Comments on: History of Irish blasphemy law

By: crichtonfe

crichtonfe — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 00:30:49 +0000

180 list colleagues measurements signed term

By: Grace

Grace — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 19:45:30 +0000

Blasphemy is a victimless crime!
I am both outraged at the prospect of this Bill passing and excited at being part of the first atheist organisation in Ireland. It is high time we entered ‘the age of Reason’ as our old friend George Carlin used to say.

By: Ceallach

Ceallach — Sat, 09 May 2009 03:33:00 +0000

“In May 2008 the United Kingdom abolished its laws against blasphemy, as part of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008. It was from the British common law against blasphemy that the Irish common law against blasphemy evolved.”

I was not aware of this, I thought they were still in the process.

Well as a Christian i find that good news indeed. I am of the view that Christianity can cope with any amount of criticism of it and should welcome all comers who want to give their opinion of it. In that light it cannot be a threat to freedom. Islam however cannot cope with free speech and the abolition of these blaspheme laws mean it has more to lose than any other branch of society.

On reflection I would treat it like King Solomon when confronted with two women arguing as to who owned a newborn baby. Solomon asked for a knife to cut it in two, a piece to be given to each woman. The fraud said nothing while the real mother protested and asked that the baby be allowed stay with the imposter. Solomon determined the rightful mother from her love toward her child. (now that i have thoroughly confirmed your horror of such a distasteful tome, I shall proceed)

If no blaspheme law in this country means you blaspheme Christianity to kingdom come(that would be in order), curse it to high heaven and damn islam to low hell.

In the end, freedom is at stake, freedom for you to be atheist and freedom for me to be christian.

All the best,

Ceallach.

By: Tor Hershman

Tor Hershman — Sat, 09 May 2009 03:06:11 +0000

Heck, this video should get me sent-up the river for about ‘five ever’.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_m6qC6FCiY0

By: Seán O'Halloran

Seán O'Halloran — Wed, 06 May 2009 21:28:07 +0000

Brief outline of the case law of the European Court of Human Rights regarding blasphemy The European Court of Human Rights held that blasphemy laws are compatable with the Convention in Otto-Preminger-Institut v. Austria (1994) where the Strasbourg-based Court felt that a violation of the right to freedom of expression (Art. 10) had to be balanced with the protection of the rights of others, in this case Article 9 regarding the right to respect for one's religious feelings, and at ensuring religious peace. In the similar case of Wingrove v. United Kingdom (1996) blasphemy laws were found not to be a violation of freedom of expression under the Convention so long as there is a balance of proportionality between the manner in which the antireligious sentiment is expressed and the state's penalties. The Strasbourg Court has, however made it clear that the right to freedom of expression even includes content which may offend, shock or disturb the State or any sector of the population Handyside v. the United Kingdom (1976).

By: Devin Doyle

Devin Doyle — Wed, 06 May 2009 03:05:52 +0000

I’m not an atheist (not sure WHAT I am!) but I’m damn sure that a blasphemy law in Ireland is a terrible, terrible idea. I’m flabbergasted that it’s even on the agenda. Any time the State has cosied up to the churches (any of them) it’s been detrimental to the people of Ireland. So can we stop doing it?