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[Tamanon]

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0710/1224250387384.html

SEANAD REPORT: THE DEFAMATION Bill was passed by a single vote after the Government nearly suffered a defeat on an amendment by Fine Gael’s Eugene Regan which would have deleted the offence of blasphemy from the Bill.

The Opposition won one of the electronic votes on Senator Regan’s proposed amendment, but the amendment was defeated by one vote in the subsequent “walk-through” vote called by the Fianna Fáil whip. The cathaoirleach had to cast his vote in two other crucial divisions to ensure victory for the Government.

Seanad deputy leader Dan Boyle (Green Party) indicated his party’s preference for a constitutional referendum in “the mid-term” on the issue of blasphemy. However, Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern said he would hazard a guess it was unlikely they would come back to this issue for some time.

The Minister rejected Mr Regan’s contention that the matter of blasphemy could be adequately dealt with by an amendment to the Incitement to Hatred Act, saying what was blasphemous did not necessarily constitute incitement to hatred.

During exchanges with Ivana Bacik, the Minister said he had never in his political career received so many e-mails expressing outrage as he had on this issue. Ms Bacik said under the proposed legislation, Fr Willie Russell from Rathkeale, Co Limerick, a critic of those in his parish who appeared to be worshipping a tree with the appearance of the Blessed Virgin Mary, could be open to a charge of blasphemy because he had stated that no one could “worship a tree”.

http://www.examiner.com/x-8928-Philadelphia-Atheism-Examiner~y2009m7d11-Ireland-passes-blasphemy-law

On Friday July 11th, 2009, Ireland passed the Defamation Bill by one vote. One of the aspects of this bill would make it illegal to criticize religion… any religion under penalty of fines up to 25,000 Euros. That is the equivalent to nearly $35,000. When I first heard this story on the internets, I was certain that it was a false story. I read the story, googled it, checked out legitimate Ireland news sites, and double checked more Ireland news sites. The story checks out.

Wat?

 

[Always-honest]

djeezus christ goddammit

 

[hooded pitohui]

Fáil

 

[Souldriver]

The hell?

 

[soul creator]

GAF OT - BANNED IN IRELAND!

 

[snesfreak]

 

[NekoFever]

One of the Irish secularist groups is planning on releasing a blasphemous statement imminently to test the law.

 

[Blair]

 

[SUPREME1]

I support Ireland in it's courageous battle to remain loyal to it's core beliefs.

 

[Souldriver]

I support Ireland in it's courageous battle to remain loyal to it's core beliefs.

And anyone who disagrees better have 25,000 euros on their bank account, those bastards!

 

[Steppenwolf]

Fuck you atheists! Where is your god now!!!???

 

[Pandanium]

.............wtf?

Thats all I could come up with.

 

[SecretBonusPoint]

instead of car bombs now its f bombs

also, tenuous irish topic excuse to post this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqE3yE2b0sg

 

[wolfmat]

Fuck you atheists! Where is your god now!!!???

Ireland, I guess

 

[Davidion]

And you Europeans call us Americans stupid.

 

[KHarvey16]

Disgraceful.

 

[Mash]

And you Europeans call us Americans stupid.

Necessary. That was.

 

[Borgnine]

Isn't it about time Ireland caught up with Iran?

 

[shintoki]

Setting the curve for the rest of the world to catch up to

 

[Always-honest]

And you Europeans call us Americans stupid.

you're probably part irish anyway

 

[Black Rainbow]

What is blasphemy according to this law? If one questions the divinity of Jesus in public (perhaps they are Jewish or Muslim), is that considered blasphemy? I'm confused.

 

[Instigator]

The pope is not infallible.

Try and get me for that, Ireland.

 

[KHarvey16]

What is blasphemy according to this law? If one questions the divinity of Jesus in public (perhaps they are Jewish or Muslim), is that considered blasphemy? I'm confused.

"Section 36

(1) A person who publishes or utters blasphemous matter shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable upon conviction on indictment to a fine not exceeding €100,000. [Amended to €25,000]

(2) For the purposes of this section, a person publishes or utters blasphemous matter if (a) he or she publishes or utters matter that is grossly abusive or insulting in relation to matters held sacred by any religion, thereby causing outrage among a substantial number of the adherents of that religion, and (b) he or she intends, by the publication or utterance of the matter concerned, to cause such outrage."

It's so stupid.

 

[Davidion]

What is blasphemy according to this law? If one questions the divinity of Jesus in public (perhaps they are Jewish or Muslim), is that considered blasphemy? I'm confused.

I might be reading it wrong, but the law seems to be vague enough to allow it.

you're probably part irish anyway

Don't like Guinness, my Irish friends gives me shit about that.

Anyways, the rational side of me would like to think that this law will be challenged and subsequently struck down but...who knows, dumber things have happened.

 

[afternoon delight]

Wow.

 

[Always-honest]

Don't like Guinness,

why drink piss when you can drink beer?

 

[etiolate]

hate crime legislation and blasphemy bills

that's a double whammy of dumb

 

[Davidion]

why drink piss when you can drink beer?

I'm convinced that Guinness would taste better when stored/transported/served properly, which I'm assuming they do in Ireland.

Would love to visit the country some day to visit, as I know it's a lovely country. Now I guess I just have to worry about not being blasphemous. *rolls eyes*

 

[MrOctober]

jesus tap dancing christ.

 

[Always-honest]

I'm convinced that Guinness would taste better when stored/transported/served properly, which I'm assuming they do in Ireland.

