If
response to PROTCATH
is 'Protestant community' or 'Catholic community' ...
Thinking about your close friends, how many friends do you have from
the other main religious community?
NB: Square brackets indicate where the text was edited.
There are some people that won't mix with Protestants, and many people
that wouldn't mind but are afraid to say [they do] because they are
afraid of what other people will think and say. Me personally I will
mix with anyone. I have a caravan where we go a lot and socialise
most. Most of my mates are Protestants and we get along fine. They're
just the same as me but believe different things but that should not
stop a friendship.
I don't have much to say, but I think if everyone could just get
along and respect each other as equals these problems wouldn't be
happening. Personally, I enjoy the company of others and I don't think
of them for a split second as being a part of a religion but simply
as my friends! JUST GROW UP!
[…] I also go to a mixed school and I have a mixed group of friends,
male and female, Catholic and Protestant, and none of us have problems
with the others religion. There are occasional disagreements but they
are easily overcome. This is how I feel the community relations in
N. Ireland going in the future, people from different communities
will get over their differences and learn to live in harmony.
Personally the Catholic people I have been in contact with are no
different that the Protestant ones and are good friends of mine but
there are some Catholics and Protestants who make me feel threatened
and unwelcome. These people wouldn't think twice about spending time
with people of a different religion but if they did maybe they would
get a true picture of what they are like. I know this as I used to
have friends from my all Protestant school that were very anti catholic,
which I am not. After the 11+ I went to a mixed school and they went
to all protestant schools and now we have very different views.
Everything goes back to the past. To the troubles and to what happened
100 years ago. I think it's silly for you parents to stop you having
friends from a different religious background.
I think all people are the same and everyone should treat other people
with respect, no matter what religion. Half of my friends, approx,
are of a different religion and we all get on fine, but I think that
may be due to where I live. Therefore I think that if I lived in Belfast
it would be very different! All the fighting and conflict between
religions is a waste of time and innocent lives!
[…] If you walk into a different community you will get beat up or
bricks will be thrown at you. I just wish it will end soon because
I have mates that live in other communities and I can't go to them
because I am afraid of walking there. I would like to make friends
with other communities and work with them.
[…] My best friend is a Protestant and I don't see any point in the
political stuff because we are all human beings at the end of the
day.
I have some friends who are Protestants but the reason why I would
like to live in a mixed area is because some Protestants can be bitter.
