Ireland Publishes 25 Blasphemous Quotes

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U-said-it
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Ireland Publishes 25 Blasphemous Quotes

Post by U-said-it »

Atheist Ireland Publishes 25 Blasphemous Quotes
From today, 1 January 2010, the new Irish blasphemy law becomes operational, and we begin our campaign to have it repealed. Blasphemy is now a crime punishable by a €25,000 fine. The new law defines blasphemy as publishing or uttering matter that is grossly abusive or insulting in relation to matters held sacred by any religion, thereby intentionally causing outrage among a substantial number of adherents of that religion, with some defences permitted.

This new law is both silly and dangerous. It is silly because medieval religious laws have no place in a modern secular republic, where the criminal law should protect people and not ideas. And it is dangerous because it incentivises religious outrage, and because Islamic States led by Pakistan are already using the wording of this Irish law to promote new blasphemy laws at UN level.

We believe in the golden rule: that we have a right to be treated justly, and that we have a responsibility to treat other people justly. Blasphemy laws are unjust: they silence people in order to protect ideas. In a civilised society, people have a right to to express and to hear ideas about religion even if other people find those ideas to be outrageous.

Publication of 25 blasphemous quotes

In this context we now publish a list of 25 blasphemous quotes, which have previously been published by or uttered by or attributed to Jesus Christ, Muhammad, Mark Twain, Tom Lehrer, Randy Newman, James Kirkup, Monty Python, Rev Ian Paisley, Conor Cruise O’Brien, Frank Zappa, Salman Rushdie, Bjork, Amanda Donohoe, George Carlin, Paul Woodfull, Jerry Springer the Opera, Tim Minchin, Richard Dawkins, Pope Benedict XVI, Christopher Hitchens, PZ Myers, Ian O’Doherty, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor and Dermot Ahern.

Despite these quotes being abusive and insulting in relation to matters held sacred by various religions, we unreservedly support the right of these people to have published or uttered them, and we unreservedly support the right of any Irish citizen to make comparable statements about matters held sacred by any religion without fear of being criminalised, and without having to prove to a court that a reasonable person would find any particular value in the statement.
I can't even begin to describe how utterly fucking ridiculous this law is...
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Re: Ireland Publishes 25 Blasphemous Quotes

Post by Eviltaco64X »

Yeah, it is pretty damn stupid... I'm all for freedom of speech and a government that doesn't tell me what to do.

When will these people realize that passing more laws that restrict x or fine for y will do nothing to change anyone? What's sad is that these laws are supposed to promote equality and respect, yet they just make people more uneasy because another freedom has been taken away.

Still, I sense a double standard here. When a country criminalizes blasphemy, there's outrage and it's your right to complain about it. When you can't bring a Bible to school, however... OMG HEZ INDOCTRINATIN PPL.

To make a long rant short, let people express themselves whether they're religous or godless. It's really the only true way to promote equality.
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Re: Ireland Publishes 25 Blasphemous Quotes

Post by U-said-it »

But there already is Religous freedom of expression in most 1st world countries, that's not the same as being protected from criticism.

By the very nature of a law like this, it is quite clear that people are afraid their religions can't stand up to criticism. Nothing is beyond being criticized, or mocked, especially ideas people hold - like religion. These aren't even physically based realities, but metephysical beliefs/ideas...

As far as religous expression goes, yes, people should have the right do do so. Should public educational systems promote religion, no, that's outside the scope of learning institution. If it wouldn't be allowed in a court of law as evidence, then there's no way it should fly as being realistic in a public school.
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Re: Ireland Publishes 25 Blasphemous Quotes

Post by Jeeba Jabba »

America is so fucked up.
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