If
response to PROTCATH is 'Protestant
community' or 'Catholic community' …
Thinking about how you feel about the other religious community, what
do you think has been the most important influence on your views?
NB: Square brackets indicate where the text was edited.
I think many children are still growing up with strong influences
from their parents who encourage them to dislike Protestants or Catholics
before they can make their own mind up. Therefore when they have their
children they'll encourage the same ideas and so it is a bit of a
vicious cycle!
Children learn from their parents. Hatred, fear and anger are all
passed on from parent to child in both communities. People don't get
an objective overview of both communities but are merely conditioned
into the views of families and friends. However I feel children are
becoming acceptant and if they change their views, tension between
communities would lessen. Cross community projects are all aiding
this.
It is the way your parents have brought you up to believe in the
things you do.
People only learn to be prejudiced and bigoted through their parents.
People need to be better educated about each other's differences and
only then will they learn to tolerate one another's views.
The way children have been brought up to be bitter towards those
of a different religion is why N. Ireland is in the state that it
is.
The feelings between the [communities] are due to the way we are
brought up. If we actually took time to listen to what each other
say we would get on really well but the problem is we don't. I feel
that there should be more integrated schools and parks. This would
mean a more friendly environment for our children and also less fighting.
Teachers and other persons in contact with children from these communities
that harbour loyalist and republican supporters should try and teach
them that their opposite numbers are just the same as themselves.
This would need to be done because parents teach their children to
hate the other religion as soon as they can talk and encourage abuse
of the opposite side.
I feel that community relations in Northern Ireland have not improved
greatly over the years, as new generations are not allowed to have
different views from their family. Although in my family we are able
to speak freely of our own points of view and opinions, I am aware
that not all young people in Northern Ireland are able to do this.
It is still not acceptable to be seen socializing with other religions
within cities, towns and villages, which I find DISGUSTING!!!
Because of tradition and the way people were brought up many will
feel strong about their own religion. Most strong, vicious Loyalists
are as bad as Republicans. At the end of the day, why does it really
matter what religion [one] is. Their religion is [part of] their background.
However as a Christian most of the people I know have the same beliefs
as me so there is not a problem.
All depends on how the person is brought up on how strong they feel
about their religion and what way they react to people of different
religions.
People need to think how their actions are effecting and influencing
the people younger than them[selves] who are following what their
elders do.
I think that community relations are improving all the time, and
the bitterness between communities stems from our ancestors. So we
must not allow their views on community relations to be carried onto
our children of the future.
A lot of adults were brought up hating the other religion and so
pass on these beliefs [on] to their children, which is why I feel
that community relations could remain difficult in the future. […]
It is the way in which a child is brought up by their parents which
affects their outlook on cross community relations.
I think the continuing rivalry between differing religion communities
is due to the trend in which people are brought up in and how they
are taught, and it never really is anyone's personal decision. […]
The majority of people living in Northern Ireland do not want to
improve community relations. I believe that the way people are brought
up defines their future actions, ie if Mr X is Catholic, his children
will have their parents views on community and religion.
People are afraid to be different, if someone lives in a very sectarian
area they may be so easily influenced by views of peers, paramilitaries
or family that their own feeling and opinions are lost and forgotten.
Many people also forget where the differences originate and the concept
of the religious conflict. So many people of this country with such
narrow-minded views are brought up in a society with such a strong
sense of bigotry that the hope of a peaceful future is deeply lost
in this.
I come from a mixed marriage, my parents go to their different places
of worship. We are a very happy family and have been brought up to
respect and treat all people the same regardless of religion. I think
it is really sad that there is so much hatred and violence in Northern
Ireland. A lot of emphasis on what religion you are and there is pressure
on people from an early age to say whether they are Protestants or
Catholics.
I think that the way you are brought up has a lot to do with how
you act and treat others. It's common for sectarianism to run in families
or closely knit communities, however the people who cause the trouble
are the minority and the majority of people want peace in N. Ireland.
People are very stubborn and although it is hard there needs to be
more love and forgiveness in the community. Northern Ireland is a
beautiful country but it's the type of people who live here who make
the country what it is.
Community relations in NI are clearly divided. This has resulted
in thousands of deaths all because of [in] what religion or area a
person was brought up in.
A lot of bigots have a strong influence on their children and this
is the main reason why people grow up with prejudices. Young people
need to be taught to respect the differences between the communities
and understand that people have the right to their own opinion and
religious/cultural beliefs and that they should not have to be subject
to persecution or verbal abuse because of these beliefs.
