Comments on The Pensive Quill: God’s Greater Plan

SMH, ‘I am going to order that book The case of t...

2011-07-05T10:54:46.044+01:00

SMH,

‘I am going to order that book The case of the Pope by Geoffrey Robertson.’

It is a good book and details quite well the criminality that the Vatican has engaged in. I would not be persuaded by all of it but he makes a case that cannot be shunted off to another parish.

John McGirr ‘A cow needs grass, grass is there.’ ...

2011-07-02T18:43:51.311+01:00

John McGirr

‘A cow needs grass, grass is there.’

I presume this is verified by the fact that every cow needs grass or similar sustenance. Evolution can explain the relationship between cows and grass. You don’t really believe god put the cows there ready made and then gave them grass readymade.

People need God, God is there.

Not all people need it as we know only too well. And evolution has explanations for that as well.

‘would be a peculiar world if the vast majority of all people in all times had a burning desire and an inbuilt need for something that didn’t exist.’

It is a peculiar world. That much we do know. People want to be happy and have comfort. If they don’t get it from real life they seek it from an imaginary one. Fear of dying and the dark leads to people believing they can survive their own death. They have never yet produced at a press conference someone who has survived.

SMH,

Helder Camara is an inspiration. So in contrast to the rogues that have plagued Irish society with their pompousness, cover ups and falsity.

Mickey Harte has had a terrible time and deserves whatever comfort he can find. It just would not work for me.

@ Anthony I am going to order that book The case o...

2011-07-02T14:45:09.063+01:00

@ Anthony I am going to order that book The case of the Pope by Geoffrey Robertson. I have heard about that book...

@ John McGirr & Anthony and others who may be interested. There is a 2011 video on Youtube uploaded a few days ago called Irish Catholics
Interviewed are people on the streets of Dublin re Catholicism & what it means to them. Very interesting but very predictable responses from the street!. I think it be a pitch for Irish to return to church but no-one is buying it... It was uploaded to nonprofit and activism!! Link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaGj1rJdPKo

The channel is called RealCatholicTV.

John McGirr ‘As almost all of the abuse has occur...

2011-07-02T13:26:43.176+01:00

John McGirr

‘As almost all of the abuse has occurred since Vatican II and the dismantling of the Catholic religion, it is quite possible that most if not all the abusers were not real priests.’

Sort of like ‘I wasn’t green booked’ argument.

It has gone on from well before Vatican 2. That probably helped lift the lid on it. Clerical abuse of children goes back to the early centuries of the Church. Its first child sex scandal apparently in 153 AD; its first law against its clerics molesting boys came in 306 AD at the Council of Elvira. The Vatican was told in the 1950s by one of its own priests who dealt with sex abusers to get a Caribbean island to put all its paedophiles on as there were so many of them.

If they were not real priests then what effect does this have on the Eucharist? Surely one of them can’t turn it into god? If one of those people gave it as the last rites, as I am sure has happened on countless occasions, the recipient must be persona non grata in heaven if they were in a state of mortal sin.

‘Have you ever wondered why there has never been an atheist society?’

Not particularly. It never concerned me. The notion of one doesn’t do anything for me. I sort of like diversity. I don’t want the atheist church telling people they can’t believe in whatever it is they want to believe in.

SMH, I don’t think you are all nutcases but it ba...

2011-06-30T11:58:18.030+01:00

SMH,

I don’t think you are all nutcases but it baffles me that people believe the things that they believe. I can put up with a person believing in god when they try to make sense of the cosmos. There either is a creator or there isn’t. But when it comes to theology and the bunkum starts, that is when it all goes awry. There are things that simply do not add up and as you can see here there are all manner of contortions to make the illogical fit. It is better to say that 2 + 2 does not equal five rather than say something theological to make it five.

‘Anthony is very gracious letting us blabble away here … Religious types would be far more scathing and censoring with differing views.’

Nothing should be suppressed on the basis of it being an idea. There are people who don’t get on here because they abuse the site not because of what any ideas they might have. Vandals who go around deleting their previous comments in a fit of pique, people who use multiple identities, those who spam – that type does not get on. But it is a behaviour issue and never one of ideas.

Michaelhenry, ‘heretic’ is a way of suppressing d...

2011-06-26T15:20:37.965+01:00

Michaelhenry,

‘heretic’ is a way of suppressing dissent and enforcing compliance with the doctrine. Religions are overly fond of applying the term.

