In 2007, Kareem Amer, an Egyptian blogger, was sentenced to three years in prison after being found guilty on several charges including ‘sedition’ and ‘incitement to hatred of Islam’. In March of this year, Sayed Parvez Kambakhsh, a young Afghan journalist, was sentenced to 20 years in prison by Kabul’s supreme court for the crime of blasphemy. Kambakhsh’s grave offence was to circulate an Iranian-penned article examining the role of women in the Quran.
Although many (though not all) Europeans would be (and have been) appalled at the above convictions, a European Government (Ireland) is attempting to introduce a law against blasphemy which could been legitimately used to convict Kambakhsh or Kareem Amer.
Minister for Justice, Dermot Ahern, proposes to insert a new section into the Defamation Bill, stating: “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.”
“Blasphemous matter” is defined as 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 he or she intends, by the publication of the matter concerned, to cause such outrage.”
Regular readers of this blog will be aware that I occasionally question what I see as the absurdity of religious faith and practice. For the record, I have, so far, expressed my doubts about Christianity (Protestant and Catholic, liberal and evangelical), Hinduism, and Islam. If the proposed law comes into place and I moved to Ireland, I could be fined, and although a few would welcome that, I, at least, would object.
The key issue is this, and it is illustrated in the wording of Kareem Amer’s conviction - ‘incitement to hatred of Islam’ (note, not Muslims) - why should the criticism or ridicule of an ideology be criminalised?
If someone ridicules an individual, he or she can go into court and argue the justice of the case. However, laws protecting religion from ridicule mean that the ridicule itself is wrong and no deity ever appears to explain the injustice of the case.
If god or gods exist, aren’t they capable of doing their own dirty work? After all, “vengeance is mine” saith the Lord.
Religion is an idea. I may think it is a bad idea, but, 1) I am prepared to defend the right of people to hold bad ideas if they choose to do so, 2) I believe that all ideas should be able to be talked about, weighed for their worth, praised and ridiculed if necessary. If ideas can be freely discussed and their weaknesses exposed in whatever way appeals, then only the best ones will survive and the cognitive evolution of the human race will not be clogged up. The present Irish proposals are an attempt to stop that process and keep part of our minds in the Middle Ages.
One footnote. I came across this the other day: “A theologian is like a blind man in a dark room searching for a black cat which isn’t there - and finding it!” I better not tell that one in a Dublin pub when next there on holiday. I may find it funny, but it certainly isn’t worth €100,000.
I suppose that under EU legal arrangements you might not even have to move to Ireland. You would only have to publish the blasphemy in a place where a substantial number of religious people in Ireland can read it so as to become outraged.
cbtish
Thanks for that. I hadn’t really grasped the EU legal arrangements implications. I was prepared to be concerned for the Irish, but can see the need to be more worried.
I wasn’t aware of the proposed legislation. That’s pretty upsetting. It seems like Christopher Hitchens’s phrasing of the matter need to be restated over and over again:
“Individuals have rights, religions don’t”
You have a great weekend.
Only those who cannot persuade through reason must impose their ideas through force.
I hope the public and the legislature in Ireland have more sense than to allow this legislation to pass.
I was going to comment but I think I had better not. I daren’t risk the fine.
The world seems to be going crazy. Or perhaps it always has been?
Jonas
The problem seems to be that individuals have taken it upon themselves to ascribe rights to an idea, believing that they are ascribing rights to a deity, who mysteriously cannot defend him/herself.
the chaplain
One would hope that a country like the Republic of Ireland that benefited so much from the internet boom would have the sense to reject the legislation. But then there is the Catholic Church …
Reluctant Blogger
I hope that if I get sent to Norwich gaol for refusal to pay my fine you will pay me the odd visit and bring the odd crust in
Personal Failure had some interesting comments about this story. Talking about all religions being offensive to each other, she wrote,
“Ireland: we’re all criminals now!”
In response to a joke similar to your theologian one, she responded,
“Just don’t say that in Ireland, or you’ll be jailed, filthy heretic!”
Lorena
That’s the real worry, isn’t it - that all free thinkers could end up as criminals. I mean, you would expect it in Iran, and possibly even in America, but not in Europe, though even there the Catholic Church does have some pretty strong historical tentacles
I had heard of the Kabul case that you mention but wasn’t aware of this proposed legislation.
This is deeply worrying. It feels very fudamentalist and radical to me. I quess this must be the Catholic church trying to bring this into law.
I am concerned because, not only is it zealous, hard and unjust, but an infrigement on personal freedom of expression. This may be the start of further legislation. If Ireland does who else will?
Don’t like it at all.
On a lighter and more humorous note, with reference to the replies already given. I now have an image in my mind of athinkingman in the Gaol in Norwich, eating his crust behind bars as Relucs comes to visit him.
It is a slightly amusing fantasy and one which I would not recommend as one’s calorie controlled diet before the summer holidays.
Besides, I would bring you porridge:-). A much nicer alternative.
onethoughtfulwoman
Porridge is good. Agreed that it is preferable to crusts.
[...] USA is not the only country in which church-state issues are contentious. A Thinking Man wrote a post a few days ago that describes efforts to introduce a new blasphemy law in Ireland. Keep that in [...]
Thanks for highlighting this bit of Irish madness, which hopefully we’ll be able to stop in its tracks. As an Irish citizen I will certainly stand up for my right to be offended - as that goes hand in hand with the essential right to freedom of speech and expression.
scotlyn
Thanks for dropping by and for your encouragement. I hope you are successful in stopping this in Ireland.