Blasphemy is Now Illegal in Ireland

[jamesq]

Basically, say anything against a religion that enough followers are offended by and you'll get fined. This is a problem because people can be offended by literally anything.

"I don't believe in your religion."
"That offends me. Pay me €25K."

Thanks to ladyerwyn for the heads-up.

Comments

[gareth13.livejournal.com]

I'll be in Northern Ireland next week. I'm going to go to the border with the Republic and shout obscenities ACROSS the border. Watch this space....

[thekillerb69.livejournal.com]

Easy solution, start the Church of Atheists and go around charging churches when they call you an unbeliever. It shouldn't take long to bankrupt them...

[jamesq]

I hear enough asshats making the "atheism is a religion" argument without somebody doing something like this.

[hislittlekitty.livejournal.com]

I was more under the impression that Atheism was a belife that there isn't a god. A friend of mine told me he was an Atheist some time ago, and then later clarified that he's Buddist- they don't believe in a *god*

I'm okay with Buddists going around fining the religous people that offend them, but they have a lot in common with Wicca, so maybe I'm just defending my own bank account :)

[jamesq]

There's plenty of definitions of religion that Buddhism doesn't fall into.

The intent of these sorts of laws is never to allow the minority religions to protect themselves from the mainstream religions - it's always about protecting a majority religion's entrenched status.

[oblivions.livejournal.com]

Scientology here I come!

[jamesq]

Isn't that the religion formed in the modern era who's founder was obviously trying to rip people off?

Or is that like saying "the aliens on STTNG with the bumpy foreheads"?

[oblivions.livejournal.com]

Still counts. Are you oppressing my religion?!

[jamesq]

Hey baby wanna oppress my religion?