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Fianna Fáil's Cathal Crowe during Gaza debate yesterday Oireachtas TV

Taoiseach didn't tell Fianna Fáil TD to correct claims British Army never shot Irish civilians

The Clare TD added that he had ‘studied history in college’ after making the remark.

TAOISEACH AND LEADER of Fianna Fáil Micheál Martin has said he did not direct a party TD to correct claims he made yesterday that the British Army never bombed or shot civilians in Ireland.

Clare TD Cathal Crowe this morning apologised “profusely” for the comments and corrected the Dáil record.

He made the original remark during a Labour motion calling for the Irish government to bring an emergency resolution to the UN General Assembly, calling out the blockade of humanitarian aid in Gaza.

Speaking during the debate, Crowe remarked that while the 7 October 2023 should be condemned, the Israeli state has since adopted an “indefensible eye-for-an-eye approach”.

“What is happening is not a war anymore; it is ethnic cleansing, genocide and, more recently, the weaponising of food,” said Crowe.

He then added: “The British army was a bad actor on this island for many centuries but even in the worst of days, when its cities were being bombed by the terror organisations of the IRA, it never retaliated by bombing and shooting the civilian population of Ireland.”

The Journal / YouTube

Crowe added: “I, too, studied history in college. The Israeli people have a very tragic history of their own.  Looking at the CVs of several [Israeli] Cabinet ministers, they are children of survivors of the Holocaust.

“They should understand better than anyone what genocide, the loss of life, the weaponising of food and the killing of children involve. They do not.”

Reaction to comments overblown – Taoiseach

Speaking to reporters in Dublin, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the reaction the Crowe’s comments during the motion’s debate were overblown, telling reporters he did not believe the remarks warranted so much attention.

The motion was co-signed by Sinn Féin, the Social Democrats, the Green Party and Independent TD Catherine Connolly, while the government did not oppose it.

Speaking later, Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh called on Crowe to apologise for the remarks and to “correct the record” for his “false” and “appalling” remarks to the Dáil.

“I fear for what the schoolchildren he taught learned from this self-proclaimed ‘passionate historian’ if this is the level of ignorance and revisionism he displays as in elected office,” said Ó Snodaigh.

“In his attempt to rewrite history, Crowe is erasing the countless victims of British state violence in Ireland, North and South, victims and families who continue to fight for justice to this day.”

Ó Snodaigh remarked that the Troubles were “defined by the brutal murder of civilians by the British army, from the Ballymurphy massacre to Bloody Sunday”.

The Sinn Féin TD also pointed to the British forces opening fire on a GAA match in Croke Park on the Bloody Sunday of 1920, killing 14 people.

Ó Snodaigh also said that the British forces “went on to facilitate the bombings of 1974 which took the lives of people in Dublin and Monaghan”.

A total of 34 people, including a full-term unborn child, were killed in three no-warning bombs across Dublin and Monaghan on 17 May, 1974.

Operation Denton is investigating the activities of the Glenanne gang, which is suspected of being involved in the bombings.

Head of the investigation Iain Livingstone told RTÉ last year that there was collusion between the gang and the British security services. This review was expected to be published by the end of April but is now due to be published at the end of October.  

“Crowe made these comments in the context of the ‘many centuries’ of British activity in Ireland, apparently unaware of Oliver Cromwell and the thousands massacred in Drogheda and across the country,” said Ó Snodaigh.

“The historic parallels between British actions here and Israel’s actions in Palestine might be difficult to understand for someone whose party seems comfortable celebrating William the Conqueror.

“It’s probably time, however, for Fianna Fáil to drop the title of ‘Republican Party’ if they are unaware of the British ever shooting civilians in Ireland.”

Ó Snodaigh called on Crowe to make a “full apology to the victims of British violence specifically and to the wider Irish public”.

“I would also invite him to actually take up the cause of Seán Brown and all those killed by British forces and use his position to demand justice, rather than erasing their truth.”

Séan Brown, 61, the then chairman of Wolfe Tones GAA Club in the Co Derry town of Bellaghy, was ambushed, kidnapped and murdered by loyalist paramilitaries as he locked the gates of the club in May 1997.

No-one has ever been convicted of his killing. It was also alleged in court that surveillance of a suspect in the murder was temporarily stopped on the evening of the killing, only to resume again the following morning.

Preliminary inquest proceedings last year heard that in excess of 25 people had been linked by intelligence to the murder, including several state agents.

