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Thats the trouble with blasphemy laws.They are fine when your religion is the one being blasphemed against but not much fun when some other religion is topdog. End all blasphemy laws.

Maybe christian solidarity worldwide will think about how the rest of us feel when they oppress us.

I have sympathy for the individuals involved but none for the church which does the same to other people who do not agree with it.

The christian churches advice when you go against their nonsense is that you refrain from sinful activity, well in Iran christianity is sinful, so just refrain from it, it must be easy you tell the rest of us to do it. If they don't refrain from christianity they will go to hell or be imprisoned which is fine after all it is what you want in Uganda.

Any other approach would be double standards

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It is regrettable that the state religon of Iran is not more tolerant, however, mainstream Christianity has also exhibited similar intolerance, and not infrequently over time. Sadly, the end result, regardless of the source, is the reduction of religious diversity and constraint on religious experience, all to the detriment of human understanding.

I don't get you all. Listening to the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio show Digging up your Roots podcast on the topic of religion made me cringe, well all religion does in general but this one even more so. Is it that people can only be on the radio if the agree to not raise alarm bells when discussing the brutal historical and ongoing oppression foisted on communities by religion peddlers?

Episode 5
5/8. We look at the role religion played in the lives of our ancestors.
/programmes/b00x8hck/episodes/2011

Religion is not benign and yet it continues to hold power over politicians who meddle with clerics in promoting anti-socialism.

For those of you on the island over there may I recommend and upcoming
conference in Dublin on Blasphemy.

Dublin, June 3 - 5


I am tempted to fly over for the weekend to add my physical support to the project.

It sure is bizarre that the Republic has instituted a blasphemy law in modern times.
How much more influence over reason can the clerics have in Ireland?

Why are ancient superstitions protected as if any of the narratives are true?

Bibles, Torahs, Korans and all other mythologies should be accepted as ad hoc collections of peasant, primitive, science fiction folk tales and fables. Given that ongoing tribal animosities continue around this over populated planet it may take a few more years until there is general acceptance that religious belief is the banner for war, antagonism and hatred of the other when better planning for human settlement and sustenance is sorely needed.

Dan Brown's narrative set in a very interesting part of France is equivalent to any of the other legends.

Surely an all powerful god can withstand the words of mortals without legislative support. If not maybe you should look for a more sustainable all powerful god.

@6
Totally agree. The problems always arise when people decide to "do gods work" themselves. When a god merely resides in someone imagination, then that god will be as violent, nasty and petty as the individual concerned.
When talking about blasphemy, I am always reminded of the atheist car sticker "blasphemy is a victimless crime".

I would have more sympathy for those calling for the release of the blasphemers if they protested just as vigorously for the abolition of similar laws in places like Ireland (who should know better).

I do have sympathy for those arrested in Iran, and not just for blasphemy. This is the country afterall where their recent earthquake was blamed on women not wearing enough clothes....

Glen Haig (@ 7) -

"blasphemy is a victimless crime".

I suppose ultimately you could be right, in that .

I pity, though, the 'comfortable' souls who seem foolishly unaware of this fact.