There was an article in Monday's Chronicle that reported that the Republic of Ireland has passed a new blasphemy law - the previous law was fundamentally unprosecutable, but this new one no doubt has the lawyers drooling, to the tune of 25,000 Euros. The godless horde of Eire has mounted an online campaign to mock and expose the futility of this law, but they need not bother: the combination of European kneejerk political correctness and modern litigiousness will undermine the admirable intent of the law. The text of the law states that one could be convicted of blasphemy if "he or she publishes or utters matter that is grossly abusive or insulting in relation to matters held sacred by any religion, thereby causing outrage among a substantial number of the adherents of that religion." The italics are my addition.
So, here is my prediction. The attempt at tolerance which the italicized portion highlights will backfire as the overly sensitive members of each religious group, and particularly the legal minds among them, seek to find fault in the writings of other religions. This will force every group into a defensive position, and nobody will dare say anything on religion. The biggest victims, of course, will be the individuals who did not intend to offend and cannot afford the lawyers whom institutions hire.
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