NationStates Jolt Archive

During the boom the ceremonies were associated with fake tans, designer frocks and stretch Hummers. But now so many parents are struggling to meet the basic costs associated with first communion and confirmation they have turned to the government for help.

More than 8,000 families have claimed €2.27m in emergency-needs payments this year — an average of €284 — to pay for dresses and suits for their children, a sharp rise on previous years. The scheme is funded by the Department of Social and Family Affairs.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/ireland/article6211594.ece

Ugh, really? I mean, I thought it was ridiculous how much money and effort some people put into communion celebrations. Elaborate and expensive dresses, fake tan as the article mentions, manicures, pedicures, even such madness as horse drawn carriages. But why should the government pay for a religious ceremony? Bah, stupid Catholic country.

The Irish should find away to get the IMF to cover this.

I only imagine a communion dress is a better investment these days than a bank.

The Irish should find away to get the IMF to cover this.

I wonder what the terms would be for a billion dollar dress loan.

its a good stimulus for the economy.

id rather give a party to poor people than money to the banks that screwed us.

For the love of....

*facepalm*

I'm glad I left.

They might as well blow it while they still can.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/ireland/article6211594.ece

Ugh, (.....)country.

...but sure it might be a nice dress.

"You can't be saved unless you look presentable." -Jesus

I only imagine a communion dress is a better investment these days than a bank.

Well.. if you actually believe in what a communion represents this does in fact make sense.

Well.. if you actually believe in what a communion represents this does in fact make sense.

More sense than what banks represent these days. And I'm willing to bet that the communion dress won't turn around and start demanding bailouts so it can pay itself a bonus.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/ireland/article6211594.ece

Ugh, really? I mean, I thought it was ridiculous how much money and effort some people put into communion celebrations. Elaborate and expensive dresses, fake tan as the article mentions, manicures, pedicures, even such madness as horse drawn carriages. But why should the government pay for a religious ceremony? Bah, stupid Catholic country.

Quite funny as this isn't actually called for by the Catholic church to get fake tans, pedicures, horse drawn carriages etc.

All it is, is society and the parents of these children thinking that every event needs all these things.

However I do disagree that the government needs to pay for all these things, maybe get the kid a suit or a dress if they are very poor (just like you would hope they could give them some decent clothes) but not any of this.

"You can't be saved unless you look presentable." -Jesus

Come as you are that's how I want you- Jesus

Come as you are that's how I want you- Jesus

That was the old Jesus. I was quoting the new and improved Jesus.

That was the old Jesus. I was quoting the new and improved Jesus.

:fluffle: you always make me :D

A little discriminatory as well, this policy. Doesn't Ireland have a substantial Protestant population?

That was the old Jesus. I was quoting the new and improved Jesus.

this one http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/93/Buddy_christ.jpg ???

http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/output/motivator68f98f609dcf10da1a499a59082c152bad68fdfd.jpg Badass.

Parents tend to either see the holiday as a kind of dick-waving contest (heh, I like this expression), want their kid to be appropriately dressed for the big event, or just don't want it to be worse-looking. As you can see it's a positive feedback loop. And it leaves a wrong impression of what it's about on the kid.

Thus backlash wasn't too surprising, and for some years, here, we have a trend to remove all this stupid bling in favor of simple robes and dresses. Seems it's quite nicely rising in popularity not only among the priests and organisers, but among the parents too.

Doesn't Ireland have a substantial Protestant population?


Who Ireland? Naw......

More sense than what banks represent these days. And I'm willing to bet that the communion dress won't turn around and start demanding bailouts so it can pay itself a bonus.

Well, since it's customary for communion children to receive a lot of gifts, the communion dress really is an investment.

Like an expensive wedding in many parts of the States.

That was the old Jesus. I was quoting the new and improved Jesus.

Wasn't that an Al Franken joke, "Supply-side Jesus?" I can't remember if it was in one of his books or on TV, but it was pretty good.

I was going to make some awful joke involving a bunch of stereotypes and what the Irish would spend millions of dollars on, but there were so many there was sort of a gridlock in my head. I'll just list bits: leprechauns, lucky charms, priests, poor people, potatoes, English people, rain, green, U-2...I think that's about it. Rearrange them to make something funny.

Well, since it's customary for communion children to receive a lot of gifts, the communion dress really is an investment.

Like an expensive wedding in many parts of the States.

Yeah, but the Government dont pay for ours, lol...

Well...Unless you work at a bank of course, then itll pay for it....or a car company, lol...

Wasn't that an Al Franken joke, "Supply-side Jesus?" I can't remember if it was in one of his books or on TV, but it was pretty good.

I was going to make some awful joke involving a bunch of stereotypes and what the Irish would spend millions of dollars on, but there were so many there was sort of a gridlock in my head. I'll just list bits: leprechauns, lucky charms, priests, poor people, potatoes, English people, rain, green, U-2...I think that's about it. Rearrange them to make something funny.

and that concludes a modern stand-up routine...

http://generalitemafia.ipbfree.com/uploads/ipbfree.com/generalitemafia/emo-music024.gif

That was the old Jesus. I was quoting the new and improved Jesus.

Old Jesus - JEE-zuz Kryst, Middle Eastern god of compassion, revolution, and transcendence. Patron deity of pacifists and beggars.

New Jesus - jeh-EE-za-UZ KRA-yust, North American god of homogeneity and submissiveness. Patron deity of soldiers and investment bankers.

Old Jesus - JEE-zuz Kryst, Middle Eastern god of compassion, revolution, and transcendence. Patron deity of pacifists and beggars.

New Jesus - jeh-EE-za-UZ KRA-yust, North American god of homogeneity and submissiveness. Patron deity of soldiers and investment bankers.

Meh, Im pretty sure this Jesus pwns all:

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c141/Mulletbond/501px-Raptorhealing1.jpg?t=1241822887

Meh, Im pretty sure this Jesus pwns all:

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c141/Mulletbond/501px-Raptorhealing1.jpg?t=1241822887

Isn't it funny how the truth get's confused over the generations?

Due to various spelling errors people thought that the end of the world would bring the Rapture. Then some Middle Ages scribe learns the truth and in just a few centuries it has spawned a heresy that Jesus was a Raptor after it once again became known that shortly before the end of the world Jesus is going to let his pet dinosaurs play in it for a little while before bringing them back to Heaven.

The faithful are not going to be lifted up to Heaven bodily. They're going to be lifted up to Heaven in dinosaurs' bodies. Specifically in their stomachs.

Now, we once again have two branches of Christianity. The Rapturists, and the Raptorists, neither of whom understand that in reality, Heaven is an eternity of melting in the stomach acid of a hundred million year old reptile.

But why should the government pay for a religious ceremony? Bah, stupid Catholic country.

Because if they don't the atheists win!

:rolleyes:

Preti di merda.

Who Ireland? Naw......

It's not a good idea to mix the Republic of Ireland with Northern Ireland, generally... people on both sides of the fence tend to get nervous when one does that.