Ireland Criminalizes Blasphemy 1376
An anonymous reader writes "Another European country clamps down on free speech. From the article: 'It does seem bizarre that, in 2009, a modern European nation would seek to shield religious belief from criticism — yet that is what is happening in Ireland right now. In repealing the 1961 Defamation Act, the Irish government sought to expunge the worst excesses of Ireland's draconian laws restricting free speech, but in the process it has ended up making offending religious belief a criminal offence. Aside from a 25,000 fine (reduced from the 100,000 originally sought by the government), the new Defamation Act gives the authorities the power to stage raids on publishers: the courts may now issue a warrant authorising the police to enter, using "reasonable force," premises where they have grounds for believing there are copies of "blasphemous statements."'"
Nobody expects... (Score:5, Funny)
the Irish inquisition!
OMG (Score:2, Funny)
I feel sorry for all Irish black metal bands... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:YRO??!! Why Is This On Slashdot?? (Score:1, Funny)
Free speach is NOT stuff that matters? Wakey wakey ...
Re:Jesus titty-fucking Christ (Score:1, Funny)
Its 2010 and some people still long for the middle ages.
And I was so close to being the first to discover time travel. DARN YOU!
Re:It's so very odd..... (Score:5, Funny)
Fuck God!
...and receive a divine orgasm. Amen.
Re:It's so very odd..... (Score:3, Funny)
More like Father Ted. You know that Ireland isn't part of the UK, right?
Nobody expects . . . (Score:3, Funny)
. . . The Irish Inquisition . . . ?
"Our two main weapons are a pint of Guinness, a shot of Jameson and a Shillelagh . . . "
Re:god dammit (Score:5, Funny)
Some commentators have sought to portray the blasphemy law as the desperate move of an unpopular ruling party, Fianna FÃil ...
(emphasis added) The Failbus pulled up, and Ireland's ruling party hopped right on in a literal English interpretation of their name.
Good luck with that (Score:4, Funny)
I'm of Irish ancestry. I've been to Ireland. Stopping blasphemy would require shuttering the Guinness plant and every bar in Ireland, and believe me, that will cause a LOT more swearing!
Re:Cue the next Soutpark episode! (Score:1, Funny)
"I'm sorry Mormon was the correct religion."
"Ooooohhhhh..."
Re:Will at be enforced fairly? (Score:4, Funny)
"my diety, the Flying Spaghetti Monster"
I wish it were possible to mod something +5 Unintentionally Funny.
Re:Nobody expects... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Cue the next Soutpark episode! (Score:1, Funny)
let's not forget the mormons
dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb, dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb
Re:It's so very odd..... (Score:2, Funny)
"When god cums, everything goes!"
Re:It's so very odd..... (Score:5, Funny)
That's why I vote a straight Cthulhu ticket. That means voting for either Republicans or Democrats. After all, why pick the lesser of two evils?
Re:god dammit (Score:3, Funny)
Naw, don't be fucking religion, it'll give ya a nasty rash.
Re:Attn: MODS (Score:5, Funny)
Well YOU might be happy with letting global Troll populations starve to death, but I actually care about the genetic diversity of our planet. We might not be able to prevent a large-scale die-off, but at least we can preserve enough specimens to start breeding programs in a handful of zoos.
Re:It's so very odd..... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Attn: MODS (Score:3, Funny)
We might not be able to prevent a large-scale die-off, but at least we can preserve enough specimens to start breeding programs in a handful of zoos.
If you want to save the Trolls you'll have to do that anyway, since they are rarely if ever known to breed in the wild.
Blasphemy by the Bush Administration (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Good luck with that (Score:2, Funny)
pfft, hundred... american pussy.
Atleast a thousand for a couple of people to be tipsy. This is Ireland we are talking about.
In all seriousness, there's no way it will be enforced. If it is, it will ignored so badly that all the big newspapers will be threatened with being closed until there is public outcry.
most people here (Dublin) have barely heard of the law and less care. No one is going to stop swearing.
Fuckin' aborted foetuses and rapist priests.
*hides from Gestapo*
Re:It's so very odd..... (Score:1, Funny)
Reading this really hurts my heart. I love my Lord and Savior. I am not going to beat you over the head with the bible. I prefer to live as an example to others around me. I have hated God at times in my life, but He has never let me down. I have personnally had Him work in my life to save me from myself. Some would ask why am I so special. Well I ask you instead why are you so ordinary. There is no more reason than because I allow God to love me and be a part of my life. If there is one single thing that I have learned on my journey through life, that is, God will allow us to do as we wish even to our own demise. I have witnessed this with much sadness many times. I know a great many people think that God is this great jeanie of the lamp, they bend a knee to pray, and poof! Here's your prize. To those I say get a life, get a clue, and get in touch with God. To the rest of the world who choose to hate over to love. I challege you to love instead, unless you are a coward and prefer the easier way. How much harder is it to love that realative that takes from you, rather than kicking their but like they deserve. I challenge you do to this, if you dare, and you never know you might find God waiting for you with a smile.
Peace always ~ T
Turnabout is fair play (Score:1, Funny)
All over the world the Muslims have people walking on eggshells for fear of offending them and getting them up in arms. While Christians have had to put up with a steady stream of official persecution like the Federal Government paying artists to immerse a Crucifix in their own urine or form the Virgin Mary out of dung and put it on public display.
If Christians starting beheading people for blasphemy the way that Muslims do, maybe they would finally get equal treatment instead of constant government sponsored persecution.
Re:Obligatory (Score:3, Funny)
Amen. As an academic exercise, if I was satan and I wanted to undermine christianity, I wouldn't remove another millimeter from britney's neckline, I'd encourage those guys. The hellfire and damnation preachers. The gay-bashing uptight holier-than-thou proclamation-shouting judgemental weasels who popularised this law. They're human beings and I love them and forgive them, but they have to stop. They are damaging christianity and turning millions of people away from God.
Think of the typical slashdotter's attitude towards us. That exists because of these guys, because of the media, because of the angry internet atheists. I guess it's like my opinion of America. I have this vague idea of litigious fat assholes, but of course every american I've personally met is an awesome dude or dudette.