US Supports Blasphemy

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

U.S. argues against blasphemy treaty at United Nations

GENEVA (Reuters) – The United States told a UN human rights body on Monday it considered freedom of religion inseparable from free expression, countering calls from many Islamic countries for a treaty outlawing blasphemy.

Last week, the 56-nation Organisation of Islamic Cooperation signaled it wanted an international ban on blasphemy, echoing calls from many Islamic clerics and some government leaders adter the film, made with private money in the United States, sparked widespread anti-Western protests.

The 47-member council, dominated by developing states, has passed non-binding resolutions against defamation of religion for over a decade. Similar ones were endorsed in the U.N. General Assembly.

European countries, the United States and several Latin American nations in the council opposed the resolutions, arguing that while individual people have human rights, religions do not, and that existing U.N. pacts – if enforced – were sufficient to curb incitement to hatred and violence.

They also say there can be no global definition of blasphemy.

http://www.denverpost.com/politics-national/?third_party=u-s-argues-against-blasphemy-treaty-at-united-nations

[^_^ 5,021]

Good. Let the Islamic world join the rest of us in the 21st century. There will be no going back.

[james&olya 1,121]

And if they got their treaty, would they next argue it was blasphemy for christians to refer to their God rather than Allah?

Muslim countries still have a ways to go on the whole idea of freedom!

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Outlaw blasphemy? #######?

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

I just gave aj a plus 1. Something must be amiss.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Not sure who "the rest of us in the 21st century" is supposed to mean, but a lot of countries that do not have predominantly Muslim population - including many so-called "Western" and "democratic" nations - indeed have laws prohibiting blasphemy, the "vilification of religion," "religious insult," or "hate speech" based on religion. In some countries, these offenses are punishable by prison sentences; in others, the punishment may be a fine. In some countries, the laws are rarely enforced; in others, they are frequently enforced.

Andorra forbids "religious insult"

Some parts of Australia have blasphemy laws, although they are not enforced by the courts.

Austria prohibits "blasphemy" and "vilification of religious teachings"

Brazil prohibits "publicly vilifying an act or an object of religious worship"

Canada's hate speech laws prohibit the publication of material designed to vilify or ridicule Christianity, or shock or outrage an "identifiable group" which includes a religious group

Croatia forbids "religious insult"

Cyprus forbids "religious insult"

The Czech Republic forbids "religious insult"

Denmark forbids blasphemy, "religious insult" and "hate speech" against religious groups

Finland forbids blasphemy and "religious insult"

Germany forbids blasphemy if it "disturbs the public peace" as well as "religious insult"

Greece forbids "malicious blasphemy," "religious insult" and acts that "offend religious sentiments" (so far, Greece has only utilized these laws to prosecute offenses against the Greek Orthodox Church)

Iceland forbids "religious insult"

India forbids "deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs"

Ireland forbids blasphemy

Israel forbids the publication of material or public voicing of statements that are "liable to crudely offend the religious faith or sentiment of others"

Italy forbids blasphemy and "religious insult" (the blasphemy law only punishes the insult of divinities)

Liechtenstein forbids blasphemy

Lithuania forbids "religious insult"

Malta forbids the vilification of religion, and specifically the Roman Catholic Apostolic religion

The Netherlands forbids blasphemy and "religious insult"

New Zealand forbids "blasphemous libel"

Norway forbids blasphemy and "religious insult"

Poland forbids "religious insult" and the offense of religious feelings by "publicly insulting an object of religious cult or a place for public holding of religious ceremonies"

Portugal forbids "religious insult"

The Russian Federation forbids "religious insult" and "sacrilegious acts against Church property"

San Marino forbids blasphemy

Slovakia forbids "religious insult"

Spain forbids "vilification" of religious "feelings, dogmas, beliefs or rituals"

South Africa forbids blasphemy against Christianity and "publicly acting contemptuously towards God," as well as "hate speech" against religion

Switzerland forbids "religious insult"

Ukraine forbids "religious insult"

Interestingly, the United Kingdom only got around to abolishing its blasphemy laws in 2008.

[^_^ 5,021]

Laws against blasphemy are offensive. If that's the kind of society you want to live in, move to Saudi Arabia... or worse, Australia.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Laws against blasphemy are offensive. If that's the kind of society you want to live in, move to Saudi Arabia... or worse, Australia.

I've stated on repeated occasions right here in OT that I don't agree with blasphemy laws. So cool your jets.

However, it seems many countries still do feel the need for them, and not just Muslim countries, as some people here would imply.

[^_^ 5,021]

I've stated on repeated occasions right here in OT that I don't agree with blasphemy laws. So cool your jets.

Boo Yah would love to see you move to Australia. He might even have his butler pick you up at the airport.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Boo Yah would love to see you move to Australia. He might even have his butler pick you up at the airport.

That's nice.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

The last prosecution that was attempted on the grounds of blasphemy in Australia dates back almost 100 years. In Germany, there were 10 prosecutions under the law over the past half century - the most recent resulted in a suspended sentence and 300 hours of community service. There is an active debate in the country to abolish the 1867 law under which certain blasphemy is prohibited. Same goes for the rest of the western world. There may be laws on the books from way back when but those laws usually don't have any teeth and are rarely, if ever, invoked.

[^_^ 5,021]

The last prosecution that was attempted on the grounds of blasphemy in Australia dates back almost 100 years. In Germany, there were 10 prosecutions under the law over the past half century - the most recent resulted in a suspended sentence and 300 hours of community service. There is an active debate in the country to abolish the 1867 law under which certain blasphemy is prohibited. Same goes for the rest of the western world. There may be laws on the books from way back when but those laws usually don't have any teeth and are rarely, if ever, invoked.

You mean the western world is moving forward on this?

Wow, shocking.

But screw that, let'####### the reverse button and join the Islamic world in the 15th century.

I'd love to stone a ***** wouldn't you?

[mawilson 2,133]

I'd love to stone a ***** wouldn't you?

Depends. What's a *****?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

You mean the western world is moving forward on this?

Amazing, ain't it?

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

The last prosecution that was attempted on the grounds of blasphemy in Australia dates back almost 100 years. In Germany, there were 10 prosecutions under the law over the past half century - the most recent resulted in a suspended sentence and 300 hours of community service. There is an active debate in the country to abolish the 1867 law under which certain blasphemy is prohibited. Same goes for the rest of the western world. There may be laws on the books from way back when but those laws usually don't have any teeth and are rarely, if ever, invoked.

As I said, "In some countries, the laws are rarely enforced; in others, they are frequently enforced."

Of course there are debates underway in many countries that still have these laws. But there are certainly cases that are still being prosecuted (often under laws prohibiting "religious insult" or "vilification of religion.") For instance, during the 2000-2012 period, cases were prosecuted in Canada, Finland, Malta, Spain, as well as some other non-Muslim countries - and some of these cases resulted in jail sentences; others resulted in fines or community service (as in the example you noted from Germany, which occurred just 6 years ago.)

Just because these cases don't stir up as much attention as stories about "those Muslims at it again," the idea that it's an offense to offend religious sensibilities is not quite as obsolete in all Western countries as one might think.