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  Clerics Reject Paisley's Pope Visit Comments

News Letter
July 5, 2010

http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/Clerics-reject-Paisleys-pope-visit.6399661.jp

TWO senior Protestant clerics have rejected Ian Paisley's denunciation of the pope's visit to Britain in the autumn.

Presbyterian moderator the Rev Dr Norman Hamilton and Canon Ian Ellis, editor of the Church of Ireland Gazette, said that the former First Minister was wrong to describe Pope Benedict's state visit as a "mistake".

But, referring to the Queen, who will meet the pope during his visit, Mr Hamilton said that he would "accept Her Majesty's judgment in this, rather than Dr Paisley's".

Speaking to BBC Radio Ulster's Sunday Sequence programme yesterday, the north Belfast minister said: "Her Majesty clearly does not think it is a mistake to be welcoming the pope, otherwise she wouldn't be meeting him. I certainly don't want to be second-guessing her judgment on that."

Mr Hamilton added that Buddhist leader the Dalai Lama had visited Northern Ireland in recent years without "any significant difficulty or protest".

Canon Ellis said that Dr Paisley's comments were "most disappointing".

"Lord Bannside simply remarked that he had never said anything contrary to what he believed," he said.

"This was a missed opportunity for a further step towards reconciliation.

"Lord Bannside's remarks come as a sorry reminder of the appalling ways in which, over many years, he has attacked and denigrated other churches, including the Church of Ireland.

"Naturally, as an Anglican, I disagree with aspects of Pope Benedict's doctrinal teaching, not least his view of the status of the Church of Ireland.

Ian Paisley

"However, I consider it enormously regrettable that so many Roman Catholic people will have effectively been insulted by Lord Bannside."

Alliance councillor Stewart Dickson said that Dr Paisley's call for the pope not to visit the UK will be poorly received, particularly outside Northern Ireland.

"We are trying to build a shared future in Northern Ireland and people need to examine what they say and think about how their comments will be viewed, particularly around the world," he said.

In an radio interview broadcast by the BBC World Service last week, Dr Paisley, who as Lord Bannside will today take his seat in the House of Lords, also stood by past controversial comments about Roman Catholics.

Asked by the interviewer about "incredibly offensive" statements such as "(Catholics) multiply like vermin", the DUP founder said: "I haven't said anything that is contrary to what I believe to be truth.

"And for me to say that I am going to turn my back on all I've said would be nonsense. I believed it and I said it and it stands the test."

 
 

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