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‘Not in our name’, says budding self excommunication group
Fifty years after the Archbishop’s ‘excommunication edict’ shocked and fractured the nation in April 1961, today people are beginning to ask to have themselves formally stricken from the register of baptized Catholics.
25 June 2011, 12:00am
Raphael Vassallo
Raphael Vassallo
2 min read
Not many people, granted: the group that gathered on the steps of the Curia this morning numbered only four, though they represent around 100 others who have signed up to an online community requesting ‘self-excommunication’ from the Church, and calling for greater Church State separation.
“We, as citizens, assert our rights to be Maltese and non-Catholics and demand that non-Catholics no longer be made to feel discriminated against, under-represented or victimized as a result of social stigma,” main spokesman Andrew Galea told the press.
The group is planning a ‘mass excommunication’ event, similar to analogous events that have taken place in Italy, Austria, Ireland and elsewhere, under the heading ‘Not In Our Name.’
Galea enumerated a list of grievances against the Church, including child abuse by members of the clergy; the Church’s position on condoms in the fight against HIV/AIDS, and hostility towards persons of LGBT sexual orientation.
“The latest and most obvious episode of misconduct was the Church’s campaign during the divorce referendum,” Andrew Galea said.
This is not the first time a similar initiative has been launched. In 2009, two prominent gay activists, Patrick Attard and Lana Turner, also publicly excommunicated themselves in protest against he Church’s stand on homosexuality.
But on this occasion the target is to encourage more widespread disengagement from Catholicism as a means of self-identification. Galea hopes the initiative will inspire others to come forward in a bid to overturn the general perception of Malta as an exclusively Catholic preserve.
“We hope that by excommunicating ourselves and calling to be struck off the Catholic registry we may appeal to those who share our desire for a socially inclusive, secular state – that recognizes all religious and non-religious denominations as equal and separate from state.”
Among the longer term aims are “to open a dialogue about changing Article 2 of the Constitution, which defines our nation as a Catholic country, and to thereby undermine the unjust Catholic privileges in education, law, politics and culture, which have served to alienate so many who do not subscribe to catholic dogma.”
A second meeting will be held on Sunday 10 July, 4pm, at 60 A Strait Street Valletta to explain what the process of excommunication entails. Queries may be addressed to [email protected].
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Only in Malta. If you don't want to be part of the church, then don't go. Period. What are you trying to do, make a jackass out of yourself. The church should just ignore such people as they don't deseve to be part of the church. I disagree with some of the church methods, but it is my choice what I do next. Why don't these people concentrate their wasted time on this nonsense in doing some community work, like caring or visiting the sick, old, and doing volunteer work. The church does a lot of good in these circles and it's more than people ever give it credit for. Look at all our missionary priest who go to far away lands to help the poor and educate the poor. Then we have spoiled brats like those above who are probablly getting everything for free and they want their way all the time.
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Lili ma laqatni xejn sa fejn naf jien Sur ma nafx x'jismek
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Il-miskin int Giovann.de Martino għax qed turi li qas taf x'laqtek u kemm m'intix kapaċi taffaċċa r-realta`!
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@IreneScicluna
I half agree with you. Those that are married ARE practicing adultery... but considering the Church's position on such things as divorce what other option is open to people who made bad marriages?
But what about those who are not yet married? There is nothing that says a person MUST remain faithful to a girlfriend or boyfriend... they have taken no solemn vows. The only thing that they are doing "wrong" is having sex before marriage... with some girlfriends openly and with other men secretly. But considering that the Church leaves NO room for natural human needs, and expects complete obedience to outdated dogmas, the only possibility is hypocrisy.. something that the Church is well versed in... starting with the pretense of morality while protecting the pedophiles in their midst. I personally know a priest who not only seduced another seminarian while preparing for the priesthood, but who has admitted to me that while he preaches to the young that masturbation is wrong, he practices it regularly himself. I'm not surprised... after all, he IS human. But the "flock" should KNOW about all this before deciding whether or not these people should have the right to impose their fractured "morality" on others.
