yes, i would love to. Are all muslims offended by this? or is it just a few idiots?

Ohh jaysus, I love saying mass.

I’m not sure that the children’s allowance budget could sustain a further increase – “Catholic Ireland” already maintains a 2.1 fertility rate – in fact more babies were born in Ireland in 2011 than in any year since 1894!

What is is that they’ll propose I wonder? Some financial incentives encouraging us to return to our roots as the land of ‘Saints and Scholars’ by having all our unemployed emigrants go spread the Gospel across Europe again- only this time via Ryanair?….I think we’ve done enough on that front already. (Birth rate stats: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0601/1224317059534.html)y

Éamonn Mac Eochaidh the TFR was 2.05 in 2011 and 20-25% of births in ireland in the last 5 years have been to foreign mothers – Hardly catholic Ireland.

@M O Sé: The reference to “Catholic Ireland” was intended sarcastically – hence why it was included in quotation marks.

As for the birth rate – I’m not going to pedantically split hairs with you over 0.05… its hardly a significant shift.

But as for 20-25% of births being to “foreign” women (which is defined in the statistics as “non-Irish” as opposed to “non-Catholic”), what I will say is that the mother’s nationality concerns me very little – in fact I have several Irish friends born to non-Irish mothers.

What interests me far more is that the Government should support policies of integration which inculcate a healthy respect for those childrens’ Irish culture, as opposed to allowing them to grow up here feeling alien to it – which so many other countries have mistakenly permitted. Those children with Polish, Spanish, British, Nigerian-born women are every bit as Irish as the ones born to Irish-born women.

Incidentally, I bet you won’t be complaining when those children of “foreign” mothers are paying taxes to cover your social welfare entitlements when you’ve retired!

I agree, Eoghan. The problem with the video is that it is a right-wing Christian propaganda film; when European Catholics/Protestants have become very liberal/non-religious or entirely left those faiths. But there is a difference between Radical-Christians and Radical-Muslims; as European/Western countries are liberal democracies but yet no Islamic/Middle Eastern country is (excluding only Turkey which is currently seeing Islamism trying to take over ), that of course is not by accident. Look at them outside in Dublin screaming how they are victims and believe in “freedom of speech” as long as it doesn’t offend them; also that the video maker is a “terrorist” but not the Muslims murdering/bombing embassies. This lunatic is also an expert on the Irish Constitution lol.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEoNQWAxtbM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SggQhHdZ1Y

Yes, Kevin, it’s scary alright. I would certainly be more afraid of a large group of Muslims protesting because the Prophet has been in some shape or form “insulted” than I would be of a large group of Christians if Jesus’ superpowers were questioned.
It strikes me as wholly contradicting that it’s alright for Muslims to aggressively protest in such large number in countries that are predominately of another faith, whereas in Islamic countries should a large group of “infidels” gather to protest they would be burned or stoned to death, and the authorities would do nothing to help.

Totally agree, Eoghan. Comparing radical-Christians with radical-Muslims is simply moronic; Islam is the only religion still stuck in the Crusades and actively terrorizing the world.

What do you mean? Surely they aren’t subjected to abuse or publicly ridiculed on the streets?

Marc, it may not be illegal for gay couples to walk down the streets hand in hand but its the intimidation of people who perhaps now live in this area that make it dangerous!

Ronan is shite talking.

just looked out the window and seen a gay couple, so not too sure your argument holds up… haven’t seen any jewish couples/individuals – do they wear rainbow t-shirts or something? either way, no discrimination immediately obvious. No one harassing the few young arabic guys either – seem to be getting on well with the local teens.

The dutch have may have taken an overly tolerant approached to integration, but they do have 40 years experience, and the anti-immigration party just got trounced in local elections.

Oh, and hans roslilng gave a good speech on the fertility rate ‘scare’ at TED, you should watch to at leat have a good night sleep tonight: http://www.ted.com/talks/hans_rosling_on_global_population_growth.html

Unfortunately Ronan has a point. I was holidaying in Holland with my boyfriend and was advised by my local host not to hold hands in public as we’d probably get abuse from groups of immigrants. This was naturally very disappointing, as I was hoping for a more tolerant experience in the famously progressive Holland. I say this as a supporter of multiculturalism and as someone who enjoys the international diversity of Dublin.

