Comments on: Feck! Ireland considers “blasphemous libel” law

By: Stuart H.

Stuart H. — Fri, 01 May 2009 14:38:14 +0000

For all the appearance to us outsiders of being a strongly religious country, Ireland has at least managed one thing us Brits haven’t.
Justin Keating, who was agriculture minister and is still a fairly senior politican, is also President of the Humanist Association of Ireland. Great bloke, and a polite but persistent critic of all things skyfairyish.

By: PaulJ

PaulJ — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 21:15:09 +0000

A “substantial number” of adherents of a religion whose total number of adherents is one (such as a religion I just made up) is 100 percent – and you can’t get more substantial than that.

By: Feck! Etc - Common Endeavour

Feck! Etc - Common Endeavour — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 19:46:55 +0000

[...] Ireland is thinking of draconian blasphemy laws. [...]

By: TalkyMeat

TalkyMeat — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 18:46:50 +0000

If this amazingly stupid clause does pass into law, here’s how to cripple it;

1 – get together a band of a few hundred protesters; more if possible

2 – get them to form groups of three. Each group founds a new made-up religion, with a leader, creed and somewhat fleshed-out mythic narrative. It would be pretty cool if some of these were in themselves satirical of/offensive to other, older made-up religions, but it’s more important that they each be clearly distinguishable from each other. Each religion sets up it’s own website.

3 – The adherents of each religion publish webpages, pamphlets, songs, youtube videos or other media, individually blaspheming, outrageously and egregiously, against each of the other religions participating in the protest – ideally containing, at some point, an explicit statement that the adherents of the religion in question are a) intended to be offended, and b) cunts.

4 – Everyone prosecutes everyone else for blasphemous libel. This generates P many frivolous, time-wasting prosecutions, according to the following formula, where N is the total of participants in the protest:

P = ((N/3)-1)^2

So, if you have 303 participants, you have 10,000 prosecutions. If you have 3003, that’s 1,000,000 prosecutions. Enough to completely clog up the courts for a very, very long time … unless of course the law is repealed, or some judge finds a pretext to dismiss the prosecutions en bloc, and in so doing sets a legal precedent that effectively de-claws the clause.

Other fun projects would be getting Satanists to prosecute churches, and goading existing churches into prosecuting, then insisting that God press charges in person. Hilarity ensues.

By: Nick

Nick — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 18:38:01 +0000

As someone once said on this blog: “The right to believe in shit is inseparable from the right to take the piss.”

By: Stonyground

Stonyground — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 16:21:00 +0000

These imbeciles are tacitly admitting that religious beliefs are without substance. Their king is stark bollock naked and the only way they can continue to claim that he has any clothes on is by fining or imprisoning anyone who dares to point out that he hasn’t. Words are not enough to convey my utter contempt for such people, I despise them so much.

By: Angela K

Angela K — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:55:18 +0000

I expect this bunch of idiots is acting on behalf of pope ratnazi; Ireland already kow-tows to the Vatican – try getting an abortion. And you can bet the muzzies will be the first to whinge and use this legislation.
This is yet another stupid proposal that tries to protect [rather stupid] ideology but not people. Dark Age here we come.

By: aharon

aharon — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 10:43:53 +0000

Interesting the point of intent to cause an outrage… How would one establish such intent..?

A while back, I was contemplating the possibility – or lack of it – to legislate regarding intent to cause fear, as in intent to bully.. I think its very hard to establish, so it comes down to activities we take to mean one thing or the other..

By: Matt M

Matt M — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 09:37:45 +0000

I sometimes wish there were a God – if only so It could eventually tell the likes of Mr Ahern just what pricks they’ve been.