An Taoiseach today said that there is “no need to be re-fighting old wars”. While he accepted that the British state were behind many attacks on Irish civilians in the past, Martin highlighted equally brutal attacks by the IRA on the population also.

Asked if he recommended Crowe apologise, Martin said: “Certainly not.”

“I think Cathal’s views on the north are well-known. Cathal’s views – he studied history himself – are well-known. He doesn’t been to be correcting things, as far as I’m concerned.”

Apology

Addressing the Dáil this morning, Crowe said he wished to correct the record and “also apologise profusely to anyone that may have been offended” by his comments. 

“I was speaking without a scripted speech, and instead, using a series of bullet points,” he said.

The Journal / YouTube

Crowe said he wanted to make the point that “brutal, bad and all as the British armed forces have been on this island for a very long time, they never resorted to sending over the Royal Air Force tanks and missiles to pummel Irish cities.”

“Regrettably, speaking largely off the cuff, I clumsily and wrongly stated, and I quote, ‘they never retaliated by bombing or shooting the civilian population of Ireland’, unquote,” Crowe said.

“Let me be very clear, it was not my intention to say this, and I didn’t realise how woeful all of that sounded until late last night when I received the transcript of what I had actually said.

“It was a genuine slip-up on my part, but it was wrong, and I wish to today unequivocally and profusely apologise. I studied history in college and taught history in the classroom. I am a Republican, and many of you will remember the boycott that I led in early 2020 to oppose a planned state commemoration of the Royal Irish Constabulary. 

“I know that the British armed forces have been involved in many heinous attacks on Irish people, historically,” he said.

Crowe said his own family also suffered at the hands of the British military in the past and said that he wanted to apologise to victims of “British State terror and atrocities”. 

He said he also wanted to apologise to people who care about Irish history and accuracy.

“I want to see a United Ireland, and I yearn for a day that there are no more British military personnel on this island,” he said.

“The next time that I speak on any of these matters, I’ll use a better prepared speaking note that accurately conveys what I wish to say, rather than speaking off the cuff and causing unintentional hurt and offence.”

With reporting from Jane Matthews and Muiris Ó Cearbhaill

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    Mute Little Diddy No
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    Dec 18th 2016, 10:58 AM

    If you have to go for a religion that would make the world a better place, this is surely the one!

    166
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    Mute Willie Penwright
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    Dec 18th 2016, 11:17 AM

    @Little Diddy No: The Rohingya of Myanmar might disagree. All religions are means of controling the gullible so they can be used for fund-raising and even genocide.
    http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-38345006

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    Mute Mick Jordan
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    Dec 18th 2016, 12:45 PM

    Wille. That particular conflict goes much deeper than what Ideology they follow. It is more to do with ethnicity and culture.

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    Mute Mairtín
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    Dec 18th 2016, 12:49 PM

    Yes what about the ‘ Slaughter ‘ of the Muslims by Buddhist’s in Myanmar.!!!

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    Mute Mick Jordan
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    Dec 18th 2016, 1:01 PM

    As I said above Mairtin. It goes much deeper that who is Muslim and who is Buddhist. The Rohynga are not ethnic Burmese. They are more ethnically Indian/Bangladeshi. Around the 15th century there were a few small villages in Rakon State where they are now concentrated. But the British during the 18th and 19th century brought in many more Bangladeshi labourers to work on the rubber plantations. And the majority of them settled around the original population. And that is how the conflict began in earnest.

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    Mute Tony Canning
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    Dec 18th 2016, 1:25 PM

    The mental gymnastics on here is unbelievable. When there is fighting in Muslim countries they are systematically painted as “a bunch of head hackers”, when muslims are at the short end of it it’s “more complex” and “cultural”. The FACT is that Buddhist MONKS have been involved in violence against muslims in Burma. There is absolutely no getting away from that no matter what contorted excuses are made.

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    Mute Mick Jordan
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    Dec 18th 2016, 1:30 PM

    Tony. You are simply ignoring the ethnic, cultural and historical differences. In the majority of Muslim originated conflicts it is based entirely on ideological grounds.