SMH,

‘spiritual gymnastics’ – an apt term. I think a lot of it goes on in theology. Nor rational explanation is forthcoming so they dive into the gymnastics. I found John McGirr hopelessly unpersuasive in dealing with the issue of god’s foreknowledge. When I would put the same question to priests in jail they would wander off into the theological fog. Geoffrey Robertson has done a great book on the Vatican and the ‘cover up cardinals’. He hammers canon law and shows how it all fed into a paedophile trafficking ring. Benny the bad bears an awful lot of responsibility for the fate that befell thousands of children.

‘John McGirr aka the Pope of Pensive Quill.’ While tempted to shout ‘no pope here’ I like the novelty of that description and the idea that we might have a pope amongst us! John will hardly mind.

Anthony yes Helder Camara He lived what he believe...

2011-06-26T03:31:00.575+01:00

Anthony yes Helder Camara He lived what he believed powerfully. Yes to whatever gets you thru - for me it be God - albeit at times have huge doubts & often no answers to queries (prayers) but that is what faith is. Plodding on. Believing despite doubts. Is essentially what Mickey Harte be saying in his own way & given the circumstances it be mindblowing and humbling. In Bobby Sands writings in prison there is a little sentence that stuck out to me where he said if one focuses too much on God/religion it can send one off the air (not his actual words but gist of what he meant)He is right. I think it would be arrogant nonsense for any God believer to state they u/stand why horrendous things happen in a generalized way but Mickey Harte has determined his situation as part of Gods plan... For me I see the tragedy of what happened as not Gods plan but evil acted by evil bastards in this world. Why did not God intervene afterall God is God - I don't know. No-one does...

RE: ‘just stuff Vaseline in brightly colored little containers & sell ‘em for big bucks...’
----> Pray for every altar boy in Ireland if that happens.'
!!!!
I felt abit bilious reading that tho did cackle! Rapists & pedo’s don’t bother with safe sex (condoms, dam, lube) for their victims ... they have NO mercy in any form. My Vaseline spiritual balm idea is a total DUD idea post your input!! I RETRACT it fully -!! Selling bottles of holy water is the go! PS not all Catholic priests/nuns are pedos but how they can hang out within a construct that churns ones that are out into communities is beyond me comphrehension.

I think u be right that the many including myself can use belief in God like a buffer to blockade horror times in life. Better that than a needle in the arm or self destruction and so forth. Better that than self pity & burning with hate/anger or falling apart with a meltdown of sanity...

SMH ‘I have to say that is how I live – hanging o...

2011-06-25T09:54:54.220+01:00

SMH

‘I have to say that is how I live – hanging on to God but questioning why over and over re tragedies etc...’

Whatever gets you through the night. Religion is comforting to many people and it is cruel to deprive people of comfort. I don’t think I would ever want to ridicule that aspect of religion. I think it is fair comment to discuss it and critique as tried to do with the Mickey Harte perspective but to ridicule it is another matter. Where ridicule is a useful weapon is when religion tries to impose it moral code on others like gays and women.

‘just stuff Vaseline in brightly colored little containers & sell ‘em for big bucks...’

Pray for every altar boy in Ireland if that happens.

I tend to take the view that faith in religious terms is believing without evidence. As the existence of god is indemonstrable then until it is I am left with no option but to disbelieve. And if I were a believer I would go for the god of Helder Camara rather than the murderous despot of the bible.

You are right about persecution by Catholicism. If Christianity had state power it would be every bit as bad as Islam where it has stat power. Imagine that gang in the Vatican having the power to run our lives. It would be a frightening prospect.

Marty, Albert said your winding us up, the cheese...

2011-06-19T22:40:08.399+01:00

Marty,
Albert said your winding us up, the cheese is almost always in date.
He has declared he will defend Clonard Monastary against any attack, provided it does not take place on a Saturday or a Sunday as he is otherwise engaged.

Marty, you cannot generalise about Priests like th...

2011-06-19T22:12:22.023+01:00

Marty, you cannot generalise about Priests like that, all it does is undermine the clerical sex abuse issue.
Clonard stuck to their guns in relation to the Gerry/Liam Adams issue and apart from Aine and her family they were the only ones to do it.

OK Nuala apart from visiting a few friends and sha...

