pete 2,499 Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Yes, me too or at least that inference was present. I also thought "Billy Boys" was after King Billy until sometime this century when I read otherwise on FF. I thought that as well and have actually heard people sing "Hello Hello we are King Billy's boys" but they were obviously as wrong as we were or they didn't want to be associated with Fullerton. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian1964 10,416 Posted January 4, 2016 Author Share Posted January 4, 2016 Funny how life long Rangers fans can have such a different view on what words of a Rangers song are correct and mean and yet all the BHEAST fans,Scottish media,police Scotland,Scottish parliament all know exactly what the words are and mean! 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
boabie 230 Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Funny how life long Rangers fans can have such a different view on what words of a Rangers song are correct and mean and yet all the BHEAST fans,Scottish media,police Scotland,Scottish parliament all know exactly what the words are and mean! Ian, there are supporters, ex players and historians who will swear blind they saw the motto "Aye Ready" on both crests attached to the main stand at Ibrox. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott7 5,168 Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 I think "blind" is the important word there. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juancornetto 1 Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 (edited) Read this with interest earlier: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/05/pastor-who-said-islam-was-doctrine-spawned-in-hell-is-cleared-by-court A born-again Christian pastor who denounced Islam as “heathen”, “satanic” and a “doctrine spawned in hell” has been cleared after a three-day trial in a verdict that upheld the right to offend under the principle of freedom of expression. James McConnell, 78, was prosecuted under the Communications Act after making his remarks when preaching in his church, Whitewell Metropolitan Tabernacle in Belfast, in May 2014. His comments were posted on the internet, causing a public outcry. McConnell was accused of the improper use of a public electronic communications network and causing a grossly offensive message to be sent by means of a public electronic communications network. He denied both charges, and later said he was prepared to go to prison if convicted. But Liam McNally, the judge hearing the case, said it was “not the task of the criminal law to censor offensive utterances”. He added: “The courts need to be very careful not to criticise speech which, however contemptible, is no more than offensive ... Accordingly, I find Pastor McConnell not guilty of both charges.” The right to freedom of expression “includes the right to say things or express opinions that offend, shock or disturb the state or any section of the population,” he said. Outside the court, McConnell said he would repeat the message of the sermon, but word it differently. “The only regret I have is the response from the Muslim community – that I was out to hurt them,” he said. “If there are Muslims out there I want to assure them I love them and, if they need help, I am there to help them, but their theology and their beliefs – I am totally against them.” The pastor said he did not realise how far his sermon would travel. The court heard it was watched by 700 people online. “As far as I was concerned I was preaching to my own people, I was preaching in my own church – I didn’t realise it would go out there and so forth,” he said. The judge said McConnell was “a man with strong, passionate and sincerely held beliefs”. He said: “In my view, Pastor McConnell’s mindset was that he was preaching to the converted in the form of his own congregation and like-minded people who were listening to his service rather than preaching to the worldwide internet.” Although the words on which the charges were based were offensive, they did not cross the legal threshold of being “grossly offensive”, the judge said. During the three-day hearing last month, McConnell told Belfast magistrates court that he had not intended to provoke, hurt or offend Muslims but was unrepentant for preaching the gospel. He said he had turned down a plea bargain involving an informed warning because he did not want to be “gagged”. Several hundred evangelical Christian supporters attended each day of the hearing to show solidarity with McConnell, and the court was packed with the pastor’s supporters for the verdict, which was greeted with applause. An Islamic academic spoke in support of McConnell outside the court on the grounds of freedom of expression. Muhammad al-Hussaini, a senior research fellow in Islamic studies at the Westminster Institute, said: “Against the flaming backdrop of torched Christian churches, bloody executions and massacres of faith minorities in the Middle East and elsewhere, it is ... a matter of utmost concern that, in this country, we discharge our common duty steadfastly to defend the freedom of citizens to discuss, debate and critique religious ideas and beliefs – restricting only speech which incites to physical violence against others. “Moreover, in a free and democratic society we enter into severe peril when we start to confuse what we perhaps ought or ought not to say, with what in law we are allowed to, or not allowed to say.” Several high-profile politicians, including Northern Ireland’s former first minister Peter Robinson, the Democratic Unionist party deputy leader, Nigel Dodds, and the former finance minister Sammy Wilson, spoke out in support of the pastor. Before the verdict, McConnell told the Belfast Telegraph: “If the judge imposes a fine, then I won’t be paying it and I don’t want anybody else to pay it on my behalf either. It’s a matter of principle. “Paying a fine would be an admission of guilt and I have said from the beginning that I am an innocent man. I know that not paying a fine means that people eventually end up in jail and I am prepared to accept that.” The National Secular Society said the verdict was a “welcome reassertion of the fundamental right to freedom of expression”. Campaigns manager Stephen Evans said the society strongly disagreed with the tone and content of McConnell’s comments, but added: “At a time when freedom of speech is being curtailed and put at risk in any number of ways, this is a much needed statement from the judge that free speech will be defended and that Islam is not off-limits.” The Evangelical Alliance of Northern Ireland also welcomed the verdict, saying it was a “victory for common sense and free speech”. Director Peter Lynas said: “It is vital that the state does not stray into the censorship of church sermons or unwittingly create a right not to be offended.” There are parallels with TBB here but of course the picture in Scotland is skewed by the SNP's Offensive Behaviour Act...one wonders whether it would stand up to scrutiny by a High Court or other such body should the situation escalate and arrests are ever made directly because of it? Edited January 6, 2016 by Juancornetto Tidying up the pasted text 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
boabie 230 Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 " There are parallels with TBB here but of course the picture in Scotland is skewed by the SNP's Offensive Behaviour Act...one wonders whether it would stand up to scrutiny by a High Court or other such body should the situation escalate and arrests are ever made directly because of it? " The Rangers fan arrested at a match in Ayrshire a couple of years ago took his conviction to appeal. He lost there too. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
calscot 0 Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 I think there could be a difference between the Rangers fan and the cleric. The latter was preaching to his own congregation and did not know it would be made public, he also didn't do it to incite anyone or even wind anyone up. I don't think any of that applies to the former. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruno55 0 Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 Ian, there are supporters, ex players and historians who will swear blind they saw the motto "Aye Ready" on both crests attached to the main stand at Ibrox. It did have "aye ready".... 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruno55 0 Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 It did have "aye ready".... Just like we were formed in 1873.... 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruno55 0 Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 I've been a regular at matches since 1960 and didn't know that folk sang "derry boys" until I read it on here a few hours ago. I also have been a regular since 1960 and it was " we are the brigton Derry, fu-k the po-e and the virgin mary"... 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.