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    Mute Tony Canning
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    Dec 18th 2016, 2:55 PM

    6/10

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    Mute Claire Bracken
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    Dec 18th 2016, 8:20 PM

    Buddhists worldwide (including the Triratna order, it seems – see below) routinely condemn the actions of so-called monks in Burma who preach pure hatred in clear contradiction of everything the Buddha taught (check the verses of the Dhammapada to verify), especially non-violence.
    As Irish Dharmic practitioners will surely testify, there is no such thing as a non-practising Buddhist.
    http://www.thejournal.ie/rohingya-ethnic-cleansing-3101698-Nov2016/

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    Mute Alois Irlmaier
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    Dec 19th 2016, 4:10 AM

    @Little Diddy No: Christianity works but too many wearing fancy dress ruin it for everyone…

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    Mute Craig Barry
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    Dec 19th 2016, 9:30 PM

    @Little Diddy No: Buddhism is not a religion per se

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    Mute Abby Wynne
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    Dec 18th 2016, 11:15 AM

    The path to happiness is to disconnect from material things and reconnect to the self. Lovely article.

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    Mute Congress Tart
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    Dec 18th 2016, 2:16 PM

    @Abby Wynne: was that tweeted using your iPhone or Macbook?

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    Mute Craig Barry
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    Dec 19th 2016, 9:31 PM

    @Congress Tart: how else could she post a comment?

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    Mute Patrick Fagan
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    Dec 18th 2016, 12:09 PM

    Buddhism is not a religion it is a way of being. Vippassana teaching would say even to identify yourself as a buddist is not healthy.

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    Mute Claire Bracken
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    Dec 18th 2016, 8:15 PM

    @Patrick Fagan: I’d say it’s more of a practice. But then it’s so people-centred it’s different things to different people.

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    Mute Scarlett Milton
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    Dec 18th 2016, 11:42 AM

    a Buddhist monk goes into his dentist, he tells his dentist “,no injections” as he wants to ,transcend dental medication, an old one but i love

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    Mute Jesper
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    Dec 18th 2016, 11:49 AM

    Buddhism isn’t a religion.

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    Mute Lord Clanricarde
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    Dec 18th 2016, 12:01 PM

    “How do Irish Buddhists live?” : Peacefully I bet!

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    Mute Tony Canning
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    Dec 18th 2016, 1:26 PM

    Not in Burma.

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    Mute Mick Jordan
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    Dec 18th 2016, 2:24 PM

    The Ethnic Burmese who happen to be Buddhists are in conflict with the Rohynga who are Ethnically Bangladeshi and who happen to be Muslim. Very much like the conflicts around Europe such as in France with their Ethnic North Africans in daily conflict with French Authorities or Turks in Germany. But in Burma on a State level.

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    Mute Breas
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    Dec 18th 2016, 11:31 AM

    silly middle class people who reject Christ in favor of lies

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    Mute weeya
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    Dec 18th 2016, 12:25 PM

    Oh the irony Breas… completely lost on you I’d say?!

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    Mute Tony Canning
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    Dec 18th 2016, 1:28 PM

    0/10. Try harder.

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    Mute Dublin Living
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    Dec 18th 2016, 12:35 PM

    It’s not the “largest religious grouping in Ireland outside of Christianity and Islam”. Atheists and non-religious are certainly the second biggest grouping here.

    Note: I said ‘grouping’ like the article says, not ‘religion’. Buddhism is not a religion as such either. Buddhists are typically atheists also.

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    Mute winston smith
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    Dec 18th 2016, 1:34 PM

    Atheists, Agnostics and the like are not a religion so can’t be included.

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    Mute Dublin Living
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    Dec 20th 2016, 8:41 AM

    @winston smith: I’m well aware they are not a religion, I even said that. I said it’s a grouping which is correct. It’s very important to acknowledge that the non-religious are a very large proportion of the country and not just pretend that they don’t exist.

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    Mute Padraig
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    Dec 18th 2016, 11:32 AM

    The country’s first copper domed Buddhist temple is now being built in West Cork.
    irishexaminer.com/video/news/watch-the-countrys-first-copper-domed-buddhist-temple-is-being-built-in-west-cork-430205.html

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    Mute Mick Jordan
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    Dec 18th 2016, 12:41 PM

    The thing about Buddhism is, it is all about how you live your life now will relate what kind of life you have when you reincarnate next time around. The ideal for Buddhists is to reach a state of Nirvana so that their souls can leave the Wheel of Life and transcend. And Buddha himself is not a God that you Worship but the first Human to reach Transcendency, so as you (for want of a better word) pray and meditate you are aspiring to be like him.

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    Mute Claire Bracken
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    Dec 18th 2016, 8:28 PM

    @Mick Jordan: That’s reasonably correct, apart from the souls bit. There are no souls in Buddhism, as the Buddha taught that nothing is permanent and fixed. So something continues after death, but it’s not a solid core of your being.

