Some
people feel very strongly about their religious identity, that is,
whether they are Catholic or Protestant or something else - even if
they donκt go to church. Other people say that their religious identity
is not important to them. How important is your religious identity
to you?
NB: Square brackets indicate where the text was edited.
I feel that people of different religions should be able to mix
and get on with each other rather than fighting all the time. I feel
it shouldn't matter what people's religious beliefs are or what colour
or race they may be, you should like them for who they are.
I think that knowing your own identity is very important, and always
respecting your families' decisions on anything.
Today we live in a society that no longer cares about religion or
race. There are few places and people that do. I was brought up to
be a Catholic but find that religion plays a very little role in my
life, and because of that, I am not sectarian and have been able to
make friends with Protestants. The situation in N. Ireland is a joke.
The people who hold the grudges are holding them because their parents
or older siblings told them to. Peace would happen if they would just
forgive and forget.
[
] A lot of people let religion play a major part in the way they
treat people and I feel this shouldn't be so.
Why do people have to make such a big deal about what religion they
are. It's stupid and petty. Everyone has a different view on everything,
religion is just another point of view people disagree on. There is
no need to fight and have riots about it. It's disgraceful. Most religions
go against fighting anyway, so those who fight for their point of
view and cause wars are just simply hypocrites.
There is too much [emphasis] on religious differences. This is just
stupid because the whole GOD and Christ thing might not even be true.
Prove to me that the VIRGIN Mary got pregnant. Then maybe religious
things may take effect in my life.
There are more important religious matters in this country to deal
with rather than people's denominations. Both the catholic and protestant
denominations state in their bibles to love one another, no matter
who.
The whole division between the communities is based on very trivial
issues as I think Catholic and Protestant people basically believe
in the same things.
[
]I [
] study religious education. From this I have used one of
Christ's teachings to help me live around people with different religions.
We should treat everyone equally and try to talk peace with others
rather than using violence as it will not solve problems but worsen
them. When we go into shops people get served whether they are one
religion or the other. Why should we be prejudices towards people
of different religions or race? Whenever people make friends with
others they become friends because of the person they are. So why
can we not put the topic of race or religion to one side and look
at a person more carefully and get to know them better by looking
with our heart.
I feel people need to be made more aware of why there are religious
differences, ie different beliefs inside the church.
Personally, I think the whole thing is ridiculous as many young people
are fighting, yet do not know what they are fighting for. They blindly
follow the example set to them by older people who should know better
but don't seem to. I would never think any differently of someone
who is Catholic or Protestant as their religious beliefs really don't
make a difference to me, so I don't care at all what they choose to
believe or what part of the community they come from.
[I] don't think people really care about religion as much as they
used to because this whole fighting, rioting thing isn't as bad as
it used to be. I don't really care about religion because we are all
human beings and the only thing [that is] different is our religion,
but it's dying down now.
At times I feel that the divide in Northern Ireland is completely
uncalled for as everyone has to walk up the same streets and work
alongside one another. Yet I have a strong loyalty to my own religion
and I feel a great sense of pride towards Protestants. However I feel
at times people should live together in Northern Ireland in peace
and in friendship with on another.
[
] Whatever religion you are, it doesn't matter to people [
] what
way they should think about each other - no matter if they are coloured,
Protestants, Catholics [or] whatever. Why should it matter, everyone
is human at the end of the day.
I think people should stop thinking about if they are Protestant
or Catholic, We all bleed red. There are more important things to
worry about. People pay too much attention to what religion people
are [
].
People should be more open-minded and accept people for who they
are.
People's personality counts more than religion, [
] if you want to
get along with them.
I think that religion is a thing that some people take too seriously.
The community I live in would be Catholic and tend not to like Protestants.
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 think it is sick that people can't get on with someone who has
a different religion to them. I don't see the point in fighting.
[I] don't think that it is right that people have problems with other
religions because I really don't see the point. [
]
All different communities should help and respect each other. Religion
shouldn't matter to anybody, as it doesn't matter to me.
[
] Religion doesn't mean anything to decent people. It only matters
to people who want to fight and have no other reason to do so.
Although I like people to know I am a Catholic and I am proud of
my religion, I really don't see the point in the fighting and conflict
between Protestant and Catholic religions.