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Dear Bejnil-linji, your argument as regards majority makes as much sense as saying that since the majority of Maltese people like pastizzi, all the population should be force-fed pastizzi every meal
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drwgalea the constitution, legal system and education (state matters) are based on faith because up to now the majority in these islands were catholics and until the majority is still catholic; democratically the state should stay as is. What will be wrong if the majority will force the minority to eg believe the same faith. Otherwise, if the mjority's will is not imposed on all and if the majority's decision will take care of the common good, I find no objection and more than that I think that democratically the majority has the responsability to govern according to such majority. three persons r maybe twenty persons as these youths might influence the country but up to now what these want is not what the majority wants and therefore they have to wait up to the time (if ever) to gain the support of the majority. As I stated, if our parents acted as was/is normal it is up to them and up to us whether we would like to follow tradition or otherwise. I certainly, will follow the tradition and baptise all my children.
George Saliba •
@ bejn il linji: ah if only faith were kept to within the parameters of the personal. Sadly it is not. The constitution, legal system and education (state matters) are based on the faith that should be so personal, and that is unfair on people who do not subscribe to that particular faith. "Nobody makes your realation with God but yourself" except of course that the Church and State and Malta insist on making the relation with God for everyone.
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drwgalea to leave something you have to be in. Just by being baptised you are not in for anything. maybe written in the baptism register which in itself does not mean anything.
These people have to leave nothing because in the church you may only enter. You enter and believe whatever you like because our religion is not academic but is a relation. The relation with God is something that each and every person has a unique distance made and kept according to your own power. Nobody makes your realation with God but yourself. What matters is the real love for God that is measured by the love of thy neighbour. That is mainly the church and religion. Otherwise all else is a means and not the end.
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Dawn kull ma qed iwaqqghu dak li ghamlu l-genituri taghhom. Hadd ma hu sforzat biex jemmen, hadd ma hu sforzat biex jattendi l-knisja...kull ma nghid min bhali jmur ghax ikun sab lil Mulej f'hajtu ghandu l-ferh u minn dak it-tajjeb li ghandu jkun irid iqassam. Jien ghamilt snin nahsibha bhal dawn u meta rajt xi haga ahjar nistieq naqsamha u nqassamha. Mill bqija kull ma qed jaghmlu jieduha kontra l-genituri taghhom u kontra xejn izjed ghax hawn Malta kulhadd jemmen u jaghmel li jrid.
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Min jaf kemm qeghdin ihossuhom importanti u ghorrief! Imsieken!
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Antoine Vella: It was MEANT to act in Christ's name. I think we have quite a long list of examples of the Church being anti-Christian in its conduct. The Crusades were in Christ's name aye? And the systematic protection of pedophile priests...was that in Christ's name? What about the inquisition? And judging people who intended to vote yes? Did you ever read the bible or learned something about Christ? .The church derives its popularity from its members. ... ... . With regards to the slogan used by American people ... how the hell did you manage to draw up a possible connection between this movement, and the american one? Doesn't occur to you that the fact that they have a similar name might only be due to the statement being 'a generalization'? Before judging people as being silly... judge yourself.
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The silliest thing about them is their bombastic name. the Church does not claim to act "in our name" but in Christ's name. You may disagree but that's how it is.
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'Not in my name' was a slogan adopted by anti-American Americans who did not want their country to attack the Taliban in the 9/11 aftermath and I fail to see how it has anything to do with a someone desiring to be excommunicated.
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Chris fenech: Hadd mhu se jzommhom sakemm nibqghu pajjiz demokratiku.
Id-dizapprovazzjoni taghhom.....dizapprovazzjoni taghhom t'hiex?
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Chris fenech: Hadd mhu se jzommhom sakemm nibqghu pajjiz demokratiku.
Id-dizapprovazzjoni taghhom.....dizapprovazzjoni taghhom t'hiex?
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Giovann.DeMartino, fil-kaz ta' dawn in-nies, ħadd minnhom mhu qed isabbat rasu b'mod irrazzjonali, kif donnok qed timplika. Biex inkompli mal-allegorija tiegħek, dawn in-nies qiegħdin iqumu minn bil-qiegħda u jiċċaqalqu l'hemm, filwaqt li juru id-disapprovazzjoni tagħhom. Dan huwa dritt li kull bniedem għandu: id-dritt li jassoċja ruħu ma min irid, u jħaddan jew ma jħaddanx twemmin li jista' jkun li ġie kemmxejn impost fuqu meta kien zgħir.