2011-06-19T21:33:45.637+01:00

OK Nuala apart from visiting a few friends and sharing a bottle of plonk with yourself and some really outdated cheese with Albert,I have no other intention of being anywhere near clonard, so if you could keep those men in dresses confined to clonard me and the kids up here will sleep a bit easier , remember jesus saves!!! plastic acceptable!or as they used to say in Jerusalem quick look busy jesus is coming!

Marty, Clonard Monastary has such significance fo...

2011-06-19T18:54:05.664+01:00

Marty,
Clonard Monastary has such significance for the people in this area.
The Priests in that building have always been totally committed to the people of this area and we have returned the gesture.
At the risk of sounding gushy, I remember Priests from Clonard down on their knees desperately pulling through the rubble of Clonard Street when the volunteers were killed.
They provided more than sanctuary for republicans in this area and provided it many many times.
I know there is a lot of truth in what you say, but nothing will ever change what the people here feel about Clonard, just wish they could relocate us nine days of the year.

Are you really sure you would want to do that hon ...

2011-06-19T17:41:30.720+01:00

Are you really sure you would want to do that hon after all apart from removing oobnoxious ,objectionable,opinionated, people who think they own the place,it would also free the place from the yearly invasion of the praying dead, free up parking places AND as a bonus for the first time you could recieve RTE ,WOW, anyway on SKY thjere are 17 channels dedicated to saving souls and improving gods bank balance,you dont have to get out of your armchair hence in a way it could be argued you could play a part in saving the planets dwindling fuel reserves.go on Nuala lead the charge,toss the place ya missed a smashing match Derry v,s Armagh!

Marty, If you really understood Clonard and the C...

2011-06-19T15:30:28.828+01:00

Marty,
If you really understood Clonard and the Clonard people, then you would know, that we would be on the streets and defend the Monastary all over again and I am pretty sure I could include my Atheist son in that line up.

Saint?MaryHedgehog, Glad to read your thoughts an...

2011-06-19T13:53:13.106+01:00

Saint?MaryHedgehog,

Glad to read your thoughts and sorry to hear of the pain caused to you by wayward clerics. I have had a few ‘run ins’ with priests of a different nature, and I know the effect it had on me and my family, so your hurt must be unimaginable. I know that one priest hurt our family so much that I decided I would consider atheism. I did all the research, but every argument they advanced seemed so absurd. I began to realise that to deny God is to deny everything.

It is interesting what you say about atheists and you may be right about them being less scathing than ‘religious types’. I will certainly check out your Blog, when I get a chance.

AM,

‘Nobody not cerebrally ravaged by that tradition could believe that sticking nails in this particular symbol is worse that genocide or clerical rape of children.’

If the Consecrated Host is God, then it is an attack on God.

If it is a wafer then it is just rude, hateful and insensitive, but no big deal.

‘How could a child rapist bless a wafer and turn it into god?’

As almost all of the abuse has occurred since Vatican II and the dismantling of the Catholic religion, it is quite possible that most if not all the abusers were not real priests.

“‘I shudder to think what would become of the majority of mankind if John McGirr were right.’”

‘Somehow, I don’t think you need worry.’

Have you ever wondered why there has never been an atheist society? (Unless you take the Communist regimes of the last century to be one, but even there it was not universal).

A cow needs grass, grass is there. People need God, God is there. It would be a peculiar world if the vast majority of all people in all times had a burning desire and an inbuilt need for something that didn’t exist.

Alfie, ‘I shudder to think what would become of t...

2011-06-19T12:33:01.797+01:00

Alfie,

‘I shudder to think what would become of the majority of mankind if John McGirr were right.’

Somehow, I don’t think you need worry.

Ryan,

‘Anyone have a chance to catch the David Cameron "victory" speech at Stormont?’

It was embarrassing. And they couldn’t even say a thing to dispute it.

Nuala hon I dont have any sympathy,you should have...

2011-06-19T09:28:21.639+01:00

Nuala hon I dont have any sympathy,you should have let the "orangies" burn the place in 69,pref filled with the clonard freaks,no trouble parking after that hon x

fffffffffffff, Thanks for that. I also enjoyed yo...

2011-06-18T21:42:30.858+01:00

fffffffffffff,

Thanks for that. I also enjoyed your comment on the Church of the subGenius.

Priests and their nonsense ... how the bereaved can find comfort from such trash is one of the mysteries of god! As Billy Connolly once said maybe Jesus just did play for Tottenham Hotspur.

