This is the second in a series of occasional lectures hosted by Atheist Ireland and livestreamed on the Internet. Professor David Nash and Austin Dacey talk about blasphemy laws, at a discussion chaired by Michael Nugent.
February 3, 2012
Two Irish Senators support Alexander Aan in Indonesian blasphemy case
Following a briefing of politicians by Atheist Ireland on Tuesday, two Irish Senators have asked the Irish Government to support Alexander Aan, the indonesian civil servant who is facing blasphemy charges for writing on Facebook that God does not exist.
Speaking in the Seanad this Thursday, Senators Jillian van Turnhout and Ivana Bacik both asked Eamon Gilmore, who is Ireland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, to take a strong line in support of Alexander.
Atheist Ireland thanks both Senators for their quick response to this case. We also thank Senator Ivana Bacik for her request in the Seanad on Wednesday for a full debate on the Irish blasphemy law and its national and international impact.
Senator Jillian van Turnhout:
I welcome the Tánaiste’s commitment to Internet freedom through his work as chair of the OSCE. It is on this note that I draw his attention to the recent arrest of a 31 year old Indonesian civil servant, whose name I will supply to the Tánaiste separately, for having questioned the existence of God on his Facebook profile page. He has been charged under Indonesian law prohibiting blasphemy and faces five years imprisonment if found guilty.
The reason I raise this case with the Tánaiste is that Indonesia is one of a number of Islamic states that has cited Irish blasphemy legislation in support and defence of its own. Irish blasphemy law was cited as an authority in support of Indonesia’s constitutional court decision to uphold its law prohibiting blasphemy in 2010.
While I fully support the repeal of this law, I do not believe the intention of the blasphemy legislation introduced by Mr. Dermot Ahern in 2009 was to infringe upon the rights to freedom of expression, religion, belief and conscience in Ireland. Nor do I think it is a desirable consequence that our law is being used to support such infringements, including against Christian religions in Islamic countries anywhere else in the world.
I consider this as much a foreign affairs concern as a domestic concern. I welcome that this law is up for review in the programme for Government.
Senator Ivana Bacik:
I would like to echo Senator van Turnhout in urging the Tánaiste to take a strong line in support of the Indonesian civil servant she mentioned. We need to examine our blasphemy law because it is clearly having a repressive effect in Indonesia, Pakistan and other countries. I know the matter will be reviewed as part of the constitutional convention, but I believe the law should be repealed. Perhaps progress can be made more quickly in this regard.
Here is the Seanad transcript of the above contributions and here is Senator Bacik’s request the previous day for a full debate on the Irish blasphemy law. Atheist Ireland asks everybody who reads this to contact your local politicians, your local Indonesian embassy, and the Indonesian Government to call for the immediate release of Alexander Aan.
February 2, 2012
Senator Ivana Bacik calls for debate on Irish blasphemy law
Senator Ivana Bacik yesterday requested a Senate debate on the Irish blasphemy law and its international implications, following a briefing by Atheist Ireland of politicians in Leinster House the previous day. Senator Maurice Cummins responded that the Government can certainly look at this.
Here is Senator Bacik’s contribution on the Seanad Order of Business:
I call for a debate on blasphemy law. There was an excellent briefing yesterday from Professor David Nash of Oxford Brookes University, a leading expert on blasphemy, who spoke about the international impact of the passage of the 2009 Defamation Act in Ireland, particularly section 36, which created a new statutory offence of blasphemy. There was an excellent debate on it in this House, and many colleagues participated in it.
There is an issue as there was an adverse international impact, with certain countries adopting Irish arguments on blasphemy and using this to bolster prejudice against different religions, even Christian religions in Islamic countries. We have also seen that Ireland has gone against the EU norm in adopting a new statutory definition of blasphemy based on a definition of offence.
It is outdated and I am glad it is up for review in the programme for Government. We must move forward by having a debate in the House on how we can ensure incitement to religious hatred laws are strengthened in the Statute Book. We no longer need an offence of blasphemy.
