[speechlesstx]

Our president made a startling, but unsurprising claim at a town hall meeting in Belfast on Friday.

The US President has made an alarming call for an end to Catholic education in Northern Ireland in spite of the fact that Archbishop Gerhard Müller told Scots that Catholic education was 'a critical component of the Church.’

President Barack Obama (above), repeated the oft disproved claim that Catholic education increases division in front of an audience of 2000 young people, including many Catholics, at Belfast’s Waterfront hall when he arrived in the country this morning.

“If towns remain divided—if Catholics have their schools and buildings and Protestants have theirs, if we can’t see ourselves in one another and fear or resentment are allowed to harden—that too encourages division and discourages cooperation,” the US president said.

The US politician made the unfounded claim despite a top Vatican official spelling out the undeniable good done by Catholic education in a speech in Glasgow on Saturday and in his homily at Mass on Friday.

I guess he doesn't realize The Troubles wasn't really a religious conflict but what the heck, never waste an opportunity - much like using the contraception mandate in Obamacare to redefine the church in the U.S. in a brazen attempt to keep the church confined within the walls of a building.

So do you agree with Obama or not and why?

Exit question from Fr. Z:

Off the top of my head, I can’t think of a foreign visit to a Islamic nation where he told people on his arrival that they shouldn’t have madrasas. Can you?

Did he when visiting, say, Israel, say “You Jews shouldn’t have synagogue schools and you muslims shouldn’t have mosque schools.” I can’t remember. Did he?

[Wondergirl]

He isn't saying religious schools are bad. He's saying it's bad "if we can’t see ourselves in one another and fear or resentment are allowed to harden."

[NeedKarma]

Wow, that's some shoddy reporting. That's not at all what Obama said.

[speechlesstx]

Wow, the level of denial amongst you people is astounding. It was quite clear to me and obviously to the Catholics in Northern Ireland what the meaning was.

"if Catholics have their schools and buildings and Protestants have theirs... that too encourages division and discourages cooperation."

Now, the claim in the OP is according to Obama, "religious schools cause division."

My question was do you agree with Obama or not and why? Or did he not really say religious schools cause division? If you don't care to engage in a discussion then please, don't bother.

[tomder55]

The emperor has Catholics in the cross hairs because they dare to demand their 1st amendments rights. He don't take kindly to those who oppose him (just look at how far the Obots went to take out the TP is 2012) . That he chose school children for his vitriol is despicable

[Wondergirl]

You guys are cherry picking. It's like if I said, "Having sex is not a good idea for young teens," and you quote me as saying, "Having sex is not a good idea."

[speechlesstx]

You guys are cherry picking. It's like if I said, "Having sex is not a good idea for young teens," and you quote me as saying, "Having sex is not a good idea."

I take it that means you don't want to engage in discussion.

Regardless of your issues with the source - I mean geez the story had to come from somewhere since the American media ignored it - what I said was accurate.

But since you won't respond to that part you tell me what those kids were supposed to come away with after being told "we need you to get this right" to "set an example for those who seek a peace of their own" and then told having separate religious schools "encourages division" and "discourages cooperation".

[Wondergirl]

I take it that means you don't want to engage in discussion.

Are you familiar with the history of Northern Ireland and how politics and religion are so intertwined -- Protestant unionist communities vs. Catholic nationalist communities? The historical situation should be our starting point to clarify why President Obama said what he did.

Discussion only if it is fair and reasonable, without misquoting people. So far it isn't.

[speechlesstx]

Are you familiar with the history of Northern Ireland and how politics and religion are so intertwined -- Protestant unionist communities vs. Catholic nationalist communities? The historical situation should be our starting point to clarify why President Obama said what he did.

Discussion only if it is fair and reasonable, without misquoting people. So far it isn't.

For a librarian you sure can't recognize plain English. No one has been misquoted and my personal representation and question are entirely accurate. If you don't want to discuss it why the hell are you here? You're acting just like NK, and that's not a compliment.

[tomder55]

Text is here..
Obama?s Speech in Belfast to Youth of Northern Ireland | IIP Digital

Nothing distorted . He equated Catholic Schools with segregation . And no ;he would never equate a madrassa or a Yeshiva with segregated education.

[Wondergirl]

text is here ..
Obama?s Speech in Belfast to Youth of Northern Ireland | IIP Digital

Nothing distorted . He equated Catholic Schools with segregation . And no ;he would never equate a madrassa or a Yeshiva with segregated education.

I read it. Where oh where did you get that he equated Catholic schools with segregation?

[tomder55]

It's all in one paragraph... not all that hard..

Because issues like segregated schools and housing, lack of jobs and opportunity -- symbols of history that are a source of pride for some and pain for others -- these are not tangential to peace; they're essential to it. If towns remain divided -- if Catholics have their schools and buildings, and Protestants have theirs -- if we can't see ourselves in one another, if fear or resentment are allowed to harden, that encourages division. It discourages cooperation.

[Wondergirl]

it's all in one paragraph ... not all that hard ..

Because issues like segregated schools and housing, lack of jobs and opportunity -- symbols of history that are a source of pride for some and pain for others -- these are not tangential to peace; they’re essential to it. If towns remain divided -- if Catholics have their schools and buildings, and Protestants have theirs -- if we can’t see ourselves in one another, if fear or resentment are allowed to harden, that encourages division. It discourages cooperation.

Good grief, Tom! Do you know the political-religious history of this country? You are definitely cherrypicking.

[tomder55]

You are asking an American of Irish Catholic descent if he knows the history of Ireland ? The truth is that it would not have been nearly the issue it was over the decades if it wasn't for British meddling .

[Wondergirl]

For a librarian you sure can't recognize plain English. No one has been misquoted and my personal representation and question are entirely accurate. If you don't want to discuss it why the hell are you here? You're acting just like NK, and that's not a compliment.

And you are lifting bits and pieces out of context to prove your (pathetic) point.

[Wondergirl]

you are asking an American of Irish Catholic descent if he knows the history of Ireland ? The truth is that it would not have been nearly the issue it was over the decades if it wasn't for British meddling .

Okay, now tell us about the intertwining of the religious and political factions, and how they have worked against peace in that country.

[tomder55]

The answer was it was NOT a religious problem . Ireland voted to break from England . So England carved out another nation in what became Northern Ireland that was majority Protestant . Then the Brits decided to enforce the division militarily . The split was nationalists and unionists . Most nationalists were/are Catholics and most unionists were/are Protestants that is true. But the split was Never about religion.

Edit... it is an abusrd insult to say that religious education contributes to the problem .

[Wondergirl]

Most nationalists were/are Catholics and most unionists were/are Protestants that is true. But the split was Never about religion.

The religious differences are implicit, are all bound up, in the political differences.

[tomder55]

The religious differences are implicit in the political differences.

See my edit

[Wondergirl]

see my edit

Obama didn't say that "religious education contributes to the problem."

***ADDED IF we allow religion to tear us apart. IF we allow politics to tear us apart. "IF we can't see ourselves in one another, IF fear or resentment are allowed to harden, that encourages division. It discourages cooperation."