Blasphemy Laws

'Two tier Keir'? We're still on about that bullshit?

Oh we all know which side of the bread Labour butter. Yes I doubt they will come directly out with it now, but it’s clear two tier kier is more sympathetic to certain positions and we need to remain vigilant on exactly what he is doing to favour certain groups over others, especially given some of the MPs in his party

So I just looked this up, and the only 'news' website going with 'Starmer doesn't rule out blasphemy laws' is GB News. And if you read beyond the headline, it's clear that No. 10 has in fact ruled out new blasphemy laws. Storm. Teacup. With a mad majority, some MPs are going to feel emboldened to throw out stupid stuff. Someone could of course throw out a Private Member's Bill on the subject - I don't see it getting any kind of traction.

What would constitute blasphemy?

Probably whatever the listener or reader believes it to be

FWIW, while fully respecting individual choice I object strongly to religion - any religion - influencing public policy at all, but the giveaway here is that he's only asking this for the Abrahamic religions

Why? If one deserves protection why wouldn't all the others?

What said it all for me is that this questioner wasn't jeered at by all the mps (as he would have been if he'd been a Christian). For me it showed what a load of craven cowards they all are and how they won't stand up for free speech one of the former cornerstones of our culture. Although we already know Labour in particular don't respect free speech all parties would and will throw us all under a bus like that poor autistic boy when push comes to shove. Worrying times particularly for our children.

There’s over 2500 Gods out there that someone worships. Gonna be a bit difficult to police blasphemy across that wide spectrum or is it only certain Gods that are more important?

It's a bit pathetic to treat this as if it's definitely happening just to have another thread attacking Labour. Let's wait and see if this becomes policy before we all get our knickers in a twist about it. Labour aren't stupid; they know full well that the UK is largely a secular country now and that any hint of a 'blasphemy law' is going to cost them massively.

They are trying to outlaw freedom of speech. What one person finds offensive might be perfectly reasonable to someone else - what they need to remember is that you cannot 'give' offence, offence is taken and it is for the offended party to deal with. Freedom of speech is a founding stone of UK society and should not be buried under platitudes to other cultures who have relocated in.

Yes I would like to say I’m shocked by the amount of people who didn’t realise what sort of government Labour would be. All they needed to do is read animal farm

Policing blasphemy laws would cause an absalute torrent of work for Police and LA's where I live, every other word I hear in my local town is from people of all ages.

Does it bother me?
Not in the slightest! 🤣, its just the way they are.

"kin this......effing that kin the next and so on" inbetween yelling at their kids to pack it in!

I hear it so often, I don't hear it any more!

It’s genuinely terrifying that Starmer even pretended to entertain it. I’m hoping he was just pretending anyway.

I don't see how you could possibly even have a blasphemy law which covers all the Abrahamic religions.

For instance, it's a fundamental belief of Christianity that Jesus is God. It's a fundamental belief of Islam that he isn't. Any genuine Christian is a blasphemer if you're a Muslim; any genuine Muslim is a blasphemer if you're Christian, surely?

@HotSlippergirl Yes, changing religions to 'belief systems' would work well - was just a bit longer.

I have no time for religions that make women and young girls responsible for the actions of men, no time for religions that threaten violence to people who disagree with them, no time for religions that expect others to make way for them

I agree with this, except I would extend it to any belief system, religious or secular. Gender ideology does all the above and I have not time for that either.

You seem to think I have said the opposite of what I actually argued.

All sadly predictable. I couldn't bring myself to vote for them and I'm not surprised at what they've done/doing.

@ParkBench5

You say we have a multicultural society.

I say that multiculturalism has failed, creating pockets of the UK which share no values with the rest of the UK and that we need to build a society around shared values.

Religion is just a belief system - like Veganism.

Just because your religion is very very important to you does not matter to anyone else. It confers no responsibility onto other people to do or say things that you want them to do or say.

In fact I think you need to realise that lots of people disagree with all religions and religious practices- and that they are allowed to say that without fear of retribution.

Many of use really dislike religions and out of courtesy keep quiet about it - I think it's time relgious people did the same or we all get to say clearly how we feel.

I have no time for religions that make women and young girls responsible for the actions of men, no time for religions that threaten violence to people who disagree with them, no time for religions that expect others to make way for them.

What if the so-called perpetrator doesn't believe in any of their silly religion, is exercising their freedom of speech (freedom to be offensive, as inoffensive does not need to be protected), and has done nothing wrong so there should be no redress. They don't need to submit to some council of religious leaders and pay penance, they are living in a free democratic society.

Labour are going to use their parliamentary majority and power to pass laws and do whatever they want. If they had told everyone what they planned to do before the election, noone would have voted for them. So they didn't tell us.

Life of Brian: many Christians thought it bad taste, but very few wanted it banned. Many Many more thought it very funny and did not affect our beliefs at all.
Their was a film with really vulgar depiction of rape of Mary I think. Very bad taste I think.
Lutfur Rahman Mayor of Tower Hamlets wants to restrict dogs in parks and public areas of his Borough. Many Muslims regard dogs as unclean and if you touch one you have to go through a cleaning ritual. Reports on this vary!!

In Iran most lorry drivers and Bus drivers have pictures of Mohammed in their cabs to keep them safe. (Don't ask about road casualty figures in Middle East).

To all those saying things like, 'why should I have to respect a made up religion'. That is not really the point. The merits of the belief is not the point.

The point is that in a tolerant, pluralistic society citizens are allowed to critique and argue and joke about the beliefs of others. Whether this causes offence is not the hallmark of whether someone can say something or do something. If we cannot debate and argue, we cannot discern the good ideas from the bad in society. We cannot argue against ideas and laws which cause harm. (Which is perhaps why religions have tended to enforce blasphemy laws).

Democratic, fair, tolerant societies have to allow freedom of belief and of speech to remain democratic, fair and tolerant. We cannot deal with intolerant religious or secular beliefs by allowing them to be intolerant of us.

Where do you draw the line though. If my opinion was that 'Jehovah's witness seems abusive and a doomsday cult, and I totally wouldn't want to be one', is that blasphemy?
If I said I believe that 'all followers of it are abusive and are horrible people who should be exterminated, or barred from practicing', then that seems much more offensive as it's aimed at actual human beings.

Insulting other people should be considered worse than questioning or being negative about a set of ideas/belief in a 'god' figure.

Everyone should be able to practice whatever religion they like without open prejudice. As long as it doesn't hurt others. But people can also have an opinion on whether they would follow it or not themselves.

Hmm....don't see people being terrorised in the name of the Monarchy in 2024....blasphemy and Sharia laws however have NO place here...AT ALL and those 2 MPs can get in the bin with this notion.

Why should I have to be respectful to any made up religion, most of which don't respect women, especially ones that mutilate little girls? Give me one good reason.

I respect people's right to believe, but I don't respect any religion and cannot be forced to.

Well you are basically asking for a theocracy, which is a multi-faith theocracy.

Even before this post your arguments were essentially the same as the leaders of theocracies around the world., which is basically that you have to enforce submission to the faith for community cohesion.