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Darba kien hemm mignun, tinsewx, mignun, li fettillu li blata li kien hemm qrib tieghu kienet qed ittelliflu l-veduta. Ma kinitx thallih jara u jaghmel li jrid. U ddecieda li jeqridha. Ha girja u capcpilha daqqa ta' ras nobis. Baqghet hemm. Rega' u rega' u rega'. F'daqqa wahda ra xi demm mal-blata u zied l-isforzi tieghu halli jeqridha kompletament....U d-demm beda jgelgel,,,Miskin induna tard wisq. Al buon intenditor, poche parole.
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@ Ken I have been told by many different sources that a third of the Maltese are bisexual - which means that they are married or have girlfriends and are meanwhile cheating with men behind the ladies' backs.
Whilst I agree with everything else that you said,may I kindly point out that this is not what bisexual means at all. Whilst bisexual means having the potential to be sexually attracted to both sexes, bisexuals (like heteros) are not necessarily bound to be attracted to more than one person at a time. I believe that the word you were looking for is 'adulterers', people who have extramarital sex, or 'cheaters', people who cheat on their partners. Adulters and cheaters, may of course be bisexuals, but are not necessarily so.
George Saliba •
@bejn il-linji: recounting a personal anecdote about how a priest did not accept money misses the point entirely. My comment under yours was not generic and perfectly outlines part of the reason Not In Our Name has expressed its desire to leave the Church - because of its ideology.
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Many remarks here are generic. I would like to say one story that is authentic. A person from bejn il-linji group when finishing his O Levels failed a subject out of 11. He came from a family of 10 and used to frequent a place tarnished with modern bad publicity. He was offered private lessons at a public place and without any obligation whatsoever and when the result was issued he got a 2 -very good pass. His family sent a nice donation towards these church/order. The reply from this priest was " We need the money to continue with our work but your family needs it more" For this reason he did not accepted one single cent!!!!!!
George Saliba •
@Maltipur: I think you'll find that the Church's stance on homosexuality, condoms, child abuse and secularism is not a generalisation but an ideology. The Church's ideology is irrational, not its critics. As to the good priests being in the majority - I would challenge you to provide evidence to prove such a sweeping statement.
Yes publicity is precisely what is needed to draw the attention of the Maltese people to several issues that need to be addressed.
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There is too much unnecessary hatred being thrown around.
First - I never believed that there has ever been a war between Mintoff and the Church. The war was with Archbishop Gonzi who because of his pride and fear of losing power, threw the Maltese Church into a long lasting chaos.
Yes there are some bad priests around but let's not forget that there are many who work hard and help people and they are in the majority.
Let's not generalize and let's not be irrational.
How good of an intention is it of these brave warriors who decided to excommunicate themselves. If I had to do such a thing I simply do it and keep quiet but perhaps they are looking for publicity.
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In and of itself, moral corruption in the Church means little. It was predicted from day one, and is no special sign. Weeds as well as wheat grow in the Kingdom of Heaven, but only in the time of harvest will both be gathered and separated.
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Good for them. As a Canadian arriving in Malta via France I have seen how a highly religious "nation" (in Québec) finally divested itself of the Church in the 1950's. Ever since they have improved everything in their way of life... from borderline poverty and subservience to lives unfettered by superstition and bigotry. No-one in Québec would go back to the old days... Spain went through the same kind of "conversion" in the 70's... and a breath of fresh air brought a wave of creativity and energy to that nation.
France refuses any kind of religious insignia in the public schools - be it crucifixes or Muslim headscarves... meanwhile it is rather disconcerting to find crucifixes in Post Offices and banks in Malta! Such blatant displays while the entire nation seems to be ignoring most of the dogma in their free-wheeling sexual lives makes for inherent hypocrisy and borderline "schizophrenia". I have been told by many different sources that a third of the Maltese are bisexual - which means that they are married or have girlfriends and are meanwhile cheating with men behind the ladies' backs. But this is nothing new - inside the Church even the priests are far from celibate. I personally know people of both sexes whose boyfriends were priests - one was the head of two major Parisian churches. Everyone inside the church knew about it...but nothing was done.