Go out on Rotterdam on a Sat. night as a gay man and you’ll be calling for muslim immigrants to assimilate more radically than any fascist.

The Dutch are anti racist but they are also copping on and becoming strong opponents of multi-culti’s. They have no problem with any colour of individual but they are no longer the all welcoming people they were. Reality knocked on the door.

Geert Wilder’s party still has quite a lot of support. They lost seats in September’s elections, however are still one of the main opposition parties. Ironically they wanted to introduce legislation which would punish more severely those who attacked gay people in the name of religion.

If you look at the success of populist, anti-immigration and anti-multiculturalism parties in Scandinavian countries (True Finns, Swedish Democrats, Danish People’s Party) as well as the statements of Cameron and Merkel, then I do think we are entering a new phase in Europe of post-multiculturalism with a far greater focus on integration.

Integration and multiculturalism, neither matter a bollix if Europe keeps importing 100′s of thousands of non educated non Europeans each year. Which it does.

Europe is relatively easy to get in. Pay a girl from one of the accession states a couple of grand for marriage and a visa. Come to “study” English/Spanish/German or French(and never leave!). Or claim asylum and play the system until you exhaust it.

Meanwhile, a highly skilled non European has to jump through hoops to get a visa, pay large fees and renew it each year. Eventually he or she says fook it and heads off to Canada, Australia or the states.

A mad state of affairs where the ones we actually need, get the hard time, whilst the ones who don’t need, get pandered too.

As for an Islamic Europe and how it will affect us here in Ireland, here are the results from some polls conducted within the Islamic community of Ireland:

First ever poll of Irish Muslims, Dec 2006, shows that Shaheed Satardien was right. Like in Britain, there is a minority of Irish Muslims who are extremists:
The majority (59 percent) of Irish Muslims disagree that “people in Ireland should be free to say whatever they want, even if it offends other people’s religious beliefs”. Though 35 percent agree.
37 percent of Irish Muslims would like Ireland to be governed as an Islamic state. Though 50 percent said they would not.
The majority (57 percent) of young Irish Muslims (under 26) believe Ireland should become an Islamic State.
36 percent of Irish Muslims said they “respect” Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
15 percent said they “respect” Osama Bin Laden.
11 percent said they “respect” Mullah Omar.
Survey of Irish people, Apr 2007
42 percent of Irish people agree that: “Islamic fundamentalism is a serious threat for our country”.
46 percent of Irish people agree that: “We must stop countries like Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, even if that means taking military action”.
Survey of Irish people, Irish Times, 16 Sept 2010, shows Irish people may be to the right of me on Islam:
49 percent of Irish say wearing the burka in public should be banned. 36 percent say it should not.
I probably think it should not be banned. But I do think wearing it (or the niqab) should be grounds for denying immigrants entry in the first place.
Irish Attitudes Toward Israel. Rory Miller, 1 October 2006, speculates on the future of Islam in Ireland: “The local Muslim community is small approaching twenty thousand. … The local Muslims are far less extreme than many in Britain, France, or Germany. When the Mohammed cartoons appeared in Denmark, a few hundred Muslims marched through the streets of Dublin. Their placards were relatively mild by Muslim standards, carrying texts such as: ‘You must respect the Prophet.’ I have no doubt that in a few years they will carry placards saying, like elsewhere, that people should be killed, or that Europe is dead.”

And it’s an irrefutable fact that 50% of people make up half the population.

*emigrated*

In addition to being culturally similar, the United States is 100 times larger than Ireland in terms of landmass, when it is argued that we emigrated to other countries so it’s only fair people emigrate to Ireland, people conveniently ignore this fact, it’s like inviting everyone on a dinghy because we went on the Titanic

Yes, exactly. Our country is too small to support all these immigrants. We simply don’t have the resources. We are not America/Australia or even England. We went to these countries because we spoke English and saw that they were extensions of Ireland. We don’t have the moral obligation to admit the whole freaking world into our country.

Well said Neil. Religion = Division = Unrest.

