A law making "blasphemy" punishable by a fine of up to 25,000 Euros or over $35,000 has gone into effect in Ireland.Atheist Ireland, a group of Irish atheists, has published a list on their website of statements that would be actionable under the new law.
According to CNN the new anti blasphemy law would be broken by anyone, "--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."
However one can "--try to defend themselves by proving that a reasonable person would find literary, artistic, political, scientific or academic value in what they said or published."
When Ireland achieved its independence, it established itself as a country where the Catholic Church had a privileged place.
Divorce and birth control were, at one time, illegal in the Irish Republic. The passage of the "blasphemy law" which apparently applies to all religions is apparently at attempt at "fairness" for other faiths, such as Islam. It is, as anyone with a passing familiarity with logic, a legislative train wreck.
People in Ireland will be obliged to spend endless time and sums of money defending themselves, proving that at article or even a casual statement is protected under the literary, artistic, political, scientific or academic value clause.
In response to the blasphemy law, Atheist Ireland has published a list of quotes from the following people that might be construed as illegal under the new blasphemy law: "Jesus Christ, Muhammad, Mark Twain, Tom Lehrer, Randy Newman, James Kirkup, Monty Python, Rev Ian Paisley, Conor Cruise O'Brien, Frank Zappa, Salman Rushdie, Bjork, Amanda Donohoe, George Carlin, Paul Woodfull, Jerry Springer the Opera, Tim Minchin, Richard Dawkins, Pope Benedict XVI, Christopher Hitchens, PZ Myers, Ian O'Doherty, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor and Dermot Ahern."
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