I never knew when Gordy Hamilton scored his career try fernest the Aussies in 1991.

He probably missed the annual hug a nordie day in Cork and was overcompensating. That event is part of the still-alive Cork guiltfest for fecking up yer titanic.

[Shan]

Sometimes you just have to love Christians.

[BaggyTrousers]

Look at the guy in the middle ground:

WTF.jpg (98.76 KiB) Viewed 603 times

[Shan]

Bagsniffer checking out the man on the beach. Showing yet again that he's as gay as the next man,

[UlsterNo9]

Bagsniffer checking out the man on the beach. Showing yet again that he's as gay as the next man,

What man in the background

[Tender]

What background?
BT, you are an evil genius. You started this with an seemingly innocent questioning of Mrs T's virtue, knowing all along where it would lead.
You're recent door stepping traumas are well documented and it was only a matter of time before you sought your revenge.
Like lambs to the slaughter you teased the poor weak minded God Botherers away from their collectives, so we might chuckle at their creationist claptrap and sky fairy nonsense. You hooked some big fish, who went all theological in their efforts to defend their faith, along with the 'Nice Christians' who'd have us believe they're just like the rest of us, I spite of their inbred superiority, which comes from believing that they are right and therefore we are all wrong, dammed to burn in hell and so they are better than us.
You Sir, clearly have a lot of spare time, but I doff my cap to how you utilise it.
Well done.
FIRFU

[BaggyTrousers]

What background?
BT, you are an evil genius. You started this with an seemingly innocent questioning of Mrs T's virtue, knowing all along where it would lead.
You're recent door stepping traumas are well documented and it was only a matter of time before you sought your revenge.
Like lambs to the slaughter you teased the poor weak minded God Botherers away from their collectives, so we might chuckle at their creationist claptrap and sky fairy nonsense. You hooked some big fish, who went all theological in their efforts to defend their faith, along with the 'Nice Christians' who'd have us believe they're just like the rest of us, I spite of their inbred superiority, which comes from believing that they are right and therefore we are all wrong, dammed to burn in hell and so they are better than us.
You Sir, clearly have a lot of spare time, but I doff my cap to how you utilise it.
Well done.
FIRFU

I suspect Tender that you are imbuing my efforts with a slant of intelligence that they just don't deserve, however, I'm always grateful for a positive review. Those luvvies, gay as the next man or not, who claim never to read reviews are charlatans & liars.

You are right however in that I have an unhealthy amount of time on my hands, though therein lies something of a paradox because of course, in reality my time is scarce for I'll soon be dead. I suspect I could find better ways to use the remainder of my allotted time, but my masters degree in Bone Idleness, from the London School of Doing Bugger All, makes this a comfortable exercise, without much exercise, from the big leather chair.

Ach, maybe when I bugger off to Spain next year, the call of the great outdoors will be more attractive.

In the meantime, I wish to record my deep joy at making the acquaintance of two more denizens of this parish at Spanners on Friday, PWR Moore & Davy G. Nice to meet you chaps.

[BaggyTrousers]

Oh aye, and happily no further mentalists have darkened my doorstep, perhaps I've weather the September recruiting drive.

[Tender]

Jeez you're gonna clock up some Air Miles with those fortnightly Friday morning flights back for Spanners, Guinness & Tayto.
As for dying, since we past our 18th Name Day, we've all been dying, it's just that some are doing it more slowly than I'd like. FIRFU
IMO moving to the Iberian peninsula is a pretty extreme way to get away from Sally Army collection boxes and all the other creationists who trouble your front passage. Two Irish Terriers would be cheaper and quite amusing, without having to subject yourself to all that sunshine, Rioja, fresh fruit and paella.....your celtic skin will burn and your liver will leave you. The folk won't understand you guldering 'odio IRFU' and eventually the boys from Utah will hunt you down and then the collective will learn of your whereabouts and the Sally Army SBS will be over yer fence and up yer back passage, before you have time to scream Los bas-Tardos de dio...

[BaggyTrousers]

You're an amusing cove Tender.

Fortunately there is no hint of ginger in my make up. I always worried about Neil Kinnock when he appeared on the brink of no 10, before The Sun (Titty Central) killed him, you just couldn't send him abroad, guaranteed to peel & suffer sunstroke.

Sadly I won't be travelling for every match, but I will retain my ST, it's a bargain and the best money I spend each year.

[BaggyTrousers]

Bagsniffer checking out the man on the beach. Showing yet again that he's as gay as the next man,

I most certainly am.

Funny thing, when I looked first I thought it was you and wondered when you'd shaved yer bonce.

[BaggyTrousers]

And ...................we're back.

Last night we were once more doorstepped by a mentalist. Unfortunately my daughter answered the door and was far too polite to him.............whilst firmly directing him down the driveway.

More importantly, interesting news from the Presbyterian Church. They have decided that supporting gay marriage is untenable with membership. Have to say I'm not sure if they just wanted rid of David Ford or it's to be a broader rule.

Have to say that I do discriminate somewhat between the various strands of proddieism. The Blackmouths have always been my least favourite prods, a grim out look and it was only in August that I first attended a Presbyterian without being told I was a sinner. I find the Church of Ireland somewhat wishywashy and on very little evidence find the Meths the pick of a pretty shoddy bunch.

So damn you Presbyterian blackmouths, you homophobic Gatlands. Of course maybe some Blackmouths here may wish to dissociate themselves with the backwoods clowns who have gassed Ford.

On another matter, Fat Boy Nolan tonight had that horrible bitch on again, I'd happily shoot her in he head. Then he also showed a dumbassed message from that favoured clown of his "Norman from Bangor", whose face I would like to nail to my back fence. I'd bet a sizeable sum that he is a blackmouth.

[BR]

I thought Ford's publicly stated position on same-sex marriage was seen as incompatible with him being an elder; not a member.