You mean more and more ‘Christians’ are moving away from religion, but many are joining the more radical and conservative Islam .
Those who do so, and then don all the garb , I suspect they do so as some sort of fetish , it draws attention.,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=FJjSzXkm55o

THIS WILL TELL YOU EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WHATS HAPPENING IN EUROPE TODAY

Well actually the Donkey on Mars is all powerful, unfortunately there isn’t an old book written by nomads in ancient Egypt. You’ll just have to take my word for it.

I VERY MUCH DOUBT IT

Hey hipster, racist video, one tweet, no following and no followers, are you sure you’re not Rosie?

@Mr. Hipster – “The Jews point with pride to the fact that over 500,000 Arabs, in the 12 years between 1932-1944, came into Palestine to take advantage of living conditions existing in no other Arab state…”
- Robert F. Kennedy

Did you forget where European Jews ancestors go back to? Do you realize archaeology proves Israel was settled first by the Hebrews, they have been in Israel for over 3,000 years. Do you know why the Hebrews immigrated to Central/Eastern Europe in the first place? Do you know RFK had his brains blown out by a Palestinian because of his support for Israel? Do you realize the current VP of the United States is one of the biggest supporters of Israel? Do you realize the Kennedy’s were the biggest supporters of Israel when it was unpopular in the United States?

@Kevin Niazi

Palestine has existed officially since the 5th century BC at least as first recorded by Herodotus.
http://www.rationalresponders.com/forum/20574

@Mick – The Hebrews were the first to settle Israel proven by Archaeology regardless of what Zeus said. Palestinians are Arabs and another Islamic state is going to be a problem especially when Hamas controlled. The Palestinians were offered their own state they rejected these proposals and demanded full control of Israel.

No, you’ve no right to freedom FROM religion, anymore than I have a right to freedom from tedious bores banging on about the spagetti monster or teapots or pink elephants or whatever…

@SaintRuth, but its as likely theres a flying spaghetti monster as a big bearded man who’s everywhere yet nowhere! we live in a ‘secular’ society, its our right to have freedom from religion as much as it is to have our freedom of religion

I agree, but the devil you know…
There’s some interesting stats in that video. Muslims are on the rise in Europe and as we’re real democratic states, it is a possibility that our great grandchildren could be living under Sharia Law. We can only hope the Internet remains free and those Muslims can set their minds free… And hopefully secularism will grow as exponentially as Islam.

The Catholic church is not a social club, its fundamental beleifs wont be changed in some sort of popularity contest with Islam. Islam has the exact same beleifs when comes to the majority of the issues you have mentioned. It annoys me when people say the church should change, if you disagree with the Catholic church, dont be Catholic.

Tis true Antoin, the problem is not the tenets of the church but the behaviour of the clergy over many decades. People are dumping the message because of the failings of the messengers.

Dumping the fairytale, not the message! The message is clear to be as good and decent a person as you can be, fair enough, its rules and its stories are what needing dumping!

@Ed – I agree with your overall points. But Obama came out in the UN and told the world he will take military action against Iran if they don’t stop and Joe Biden is one of the most pro-Israel advocates in the senate and least corrupt people in the senate. Romney is not religious by any standard and is not even really a Republican; he’s a total phony. There’s a big difference between Irish/European Catholics and Muslims. Bush supported a two state solution in terms of Israel/Palestine, Obama does not. The Israel/Republican stereotype is very false. Both parties have pro-Israel segments. American Jews vote over 80% Democratic.

@john all religion can be bad, especially when controlled by fanactics.

How? A holy war ! Oh the predictability of it all !

Is that you Anders Breyivik? Have you got internet access now?

Scary video… The difference of Muslims living in the western world is that they too can wake up, absorb the mountains of evidence, and come to the realisation that there is no God… At least not in the monotheistic sense.

Bulls*%t and propaganda?? From the Catholic Church?! No way!

Cui bono?Who benefits?

First question at the scene of the crime. Who might have the motive for this act?

The act being racist hate-production to inflame enmity and fear, very often to mask one’s own racist aggression and crimes.

Anybody spring to mind?
Answers on the back of an illegal settlement to:
West Bank Property Development, C/O Bibi ‘n’ the Boys, One-Way Street, Theocratic Republic of Liarland.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAivyEazJQ0

My, but that’s crazy.

Hopefully Ireland will avoid this as:
1) the muslims here are a very diverse group unlike in Belgium (or that area in the vid anyway)
and
2) they are in general educated…I work with quite a few.

