Delighted to be an atheist
Sir, – Watching arguments unfold among self-declared Christians about the decision to welcome a member of the LGBTQ+ community into their midst, I am delighted to be an atheist. No biblical orthodoxy prevents or hampers my extending love to people of all genders and sexualities.
I will march in as many Pride parades as possible this year to show my support for my brothers and sisters in the trans community and all who celebrate the rich diversity of human life and love.
If that consigns me to hellfire and brimstone, I'll take my chances. Love wins. – Yours, etc,
BERNIE LINNANE,
READ MORE
Dromahair,
Co Leitrim.
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Irish Times
4 hours ago
- Irish Times
Delighted to be an atheist
Sir, – Watching arguments unfold among self-declared Christians about the decision to welcome a member of the LGBTQ+ community into their midst, I am delighted to be an atheist. No biblical orthodoxy prevents or hampers my extending love to people of all genders and sexualities. I will march in as many Pride parades as possible this year to show my support for my brothers and sisters in the trans community and all who celebrate the rich diversity of human life and love. If that consigns me to hellfire and brimstone, I'll take my chances. Love wins. – Yours, etc, BERNIE LINNANE, READ MORE Dromahair, Co Leitrim.
Irish Times
7 hours ago
- Irish Times
The Irish Times view on the economic threat from the Middle East: yet more uncertainty
The US strikes on Iran cast yet further uncertainty on the international economic outlook. As if there was not enough of this around already. Inevitably, this will have implications for Ireland, too, though to what extent is as yet impossible to judge. The most obvious way in which this will affect western economies is the price of oil. It will fluctuate now based on the news from the Middle East, in a nervous market. Any sustained rise would lead to increases in petrol and oil prices for consumers and Irish businesses before too long. To judge how serious this could become, a few factors are important. One is whether there is any impact on the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow channel between Iran and the Gulf states through which around one third of the world's seaborne oil is transported. It is unclear the extent to which Iran could block these shipments, but it could certainly cause some considerable disruption. In turn, if sustained, this could lead to a spike in crude oil prices. Goldman Sachs, the investment bank, predicted that oil prices could rise to over $100 a barrel if there was substantial disruption to oil flows through the Strait. READ MORE The second key issue will be whether Iran chooses to target the oil production facilities of US allies in the region, such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The resulting disruption in production could hit supply and drive up prices. It would also cause nervousness in the market. All this means further risks facing the global economy, at an already uncertain time. Sustained higher oil prices would feed through into higher inflation and lower economic growth. This will be an issue, too, for Donald Trump, who will be conscious about the price sensitivity of US consumers, particularly to prices at the pump. Following the US bombings, the world now looks on to see what Iran does next. Like the rest of the EU, the Government here, already facing the uncertainty from US tariff policy, now has another risk to put into its calculations ahead of the budget.
Irish Times
8 hours ago
- Irish Times
Tánaiste lobbies European partners amid concern for Irish deployment in Lebanon
Tánaiste Simon Harris has begun diplomatic efforts among European counterparts in a bid to ensure the United Nations interim force in Lebanon ( Unifil ) is extended amid concerns the United States will act to effectively end, or scale back, the deployment. There are currently more than 340 members of the Defence Forces serving with the UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon. Last month Mr Harris secured Cabinet approval for Irish involvement to continue for a further 12 months. However, Unifil's mandate expires on August 31st and the United Nations Security Council must vote to extend it. There are now concerns internationally that the US will vote against its extension or will move to scale it back through reduced funding. The Israeli media has reported that authorities there believe Israel 's strikes on Lebanon last year weakened Hizbullah , meaning Lebanese armed forces have proven capable of suppressing the group, negating the need for the 10,500-strong Unifil force in the region. READ MORE Mr Harris's office has confirmed that at the weekend he began to 'reach out to other European countries to ensure the renewal of the Unifil mandate in southern Lebanon'. He also travelled to Brussels on Sunday for a high-level meeting of foreign affairs ministers scheduled for Monday. The meeting comes at a time of deepening concern about the security situation in the Middle East following the US-Israeli strikes on Iran's nuclear sites. 'The Tánaiste will impress on his foreign counterparts on the absolute need for the mission to continue, in order to ensure stability and peace in the region,' Mr Harris's office said when asked about Unifil's future now being under threat. 'Ireland has an unbroken record with Unifil for many decades and has over 340 troops deployed at Camp Shamrock. The French are due to lead the negotiations to extend the mandate with a decision expected to be made in August.' [ Irish peacekeepers come under fire in Lebanon Opens in new window ] Mr Harris's office added he had been briefed on the situation in the Middle East by the Defence Forces. He would also 'continue to discuss options in relation to the future of the mission' with chief of staff of the Defence Forces Lieut Gen Rossa Mulcahy. Separately, he was also briefed on a number of incidents that took place in southern Lebanon in recent days, though all Irish troops 'are accounted for and well'. The Defence Forces have participated in Unifil since 1978. To date, more than 30,000 Irish personnel have served in the eastern Mediterranean country, with 47 fatalities. Both Hizbullah and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have frequently breached the ceasefire in the Irish area of operations, while unexploded ordnance from the Israeli invasion late last year pose a serious danger to Irish troops and their colleagues. In October, the IDF told Ireland to remove its peacekeepers from an outpost on the border with Lebanon as its invasion of the country continued. About 30 Irish Defence Forces personnel then became stranded in their post when IDF personnel moved in beside them, at position 6-52. The position is southeast of Marun ar Ras, inside Lebanese territory, and where the IDF created a firing position as part of its clashes with Hizbullah before eventually moving on.
