Recently in the relublic of Ireland there was a referendum on whether or not to repeal the article in the Irish constitution that recognised blasphemy as a criminal offence. The country voted to repeal but it made me wonder about other countries in the western world that might still have blasphemy laws. Does anyone know of any such countries and is the law enforced?
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Some Australian states still have blasphemy laws on the books as part of common law inherited from the UK, but I've never heard of them being enforced.
New Zealand still has "blasphemous libel" laws, but prosecution requires the approval of the attorney general. Attempts were made to bring prosecutions against "Life of Brian", an artwork entitled "Virgin in a Condom", and an episode of "Southpark", but none proceeded. The fact that the laws still exist mean that prosecution is still possible, but New Zealand has also signed treaties which appear to rule this out.
When I first arrived in New Zealand in the mid-1960s a theologian was on trial in some kind of Presbyterian religious court for heresy. He said that the resurrection was nonsense, and that people don't have eternal souls. I don't think anyone's been burned at the stake recently, though.
The State of North Carolina has blasphemy laws, but rarely or never enforces them. Mostly the churches do by ostracizing the individual.
Other North Carolina laws I know of.
An atheist cannot serve in a political office (especially Governor) since they must also swear to believe in "god" while swearing on a Bible.
When I was called for jury duty, there is a law that prohibits an atheist from serving on a jury because they MUST swear to "god" while swearing on the Bible. I refused and was subsequently dismissed from jury duty. This happened twice.
When I was a witness to a crime, I was dismissed as a witness since state law prohibits atheists from being a witness to crime. Again, because you MUST swear on the Bible. This one went good for the defense, sorry <censored> <censored>.
I have heard in the last five years or so, North Carolina no longer enforces those laws, but they are still "on the books."
I have heard there are other states in the US that have "blasphemy" laws. But are not enforced except by the churches.
rmfr
@arakish: state law prohibits atheists from being a witness to crime.
LOL! Well naturally a court would place greater credence on the word of someone who believes in an immortal bearded magician living in an invisible sky palace.
@ Algebe Re: "Bearded Magician"
I know. Right? Thankfully, I was only one of four witnesses for the Prosecution and they were able to still convict. But I was completely shocked. I cannot be a witness just because I would not swear on an irrelevant Bronze Age text? And was completely unwilling to include the "so help me God" or whatever it is after swearing, "I promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth as I saw it." As if "god" is going to make me tell the truth.
rmfr
I won the jury sweepstakes lottery 3 times, (5 total notices in the mail for possible jury selection)1 while I was still in engineering school and 2 shortly after graduation. Oddly enough I never made it even to the "2nd round" of jury selection.
Okay not odd at all, both defense and prosecution attorney(s) take my engineering school as an ability to think critically, and it is the job of the legal teams to "control" the jury as much as possible, someone with developed critical thinking skills is not nearly as easy to control.
However at least the court systems around here, you are allowed to skip the "swear on a bible/god" thing and simply swear to tell the truth and the whole truth. However this right is rarely practiced as typically the legal teams strongly advise any witness etc as typically it will reflect negatively on the witness's character or credibility to a jury that is likely quite non-secular.
All of these happened quite a while ago now, I have not even gotten so much as a jury selection notice (where you have to call in to even see if you are within the 1/3 that even gets called in for selection, since my 3rd time I had to go in. May be pure blind luck, but I increasingly suspect I would put on some sort of "don't bother" list.
I have noticed my atheist friends with college degrees also seem to rarely get jury notices as well, where as my theist family/friends w/o college degrees seem to get them at least yearly.
Fine by me I do not have jury duty notices anymore, the right to a trial by a jury of peers is really only available to the rich and represents a twisted travesty of justice to me. Not to mention the whole "god" thing all over the court system.
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And forgot. Any Muslin country. Blasphemy and apostasy are punishable by death.
rmfr
I have blasphemy laws in my house. If you are offended by blasphemy you can get the fuck out.
@ Cognostic
Another one I am going to steal, make some signs, and post them on the front and back door.
rmfr
Okay, That one is mine and I am happy to share ! In fact I have a sign with it. You get that Mormon Picture of Jesus with the red hair and the blue background looking skyward, draw a big red circle around the head with a red slash running through the circle and across the head.
Although not blasphemy laws, they are related. I also posted about this elsewhere, but feel it fitting here also.
When I was growing up, until around the very late 70s, maybe very early 80s, the State of North Carolina also had laws making it perfectly legal for "disruptive" students to be "disciplined" using corporal punishment (physical abuse). This also included those damned Sunday School classes. One could ask a legitimate question, such as "How could Noah have fit all those animals on such a small boat?" (blasphemy), and the Pastor of the church was allowed to beat the hell out of you for asking such a question. As said, what kind of morality is that?
And I know, those laws were based on these scriptures:
Proverbs {13:24} - Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.
Proverbs {23:13–14} - Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish them with the rod, they will not die. Punish them with the rod and save them from death.
There are more, but I only need these two. Now I am going to pull out specific parts. And see? I can cherry-pick with the best of you Religious Absolutists. The only problem is you Religious Absolutists do not enjoy it when we point out the evil of your deity. And I have this question: "If us atheist are pulling the bad things Out Of Context, then what are you Religious Absolutists and Apologists doing?"
Whoever spares the rod hates their children… Sooo…, if I do not beat my children, I must hate them?
Punish them with the rod and save them from death. Sooo, if I do not want my children to die, I must beat them?
In other words, you sorry, damned Religious Absolutists use hate to show love. And do NOT spew that mind diarrhea about "spirit" this and "spirit" that horse hoowhee. That is the stupidest bullshit I have ever heard of when it comes to morality. Your Bible is nothing more than the most expeditious means of how to live the most immoral life anyone could live.
rmfr
Thanks for the feedback. That last comment/post by arakish was absolutely fitting. Really shows how religion has seriously influenced school life.