Criticism of Islam is a protected belief

[theilltemperedmaggotintheheartofthelaw]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15272771/Criticism-Islam-ruled-legally-protected-belief-man-banned-fined-thousands-pounds-social-media-posts.html

I wasn't able to find the judgment. There'll be a hearing in February but it's not clear to me whether claimant's beliefs have already been tested for Grainger compliance. Either way, the tribunal will (also) have to address objectionable manifestation (Bananarama doctrine).

I've raised it here because of the parallels with Forstater. It's a constant refrain of TRAs that permitting Forstater belief is tantamount to attacking GR as a protected characteristic. They do not understand secularism (or the SC ruling).

Of course the situation is not the same insofar as Islam has not been written into our law and Muslims don't expect the rest of us to follow its rules.

Article 9, anyone?

Well, I would like a word about Sunday trading laws and the Lords Spiritual!

Only kidding. I agree that the CofE is in a post-persecution phase, and has been since the 17th century.

The UK is secular. It does not impose any religious belief, and permits religious beliefs to be criticised up to a point, which is what will be tested in February's hearing.

And we can certainly see that playing out right now. Pick a side.

Sounds fairly typical view of women in the bible, certainly old testament. Men, great and good, women bad, duplicitous and sinful.

Which New Testament women were you thinking of here?

I said old testament. From which take your pick. You’ll be perfectly well aware.

Ruth?

And you said ‘certainly Old Testament’ so didn’t exclude the New Testament.

If you have to "grapple" with the essential meaning of Jesus' teaching, then you really haven't understood them.

The only "grappling" that ever needs to be done is when you are looking for loopholes.

I've not seen any philosopher in the ancient world criticise slavery as an institution.

Why do you think that is ? Once again the ancients (i.e. pre Christian) lived in a completely different world to us. Throwing concepts of "good", "evil, "harm" around is meaningless. They had no concept of human life as being in any way equal. That is very much a Christian contrivance (although the story of the last 2,000 years has been people "grappling" with the concept to explain why it doesn't apply to them).

Just to address the thread title, do you think Islam should be protected from criticism or ridicule by the law or should the law protect my freedom to say what I think about it?

All religions are equally deserving of the same protection afforded to Harry Potter, Sherlock Holmes, or Peter Pan.

How limited do you feel by the Bible in your every day life compared to say the lives of women in Afghanistan and the religion that impacts them?

I don’t, I’m an atheist.

I feel (strongly) that the Amish should be prosecuted for not giving their children modern medicine. But it's a question of children's rights, not of women's rights (and a narrow question at that in terms of% of population).

But if a grown Amish woman wants to see a modern doctor and her husband stops her she can sue him. And any US Court will rule in her favor and possibly throw the man in jail.

Now if a grown Afghan woman wants to see a modern doctor the State will throw her into jail.

Still can't see the difference ? And again, not mentioning stoning to death and the likes

Exactly. The Bible isn’t limiting to you. It’s not even limiting for everyone who does have Christian faith.

Whereas in countries such as Afghanistan religion manages to severely limit the lives of women and girls. Worse than that actually.

I don’t see the point in comparing an old text to the reality of women and girls today in some countries. How has that curtailment endured?

I expect the bible is fairly limiting for a homosexual in several African countries.

It’s interesting people can’t accept just how bad it is for women and girls in a completely curtailing and sometimes barbaric situation and choose to deflect.

Every time it’s what about. Why is that?

Fundamental Christianity in some African countries is completely curtailing and sometimes barbaric if a young woman is homosexual.
No whataboutery from me, equivalence.

Not here even with a soft underpinning of Christianity. How lucky we are as women and girls.

How desperate it is for women and girls elsewhere, particularly when so many turn a blind eye and prefer to talk about anything else.

No they arent because they cannot be of their religion and wear jeans. You can be Muslim and not wear a hijab.

It isnt just the Amish that live like this. Not by any means.

@JadeSquidare you aware what happens to women and girls in Afghanistan?

Did you know stoning was made lawful?

Well no, obviously not here. Afghanistan isn’t here, either? I thought this was about religion worldwide.

Lol do they do PE? How do they eat their lunch. Lol. You guys are hysterical.

12 countries apply the death penalty for homosexual relationships: Saudi Arabia, Brunéi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Yemen, Uganda, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Qatar, Somalia.

Of these, only Uganda has a Christian majority. The Ugandan dictator is a fundamentalist evangelical Christian, and the Catholic Church has publicly opposed death penalty for HR.

All the other 11 countries are Muslim majority, many of them claiming Islam as defining the law of the country (as in the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Islamic Republic of Mauritania).

If you’d like to discuss Africa there are some horrendous atrocities happening in Mali and other countries. Here’s the latest but it’s been going on for some time.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c20e2lnvgpgo.amp

You don’t find it absolutely shocking that there is even one?

You don't think that ending a life or destroying a life carries any emotional or moral weight?

They may not face execution in the other minority christian countries but they certainly face ostracism from the church community.

All religion is divisive.