It really is time the public was made aware of just how corrupt these standard-bearers of "morality" really are!
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Beyond the point, Jason, but that work of art was considering thus by Catholics no less. Simply because it's a work which reflect on the worldly respect in which we hold symbols of the faith, and the way we meet such offenses with anger and righteousness. Even as for God, who created everything, even urine, such things do not matter. Even as Christ raged first and foremost at those who turned His Father's house into a merchants' bank. Even as those who fight the hardest for the symbols of the faith, live so little of their faith, and are the last to turn the other cheek or to sell their every possession or to be meek and small.
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Of course it is hilarious and ridiculous, Monique...but then, we are living in a world where a crucifix placed in a container full of urine is called a work of art. It's a free and liberal world, isn't it? Everybody can have their say.
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If they wish to be excommunicated, nothing should hold them back. I don't see why this would be of any importance to Catholics and Christians. Much of the arguments being thrown around here are ridiculous - to address one such argument, one might need religion in old age like one needs a bra in old age, although that is hardly a believer's argument, and in any case, one can still have religion outside the Catholic Church.
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*feel-good factor
LOL
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@Jason;
Assuming that Jason is your real first name and you a male it is utterly hilarious that you are using that particular comparison with the bra and droopy boobies...
are you flaunting a nice pair of men-boobs or are you just cross-dressing to be so
sure of the good-feel factor of a bra ?
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Liberals adhere to a conception of état laïque which is neutral to all religious (whether believing in one or more gods, whether small or large in number of adherents) and non-religious beliefs (including agnostics and atheists). With freedom for the citizen - defined as being free and equal - religion is referred to the private sphere. However, sometimes ‘private’ is interpreted as a demand for individualism, meant in the sense that organised religion in civil society should be rejected. But nothing could be more wrong.
Liberalism welcomes people joining together in voluntary organisations for different important issues, like religions - as without a vivid civil society with a large variety of organisations and associations we do not have a liberal society! But on the other hand, in today’s world of tangible diversity, the State has to stand for human rights and values that are neutral to different religious interpretations and values and norms. To favour certain religious movements in the civil society to the detriment of others only creates unnecessary divisions in society.
Freedom to choose one’s belief or non-belief system is a fundamental right belonging to the private sphere and to the civil society. Religious and non-belief communities should be free from influence from the State. The State must be neutral!
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The Church may have failed you, or you may have failed to find your place in it. Your act certainly takes some courage to do, but, to use a vulgar comparison, I consider what you are doing to the bra-burning of the Women's Lib era. While the tits are firm and robust, then you can do without the bra. But once the tits start to sag, then you start appreciating this garment's utility. Yep, it may feel uncomfortable at times, old fashioned maybe too, and constricting as well. But put it on when you need it, and you will start feeling better, and more free. And likewise is faith in God and his Church.
Just in case you may need to rediscover your faith in the future, I recommend you follow a short course called Alpha. It's held twice a year at Ibraġġ.
Meanwhile, best of luck with your lives.
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I won't be at the meeting...i excommunicated myself many years ago and never looked back. Done with it. No regrets.
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I'll be at the meeting :) Nice to see that I'm not alone.
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Among the primary arguments given for a marriage annulment is that one or both of the couple were not ready or not mature enough to make such a decision.
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How much more so in the case of baptism? In the vast majority of cases, babies are baptised into this church before they know what's going on. We're not even asked to confirm this as adults. All the other religious rites of passage take place while we're still infants or children, mostly before we start to challenge authority.
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I think these are very valid grounds to annul our baptisms.
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Wow, look at all the hate and fear in the comments below!! Incredible, I honestly didn't think this event would have caused THIS MUCH panic within the Catholic power circles! Well done guys, thank you for setting the ball rolling!! Thank you for speaking up, you know a lot of people are with you and are grateful for what you're doing. We will not let the Church speak in our name anymore.
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Beware! The Curia's hounds are out!
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Yes, how naughty of the Church to speak against divorce...truly an episode of misconduct !