April 5, 2010
New blasphemous art exhibition opens in Dublin
A new art exhibition titled Blasphemous opened (appropriately) on Good Friday in the Irish Museum of Contemporary Art (IMOCA) in Lad Lane, off Baggott Street, Dublin 2. It’s the second art exhibition to highlight and challenge the new Irish blasphemy law, which became active on 1st January 2010.
Since then, the Irish Justice Minister has responded to the campaign against the law by saying that he will propose a referendum, later this year, to remove the reference to blasphemy from the Irish Constitution, thus enabling the blasphemy law to be repealed.
This makes the new exhibition in IMOCA not just a challenge to the blasphemy law, but also a celebration of artistic freedom, and freedom of expression generally. The exhibition runs until 25 April and is open from 12 noon to 5 pm every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, or by appointment through contacting IMOCA.
March 14, 2010
Ahern proposes Autumn referendum on blasphemy
Atheist Ireland welcomes the statement from Dermot Ahern, the Irish Justice Minister, that he is proposing a referendum this Autumn to remove the offence of blasphemy from the Irish Constitution, along with two other referendums that the government is already committed to.
The Minister has told the Sunday Times that “I was only doing my duty” in bringing in the new blasphemy law, and that “there was an incredibly sophisticated campaign [against me], mainly on the internet.”
Atheist Ireland thanks everyone who has helped to make the campaign against this new law as effective as it has been to date. It is now important we maintain the pressure on this issue to ensure that the referendum happens as proposed and, more importantly, that it is won.
We reiterate our position that this law is both silly and dangerous: silly because it is introducing medieval canon law offence into a modern plularist republic; and dangerous because it incentives religious outrage and because its wording has already been adopted by Islamic States as part of their campaign to make blasphemy a crime internationally.
The following is the text of the article in today’s Sunday Times:
February 9, 2010
Blasphemy art exhibition in Dublin this month
A blasphemy art exhibition in Dublin during February is a direct response to the new Irish blasphemy law. It’s a fascinating show, and well worth a visit.
It is on in the Oonagh Young Gallery in James Joyce Street (formerly Corporation Street) off Talbot Street until Saturday 27 February, and is open from 12 to 6pm every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
This Wednesday at 7pm there is a special screening of Rocky Road to Dublin and The Making of Rocky Road to Dublin, which should be watched by anyone interested in secularism and censorship in Ireland.
January 31, 2010
PZ Myers to speak at Atheist Ireland meeting this Monday
PZ Myers, author of the science blog Pharyngula and biology professor at the University of Minnesota, USA, will speak at an Atheist Ireland meeting at Buswells Hotel, Dublin, at 7.30 pm tomorrow, Monday 1st February.
Admission is free, and members of the public are welcome.
The theme will be the Atheist Ireland campaigns against the Irish blasphemy law, and for a secular constitution and a secular education system.
The following quote from PZ Myers about the desecration of communion hosts is among the 25 blasphemous quotes that Atheist published a month ago when the Irish blasphemy law became operational:
“You would not believe how many people are writing to me, insisting that these horrible little crackers (they look like flattened bits of styrofoam) are literally pieces of their god, and that this omnipotent being who created the universe can actually be seriously harmed by some third-rate liberal intellectual at a third-rate university… However, inspired by an old woodcut of Jews stabbing the host, I thought of a simple, quick thing to do: I pierced it with a rusty nail (I hope Jesus’s tetanus shots are up to date). And then I simply threw it in the trash, followed by the classic, decorative items of trash cans everywhere, old coffeegrounds and a banana peel.”
While in Ireland, PZ will also be speaking about science and creationism at UCD on Tuesday Feb 2nd, and at NUI Galway on Thursday February 4th, at meetings organised by the UCD Secular Humanist Society and the NUI Galway Skeptic Society and ZooSoc. You can get details on tickets for these events, subject to availability, by emailing ucdhumanistsociety@gmail.com or k.mcinerney3@nuigalway.ie
July 14, 2009
Speeches from Atheist Ireland AGM
Here are the opening speeches from the Atheist Ireland AGM on Saturday, which focus on the blasphemy law now passed by the Oireachtas.
