OK, I am proud of my Irish heritage. While I am an American, through and through… I appreciate my family’s history. As with any heritage’s history, there are some real high-notes and there are some real low-notes.

You’d think after the inquisition and the crap that comes with enforcing law based on religion — we’d learn a thing or two from our past failures. Right?

Apparently not. When I started this blog, I promised myself I would not write much on politics or religion. With both issues, there is enough bullshit being published on the Web.  However, this is one issue that I cannot keep my mouth shut about:

CNN says lawmakers in staunchly Catholic Ireland passed the law in July, but it came into force January 1.

According to the new law, a person breaks the law by saying or publishing anything “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.”

CNN says those found guilty of breaking the blasphemy law may try to defend themselves by proving that a reasonable person would find literary, artistic, political, scientific or academic value in what they said or published, the law says.

Full article here: Irish Atheists Challenge Nation’s New Blasphemy Law

Really? Are you fecking kidding me?

I can’t believe that this law was actually passed. You’d think people would have ENOUGH common sense to not support such bullshit. Trying to prosecute anyone that speaks their opinion about a particular religion, REALLY? Are followers so insecure about what they believe in that they must silence any opposing believers?

Gah.

I believe that you should be able to practice ANY belief structure that you want. IN YOUR HOME. Religion has NO place in law, tax-support civil units (such as schools), and the minute your freedom of expression is taken away or threatened… consider yourself back in the dark-ages.

I have always planned to retire to Ireland. South Ireland of course, and if they actually begin to enforce this garbage — I suppose I will make the perfect outlaw.

• Irish Blasphemers Unlikely to be Prosecuted (lezgetreal.com)
• Blasphemy Becomes Illegal January 1, 2010 in Ireland (lezgetreal.com)
• Blasphemer! That’ll be €25,000 please (moshblog.me.uk)