Parents shouldn't pass on their prejudices to their children, it
only leads to bad relations between the two communities.
I have been brought up in a mixed community and feel no bitterness
towards Catholics. My best friend is one. I believe it is down to
the parents to introduce their children to different religions, as
it tends to be the case that if the parents are bitter it usually
rubs off on their offspring. So unless we do this I can see no difference
in N. Ireland cross community relations.
It is the parents in N Ireland that influence and determine the attitudes.
[…] The problem lies in the adults and not the children.
It needs to start at a very early age as a lot of influence is held
by parents. Their bitterness will be handed on to their children and
it will be difficult to change their views. By using sport people
work as a team from either religion. Sometimes discussion can only
produce arguments.
I think it's a shame that some people from different communities
can't get on together. Some people are prejudiced towards others just
because they look different or are a different religion. The fighting
and rioting that goes on in N Ireland is uncalled for, it's stupid,
pointless and only lets their community down. Why can't people learn
to get along with people who are different? This bitter hatred is
passed on from generation to generation and therefore the only way
it can be stopped is if parents can teach their children that this
behaviour is wrong. They should encourage them to be friends with
children from different ethnic groups. Parents must settle their own
differences first in order to do this though. This may be difficult
but it must be done if there is to be a brighter future in N Ireland.
I think that knowing your own identity is very important, and always
respecting your family's decisions on anything.
[…]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.
I feel that community relation and attitudes towards other cultures
and beliefs may possibly be linked to the level of education.
The only people in N Ireland who have a problem with religion are
not very smart, e.g. in Derry a Catholic will only refer to hating
someone or calling them a Protestant if they do not support Celtic.
This reflects the level of intelligence in some people.
In my experience inter religion relations tend to be better between
better educated and more affluent people than those people with a
more limited education. I think that people who have a better education
come into more contact with other people from the other main religious
group. I also think that those who are better off accept people on
the size of their bank balance or address and don't limit this to
one religious group. I also think that grammar schools lead to greater
tolerance as different religions are brought together and acceptance
is related to intelligence and not religion.
Where I live, I grew up knowing very little of sectarianism and virtually
nothing about politics. It was only in high school, in history, that
I began to learn about politics. I feel that where a person grows
up will influence their attitudes a lot, as at school I have noticed
people who are living in rougher areas tend to be more defensive of
their particular belief.
I think the differences between religions is only skin deep and the
media place too much emphasis on the differences, on the whole there's
a lot of contact taking place between different groups and I think
they get on quite well.
The media has a very definite influence on community relations, many
papers and broadcasts are biased towards one side. Community relations
are only better now because young people have decided to do something
about for themselves, not because of politicians and government schemes.
Community relation are affected by the media, it can be very biased
or show an incident in a different light. Media affects the youth
in N. Ireland the most as they watch TV the most. Also I think that
your parents affect community relations because you are following
their example.
The only people this questionnaire is suitable for are people in
estates ruled by paramilitaries or parents who do not let their children
make up their own minds about things. People living in other residential
areas have no problems with community relations. I was born [abroad]
and came to N. Ireland when I was 7. I have no knowledge of past history
other than a subject taught in school for GCSE. My parents do not
influence my beliefs as long as I respect them and law and order.
Community relations are fine in the suburbs.
Community relations only really cause major problems in the larger
urban areas, where people feel very strongly about their religions
and where they can come into contact with people who feel very strongly
about other religions. Naturally enough, some conflict may arise.
However I very strongly feel that there are many people out there
who take part in sectarian feuds because their family does. I feel
that some people, because of the society we live in, don't have time
to think: "Well I'm risking my life for my beliefs but do I have very
strong feelings on what I'm fighting for, or is this the way I was
brought up?" They can be very single minded, sometimes I feel that
they perhaps may not even understand their religion deeply enough
for fighting.
The church has a certain amount of influence [on] how people feel
about other religions. It doesn't have the same control as it used
to [have] because people no longer trust it. Why fight with others
over something which has lost all credibility? The church is losing
support which will lead to better cross-community relations.
Community relations in Northern Ireland are greatly [affected] by
the decisions within certain political parties. They make an impression
on the people, not always a good thing.
I feel children should be taught more on the history of the troubles
in N. Ireland, so they can grow up with their own opinion and understand
a lot more about the troubles in their society.
