Blasphemy now illegal in Ireland

[Black Eye Guy]

We get these emails in work passed around, and one of them was crazy laws in far off countries I'd never heard of.

But I just saw this on the news today, that from the first of January blasphemy is illegal. Apparently it always had been, but could never be prosecuted because there was no definition for blasphemy covers, so now there is, and it carries a fine of €25,000 ($35,000)

It's like the craziest thing I've ever heard. I've never been a fan of religion, but what is funny is in high school, I had 2 friends who were really religious (kind of obnoxiously so), so I used to piss them off (they were friend so like in a friendly way) I kept saying I was God for awhile, and how religion had gotten it all wrong, so I was starting my own religion, and it drove them crazy. I would be dead serious about it, and wrote up my teachings and started a yahoo group (back then it was cool to have a yahoo group)

The new law defines it as : "he or she publishes or utters matter that is grossly abusive or insulting in relation to matters held sacred by any religion, thereby causing outrage among a substantial number of the adherents of that religion."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/02/AR2010010201846.html

Just me or is this type of thing crazy wrong, do other countries have similar laws and maybe I just wasn't aware of the norm?

 

[ILLYRIAN]

Should you want to get around that, adopt the method as used in Firefly/Serenity.
Speak Chinese, or double-dutch.
Failing them try Australian, with a broad accent.

 

[BuffyElevated]

Wow.... That is pretty crazy!

 

[Dancing man]

Thats mental you have the right of free speech just no rights once you have spoken.

 

[Washburne]

"he or she publishes or utters matter that is grossly abusive or insulting in relation to matters held sacred by any religion, thereby causing outrage among a substantial number of the adherents of that religion."

The closest I can think of right now would be Hate speech. And it's not uncommon. But it isn't only about religion and and doesn't sound exactly like this. Both Ireland and The UK is mentioned in the link but I'm too lazy to read. And as always. Wikipedia isn't the most trustful source. But once again, I'm lazy.

 

[Nymphetamine]

Ok, that's weird.. :S

 

[Taake]

that's crazy! is it just me or does that law make it feel like Ireland just took a 200year step back in time or something.

 

[Tueuse de Vampires]

Are they serious, are we back in the Middle Ages?

I'm not religious, so I never quite understood how people could be so uptight about religion, but this is just crossing a line.
I'm not sure about the exact numbers in Ireland, but in Germany about 30% of the people are not religious, and with a law like that you're really doing unjustice to those, as you're taking their right of free expression of thought away.
Also, Ireland is one of those countries where they sort of have religious wars, right? Well, I'm pretty sure they'd subside if people just started taking relgion not as damn serious as they do. A law like this is surely not helping.

I really don't get how a religion, something completely based on Faith with no other proof, can be taken so seriously that it warrant killing and fining people over it.






"he or she publishes or utters matter that is grossly abusive or insulting in relation to matters held sacred by any religion, thereby causing outrage among a substantial number of the adherents of that religion."
^ Great, let's all join that religion with the spaghetti monster and then sue everyone who tels us we're crazy!

 

[Washburne]

Seems that people think that people will be fined for every little thing. As I read it it's not the case. But I can be wrong of course. I'm not saying it's a good law and I might have missed something but I can't shake the feeling that it isn't as bad as it sounds. And it still seems to be alot about defenition. When is something grossly abusive and not just abusive? And what's a substantial number? A certain % of a group or a certain amount of people? Will it be enough if 1000 people feels very insulted? 10 000, 100 000, a million? This will be interesting to follow.

 

[BillyidolwannaB]

Of course any law that tries to tell people what they can and cant do is crazy. I dont mind this one too much though as it annoys atheists which is quite funny.

 

[ubi4soft]

I think this will affect more people than the atheists. That "he or she publishes or utters matter that is grossly abusive or insulting in relation to matters held sacred by any religion, thereby causing outrage among a substantial number of the adherents of that religion." will certainly lead to some disputes over which religion is more sacrosanct, who is the true God, influence of immigrants religion, etc, geez it's quite a bomb (and ticking)

 

[Washburne]

Of course any law that tries to tell people what they can and cant do is crazy.

*sarcasm can be hard to tell online*

Spoiler

I haven't talked much too you lately so I have a hard time deciding. It was easier before. 😛 Or just want people to react? Well I just have to ask.

This goes for laws that says that you can't steal, kill people (unless in war) or drive your car anyway you want?

 

[Fake Shemp]

was this not a new year fools?

I mean who hasnt heard of new year fools?

 

[Bluebird]

People can get away with blasphemy here in Scotland but just across the water I can't? What a backwards law. I wonder if it was around in the 90s if shows like Father Ted would be allowed to be made.

I really don't understand the amount of respect the law has for religion. Don't get it at all.

