
Stephen Fry under police investigation for blasphemy in Ireland [video] - stringcode
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/stephen-fry-blasphemy-god-utter-maniac-ireland-gardai-rte-meaning-of-life-atheist-a7722081.html
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brynedwards
The reason this law still exists is because blasphemy is included in the Irish
constitution and so to remove it would require a referendum which "would
rightly be seen as a time wasting and expensive exercise" [1]; the law is
effectively a dead letter. With this becoming popular, we'll probably get a
referendum moved forward with the result being overwhelmingly in favour of
removing it. The person who reported him claimed he/she was not offended[2];
it wouldn't surprise me if it was done just to highlight the silliness of the
law.

[1]:
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blasphemy_law_in_the_Republic_...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blasphemy_law_in_the_Republic_of_Ireland#Defamation_Act_2009)

[2]: [http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/garda-launch-
blasp...](http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/garda-launch-blasphemy-
probe-into-stephen-fry-comments-on-the-meaning-of-life-35684262.html)

------
Zuider
the article links to a post from the Irish Independent Online which gives more
detail:

[http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/garda-launch-
blasp...](http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/garda-launch-blasphemy-
probe-into-stephen-fry-comments-on-the-meaning-of-life-35684262.html)

Reading between the lines, this looks more like an attempt to challenge the
blasphemy law than to punish Stephen Fry. From the link above:

"[The complainant] said he was asked by the garda if he had been personally
offended by the programme and If he wished to include this in the written
statement.

I told the Garda that I did not want to include this as I had not personally
been offended by Fry's comments - I added that I simply believed that the
comments made by Fry on RTÉ were criminal blasphemy and that I was doing my
civic duty by reporting a crime."

Atheist Ireland responded by republishing a list of blasphemous statements on
their website, atheist.ie, in solidarity with Stephen Fry. They note:

"If we are prosecuted, we will challenge the constitutionality of the
blasphemy law. If we are not prosecuted, it will again highlight the absurdity
of this law, which should be repealed immediately. We again call on the Irish
Government to honour its commitment to hold a referendum to remove the ban on
blasphemy from our Constitution."

What is troubling is that, though the law was designed to be unenforceable in
Ireland, it has been used as a template for corresponding law in theocratic
countries such as "Pakistan and other repressive states".

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stringcode
Yesterday I would argue this is unimaginable, someone being investigated for
blasphemy in 2017 (in the west). We are dropping the ball on free speech. We
chipping away on our liberties bit by bit. This is why hate speech laws are
dangerous.

~~~
blibble
it's ireland...

abortion is still illegal in nearly all circumstances, divorce was only
legalised in 1997 and only in very specific circumstances

~~~
Udik
Abortion aside, Ireland is in fact much more progressive and liberally minded
than the US and most of southern Europe.

These comments were made during an interview on the Irish public broadcasting
network; just for a comparison, in Italy nobody would have even dared to speak
their mind so clearly about God on tv, or the show would have likely been
cancelled. Twenty years ago the sitcom "Father Ted" became the most popular
show in Ireland, and it would be still considered too blasphemous to be aired
by any of the major tv networks in Italy.

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kristianc
This is troubling. This a legitimate philosophical problem that dates back to
Epicurus, Hume, Kant. It's something theologians since Aquinas have wrestled
with, and that modern philosophers such have taken up. It applies as much to
Christianity as it does to Judaism and Islam. There's no reason for this to be
covered by blasphemy laws, even if you accepted blasphemy laws as legitimate.

~~~
eternalban
It is legitimate but it is also of the sophomoric category of questions. As
for Islam that you mention, there are no such issues in Islam.

Stephen Fry is arguing the same position that Satan does in the Qur'an,
pointing out 'errors' in God's judgment.

The Angels question God too in the Qur'an, but they do it very politely ..

~~~
tim333
Hmm...

>Those who annoy Allah and His Messenger – Allah has cursed them in this World
and in the Hereafter, and has prepared for them a humiliating Punishment...

>They shall have a curse on them: whenever they are found, they shall be
seized and slain (without mercy). [Quran 33:57–61]

You could argue calling Allah “stupid” and an “utter maniac” might annoy him,
hypothetically.

~~~
eternalban
"Allah and His Messenger" is a technical term. You are likely misreading this
as indicating 2 distinct points of view as in "A and B both think X".

> You could argue calling Allah “stupid” and an “utter maniac” might annoy
> him, hypothetically.

It depends where you do this. In general Allah claims, very much like Krishna,
to have perfect 'detachment', so arguably IT does not give a fig.

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stringcode
Here is a link to longer clip of that exchange than shown in article.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-suvkwNYSQo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-suvkwNYSQo)

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bmh_ca
This is a trial I'd like to watch.

~~~
TheOtherHobbes
Indeed.

Apparently the most powerful entity in the entire universe needs government
protection from the opinion of Stephen Fry.

Doesn't seem like a fair fight to me.

~~~
johnnydoe9
Fry should make a statement similar to what Colbert made recently for his
remarks against Trump "I've got the jokes, he's got the launch codes so it's a
fair fight"

~~~
jeff_petersen
Homophobia isn't excusable no matter what position the target holds.

~~~
johnnydoe9
Don't think Colbert's statement was homophobic though, don't want to fight
genuinely want to know what made you think it was?

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idop
No one expects the Irish Inquisition!

~~~
Tomis02
I find Monthy Python unimaginative and boring. Your comment was hilarious in
the context, though.

