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[ NNSquad ] More on Irish blasphemy law and atheists' Web site testing


A reader in Ireland points out that there has been widespread
confusion (even within Ireland) about their new blasphemy law.  In
particular, the new law reportedly can enable prosecution (with some
defenses permitted) for "blasphemous" statements made that offend
practitioners of pretty much any established religion, not just
Christianity (with the focus of Ireland's long-standing "common law"
blasphemy ban having been interpreted with a Christianity focus).

This legal escalation apparently was the result of reevaluation of
Ireland's common law sedition and blasphemy prohibitions, particularly
given pressures to invalidate the former in light of efforts to
harmonize with the EU ( http://bit.ly/7tAAnH [Human Rights in
Ireland] ).

But instead of specifically dumping the blasphemy concept, the new law
instead gives it statutory authority, actually widening its scope.

So, for example, if your Web site offends, say, The Church of Satan,
you could apparently (in theory) be prosecuted.

At least one Irish legal observer has suggested that it is also unclear
if the atheist group protesting this new law on their Web site has
chosen sufficiently provocative quotations to actually trigger the
law.

Overall, this still seems like a giant step backwards, with
potentially significant negative implications for many Web sites, at
least in Ireland.

--Lauren--
NNSquad Moderator