The worst thing we can do is go for multiculturalism and tell people they can come to Ireland and live exactly like they live at home, all sitting in their own ghettos with their own rules like in that vid…

@ SaintRuth – unfortunately that’s the case in much of continental Europe; many cultures but not realistically multi-cultural as there’s very little mixing between cultures. I just hope that Ireland, at a much earlier stage in the process, can learn from our neighbour’s mistakes. Without integration there’ll be self-imposed segregation, and nothing good lies down that road..

And why do you think Ireland will avoid the mistakes other European nations have made? The same sort of people in charge of integrating the travellers in the 80s and 90s are now in charge of some of the 200 quangos set up to help immigrants integrate.

Expect similar results.

Travelers are Irish and didn’t choose to be Irish; you can’t put them in the same group as Radical-Muslims that chose to settle in Ireland from another country, don’t want to assimilate, favor Sharia Law, promote extremism/terror, or do not respect/follow Irish law.

@MrKnow They didn’t need much help. Its more of a case of self branding.

I see theres a link to a video above telling us it’s the Jews that will take over, not the Muslims. I’ll all confused now. Which one do I believe??

The video is worth watching… That’s if the stats can be trusted and I assume they can.

You’re blaming Jews? Seriously?

@ Kevin – we’re the root of all evil, don’t you know. My father’s family was Jewish AND German, so I suppose I’d better own up to starting the whole global economic crisis. Must have done it on a wet Sunday afternoon. These loons are idiots, Kevin. Thankfully they only skulk in the shadows..

@Nikolas – I understand totally, Nikolas; that YouTube video made my stomach sick. It’s the same thing Hitler spewed and the present-KKK of today still spew anti-Semitic/anti-Israel propaganda, it’s on their website. I grew up in Queens, New York which is very Jewish/Irish-Catholic and will never be able to understand such hatred. Both Irish-Catholics and Jews during the arrivals in America faced discrimination/hatred and right around/after JFK’s presidency they were no longer as disadvantaged and had risen to the middle class/upper class families. With the success of many Jews of course comes the increasing hatred since there was already so much to begin with.

Racist troll

@ While the above video (Jew hating guy) is as ridiculous as the one in the article… its very similar to your determination to post anti-muslim “propaganda” if you will on every Muslim related article on this website…

Is there no American websites where you can do this? or do you post similar crap on every site you visit?

Do you read Robert Spencer by any chance? Your narrow minded view and the tarring of every Muslim as a radical or terrorist is getting very old now… Get a life!

@Elvedin – My “propaganda”? You mean the facts? Stop trying to sell me that Islam means “peace”. You get mad whenever I talk about the threat of R-A-D-I-C-A-L Islam which is very real and Islam is currently the most violent religion on the planet. If I was portraying all Muslims as terrorists and bad I would not use the term “Radical Muslim” now would I? “I agree, Eoghan. The problem with the video is that it is a right-wing Christian propaganda film; when European Catholics/Protestants have become very liberal/non-religious or entirely left those faiths.” Does my comment sound in favor of the film? Can you not see that I dislike the film and I think it is bullshit since they are promoting their religion and are trying to incite violence by saying “we must take action now”. I don’t like any religion and I think they are all horrible but most Muslims in Islamic countries are radical; if they weren’t, they would have had Democracies by now in the ME. Most Muslims who come to the West are moderate-Muslims and peaceful but there is a large minority that is not and I have a problem with that. I’m not going to respond to the insults you gave me since you clearly feel that I am attacking all Muslims, I AM NOT. I have cousins who are Muslim and they are not radical-Muslims, do you think I want them to die or something? I mean seriously? Elevdin when Muslims like yourself and others that do not support such people condemn them instead of condemning me and the anti-Islam film (the film that caused the riots across the world); I’ll be more open to Islam. Constantly going on the defense for Islam only helps Radical-Islam; which is why many young Muslims in Europe are becoming increasingly violent/radical.

Spot on… Some idiot commented “You’re blaming Jews” … How can you be blaming Jews when Barbara Lerner Specter SAID Jews are responsible for the promotion of Multiculturalism ?..

A message to the apologists.. DO SOME RESEARCH !!