    Also how you live your life now will relate to what kind of life you will have in 10 years from now, or five, or a year’s time, or after Christmas, or next week. Or tomorrow. Or in while. Or right after you read this sentence. We’re all being reborn, all of the time, whether we like it or not. Easier to get with the programme :@)

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    Mute Mick Jordan
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    Dec 18th 2016, 11:50 PM

    I used souls in a loose concept to describe a persons essence so to speak.

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    Mute danny corrigan
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    Dec 18th 2016, 11:28 AM

    if a bear sharts in woods, can a falling tree hit the sound of one hand clapping?… or something like that

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    Mute Eye_c_u
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    Dec 18th 2016, 12:17 PM

    Totally cool very zen. But 3rd biggest religion bit of a play with words there. A protestant would see a Catholic as different faith/religion and so on with baptist and the Mormons and jehovah witnesses. Obviously if you lump them all into one and Islam into the other there are not many more religions in the developed world. Break each down and it’s closer to the bottom. But would like to see it more mainstream and never thought as a person of science that I would ever say that about a religion

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    Mute Joey Westland
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    Dec 18th 2016, 12:16 PM

    Or you could just take a heap of codeine on an empty stomach.

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    Mute Matt Shallow
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    Dec 18th 2016, 6:27 PM

    You don’t have to be a Buddhist to meditate. Just saying…..

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    Mute Mairtín
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    Dec 18th 2016, 1:10 PM

    Buddhists believe in ‘Hell ‘, where people Burn, not so peaceful is it. They believe in Heaven, and believe ‘ Buddha ‘ is there, yet when I asked a Buddhist how he knew, he said : ‘ We just know ‘, no proof there. Ask questions of a Buddhist, like why they attacked ‘ Christians ‘ in Sri Lanka and beat them with Clubs.
    Why they ‘ Burn ‘ themselves in Protest when they can’t get what they want through legal means.
    In Myanmar Buddhist’s slaughter Muslims, burn down Villages , Reports of Rape and Murder.
    Ask questions, Buddhists don’t like pertinent questions, left of too easily, taken in by all that Talk of peace . In the Town where I come from, Monks expect their people to Feed them, in order to get ‘ Merit ‘ from the ‘ Three corner Gem ‘.
    And ‘ Buddha was conceived by an Elephant touching his Mother.

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    Mute Mick Jordan
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    Dec 18th 2016, 1:26 PM

    Mairtin. Is it not the case where the local people are happy to share a small portion of their food with the Monks because it gains them merit. And as for conflicts very very few practicing Buddhists would claim to be perfect. Hence striving for perfection over many many turns on the Wheel of Life. And just as with nature everthing in Buddhism such as Heaven there must so be it’s opposite Hell. Yin and Yang.

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    Mute Claire Bracken
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    Dec 18th 2016, 8:25 PM

    @Mairtín: The Buddhist hell is a mental space of pain and suffering, rather than a physical place. Many of us move in and out of us in our lifetimes. You may know it yourself.

    Secondl, the Buddha was born a human, but trascended his limitations through effort and ethical conduct to achieve nirvana, or complete mental and physical liberation.

    (As an aside, I wonder whether Tibet would be a haven for terrorist activity, guerilla warfare and bombings if the people there were anything but Buddhist?)

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    Mute Martin Sinnott
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    Dec 18th 2016, 1:57 PM

    Yee never checked your facts, Hindu is the third biggest religion according the 2016 census. There are only 8.703 Buddhist in Ireland.

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    Mute Claire Bracken
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    Dec 18th 2016, 8:13 PM

    @Martin Sinnott: Hmm, that’s interesting, considering the full 2016 census results – including religious breakdown and so on – won’t be available until next year.

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    Mute Grey Beard
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    Dec 18th 2016, 11:19 PM

    There is a darker side to Buddhism that most people are unaware of including most Western “Buddhists” For example that belief that people born disabled are deserving of such because they must have done something bad in a previous life. Every Religion has their bad points I guess but Buddhism isn’t the worst.

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    Mute Stakeknife
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    Dec 19th 2016, 6:05 PM

    That’s not even partly true. You could be confusing it with Hinduism there.

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    Mute Scarlett Milton
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    Dec 18th 2016, 11:43 AM

    it

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    Mute Patrick J. O'Rourke
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    Dec 18th 2016, 2:27 PM

    My own flavour is Bushido Zen.

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    Mute Mick Jordan
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    Dec 18th 2016, 2:37 PM

    The Way of the Warriors.

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    Mute Frau Perchta
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    Dec 22nd 2016, 11:31 AM

    Where are the stats from the CSO with the data to back up the claim of 3rd largest?

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