Would love to visit the country some day to visit, as I know it's a lovely country. Now I guess I just have to worry about not being blasphemous. *rolls eyes*

my guess is that the country is well worth the visit.
guinness however..... well.. i don't like it..

i'll take a nice belgium or german beer over that horse piss anytime.

 

[Sibylus]

Fuck Baal. That's right, I'm calling you out, storm-cloud!

 

[leroy hacker]

Anyways, the rational side of me would like to think that this law will be challenged and subsequently struck down but...who knows, dumber things have happened.

How would it be struck down? Does Ireland have any equivalent to America's first amendment?

 

[DevelopmentArrested]

So basically Ireland is a fucking joke? You don't have to be rational, atheist or agnostic to realize that this is fucking retarded.

 

[ultim8p00]

Fuck you atheists! Here's our God bitch!

 

[Phobophile]

why drink piss when you can drink beer?

I've been told that the 250th Anniversary formula tastes more like what they drink over there but I have yet to try it.

 

[Davidion]

my guess is that the country is well worth the visit.
guinness however..... well.. i don't like it..

i'll take a nice belgium or german beer over that horse piss anytime.

My sentiments exactly, but I'm trying to be open minded here. :lol

How would it be struck down? Does Ireland have any equivalent to America's first amendment?

I wouldn't know, and I'd rather not pretend I know anything about the Irish legal system. However, one would assume that contemporary western governments would have some kind of legal mechanics to repeal or at least challenge established laws.

 

[Yagharek]

"Section 36

(1) A person who publishes or utters blasphemous matter shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable upon conviction on indictment to a fine not exceeding €100,000. [Amended to €25,000]

(2) For the purposes of this section, a person publishes or utters blasphemous matter if (a) he or she publishes or utters matter that is grossly abusive or insulting in relation to matters held sacred by any religion, thereby causing outrage among a substantial number of the adherents of that religion, and (b) he or she intends, by the publication or utterance of the matter concerned, to cause such outrage."

It's so stupid.

Indeed. Technically speaking, all you would have to say is "There is no god" and you have ticked off every requirement in that law to be fined. And given that "there is no god" is a frequent answer given by atheists as to what they think of religion, it should be very easy to make this "crime" impractical to prosecute.

So basically Ireland is a fucking joke? You don't have to be rational, atheist or agnostic to realize that this is fucking retarded.

Exactly. ALL ideas, religious or not, should never be immune to reasoned critique. And even unreasoned critique needs to be permitted.

 

[hey_monkey]

Wasn't Ireland supposed to be the best place to live a few years ago? I guess they got tired of that title.

 

[Pandanium]

Whatever. Anyone who doesn't like it can just bomb some things.

 

[Yagharek]

Whatever. Anyone who doesn't like it can just bomb some things.

If youre bombing things in Ireland I doubt blasphemy is going to apply to you.

edit: In fact, if you do blow things up I guess now that makes you immune to criticism since it might offend your particular flavour of religion.

Spoiler

Is Irish

 

[dumbass_]

So in Ireland you can say whatever crap you want to atheists right? :lol
Since they dont have a religion to be "insulted" to begin with right? and Atheists cant say anything back :lol

 

[riskVSreward]

I'm convinced that Guinness would taste better when stored/transported/served properly, which I'm assuming they do in Ireland.

Would love to visit the country some day to visit, as I know it's a lovely country. Now I guess I just have to worry about not being blasphemous. *rolls eyes*

I've been to Ireland, Guinness tastes just as bad over there. I had to buy a Guinness hat to wear when I went out drinking other beers so no one would give me any shit.

 

[Pandanium]

I suppose that is true enough.

 

[NewLib]

Studying abroad in Dublin so Ive learned this issue. Basically most think this law is a good idea. The problem is that the justice department was updating the defamation statute. They noticed that it is written in the constitution that there has to be a punishment for blasphemy. So to stay constitutional, they added that part of the statute in. The other side says that part of the constitution has been ignored for 60 years, it can be ignored again.

 

[Snowden]

So in Ireland you can say whatever crap you want to atheists right? :lol
Since they dont have a religion to be insulted to begin with right? and Atheists cant say anything back :lol

What upstanding atheist would want to converse with such idiots anyway?

 

[Gattsu25]

I'm convinced that Guinness would taste better when stored/transported/served properly, which I'm assuming they do in Ireland.

Me <3 Guinness

Then again...I am 1/4 Irish

BTW: No way that law lasts.

 

[ClovingWestbrook]

Why must morons run government? Gosh, so ridiculous.

 

[Count Dookkake]

While the intent of the law is stupid, there is a pretty nice loophole in (b).

 

[dumbass_]

What upstanding atheist would want to converse with such idiots anyway?

Dunno i just find it silly that it's one sided law

imagine if someone hates an atheists guy he can blackmail him XD

Guy #1 You stupid atheists with no religion rofl you will burn in HELL you are so stupid how come you have no religion all atheists is dumb fuck
Guy #2 WTF do you want fuck off?
Guy #1 JESUS is your god !
Guy #2 Start saying bad stuff about jesus in public :lol
Guy #1 Record it on tape and screams BLASPHEMYYYYYYYYYYY :lol /call cops show them the tape

Also from the article :

Simply claiming that the Pope is not infallible might be considered blasphemous to many Catholics. Claiming that the prophet Joseph Smith was not really visited by angels and given magic golden plates would be blasphemous to Mormons. Mentioning the prophet Mohammad without adding the phrase “peace be upon him” would be considered blasphemous to Muslims.

This cant be real, NO WAY

 

[Shockgamer]

God damn it. Between this, Germany, Australia, Ukraine and the RFID chips, I'm losing faith in the future.