The Problem of Consistency: Ireland, Palestine, and Religious Conservatism

One of the contradictions I often notice is this:

In Ireland, many voices are quick to oppose religious conservatism. Traditional views on family, gender, and faith in public life are dismissed as “outdated,” “harmful,” or “oppressive.” Yet, some of the very same people passionately support Palestine, a society shaped by conservative Muslim values, where homosexuality is criminalized, transgender identity is rejected, and religion plays a powerful role in public and private life.

It raises an important question: why is religious conservatism condemned here at home but overlooked, or even defended, abroad?

Now, of course, support for Palestine is usually rooted in solidarity with what is seen as a people under occupation and oppression. It’s not about endorsing their social values, but about resisting what is framed as injustice. Still, when human rights and equality are invoked as reasons for support, the contradiction is hard to ignore.

This inconsistency shows how politics often builds alliances around single issues, rather than a consistent worldview. People focus so intensely on one perceived injustice, whether it’s colonialism, inequality, or military power, that they downplay or excuse other injustices that don’t fit the narrative.

I don’t write this to dismiss anyone’s compassion. Solidarity matters. Justice matters. But if we truly believe in universal principles of human dignity, freedom, and equality, then those principles should be applied everywhere, not selectively, depending on who the “good guys” and “bad guys” are in the story we’ve chosen to tell.

True justice requires consistency. Otherwise, we risk becoming blind to the very things we claim to stand against.