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I have a couple of friends who are always pointing out that they are Irish Catholic. I am not although I am a Christian.
Each of them, at least once per conversation will say "being Irish Catholic...we always did this..." Usually it's something that everybody does so I find it kind of funny that they think it's specific to being Irish Catholic. One of them is divorced and the other has had an abortion so they are not really strict Catholics.
I get that they are proud of their heritage but I don't know why they have to keep telling me this. It's not like they are 1st generation.
It's really bothering me and I don't know if I should say something or just ignore it. I would like to understand why people do this. Any thoughts? It's as if they think they are superior or special for being born Irish Catholic.
I would ignore it. Maybe it's a very happy thing in their families that has been rewarding for them. View it like that. It could also be a way of 'fishing' for a response and if you ask about it, it opens a conversation about their church, and possibly getting you to come. It might be that as well. Or both. If you don't reply to it, seems like they will not push it on you.
I have a couple of friends who are always pointing out that they are Irish Catholic. I am not although I am a Christian.
Each of them, at least once per conversation will say "being Irish Catholic...we always did this..." Usually it's something that everybody does so I find it kind of funny that they think it's specific to being Irish Catholic. One of them is divorced and the other has had an abortion so they are not really strict Catholics.
I get that they are proud of their heritage but I don't know why they have to keep telling me this. It's not like they are 1st generation.
It's really bothering me and I don't know if I should say something or just ignore it. I would like to understand why people do this. Any thoughts? It's as if they think they are superior or special for being born Irish Catholic.
Some people like to have an identity based on a feeling of belonging, etc., especially when they're making excuses for negative traits. I've seen people doing this based on being Italian, Southern, and even just from certain towns. It's like co-opting a pejorative term and in an attempt to make it into something positive, the way some gay people have done with the word "q u e e r."
Train yourself to ignore it. It's not like they will stop just because you point it out, and they'll be more likely to get upset with YOU for calling them out.
I would ignore it. Maybe it's a very happy thing in their families that has been rewarding for them. View it like that. It could also be a way of 'fishing' for a response and if you ask about it, it opens a conversation about their church, and possibly getting you to come. It might be that as well. Or both. If you don't reply to it, seems like they will not push it on you.
That's the funny thing, neither of them go to church except maybe Christmas. So I don't think they are trying to recruit me.
I have a couple of friends who are always pointing out that they are Irish Catholic. I am not although I am a Christian.
Each of them, at least once per conversation will say "being Irish Catholic...we always did this..." Usually it's something that everybody does so I find it kind of funny that they think it's specific to being Irish Catholic. One of them is divorced and the other has had an abortion so they are not really strict Catholics.
I get that they are proud of their heritage but I don't know why they have to keep telling me this. It's not like they are 1st generation..
In my experience a lot of Americans love to claim they are Irish, but can't even really pinpoint a specific ancestor who came from Ireland and when. It's an American love affair with Ireland and the Irish, perhaps it comes from the JFK era, I really don't know. I do have an ancestor who came from Ireland but I don't go around telling people I'm Irish. I have a mixture of different things in me.
Some people like to have an identity based on a feeling of belonging, etc., especially when they're making excuses for negative traits. I've seen people doing this based on being Italian, Southern, and even just from certain towns. It's like co-opting a pejorative term and remaking it into something positive, the way some gay people have done with the word "q u e e r."
Train yourself to ignore it.
Yeah, I get what you're saying. I don't know why people do this except that they are trying to make themselves sound important or special. But that would make the rest of us not special, and that's wrong.
In my experience a lot of Americans love to claim they are Irish, but can't even really pinpoint a specific ancestor who came from Ireland and when. It's an American love affair with Ireland and the Irish, perhaps it comes from the JFK era, I really don't know. I do have an ancestor who came from Ireland but I don't go around telling people I'm Irish. I have a mixture of different things in me.
Kind of like everyone has Native American, but can’t pinpoint from who.
Kind of like everyone has Native American, but can’t pinpoint from who.
LOL to me that's been the funniest side effect of the home DNA tests, the debunking of all the Native American ancestry. My family supposedly had native American ancestors. Turns out they were French.
"Irish Catholic" is just short-hand for a very specific cultural experience - it's a two word phrase that conveys an entire lifetime of customs and behaviors. It really has less to do with religion than it does with culture.
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