Anthony, I appreciated that last comment, especi...

2011-06-18T21:25:02.329+01:00

Anthony,

I appreciated that last comment, especially the way you have summed up some important concepts in a sentence. I have believed for a long time that part of the appeal of religion (and hence the established church's long association with monarchies or other ruling interests) is to try to discourage people from speaking up about injustice. I remember back in school the religion teachers explained how suffering was central to being a catholic - as if misery and injustice where part of life that we had to embrace, not try to resist.

I was reminded of the comment made a few months ago by one of the parish priests near to the fatal air crash down in Cork. Right at the moment of anguish for the families involved he felt it appropriate to remind them of how the dead were now happier and in a better place. It was disturbing.

Saint?MaryHedgehog, I think you have it spot on w...

2011-06-18T18:55:54.109+01:00

Saint?MaryHedgehog,

I think you have it spot on with the black magic analogy. I can understand it being annoying to those of the Catholic tradition but it is hardly a concern of anybody not in that tradition. Nobody not cerebrally ravaged by that tradition could believe that sticking nails in this particular symbol is worse that genocide or clerical rape of children. It is truly amazing how religion can warp moral reasoning. How could a child rapist bless a wafer and turn it into god?

Your point on the Pharisees was well made. I think they are who the Catholic Church descended from.

‘It is gobsmacking to me that atheists can totally believe this life is all there is.’

But we think the same about those who believe in deities. What would be the point in this life if the real one is the next one?

‘If i believed that I would not bother with a thing.’

It would only mean not being able to address your human essence and therefore need something else.

‘Why fight for Justice?’

It is a worthy human value. That is why humanity created gods – to give them some hope that the justice which evades them on earth would ultimately be obtained elsewhere.

I don’t know if the suicide rate is higher for believers or non-believers. I know of suicides where the person wrapped themselves in religious regalia.

I don’t think atheism per se is a belief system and therefore it doesn’t work towards a purpose. It is nothing more than a disbelief in gods. And an atheist lifestyle is perfectly natural. It is not depressing.

Nuala,

The Clonard experience is terrible. People should not have to put up with that. But it was funny the way you phrased it.

@ John McGirr It was interesting and challenging s...

2011-06-17T05:43:06.997+01:00

@ John McGirr It was interesting and challenging some of what you wrote & of course had a bit of a larf at some of it... I do however acknowledge/recognise a sincerity in you in your quest for truth/justice spiritually & that you love Ireland and her people... It be easy to mock believers in God even amongst ourselves Harder to shut ones mouth and live out what one believes.
Anthony and other atheists must think we r nutcases with stuff we wrote. Makes me laugh even more that thought... I did recently consider checking out Orthodox catholic churches (supposedly the authentic ones before corruption) It did me head in and i fled. I cannot abide saints on the wall, flickering candles and a dead Christ on a cross. For me God is alive and as real as the air we breathe. Religion terrifies me and Catholicism meaning nothing means it it just Trauma all round - triggers flashbacks, etc. But i do not expect you to grasp that fully. Only those abused by clergy now adults know it never leaves one alone - the damage from it...
NB Anthony is very gracious letting us blabble away here i must say. Religious types would be far more scathing and censoring with differing views. That is why i have time for atheists... they allow for dissenters. Plus have fought for Justice when believers sat back & did nought. Now i must away and do work - cease obsessing with our discussion. If able to click my blog name & read latest entry. Says all it all succinctly. Better than my rambles in discussion here. It would be embarrassing to be sprung at work writing about God hehe Most untrendy being a believer as u know... Slan agus beannacht John. You are authentic but a right pain re God stuff at times.

Saint?MaryHedgehog, (Pars Secunda) ‘My Irish cit...

2011-06-16T13:21:57.075+01:00

Saint?MaryHedgehog, (Pars Secunda)

‘My Irish citizenship/birthright/passport mean very little to me now & am EX Catholic.’

Of course it doesn’t. You have abandoned your religion so what it isn’t much farther to go by abandoning your Nation.

‘Catholicism means NOTHING.’

That you feel the need to capitalize it would suggest otherwise.

‘NB I have a disdain for my own people -Irish and their weakness in allowing the incarceration of republicans and oppression to continue.’

They will continue to allow such repression as they have dumped the very things that could have made them realise the importance of those in gaol.

