* The blasphemous Atheists of Ireland *
Reprinted from:
A M E R I C A N A T H E I S T S
A A N E W S
#1300~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 01/06/2010
http://www.atheists.org
http://www.americanatheist.org
http://www.atheistviewpoint.tv
WE begin this, the 1300th edition of AANEWS with a story about the
civil rights of Atheists.
"Across the pond," our comrades in Ireland are vigorously protesting
a new blasphemy statute designed to muzzle free speech under the
rubric of protecting the sanctity and image of religion. The law
took effect on News Year's Day, and punishes those who utter or
print statements deemed "grossly abusive or insulting in relation
to matters held sacred by any religion, thereby causing outrage
among a substantial number of the adherents to that religion."
Such actions could result in a fine of euro 25,000, the equivalent
of about $38,500 in U.S. currency.
Supporters of the measure justify this high-handed censorship by
declaring that anyone accused of blasphemy may defend themselves
through a "reasonable person" test, one that clearly demonstrates
that the offending declarations have artistic, political, literary
or academic value. This appears to provide a useful exemption from
the blasphemy prosecution; but it ignores more fundamental issues,
like the question of whether government should be intervening in
the free speech "marketplace" to begin with! Yes, yes, yes, we've
heard the pabulum that "One is not free to cry 'fire!' in a crowded
theater, or use "fighting words" against individuals or group
("Burn down that house!"). More often that not, these fictional
cases do not match the reality of how blasphemy statutes have been
employed throughout history, nor can they serve as a compelling
and rational argument for enacting these types of laws today.
The statutes also endow religion with a "special right" that
clearly Atheists and other speakers do not have. Defenders of
vegetarianism, animal rights, gay marriage or opinions about UFOs
-- and everything else in the realm of human discourse -- do not
enjoy such protections. What if, say, believers in a "flat earth"
are "offended" by critiques from academics? What if creationists
take umbrage when paleontologists, geologists and other academics
savage their ill-founded options? Indeed, fans of the Dallas Cowboys
may surely be offended when, say, supporters of the Philadelphia
Eagles describe their team with an abundance of expletives and
exaggerations. So what?
The religious, however, get a free pass on all of this.
Atheists like Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens have rightly
pointed out that when matters of faith are raised, such opinions --
including those which assert the most preposterous of claims like the
"virgin birth" or the Rapture -- are to be treated gingerly and "with
respect," no matter how overwhelming evidence may be to the contrary.
We employ the methods of science to launch human beings into space,
grow food, or fly from New York to Los Angeles. This same kind of
intellectual rigor, however, is rarely used in evaluating matters
of faith; and thanks to blasphemy laws, even TALKING in a way that
may offend or insult believers is now elevated to a new and higher
legal standard.
In response, the Atheists of Ireland have taken up the battle cry
to protest that nation's blasphemy statutes. On its web site at
http://www.atheist.ie/ , they pull no punches, and have now posted
a battery of "blasphemous" quotations by leading figure such as
Mark Twain. Their site proudly declares:
"Despite these quotes being abusive and insulting in relation to
matters held sacred by various religions, we unreservedly support
the right of these people to have published or uttered them.
We unreservedly support the right of any Irish citizen to make
comparable statements about matters held sacred by any religion
without fear of being criminalized, and without having to prove to
a court that a reasonable person would find any particular value
in the statement."
Bravo!
While Ireland is a predominantly Roman Catholic country, we may
expect that among the first to try and exploit the blasphemy
statutes will be Muslims who rightly see nearly any criticism
or comment about their religion as a threat. This has been the
excuse for blasphemy statutes in South Asia and the Middle East,
and increasingly in Europe where Islam is clamoring for special
protections and immunity from any defamatory or critical statements.
In this case, the Atheists of Ireland have taken on an issue with
national and global repercussions; and they have weighed-in to a
debate that rages at the United Nations and elsewhere, one that
tests the limits of civil discourse and intellectual inquiry/
For this, they are to be congratulated.
So, enjoy the 25 blasphemous quotations reproduced in this
issue of AANEWS, and visit the Atheists or Ireland web site at
http://www.atheist.ie/ . We suggest that you show your support
--before it is too late!
-- Conrad Goeringer
Editor, AANEWS
25 BLASPHEMOUS QUOTATIONS
By Atheist Ireland | Published: January 2, 2010
Published by Atheist Ireland on 1 January 2010
<http://www.atheist.ie/2010/01/25-blasphemous-quotations/>
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