The priest at Lyras funeral

We have lived through a time of enormous change in attitudes. With time it will not matter to anyone if you are gay or not but these changes take time. It is hard for people to change their attitudes. It is not so long ago that homosexual acts were illegal. The Church has to work through these questions and cannot rush into changing their stand on things without a lot if thought , discussion and prayer. The Anglican Church is worldwide and changes have to be made slowly to avoid schism if possible.I absolutely agree that love and acceptance is the way forward .

Anja what were they applauding?? They hadn't been brought "together".
I too am sorry that another life has been lost.

They were applauding the fact that the community has come together to express their outrage at this killing. The community.....from all sides and religious beliefs. That was what the priest was talking about and suggesting that the politicians should follow suit.

Surely that was obvious?

Anja seems her sexuality is of more importance / interest than her murder.

annep the party leaders who will not work together gathered together following the murder , the congregation were applauding the priest for saying this.

Exactly Annie

N.I. has not had a Parliament for over two years ,

Anja

I started the thread and I think her sexuality and the intolerance to this in many faiths mirrors the bigotry and hate that killed her.

At base it’s all about accepting and tolerating other views, lifestyles and opinions.

Mycatisahacker your opening post praises the priest !

Yes I did praise him and I think his words were spot on but also others on the thread have pointed out the intolerance within the church, most religions, and I think that’s also relevant.

I think it’s important to take on board other views and ideas as threads develop.

This thread developed by the third post

I really don’t get your point. Threads develop. That’s fine

It depends what you mean by together. I certainly don't believe that they are any more united than previously.
Presenting a united front.

Being in the same company ,such as the leaders of the DUP and Sin Fein parties sitting together at a funeral service but refusing to work together to run the country

I don't think that is entirely true Anniebach. . But that is a whole different topic.
It is sad that killings, and sectarian violence continues One young man died (last year I think) after being left in a vegetative state for 8 years after a sectarian beating by loyalists. That too was heartbreaking..

Sad as this young woman's death was. It is only the latest in a long line of killings which have happened.
THE killing of Ciaran Cummings on 4 July 2001 was described by the PSNI as "absolutely brutal." The 19-year-old welder was waiting for his usual morning lift at the Greystone roundabout in Antrim when a black motorcycle with a gold stripe stopped, and two gunmen wearing white and black crash helmets dismounted. He was initially shot in the back then, as he lay on the ground, one of the gunmen shot him again.
Ciaran Cummings had no involvement in politics or with paramilitaries. He was, in the parlance of the Troubles, an innocent victim, and in a way that was the point. He was a Catholic and an easy target for loyalist paramilitaries who wished to send out a very particular warning at the time on the rerouting of loyal order parades. If his death is now forgotten by many that will fulfil the prediction made by the Bishop of Down and Connor, Dr Patrick Walsh, at his funeral. The clergyman said Ciaran would always be remembered by his family, but noted that for the wider public: "For a few days his name has been well known and on the lips of so many people, but after this weekend his name will soon be forgotten and Ciaran will be simply another statistic, yet another bare statistic, in the long list of victims of violence."
You can read the statistics and the full article here
www.thedetail.tv/articles/the-cruel-peace-killings-in-northern-ireland-since-the-good-friday-agreement
Sadly I think Lyras death may soon join Ciaran's and become another statistic. So the priest's words may be just as irrelevant.

No words for peace are irrelevant

Yes, I think you have made a good point too maryeliza.

The fact that the priest did not refer to her sexuality irrelevant.

The sentiments the priest expressed are likely to be considered by most people as being wholly appropriate. However, for a priest to preach about the need for politicians to put aside their political and religious differences for the sake of unity, stability and, impliedly, common humanity, does rather overlook the church's role in creating and reinforcing division and intolerance in many areas of people's lives.

The churches views on homosexuality certaintly cause division and intolerance in any area of my life .

Let’s critcised football matches where homophobic rants are well reported .

They may be reported but such actions are not supported by the authorities the FA has a policy of actively supporting LGBT players and football clubs.
The church has never supported LGBT people but has often castigated and condemned them.

I have never heard homophobic rants in Church

I haven’t heard rants against Rev Richard Cole, Anglican priest And his partner Rev David Coles nee Oldham

Could it be because the Anglican Church accepts civil partnerships ? Surely not.

trisher

Do you think these attacks are covered up in a sense? The case of that young man sounds terrible

Trisher thank you for posting that article. Very informative and so sad.

Any and all churches are human institutions ; they get some things wrong, and they have bad people in them.

The priest at Lyra's funeral was doing what churches do best; the priest spoke from the point of view of Jesus' main message of universal love.

Mycatisahacker I don't know about cover ups. I would like to think not, but I still wonder about the total condemnation of IRA violence and the apparent acceptance of Loyalist groups actions (even the name is significant) and the lack of publicity about it. Whatever is happening I don't think the situation is going to get any better.