The Irish News has a motto ‘pro fide et patria’ but supports neither. (For your Latin scrap book).

‘All those sneering ones who called us Irish living in places like Aussie or NZ plastic paddies are now licking our boots in desperation to score jobs and another country to live in.’

The ones who have abandoned their ‘Fide’ and their ‘Patria’.

‘Life is very strange is it not. Vatican & EU are nutting Ireland down NWO was never a myth. It is happening before our eyes.’

Aye the NOW, devoid of ‘Fide’ and ‘Patria.’

‘However you pour religiosity on all things rather than address issues sans catholic mode. Big mistake as keeps the lie alive it is a religous war etc...’

I face facts. The protestant people as a whole do not have allegiance to Ireland. Should they, individually or corporally decide to give it allegiance, I would be more than happy to accept them.

‘Roll on Armageddon but you won't be safe in a catacomb (nuclear matter goes underground John) ahahaha so do Mi5 & Mi6 cockroaches.’

It could be closer than you think. Saint Patrick promised the Faith would not die in Ireland.

‘Find somewhere else to hide.’

Where, Australia? No, I will not abandon my religion nor my country. I will stay and fight for them both.

Saint?MaryHedgehog, (Pars prima). ‘@ JohnMcGirr C...

2011-06-16T13:19:36.906+01:00

Saint?MaryHedgehog, (Pars prima).

‘@ JohnMcGirr Catacombs! ahaha Great larf! Tad dramatic John...’

I would call it an understatement. The only time I can hear Mass now is in the basement of a shop 70 miles away from home or by crossing the water. So no, not dramatic.

‘The true refuge is in standing strong in ones mind/spirit/convictions & not fleeing the jeers/threats.’

Or abandoning the One True Faith because of unworthy and unbelieving clerics.

‘Ironically you are very sectarian imo in your thinking in an inverse way...’

Calling a Catholic ‘sectarian’ is no more valid than calling the Republican Army ‘paramilitary’. A Catholic does not belong to a sect and cannot be sectarian, just as a volunteer is not working alongside a regular army and cannot be paramilitary.

‘Us and them syndrome etc.’

The world is full of such divisions. It is called reality.

‘Of course catholicism is done in but so what.. it be a religion not God Himself right.’

It be the religion of God, so don’t expect Ireland to rise while it is in denial of its creator. But don’t worry, it will be back, or Ireland is dead.

‘Latin scholar? I am not impressed.’

Greek scholar? Ditto.

‘Afterall who said: 'Men's Knowledge is fools wisdom'’

Don’t know. Who said ‘All roads lead to Rome’?

‘No glory in killing. Never was never will be...’

I mentioned dying not killing.

‘Everyone knows a tried/true form of genocide is suppressing a native language.’

And another is suppressing their religion.

‘However in 2011 many Irish living in Ireland do not care for their language or want to use it.’

Likewise their religion.

‘That is the peoples choice in the 21st century...’

Your defeatism is nauseating.

‘I note young Irish coming here in droves have no interest in it...’

Nor do the pro GFA who have abandoned their Faith and Nation here either.

‘Losing religion can benefit mental health and society in general’

I believe the surveys show the contrary.

‘… for religion is a form of control rather than deep real spiritual lived out convictions.’

A sweeping generalization without a shred of evidence.’

‘The Vatican is Babylon even to a non believer in the Christ or anything spiritual.’

Are you quoting Martin Luther or Ian Paisley on that one?

“RE '...a pacified, emasculated people ready to be re-incorporated into the British Commonwealth.'”

‘And that describes the bulk of Ireland right here and now as she is.’

Yes, and so it will remain until it resumes its Faith and its Nationhood.

‘There will never be peace in Ireland never imo...’

I disagree. There will be when people hold on to what matters rather than give it up. Those who give up are the real traitors.

‘Glad i never stayed permanently last time over.’

A sad defeatist comment.

‘Old skool republicans like you entrapped in Catholicism Schism do my head in...’

No schism in the Faith of our Fathers.

@ JohnMcGirr Catacombs! ahaha Great larf! Tad dram...

