Blasphemy

Perhaps blasphemy could come under hate crimes

I was shocked by the scenes of violent protest after this unfortunate woman was acquitted of the charge of blasphemy, and shocked by Imran Khan's capitulation in the face of them. I doubt if this woman will ever be freed, and wonder how long her life will be spared.
Such hatred provoked by differing religious views.

Certainly not Annie - I don't see anyone here suggesting bringing back the death penalty for blasphemy and I hope, as Oldwoman says, that blasphemy never again becomes a crime here.

Religion - the world of tolerance - NOT.

As there is no death penalty in this country varian do you realy think special privileges are going to be given for some to carry it out .

My heart goes out to this woman and her family. Imran Khan did not support them, allowing the appeal to overturn her release to go ahead because he wanted to stop the riots. I just want to smuggle her and her family out in a helicopter and give them a home where they will be safe, and can practice their religion in peace. Surely that is a basic human right that the United Nations should be supporting?

I am a Christian and sometimes see and hear things which I personally find offensive, however, I respect the right of others to voice their opinion of my religion (or any religion). Blasphemy should never again be a criminal offence.

Imran Khan is experienced in Western ways and I hope that he will be able to bring more tolerance to his country now that he is PM.

We cannot decide other country's laws.

However, we can intervene by persuading the authorities in her country to let her leave and by giving this woman and her family sanctuary in this country.

It is the moral and right thing to do.

The point was to highlight the dangers of religious extremism, to ask whether, although blasphemy can offend some people, it should ever be a criminal offence, and to plead for this woman and her family to be given refuge here.

When I read about the abolition of our blasphemy laws ten years ago, I was heartened to see that the then Archbishop of Canterbury supported the move.

Ten years ago we may have been a more tolerant country than we are now. Let's be careful that the various groups (religious and other) currently lobbying for special legal protection, are not indulged to the extent of criminalising blasphemy again.

What was the point of the O/P

And quite right too!!

You are right Annie. At one time blasphemy was a capital offence in this country, but most would now consider that barbaric.

In January 2008, a spokesman for prime minister Gordon Brown announced that the government would consider supporting the abolition of the blasphemy laws during the passage of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill. The government consulted with the Church of England and other churches before reaching a decision. The move followed a letter written to The Daily Telegraph at the instigation of MP Evan Harris and the National Secular Society and was signed by leading figures including Lord Carey, former Archbishop of Canterbury, who urged that the laws be abandoned.

On 5 March 2008, an amendment was passed to the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 which abolished the common law offences of blasphemy and blasphemous libel in England and Wales. The peers also voted for the laws to be abandoned during March. The Act received royal assent on 8 May 2008, and the relevant section came into force on 8 July 2008.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blasphemy_law_in_the_United_Kingdom#Abolition

The last blasphemy case in this country I can recall involved Mary Whitehouse , no one was shot or hanged