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dawn taz-zoo jew harbu miz-zoo
Jareth Grima •
"Incidentally, 60A Strait Street is the “home” of the Men’s Rights Association, the Beatles Fan Club and the Circus Animal Rights Coalition, among others; it must be quite an interesting house."
You forgot graffiti... interesting house indeed!!
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Siamo in grado di darli il primo compito. Gestire Villa Monsignor Gonzi!!!
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@ [email protected]
Why all this hate? Chill, boy! Everyone is free to do whatever they want with their own lives.
Because of people like you, I will gladly leave the Catholic club
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No ai numeri......si alla qualita!
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@ Giovann.DeMartino
No one here is trying to destroy your beloved church - it's doing a sterling job at that by itself!
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@ maltesecross
Well said!
I for one will join my friends and de-baptise myself. I don't want to make part of the "Catholics of quality" as you call them - the essence of Catholics, "essenza", bil-Malti!
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There is an online survey on the state of the Catholic Church in Malta. Worth participating to see what the Maltese really think of the local Church:
http://bit.ly/lQWTWJ
Priscilla Darmenia •
They are free to go and leave the church. Even the apostles were told by Jesus that if they wanted to leave they were free to do so. The apostles stayed on.
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In my opinion, it is better to have fewer Catholics of quality that a large quantity without any quality.
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For heaven's sake don't do it because you will certainly destroy the church.
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Reading some of the comments below - i honestly don't understand how some people can say they believe in God and then approve all the evil the Church is responsible for.
Excommunication was started by the church - so i don't see how this group should be in any way embarrassed by their actions. The church should be apologizing - though we know that it will never this sincerely.
Maybe our bishop has managed to find some more money to sponsor pro-church bloggers. I mean between the bank, property, works of art, gold, cars. land and a regular dose of millions of our tax money - the guy must be more hard up than the average Maltese family!
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Smart move. Time to end the slavery of the mind and take back our freedoms and dignity.
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Seeking attention is understandable and we should not grudge them their 15 minutes of media fame.
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Incidentally, 60A Strait Street is the “home” of the Men’s Rights Association, the Beatles Fan Club and the Circus Animal Rights Coalition, among others; it must be quite an interesting house.
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[email protected]
aren't you being a bit too harsh and intolerant. As far as abnoxious and boring are concerned, it seems you've never crossed swords with the religious zealots in our country.
Enjoy your right to practice whatever beliefs are valuable to you because this is what exactly the message this group is trying to transmit.
George Saliba •
@[email protected] : not once has atheism been mentioned in the group's interest.
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Bejn il-linji. The church services you mentioned were only a token "payback" from the millions of Liri and property grabbed from innocent and ignorant people especially on their death-beds. Even today they try the trick and in some cases they still succeed. Ask those who have experienced these underhand moves and today are cursing their parents !!. Let's see how they'll cope when the people open their minds and desist from filling their kitties.
duncan abela •
Pathetic self publicists trying to imitate similar groups abroad in order to appear cool or trying to take advantage of the recent Church debacle on the divorce issue for their own agenda. This is far from being liberal and closer to creating a counter religion or new dogma of atheism . Whilst religion has a very little part in my life I would never think of renouncing my baptism simply because it reflects the wishes of my parents and Indeed the tradition and culture of my forebears. I see myself being Christian in the same ways many Jews see their religion as a unifying icon for our culture. I must admit that some of the most obnoxious and boring characters I met in life are those who are obsessed with denigrating religious beliefs and do not let an occasion slip by without finding some fault in believers or attacking the church and the faith one was born in. I suspect that many of their overt antagonism is some form of hangover or spiritual trauma from their youth formation days . This is very different from fighting for a clear separation between the secular and the religious. Indeed I am sure many find a lot of solace in their religious beliefs, in the same way that I find it in humanist thought. But this is something which I savour and practice on an intensely private level. Live and let let live and respecting the ideas of others is a very different view of the world than useless gestures by vocal adherents to the religion of atheism.
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...services such as CHILD ABUSE, dear bejn il linji?? No Thanks. Maltese people deserve religious freedom. We can't take anymore this imposed dogma!
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Instead of being only negative can these buddies offer something like the services offereed by the church so that by their services the church will lose its temporal significance...may i suggest one....visiting sick and old people..