2011-06-16T08:11:18.053+01:00

@ JohnMcGirr Catacombs! ahaha Great larf! Tad dramatic John... The true refuge is in standing strong in ones mind/spirit/convictions & not fleeing the jeers/threats. Ironically you are very sectarian imo in your thinking in an inverse way... Us and them syndrome etc. Of course catholicism is done in but so what.. it be a religion not God Himself right. Latin scholar? I am not impressed. Afterall who said: 'Men's Knowledge is fools wisdom'
RE 'People don’t want to die for Ireland once they are robbed of their beliefs.'
Enough have died enough bloodshed, sorrows, lives terminated and people shattered has already been, stretching into the mist of history. People today will be killed because the anger is on authentic republicans... No glory in killing. Never was never will be...

RE: 'A people can barely sustain losing their language, but to lose their religion too would be a devastating blow. Is it any wonder that it is in these circumstances that resistance to British rule has all but collapsed?'
Everyone knows a tried/true form of genocide is suppressing a native language. However in 2011 many Irish living in Ireland do not care for their language or want to use it. That is the peoples choice in the 21st century... I note young Irish coming here in droves have no interest in it... Losing religion can benefit mental health and society in general John for religion is a form of control rather than deep real spiritual lived out convictions.
The Vatican is Babylon even to a non believer in the Christ or anything spiritual.

RE '...a pacified, emasculated people ready to be re-incorporated into the British Commonwealth.'
And that describes the bulk of Ireland right here and now as she is. There will never be peace in Ireland never imo...
Glad i never stayed permanently last time over. Old skool republicans like you entrapped in Catholicism Schism do my head in... My Irish citizenship/birthright/passport mean very little to me now & am EX Catholic. Catholicism means NOTHING. NB I have a disdain for my own people -Irish and their weakness in allowing the incarceration of republicans and oppression to continue. All those sneering ones who called us Irish living in places like Aussie or NZ plastic paddies are now licking our boots in desperation to score jobs and another country to live in. Life is very strange is it not. Vatican & EU are nutting Ireland down NWO was never a myth. It is happening before our eyes.
However you pour religiosity on all things rather than address issues sans catholic mode. Big mistake as keeps the lie alive it is a religous war etc... Roll on Armageddon but you won't be safe in a catacomb (nuclear matter goes underground John) ahahaha so do Mi5 & Mi6 cockroaches. Find somewhere else to hide.

Saint?MaryHedgehog, ‘I can only assume you have n...

2011-06-14T09:54:51.852+01:00

Saint?MaryHedgehog,

‘I can only assume you have not a clue what has gone on for decades upon decades – the most cleverly constructed pedophile ring in the world which still operates to this very day...

Those who have operated in this way are those who have REJECTED Catholic teaching and practice, ie they are in your camp not mine. The Catholic Church has been taken over by its enemies much in the same way as the Republican movement has been, only with more disastrous consequences. The source of this is the near total collapse of Catholicism following the Vatican Council II. That is why I do not participate in this new entity established and why we have gone back to the ‘catacombs’.

‘Btw I do not see enraged or offended Catholics tearing in here to support you? Perhaps because essentially no-one gives a toss anymore re Catholicism in Ireland apart from trundling off to church for religious observances or when there is a funeral. The hold on Ireland by Catholicism has ended...’

We are agreed on one thing. I think that is a fair analysis.

‘Your blending of patriotism with Catholicism is not of any use other than serving up yourself romanticised notions of ancient Ireland... Our people died for a lie is the truth….’

A people can barely sustain losing their language, but to lose their religion too would be a devastating blow. Is it any wonder that it is in these circumstances that resistance to British rule has all but collapsed? People don’t want to die for Ireland once they are robbed of their beliefs.

‘Meanwhile back at el rancho Reality - Ireland is still a colony and republicans are incarcerated, harassed, beaten, monitored..’

Some of whom are motivated and comforted by the very religion you despise. Take that from them and you will have a pacified, emasculated people ready to be re-incorporated into the British Commonwealth.

‘The word petros for Peter in the Greek is in the masculine gender and the word petra for the rock is in the feminine gender.’

Although of course Our Lord spoke to His Apostles in Aramaic where the word ‘kepha’ was used in both instances, as is found in the Peshitta and Old Syriac texts. When I lived in France, the protestants would argue that ‘Pierre’ and ‘pierre’ are ‘Peter’ and ‘rock’ in English, but Our Lord didn’t speak in English either; nor French, nor Latin, nor Greek, but Aramaic.

The attempt at a linguistic analysis sounds as if it comes from a high-brow Chick tract, but misses the point as I was using the quotation merely to establish that Christ was building a Church, and it clearly shows that.