 

[Washburne]

I agree killing and stealings wrong 🙂 But we dont need the law to tell us that.

Telling no. But it's not likely that people will stop doing those thing just because we don't have laws or what do you think? If we don't have laws what should the punishment be for killing or stealing? None at all or could we punish them as we like? So it's either eye for an eye, it'll escalate or you can do what ever you want whenever you want. You need to help me here. I'm feeling close minded and not seeing the good in this.

 

[InsaneMystic]

Hmm, seems I'm in the minority here. I don't think it's crazy (except for the size of the fine, especially if it's "one size fits all" - in the German judicial system, every fine is tailored to the income of the offender, so someone earning 10.000 € a month will always be sentenced to pay five times higher a fine than someone with a 2.000 € income). After all, it's a good thing to make your freedom end at the nose of your neighbor. It's already illegal to use your "freedom of speech" to call someone an a-hole, spread libelous rumors about them, or make for a rabble-rousing speech saying this-and-that person should be killed. Didn't hear anyone complain about those laws, right? 😉

With the "grossly insulting or abusive" thing, I think it's ok to make that illegal. I mean, there's nothing "grossly insulting" about saying "I don't think God exists" or "this-and-that book's teachings don't convince me, there's too many contradictions in it", so I don't see how atheists are gonna feel all persecuted now. Unless of course, they see their freedom of speech threatened by not being allowed to legally say "you religious dorkheads are all idiots for believing in a stupid book of fairytales written by schizophreniacs and powermongers". Seriously, I couldn't care less about that "right" being curbed. If you can't voice your opinion in a civilized and respectful way, shut up or pay the penalty. Nothing wrong with that IMO.

 

[Black Eye Guy]

I don't get the impression they will be going after people who do small blasphemies.

Atheist Ireland posted 25 top Blasphemy quotes on their website, allot of them from Jesus, as a way of rebelling against the law

It's such a huge step backwards in terms of law, which I believe should have nothing to so with Religion.

In this article, they mention how it's dangerous for this law to exist:

And it is dangerous because it incentives 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."

 

[Bluebird]

I don't see why religion has such respect around it, why should it? This is almost like a race hate law, but I understand those kind of laws, they're protecting discrimination against a race of people, not a make-believe god. Blah, I just hate religion in general, just another way to divide people.

 

[Kean]

I don't get the impression they will be going after people who do small blasphemies.

Atheist Ireland posted 25 top Blasphemy quotes on their website, allot of them from Jesus, as a way of rebelling against the law

It's such a huge step backwards in terms of law, which I believe should have nothing to so with Religion.

In this article, they mention how it's dangerous for this law to exist:

Fianna Fà¡il have really taken the biscuit with this one.

So technically, could you or I be fined for what we say in this thread?

They won't pay for the "pricey" referendum but had no problem holding as second vote for the Lisbon Treaty even though we had already voted against it! They have no problem handing over hundreds of millions of NAMA but this is the first law that will come into pass in 2010? THIS is how we set the tone for the decade?

Dermot Ahern says he would have prefered to do away with the dodgy law althogether but the cost of a referendum to change the constitution was too much? If that is the case and he had no choice but to clarify the law then why is the fine so high? Why not make it a moot law and have the fine at a penny or something like that? Until it could be removed from the constitution it should have been made a law of no consequence.

This raises an even bigger issue for me though. Given the recent findings in the Murphy Report are those that speak out against the Catholic Church going to be fined? Finally those that were abused have been given a voice but this law robs that from them too.

I am thoroughly disgusted. The Dà¡il should be dissolved and a general election held. Every move Brian Cowen and his cabinet make is one that tears our country down a little bit more.

 

[Flannen]

I don't see why religion has such respect around it, why should it? This is almost like a race hate law, but I understand those kind of laws, they're protecting discrimination against a race of people, not a make-believe god. Blah, I just hate religion in general, just another way to divide people.

You might not see it, but some people do. To some people, including myself, religion makes up as big a part of their identity as race does.

You might think it divides people, but my experience of it is that it can also bring people together.

As much as I find the whole fining thing a bit strange, I don't think there's anything wrong with trying to get people to think a little bit more before going out of the way to say things which will intentionally upset and hurt another person. For instance, 'make believe god' is really not necessary. I'm not actually meaning to sound like I'm having a go here, I'm really not. You are absolutely entitled to your opinion and beliefs so please give me the same opportunity. This new law is strange but something needs to be done to encourage people to be more tolerable.

I do get this whole 'taking a step back' thing as well though, mainly because I think it's a shame that people can't just let each other get on with their own lives, and that it actually takes a LAW to get people to stop saying hurtful things to each other. It's just a sad state of affairs if you ask me.