Introduction and opening speech by Senator Ivana Bacik
July 10, 2009
Blasphemy Law is Dangerous, Silly, Unjust
In this article, first published in the Irish Times on July 10, Michael Nugent describes why the blasphemy law is dangerous, silly and unjust.
Why has Dermot Ahern, in 2009, made blasphemy a crime punishable by a fine of €25,000? When this anachronistic part of the now Defamation Act is signed into law (it passed through the Oireachtas last night but only on the casting vote of the chair of the Seanad), Atheist Ireland will quickly test it by publishing a blasphemous statement. People need protection from harm, but ideas and beliefs should always be open to challenge.
July 5, 2009
Father Ted Creators Back Challenge to Law
Father Ted creators Arthur Mathews and Graham Linehan are supporting a challenge by Atheist Ireland to the new blasphemy law. If the bill becomes law, which may happen this week or next, Atheist Ireland will challenge it by publishing a blasphemous statement.
- Father Ted creators back challenge to the blasphemy bill
(news item by Henry McDonald in The Observer, July 5)
The Observer article also mentions our AGM next Saturday from 2-5 pm in Wynns Hotel in Dublin. Members of the public are welcome. Please come along and bring any friends who you think might be interested in campaigning against this law and for an ethical secular Ireland.
June 17, 2009
Speeches from Limerick Meeting
Here are the speeches from the recent Limerick meeting against the proposed Irish blasphemy law, courtesy of Limerick Blogger.
Michael Nugent, Atheist Ireland, and Larry Maher, Midwest Humanists
Blasphemy is a Victimless Crime from Limerick Blogger on Vimeo.
June 15, 2009
Speeches from Cork Meeting
Here is the first of the speeches from the recent Cork meeting against the proposed Irish blasphemy law. We will upload more soon. Thanks to Tom for filming and uploading the videos.
Lothar Luken, Cork poet and member of Humanist Association of Ireland
June 12, 2009
Speeches from Dublin Meeting
Here are the speeches from the recent Dublin meeting against the proposed Irish blasphemy law, along with discussion from the floor and responses from the panelists. There are nine videos, covering 80 minutes of the meeting. Thanks to Paul for filming and uploading them.
Introduction by Michael Nugent, writer and chair of Atheist Ireland
(10 mins: introducing the blasphemy law and the Church of Dermotology)
Robbie Bonham, comedian and cartoonist, on artistic expression
(10 mins: includes end of Michael Nugent speech; Robbie Bonham introduced at 0:55)
June 6, 2009
Poetry by Lothar Luken
Lothar Luken, a poet and writer from Bantry, spoke eloquently at our Cork meeting about the impact of blasphemy laws on freedom of artistic expression. Lothar, who is a member of the Humanist Association of Ireland, also recited from his poetry, some of which is reproduced here.
May 26, 2009
Join the Church of Dermotology
On Wednesday 20 May 2009, speaking at a parliamentary Justice Committee debating his new blasphemy law, Dermot Ahern joked that people were making blasphemous comments about him, and he compared his own purity to that of the baby Jesus.
In response, on Monday 25 May 2009, at a crowded public meeting in Wynns Hotel in Dublin, campaigners against the blasphemy law have founded the Church of Dermotology, to worship Dermot Ahern and his proposed blasphemy law.
Please join at the Church’s Facebook Group Page and our Facebook Fan Page. Please also invite all of your friends to join what will surely become the world’s fastest-growing religion.
May 25, 2009
Stewart Lee on Blasphemy
Stewart Lee, co-writer of Jerry Springer The Opera, examines the impact of religious censorship on artistic expression (40-minute video).
