A new law in Ireland, which came into force on 1 January 2010, makes blasphemy a crime and punishable by a fine of up to 25,000 euros (£22,000; $35,000). The Irish government says it is needed because the republic's 1937 constitution only gives Christians legal protection of their beliefs.
The group "Atheist Ireland" responded by publishing 25 quotes it considers anti-religious on its website. There are quotes by Muhammed, Jesus, Pope Razinger, Dawkins, and the Irish Minister for Justice, among others. Atheist Ireland said its aim is to have the law repealed and to attain a secular Irish constitution. The group will fight any action taken against it in court.
The law is, indeed, anachronistic and stupid. Whereas it is absurd, according to the 1937 law, to only give Christians protection of their beliefs, the response should not have been to give legal protection to all religious beliefs but to abolish protection of beliefs altogether, to decriminalize blasphemy.
That is an absurd law, not to mention scary as hell.. Do they have any kind of law like that in Scotland?
ReplyDeleteNo, there is no such law in Scotland. But I suspect there is something similar in Greece.
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