Tag: blasphemy ireland

OK people.  Suggestions please.

Our government has just forced through an utterly ludicrous provision as part of the Defamation Act 2009.  It’s introduced the new crime of blasphemous libel, a concept of such monumental stupidity that it can’t be allowed to go unchallenged.

I have no doubt that this half-witted law will be confronted in the courts, but meanwhile we’ll have a charter for every crank and nutcase to oppress their critics.  Every maniac from the Scientologists to the Jehovah Witnesses will use this law to attack anyone who correctly points out how insane they are. Not to mention every lunatic life-hating Muslim tribesman in Afghanistan, and every nutcase ayatollah in Iran.

Could I just add here that this doesn’t mean I suddenly think Catholicism or Judaism are sensible, logical superstitions.  I don’t.  But at least the Catholics and the Jews aren’t inclined — for the most part — to go apeshit every time somebody laughs at them.

I wrote to the Garda Press Office seeking clarification of how they intend to approach this but I don’t have high hopes of a reply, and in any case I think we need to be setting the agenda first, so here’s my suggestion.

I propose that people swamp them with complaints.

Look around.  Every time you read an utterance by a Catholic priest that might be offensive to Muslims or Jews, make a formal complaint to the police.  Every time a rabbi says the Messiah is yet to come, lodge a complaint on behalf of Catholics.  Every time a priest says Jesus is the Saviour, complain on behalf of Jews.  If you read a comment derogatory to spaghetti monsters, get on the phone to the cops.  Say you’re a pissed-off Pastafarian.  Every time you see an ad for alcohol, complain for Muslims. Every time you see anything even slightly sensible, call the constabulary and say it offends Scientologists.

I’m now going to declare publicly my own personal worship.  Long-term readers of this site will know how highly I regard Srinivasa Ramanujan, about whom a movie has recently been made, though I haven’t managed to see it yet.  I now hereby declare my belief that God is the number 1729, and that all criticism and jokes about this number cause me profound offence.

I also revere the great never-ending revolving Goddess 142857.

Do not, at your peril, make fun of 142857, lest you draw upon you the wrath of 1729.

Let’s this get this farce on the road.

_____________________

As you know, the new Defamation Act was passed and awaits signing into law by the President. It will now be a criminal offence in Ireland to ridicule a religion.

I have no doubt we can expect complaints from outraged Moonies, Scientologists and assorted cults of every hue. Therefore, I decided to approach the police to see how they intend to handle complaints.

Here’s an email I sent to the Garda press office, and I’ll let you know what they say, in the unlikely event that I receive any reply.

___________________________

I am currently preparing an article on the operation of the anti-blasphemy law, as set out in the new Defamation Act.

The provisions appear to be quite wide-ranging, and it is open to the adherent of any religion to make a complaint to an Garda Síchána if they feel offended by any published material. In this context you will recall some years ago the controversy surrounding the publication of cartoons in in a Danish newspaper which caused outrage among some Muslims. It appears that an editor could now be prosecuted if he published those cartoons in Ireland.

In the event that a complaint is made to an Garda Síchána under this Act, could you please clarify whether all religions will be given equal weight? For example, would a complaint from the Church of Scientology or the Moonies be treated with the same gravity as a complaint from the Catholic Church? Likewise, will some procedure be put in place to determine which religions are recognised as valid and what criteria might be used to make this determination?

You are perhaps aware that certain religions which most people would regard as spurious, such as Pastafarianism and the Jedi religion, are widespread across the world. If a journalist should write an article ridiculing a church that worships a spaghetti monster (Pastafarianism), or makes fun of a religion based on a science fiction movie, would an Garda Síchána take such a complaint at face value, and consider prosecuting that journalist for blasphemous libel? If not, would the decision not to proceed be made by a member with special training in determining whether a particular religion is a legitimate one?

I would also be interested to know what procedures might be put in place where one religion’s beliefs are deeply offensive to another. For instance, Judaism teaches that Jesus is not the Messiah. Many Christians find this deeply offensive, and it is not inconceivable that a complaint might be made against Jews under the terms of the new Act. In such a case, would a complaint be entertained and perhaps brought before the DPP?

Finally, could you please advise whether an Garda Síochána is currently taking measures to equip its members with the necessary expertise to deal with this difficult issue if and when it arises?

________________________________________

Crimes of Blasphemous Libel

Blasphemous Libel

________________________________________

Elsewhere

Blasphemy.ie

Darwin

Atheist Ireland