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Quote# 81659

Malta, an overwhelmingly Catholic country and the European Union's smallest member state, has voted in favour of legalising divorce.

Lawrence Gonzi, the prime minister, announced the outcome in Valletta, the capital, on Sunday after a referendum in one of the only two countries where it is still banned.

(continues...)

The Roman Catholic Church did not campaign officially in the referendum.

However, Paul Cremona, Valletta's archbishop, had warned church goers in a letter they faces a choice between building and destroying family values.

"By this vote, the citizen will either build or destroy. A choice in favour of permanent marriage is an act of faith in the family, built upon a bond of love which cannot be severed," said the letter, read out at masses.

In addition, priests have reportedly threatened to refuse communion to those who vote "yes" in the referendum.

Catholic priests, Al Jazeera 49 Comments [6/2/2011 3:37:45 AM]
Fundie Index: 53
Submitted By: Shadowbell
WTF?! || meh
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#1295232
clockworkgirl21

You shall stay in your miserable marriages! Because we have family values!

6/2/2011 3:56:33 AM
#1295233
Pule Thamex

The God Gangsters' threats were obviously insufficient this time. Could their unpersuasive bullying be a sign that they should no longer be taken seriously by good and decent people? Does this mean that the world is finally waking up to the enormity of the God Gang's oppressive ways?

6/2/2011 4:00:38 AM
#1295236
farpadokly

Well, they voted in favour in spite of the church's ineffectual bullying tactics, so nothing much to see here. Incidentally, how could the priests refuse communion to those who voted yes? They couldn't possibly know how everyone who comes to a mass voted.

6/2/2011 4:20:51 AM
#1295238
Argle Bargle

The ban on divorce doesn't mean shit, considering that any couple who wants to divorce can take a ferry to Greece and divorce there, since Malta accepts divorces made in foreign countries.

This is just the Catholic church throwing a temper tantrum while screwing over those that are too poor to travel abroad.

6/2/2011 4:24:41 AM
#1295245
Alcari

IIRC, it was even possible to get a divorce in Greece by mail if you live in Malta, so you don't even have to travel there.

6/2/2011 4:51:50 AM
#1295249
Anon2

Some good news:

Even in Poland, traditionally one of the strongholds of Catholicism, even there the catholic church's pathetic threats are now seen as blackmail:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11605216

It's amazing how fast the catholic church is losing ground in Europe. Of course, this makes them more and more aggressive. But when the current trend continues, Catholicism will become something irrelevant in the future in Europe. And thats very good news.

6/2/2011 4:58:08 AM
#1295251
Creedence Leonore Gielgud

"In addition, priests have reportedly threatened to refuse communion to those who vote "yes" in the referendum."

That's worked out so well for the Catholic church in the past, what with Henry VIII and all.

6/2/2011 5:03:15 AM
#1295252
Passerby

If you ever actually read your Tome of Endless Nightmares and Commandments (the Bible) you'd find the institution of marriage isn't exactly built on love. Especially not in the passages of Deuteronomy I looked up just the other day. *Shudder* Family values that permit marriage by rape, incest, and selling your children into servitude. Religous values promoted by threats meant to cow governments.

I'd also like to point out that Al Jazeera, often decried by morons who call it "The Islamic Terrorist News Network," is breaking the story on behalf of the Catholic priesthood.

6/2/2011 5:04:23 AM
#1295255
Mister Spak

"By this vote, the citizen will either build or destroy. "

If you vote for fundieism you will destroy your country. Look at what George Dumbya Bush did to America.

6/2/2011 5:11:18 AM
#1295259
Atheissimo

@ Anon2:

It would be great if those de-converting from Catholicism were losing their faith altogether, but I fear that they may just be swinging over to one of various Protestant faiths.

That would be OK if it were a nice Church of England 'got to church for births, marriages and deaths, put Christian on the census' type arrangement, but quite a few go for the fire breathing Jesuit evolution denying churches who happen to be making the most noise.

6/2/2011 5:31:43 AM
#1295260


In addition, priests have reportedly threatened to refuse communion to those who vote "yes" in the referendum.

