Why are the Protestants and the catholics fighting each other in Ireland?

Question

Why are the catholics and protestants fighting in Ireland or Nothern ireland {I don't know which one}? In my opinion, It is a serious disgrace to christianity. They are both of the same religion for crying out, but, as I was asking, why? What happened?

Answer 1

The issue in Northern Ireland is political not religious. The media, who is always looking for short cuts and not the whole story, calls the participants Catholics and Protestants.

The conflict is about whether the British territory (probably the wrong word) of Northern Ireland should remain British or should become part of Ireland.

The majority of people in Ireland are Catholics. The majority of people in England and Northern Ireland are Protestants. There are actually Catholics and Protestants on either side.

The terrorists on either side of the issue are not Christian in any sense of the word.

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

It was in Northern Ireland. Southern Ireland/Republic of Ireland is a non-sectarian and independent state. It isn't really about religion per se it's about differing national identities. Most of the Protestants are descended from British settlers placed on land confiscated from Irish Catholics in the 1600's by British kings (starting with James I) and people like the parliamentarian general Oliver Cromwell. Historically most were Presbyterians and while in the 1700's some sided with Irish Catholics in demanding independence from Britain, since 1798 they have become more and more in favour of Union with Britain. The Catholics on the other hand almost all vote for parties favouring the reunification of Ireland (which was partitioned by Britain in 1920) as an independent state. Among of the reasons why Protestants in NI favour remaining in the Union are:

A: They trace their lineage back to British settlers and still tend to see themselves as being on a frontier with the Irish Catholics seen as a threat because of centuries of warfare as the Catholics tried to get independence.

B: After the failed 1798 Rebellion, the British passed laws abolishing the Irish Parliament (in which only Anglican Protestants could sit) and giving Presbyterians mostly equal rights including the right to sit in the British Parliament that governed both Britain and Ireland from 1801 under the Act of Union. Furthermore free-trade was introduced between Ireland and Britain, removing another grievance the Prebyterians had as Ireland had previously been under a British trade-blockade intended to protect British merchants from Irish competition.

C: The Unionists/Protestants in NI, like the Sunni Arabs in Iraq, are afraid of losing their traditional supremacy over Irish Catholics. From 1920-72 there was a regional Northern Ireland Parliament in which Protestants always dominated the govt. In 1972 this was abolished because it oppressed the Catholics with sectarian police that colluded with Loyalist terrorists (collusion was uncovered recently by the Stevens Report commissioned by the British govt), gerrymandered constituencies (Derry City Corporation did not employ a single Catholic in a 67% Catholic city), and rigged elections in which businesses had up to 7 votes in local-elections and those adults living with parents could not vote. Some Unionists fear that in a United Ireland, the Catholic majority would seek revenge (which we would not).

D: The Provisional IRA (favouring a United Ireland) grew out of a split in 1967 within the the remnants of the Anti-Treaty IRA (the rump of the forces that had lost the Civil War over accepting the 1921 treaty with Britain and had regarded it as not going far enough but who had not gone into constitutional politics unlike Fianna Fail and De Valera in 1927). Loyalist terror groups like the UVF and UDA were also set up and both groups tended to target members of the other religious communities. In 1998 a peace deal was reached called the Good Friday Agreement/Belfast Agreement, which provided for a power-sharing govt of Catholics and Protestants, links between Northern and Southern Ireland, and a proviso that the constitutional status of Northern Ireland depended on the wishes of the people, and that the security forces would be reformed. Sadly the powersharing govt has broken down 4 times and has not sat since 2002. Since then hardline parties on both sides have won the majority of the Catholic and Protestant votes so reaching agreement seems harder than ever. Hope that helps.

Answer 3

I don't call them Christians if they are fighting. God doesn't want us to fight. If we act like Christians, then others will see Jesus in us. Go to Ireland and ask them. They have been fighting for years. They probably don't even know what they are fighting about anymore.

Answer 4

True Christians love everyone.

John 13:35 By this shall all [men] know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Answer 5

Because of politics.
Some English king tried to impose his political influence on the rest of the UK to take over political control.

Answer 6

Man them Christians can't get along with anybody.

Answer 7

It's a tradition now. It's been going on so long they've forgotten why.

Answer 8

go to this site it will explain everything

God Bless You

Answer 9

"traditions of men" happened.