St Patrick's Day - Man's inhumanity to Man

St. Patrick’s Day - Man’s Inhumanity to Man - another historical lesson.

https://www.ighm.org/exhibitions.html

I think this is an unending theme.  It jumped into my brain as I thought of St. Patrick’s Day.  My thoughts today also relate to religion - the religion I profess of a Judeo-Christian background.

I have visited Ireland twice, both times with students and both times getting history lessons.

So, good old Henry VIII set out to make England a world-power (and a lot more), was irate with the Catholic Church before the refusal of the Pope to annul his marriages, became the Head of the Church of England.  Henry was also King of Ireland.  England became Protestant but Ireland remained Catholic.  Henry closed convents and monasteries, took the church money for his activities.  He killed St. Thomas More a statesman who would not support Henry.  

So, back to Ireland and England.  The relationship between England and Ireland continued to be strained as the England Kings tried to stop Catholicism in Ireland.  (Aside, the shared spiritual concepts of love one another, showing mercy, forgiving all others  got thrown under the bus as more political issues than religious issues were discussed.)

Eventually, Ireland became an uneasy colony of England.  The Church of Ireland (as a subsidiary of the Church of England) became the spiritual basis of the island.  (And, the Catholics of Ireland became second-class citizens).

When the potato famine occurred in the 1840’s, the population of Ireland was cut in half.  Small farmers lost their potato crops and therefore their income and became paupers and sent to poor houses.  Seemingly, sending a person or family to the poor house was still a financial burden and it was cheaper to buy the poor Irish tickets to America or Australia.  (Australia was more of a penal colony).  And, yet in America, they weren’t really welcomed with open arms by all.  The “Know-Nothing” Party was an anti-Catholic group. 

Famine, poverty gripped Ireland.  Quinnipiac University’s Great Hunger Museum (see the attached link) highlights some of the many of the inhumanities that England places upon Irish people, and especially Irish Catholics.  The northeast part of Ireland was more industrial and also was more Protestant in view, and was split off from the southern part of Ireland.

Somewhat similar to white America's problem with black slaves, Ireland was divided by two Christian groups - the Protestants with the upper hand and the Catholics as the oppressed. Irish poor stopped being humans in some eyes; like black slaves were less than human in the United States.

Over history, wars and conflicts over religion have occurred.  India and Pakistan were divided on the basis of religion.  Even in parts of the world - including the United States - there are conflicts between Evangelical Christians and Catholic Christians - almost to a conservative versus non-conservative (I don’t want to apply the term “liberal” here).  Likewise, for my many Jewish friends - there are liberal, orthodox and conservative Jewish groups.

The question of “Why can’t we get along?” is a non-ending question - and even more so when the sides profess a common religious basis..  We love labels, we love to point the fingers at the other groups and laugh at them.

Even in scriptures, the Samaritans - who were generally hated by the Jewish leaders - get recognition from the “Good Samaritan” parable and the Samaritan ‘woman at the well”.  

As one who has been exposed to Christian doctrine, I again question where is the “love one another” concept, where is the “turn the other cheek” idea; where is the “acceptance of other philosophies” and attempts at understanding.  

This year we have very few celebrations of St. Patrick’s Day due to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus).  There are some people who say that the virus is a punishment from God.  I find that an interesting (if not outrageous concept).  Instead of that analysis, I suggest that if it is a punishment from God, it is because we are NOT very loving, and forgiving, but that we as a people and nation are pushing division rather than understanding and social healing.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day - but let's work on it as a healing day, not just a day of green beer and parades, but a day of understanding!!

Hugs!!

Karen O’White

(after all, on St. Patrick’s Day, all of us are Irish)