May 22, 2009
May 19, 2009
Public Meeting Next Monday in Dublin
PUBLIC MEETING – BLASPHEMY IS A VICTIMLESS CRIME
- VENUE: WYNN’S HOTEL, ABBEY STREET, DUBLIN
- DATE: MONDAY 25th MAY TIME: 8-10pm
The Dublin meeting is the second of several to be held around the country, organised by Atheist Ireland, an advocacy group for an ethical and secular Ireland. Speakers will include:
- Michael Nugent, chair of Atheist Ireland and co-author of the play I Keano
- Ian O’Doherty, columnist with Independent newspapers
- Dick Spicer, chair of the Humanist Association of Ireland
- Robbie Bonham, comedian and cartoonist
Please circulate this information to anyone you know, particularly to people from Dublin. Thanks.
Justice Minister to Amend New Blasphemy Law
The Minister for Justice is proposing to amend his new blasphemy law by providing, as a defence, that a person accused of blasphemy can “prove that a reasonable person would find genuine literary, artistic, political, scientific, or academic value” in the blasphemous matter.
He is not proposing to reduce the fine of €100,000, the onus of proof is on the defendant to prove this new line of defence, and the police may still seize and destroy blasphemous statements. The Minister’s proposed blasphemy law now reads like this:
May 10, 2009
Ireland Opposes ‘Defamation of Religion’ Being a Crime
In December 2008 in Durban, the United Nations discussed an Egyptian motion on “combating defamation of religion”. Islamic states supported the motion, while European Union states opposed it. The motion was passed, but a later conference in April 2009 in Geneva removed references to “defamation of religion” from the final document.
Ireland voted with the other EU states that there should not be such a crime as “defamation of religion”. The Minister for Foreign affairs, Micheal Martin, later told the Dail that:
“We believe that the concept of defamation of religion is not consistent with the promotion and protection of human rights. It can be used to justify arbitrary limitations on, or the denial of, freedom of expression. Indeed, Ireland considers that freedom of expression is a key and inherent element in the manifestation of freedom of thought and conscience and as such is complementary to freedom of religion or belief.”
So why is the Minister for Justice, Dermot Ahern, reviving blasphemy laws contrary to the Government’s stated position?
May 9, 2009
We Must Not Incentivize Religious Outrage
Six months after the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten printed twelve cartoons of Muhammad in 2005, orchestrated Islamic outrage led to over a hundred people being killed and Danish embassies attacked in Syria, Lebanon and Iran.
The proposed Irish blasphemy law uses religious outrage as one of the triggers for determining whether material is blasphemous. This incentivizes religious outrage, and makes it more likely to happen.
Bloody Cartoons is a BBC documentary in which Danish director Karsten Kjaer examines the controversy and its impact on free speech in a democracy. It is filmed in Europe and the Middle east. Watch this important documentary, and campaign against the Irish blasphemy law.
Continue for parts 2 to 5 of the documentary…
May 8, 2009
Is God the Most Unpleasant Character in All Fiction?
Publishing or saying this could be illegal in Ireland if the new blasphemy law is passed:
“The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthristy ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.”
Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion, 2006
May 7, 2009
Muslims and Public Religious Outrage
Publishing or saying this could be illegal in Ireland if the new blasphemy law is passed:
“Religious ‘outrage’ is an almost unknown phenomenon in our culture: but it is so common on the Islamic street that one often wonders: do Muslims know any other public mood? And whereas I can ask this question today, might it not be blasphemous under Dermot Ahern’s new law? For some Muslims might hold that it is grossly abusive or insulting to things they hold sacred, to dispute their right to endless public anger.”
Kevin Myers, Irish Independent, May 7 2009
Blasphemy Laws are Legal Protection of Nonsense
The blasphemy laws are the legal protection of nonsense. Why is there not an equivalent of the blasphemy laws for science? The reason is that science can take any criticism leveled against it. That’s how science, and therefore our understanding of the universe, continue to develop.
Factions of scientists do not engage in sectarian violence to the death because one group believes in the Steady State theory while another believes in the Big Bang. Scientists do not picket films that have a perceived anti-scientific stance. There were no howling mobs outside cinemas showing I Robot.
There is a great deal of anti-science in the world but scientists do not congregate waving placards and threatening death to anyone who denies the existence of Einstein. Nor do they place fatwas on those who deny quantum mechanics. They have better things to do.
Nick Harding, How to be a Good Atheist, 2007