As an agnostic

When nuns join a convent they give their worldly wealth to the convent and it is no longer theirs.

When I last looked, we had religious freedom in this country GabriellaG1954. What the nuns fervently believe and you believe may be poles apart but you are both entitled to your opinions and to live as you choose. They may live in a large nunnery (which does not belong to them) and live a simple life of poverty and abstinence and believe in praying for those in need, but there are other orders which do go out into the world and help in a more practical way, as I am sure you do too.

Elegran
My last post wasn't a reply but an observation.
The ping-pong mentioned, referred to the variety of views put forward by other posters, not my input.
Doodle
My observations and opinions were/ are not posted to try to change anyone's mind. I grew out of believing in fairy stories many decades ago but I respect your ( and other's) right to believe in whatever takes your fancy.

For anyone who may be interested:

www.poorclarescork.ie/timetable

Just because they do not live how we would choose to live, or behave how we think they ought to behave does not make their way of life wrong.

We certainly do Jalima1108 and that's as it should be. I did not type anything to the contrary but there is no getting away from facts and science.

I think it is the fact that your post tends to belittle the views of others, Gabriella. Perhaps that is not your intention as I'm sure you would not want other posters to criticise your lifestyle which you have described so often on here.
what difference are they making to the world? Absolutely none. Not one iota.
That is in your opinion, of course.
I presume you made a difference by opening your six bedroomed, five bathroomed home to the homeless. How grateful they must be.

Gabriella you really are not being polite or tactful. A number of folk on this thread are believers but you persist in using derogatory language talking of fairy stories and such like.Please show some sensitivity and kindness.

...and does that stand for all sectors of society...or just the 'holy' sector?

Crossed posts

That can have some pretty horrible consequences, momb

I know of a situation where a farm was sold at way below market price because one of the family members who owned it had become a monk. All his wealth was signed over to the monastery. During a recession the board members considered selling up but wanted to make the decision that if the asked for price wasn't reached it would be taken off the market. At the first whiff of money the church demanded a quick sale and blocked any alternatives.

Not a thought for the farm workers who lived in tied houses and lost their homes and their livelihoods.

Good grief...derogatory?
Hahaha, they're only words. No kindness for non-believers then...eh?
I'm not allowed to be sensitive to talk of people's religious beliefs?
What about equality? Discrimination?
My views are more relevant as they are factual and that is indisputable.

No one is being rude about people who are atheists or agnostics. We all have free choice to believe what we wish to. Respect for others views is vital

Actually Jalima1108, there is a family living in that house and they've been there for almost 6 years. They do pay rent to me and they were not homeless. I downsized, as many do.
It was part of my divorce settlement. Is everyone expected to house the homeless? I do other things for society, volunteering etc and being a blood donor for 40 years, to name but two.
You believe what you like and I have my views. Each valid to the person holding them.
Here ended the last lesson.

...and please don't hold back from criticising me as much or as often as you wish. It makes no impression on me. I value myself too much to let others get under my skin...like a rhino

The convent in this town was sold after the boarding school closed, it is now a care home. When I worked there there were twelve nuns. Now there are two, one is in the care home and the other lives alone in a part of the building the mother house kept so the one nun in the care home has one sister to be near her , to sit with her, pray with her, see to her needs. She must miss the fellowship, the sisters she lived with for many years. She is very much loved here.

...and please don't hold back from criticising me as much or as often as you wish
Ok, thanks!

Gabriella you are of course entitled to your opinions and can voice them in any way you choose but you cannot then follow that up by saying “but I respect your right to believe whatever takes your fancy”. I am sure you are aware there is no respect shown in your posts for anyone who does not think the same way as you.

Gabriella is trying to shock and upset, been done before by others, ‘believing in Christ is the same as believing in the tooth fairy’, that poster wanted to hog the thread.

Let’s not feed the need

Good post doodle

Reminds me when I drove to London to hear Donald Soper at speakers corner in Hyde Park, crowds of people there to hear him , a couple of hecklers thought themselves clever,made fools of themselves

In reply to Gabriella, there is quite a bit of historical evidence for the life of Jesus that was not written by his followers. We are free to ignore him if we choose, because it's true that following him makes certain demands on us that most today would rather reject, but it's overstating the case to say he is a myth.

I agree with the OP & the post.

I have known a wide range of vicars, pastors and preachers in my time, professionally and personally. I find them as varied as any other group. It is the motivation to take up the role that matters! Some I have met are really wonderful people who work selflessly to do the best they can for their community. Others have been more self serving or inward looking and occasionally I have met people leading a faith group who are unpleasant, selfish and very ungodly!

I wonder how this thread will develop after the season of goodwill ( if there is such a thing on Gransnet ) ends

Undoubtably there is a lot of goodwill on GN.

I hope that most of us are not caught up in a tide of Christmas sentimentality and that we are true to ourselves all year round