Ireland Criminalizes Blasphemy - how will this affect the WTS?

by HalfWayThere 10 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  HalfWayThere

  http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php/site/article/7171

  From TFA:

  "Aside from a €25,000 fine (reduced from the €100,000 originally sought by the government), the new Defamation Act gives the authorities the power to stage raids on publishers: the courts may now issue a warrant authorising the police to enter, using ‘reasonable force’, premises where they have grounds for believing there are copies of ‘blasphemous statements’."

  So, how will this affect the WTS?

  Will it mean they can't denounce other religions in their publications?

  Will they have to print edited versions of all the literature just for Ireland?

  Or will it play into their hand by stopping others from questioning its beliefs?

  Will "publications" include websites?

  I think its a stupid and dangerous law though. Another case of government getting too mixed up in religion.
• 

  watson

  Too much rye over there.
• 

  Olin Moyles Ghost

  It won't affect the WTS in the slightest. This is just a political move calculated to gin up support among religious voters. Nothing more.

  Lots of states in the U.S. have statutes forbidding fornication, adultery, and blasphemy. Sometimes there's a movement to repeal these statutes, but such movements usually fail because state representatives from rural religious districts don't want to go on record as being 'for' fornication/blasphemy/etc. It doesn't matter that these laws are never enforced...it's all a matter of keeping up appearances and appeasing the religious voters.

  That's exactly what this blasphemy law is.
• 

  WTWizard

  The witlesses will find some argument that their littera-trash exposes blasphemy, not perpetrating it--and the government will fall for it (because they are dogging their jobs, they will "fall" for anything that is bad for society).

  Now, these statutes are no different than the Muslim statutes in their respective countries. Once the governments start enforcing anti-blasphemous laws in Christian countries, Christianity will become as radical as the worst of Muslim religions (like the original Catholic church). Exposing the real truth about Jesus (that is, Jesus taught people to do their own thinking), even with proof from valid sources, will become a crime. Knowledge will be fixed in the code of law, not subject to change when proven wrong. And then the Washtowel Babble and Crap Slaveholdery will move in, seize control, enforce their version of the "truth", and we will all be plunged into the Second Dark Ages.

  Can't this world ever be free of these f***ing religions?
• 

  MissingLink

  This is embarassing, but not surprising from the pathetic government we have in power now. What I don't get is that the public is not behind this at all. It seems to be a one man quest.

  But there's no way this law can stand up. Groups are already trying to challenge it by putting out obvious blasphemous statements and daring the government to do something about it. If it gets to the European courts it will be overturned.

  You can read more about it here: http://blasphemy.ie/
• 

  OUTLAW

  Blasphemy:"The act of expressing lack of reverence for God."..

  It won`t affect the WBT$ in the slightest..

  If Anti -Christ laws were passed,the WBT$ would have a problem..

  ........................OUTLAW
• 

  wobble

  Is not the GB/FDS claim to be the mediator blasphemous ? perhaps this law COULD be used against the WBT$ ????

  Love, in hope,but not really thinking it will happen,

  Wobble
• 

  core

  In fact the Irish President has "called in" the legislation for potential reference to the Supreme Court to rule on its constitutionality. The "Council of State" consisting of the President, any former Presidents the Irish Prime Minister (Taisoeach) and his deputy and the leader of the Senate together with the Chief Justice will decide this week if the new law potentially conflicts with/ or expands the Constitution - as if it does a Referendum is Mandatory - if they refer the case to the courts and they rule it is a constitutional Bill then it will die and not be enacted.

  It is rare for a President to refer legislation to the Council of State

  The Irish Constitution already mandates that "blasphemy" shall be a crime punishable by law but no ruling on what/how etc has ever been made and this is an attempt to do that by tagging this item to a much broader Criminal Justice Bill. Some view it as a fop to the Catholic Church that legislation is planned - however following the Ryan Report the Catholic Church is in a tailspin of collapse.

  The WT will carry on as always - if such a bill was enacted they would seek to wriggle round it and use it to their advantage and as they appear to be ruled from the top by Lawyers then this is simply meant and drink to them
• 

  Heaven

  I would have to see their definition of 'blasphemy'. If it is the same as what Outlaw says, then the WTS is fine.

  I feel their baptismal vows and their doctrine relating to the FDS/GB is blasphemous.
• 

  MissingLink

  I don't know the specific wording, but the meaining for "Blasphemy" in this case is basically anything that a large percentage of poeple in ANY religious group find "offensive".