Should the Republic of Ireland go back to being a de facto theocracy?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Maxirad
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
I voted No. A theocracy is ruled by a religous figurehead. What needs to happen is the hearts and minds of the young Irish change, become more in line with supporting life. A democracy, especially a free Republic really is the best form of governance, not perfect but the best we have.
 
phil19034 said:
It’s a country where the majority pretend to be Catholic.
Click to expand...
Yes, them too - cultural Catholicism. And it wasn’t just the young who voted in favour of allowing abortion, every group apart from the over 65s, I think, voted in favour of repealing the 8th ammendment. A very sad situation. It has made me feel ashamed to be Irish.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
The Republic of Ireland has never been a theocracy, de facto or otherwise. The first President of Ireland, Douglas Hyde, was a Protestant academic.
 
Tolkien said it also, when he talked about the power of the Nazis over Europe. They had absolute power (of dictatorship in Germany) and it absolutely corrupted them.

Read it in a biography on Tolkien’s life. Maybe he was quoting that guy?
 
YoungCatholicGuy said:
Tolkien said it also, when he talked about the power of the Nazis over Europe. They had absolute power (of dictatorship in Germany) and it absolutely corrupted them.

Read it in a biography on Tolkien’s life. Maybe he was quoting that guy?
Click to expand...
Actually I have also read a couple of different Tolkien biographies. I am sure he was referring to Lord Acton’s quote; the wording is so felicitous I doubt even a linguist like Tolkien would have come up with it on his own.
 
So he probably plaigarised the quote? Haha

Woops!
 
Last edited:
YoungCatholicGuy said:
So he probably plaigarised the quote? Haha

Woops!
Click to expand...
No no, he’s fine! No plagiarism unless 1) he quotes exactly, and 2) he represents it as his own original thought, which I don’t believe he did.

The original quote from Acton is as follows:

‘Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men’.

The comment was made in a letter from Acton to a friend.

Interesting how many ‘old sayings’ are not old sayings at all, but actual quotations, like:
  • ‘That which does not kill us makes us stronger.’ Friedrich Nietzsche, who died insane, which is why I never quote this remark.
  • ‘How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child.’ Shakespeare, from King Lear.
  • ‘Play it, Sam.’ (NOT, as is often heard, ‘Play it again, Sam.’) Elsa(Ingrid Bergman) in Casablanca.
  • ‘Where are the snows of yesteryear?’ Francois Villon
And so forth.

Edit: Sorry everyone, didn’t mean to hijack the thread.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top