Fortunately, said parishioners will be easily identifiable by the large, scarlet "Y" on their foreheads.

@ Anon2

catholic church is losing ground...makes them more and more aggressive.

Just stay away from the flailing limbs as the body goes through the last of the death throes. They dying beast can still be deadly to those waiting for its demise.

6/2/2011 5:32:29 AM
#1295265
Raised by Horses

The hell with you and your dysfunctional "family values".

6/2/2011 5:50:03 AM
#1295268
Cid Highwind

"In addition, priests have reportedly threatened to refuse communion to those who vote "yes" in the referendum."

How would they know who voted what? And that is so childish, "If you don't do what I want, you won't get no cookies!" Grow up.

6/2/2011 6:02:52 AM
#1295271
Doubting Thomas

So, what's better, staying in an unhappy or abusive marriage because God wants you to, or getting a divorce and a new chance at a happy life?

Right, the former, because God loves it when people are miserable.

6/2/2011 6:08:31 AM
#1295274
GigaGuess

Protip: If you don't let people divorce, there WILL be those who decide to take "'til death do us part" into their own hands...

6/2/2011 6:22:10 AM
#1295281
TGRwulf

Sigh, yet more of religous leaders saying "Do what we want or your going to hell!".

6/2/2011 6:48:40 AM
#1295283
Horsefeathers

"However, Paul Cremona, Valletta's archbishop, had warned church goers in a letter they faces a choice between building and destroying family values.

"By this vote, the citizen will either build or destroy. A choice in favour of permanent marriage is an act of faith in the family, built upon a bond of love which cannot be severed," said the letter, read out at masses.

In addition, priests have reportedly threatened to refuse communion to those who vote "yes" in the referendum."

So, essentially, your argument was an appeal to emotion and blackmail, is that it? Oh, and I can't forget the favorite of all religious people: the appeal to authority (i.e., the Wholly Babble), which I'm sure one of you numbskulls trotted out at some point.

This is why you people are losing members/followers/power. You've got no rational argument for anything you do, say or believe and people are now free to ignore you whenever they choose without being locked up, burned at the stake or exiled. The best you guys can come up with are logical fallacies, extortion and empty threats.

6/2/2011 6:50:12 AM
#1295286
dionysus

For those worried about the people voting "yes", don't worry. All it takes is a confession and like 10 Hail Marys and they're good as new as if nothing happened.

6/2/2011 7:01:12 AM
#1295290
Lucilius

If people want divorces, it's obvious their marriages weren't "built upon a bond of love which cannot be severed" in the first place.

6/2/2011 7:37:45 AM
#1295300
smartz

First off, how will they know who voted yes in the referendum just by looking at people? I hope they don't think that God will tell them.

Secondly, oh no! You are gonna prevent people from eating their Jesus bread? Oh, the humanity!

6/2/2011 8:34:00 AM
#1295305
Mike

Because misery is such a good thing!

6/2/2011 8:47:14 AM
#1295306
And Gozo and Comino, too!

Xoghol f'Malta Tajba!

6/2/2011 8:55:17 AM
#1295309
tmarcl

First off, how will they know who voted yes in the referendum just by looking at people?

Just as a guess, maybe they have a way to get list of who voted what at the polls? I know that in the US we have a closed ballot system, but I don't know if that is the case in Poland.

6/2/2011 9:12:51 AM
#1295317
Drax

"In addition, priests have reportedly threatened to refuse communion to those who vote "yes" in the referendum."

Isn't it a secret ballot?

6/2/2011 10:08:52 AM
#1295321
Anon

>>Lawrence Gonzi, the prime minister, announced the outcome in Valletta, the capital, on Sunday after a referendum in one of the only two countries where it is still banned.<<

Wikipedia informs me that this statement is not quite correct. At the moment, divorce is still not permitted in the Philippines and in Vatican City.

Now, since the number of marriages registered in the Stato della Città del Vaticano is approximately zero (since neither the clergy nor most of the Swiss guards are permitted to marry), we may make an exception.

6/2/2011 10:25:43 AM
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