# Blasphemy in Ireland **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 30, 2009, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blasphemy-in-ireland/494790 "2009-04-30T00:02:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blasphemy-in-ireland/494790/41 "2009-05-04T01:27:28Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > (I mean, honest to God, isn’t blasphemy not only a national requirement, but a national sport?) It does seem that way. If the blasphemy laws extend to taking the Lord’s name in vain, then the courts won’t be able to cope. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blasphemy-in-ireland/494790/42 "2009-05-05T07:12:51Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Old joke: > > Q: If you’re in Boston, what’s the quickest way to get to the hospital? > A: Walk up to the nearest crowd and say “To Hell with the Pope!” > > This probably holds true in Dublin as well. Nope. Maybe in Donegal. ---
**Author:** ![Rune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e68b1a/32.png) [@Rune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rune)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blasphemy-in-ireland/494790/43 "2009-05-05T08:15:23Z")
> [@sailor](#): > > In this case it does not matter whether they change the law or not because any penalty would immediately be appealed to the EU and nullified. Why do you think that? Several EU countries already have blasphemy laws and penalties. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blasphemy-in-ireland/494790/44 "2009-05-05T08:54:56Z")
How in the world does a non-theocracy end up lumping blasphemy and sedition into the same law? ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blasphemy-in-ireland/494790/45 "2009-05-05T14:24:55Z")
> [@williambaskerville](#): > > I’m Irish, and if this passes I’m going to proclaim a belief in Odin, and demand prosecution of anyone who dares doubt the existence or godhood of my Nordic overlord. > > Once I’ve had all apostates of my Odinic faith persecuted, I shall switch my allegiance to Ahura Mazdao, and insist that unbelievers in my Zoroastrianism belief system get hauled before the courts immediately. Those supporting this proposal really haven’t thought it through. > > Below is an article from the relevant Minister defending the proposed law :- > > [http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2009/0501/1224245748066.html](http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2009/0501/1224245748066.html) > > His arguments in favour are unmitigated drivel. There are a number of clauses in the Irish Constitution that are entirely and happily ignored, including for example article 41.2 which the Supreme Court ruled should have no practical effects whatsover, and article 40.3, which the Supreme Court ruled created a constitutional right to abortion in certain cases. > > And the Constitution declares that blasphemy should be criminalised, but doesn’t define what it is. I predict the proposed law’s attempt to define it will not withstand constitutional challenge. > > And even if you accept his argument that the Constitition demands the criminalisation of blasphemy, why not set the maximum penalty to be a 37 cent fine, or being slapped across the cheeks with a wet herring, at the blasphemer’s choice, just to point out how ludicrous the whole concept of criminialising blasphemy is? How about becoming a Satanist and everytime the church slags him off taking them to court? ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blasphemy-in-ireland/494790/46 "2009-05-05T14:29:03Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Old joke: > > Q: If you’re in Boston, what’s the quickest way to get to the hospital? > > A: Walk up to the nearest crowd and say “To Hell with the Pope!” > This probably holds true in Dublin as well. very very very far from the truth. ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blasphemy-in-ireland/494790/47 "2009-05-05T14:34:26Z")
> [@Lust4Life](#): > > How about becoming a Satanist and everytime the church slags him off taking them to court? It wouldn’t be prosecutable by individuals, only by the State. Quite frankly, this proposed law scares the hell out of me. Rather than having a constitutional referendum to remove the lines about sedition and blasphemy and bring the constitution up to date and improve it’s relevance, they are proposing a law wheich defines what blasphemy is and continues the horribly outdated section of the constitution. also, is this really a quid pro Quo for the Civil partnerships? if so, the Catholic church is really getting the thin end of the bargaining wedge. ---
**Author:** ![Laudenum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Laudenum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laudenum)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blasphemy-in-ireland/494790/48 "2009-05-05T14:35:00Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > How in the world does a non-theocracy end up lumping blasphemy and sedition into the same law? If you read Bunracht na hEireann (our Constitution), you will see that blasphemy and sedition are contained within the same article. > [@Lust4Life](#): > > How about becoming a Satanist and everytime the church slags him off taking them to court? The Irish State does not recognise all religions. Joke religions are not afforded status, such as Scientology (sp?), Satanism and Buddism. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blasphemy-in-ireland/494790/49 "2009-05-05T14:52:29Z")
> [@Laudenum](#): > > Joke religions are not afforded status, such as Scientology (sp?), Satanism and Buddism. This is discriminatory against jokes and I object to it. I’m also curious about your take on what makes the latter religions a joke. ---
**Author:** ![Laudenum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Laudenum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laudenum)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blasphemy-in-ireland/494790/50 "2009-05-05T15:05:17Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > This is discriminatory against jokes and I object to it. I’m also curious about your take on what makes the latter religions a joke. I was being slightly tongue-in-cheek when I used the term “joke religions”, but it is true that Ireland does not recognise all religions. Scientology actually sued for recognition as a religion and lost. Satanism wouldn’t even get a look in. Buddism would probably get recognised if they bothered to ask. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blasphemy-in-ireland/494790/51 "2009-05-05T15:30:51Z")
Well thats just typical,Satanists are always being persecuted,next thing you know they’ll be burning them at the stake and revoking their library priveleges. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blasphemy-in-ireland/494790/52 "2009-05-05T20:09:36Z")
> [@Laudenum](#): > > I was being slightly tongue-in-cheek when I used the term “joke religions”, but it is true that Ireland does not recognise all religions. Scientology actually sued for recognition as a religion and lost. > > Satanism wouldn’t even get a look in. > Buddism would probably get recognised if they bothered to ask. To be precise, I think that what Scientology sought was charitable status, which may be granted for the purpose of advancing religion. The Buddhists already have this. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blasphemy-in-ireland/494790/53 "2009-05-05T21:52:23Z")
> [@Laudenum](#): > > If you read Bunracht na hEireann (our Constitution), you will see that blasphemy and sedition are contained within the same article. I’m not disputing the fact, I’m just boggled at the idea that a state that’s nominally not ruled by a church would do that. ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blasphemy-in-ireland/494790/54 "2009-05-06T09:11:59Z")
> [@ruadh](#): > > To be precise, I think that what Scientology sought was charitable status, which may be granted for the purpose of advancing religion. The Buddhists already have this. They’ve applied and not recieved it. I don’t think anything has changed in the mean time that will get them recognised, especially since their “charitable” arms, Narconon and Crimanon don’t do much of anything in Ireland. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blasphemy-in-ireland/494790/55 "2009-05-06T09:18:01Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > I’m not disputing the fact, I’m just boggled at the idea that a state that’s nominally not ruled by a church would do that. I can think of only one state that’s nominall ruled by a church, but quite a number that have blasphemy laws of one kind or another. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blasphemy-in-ireland/494790.md?page=2)