Stephen Fry faces blasphemy probe after God comments
Police in the Republic of Ireland have launched an investigation after a viewer claimed comments made by Stephen Fry on a TV show were blasphemous.
Officers are understood to be examining whether the British comedian committed a criminal offence under the Defamation Act when he appeared on RTE in 2015.
Fry had asked why he should "respect a capricious, mean-minded, stupid god who creates a world.... full of injustice".
He later said he was not "offensive towards any particular religion".
According to a report in the Irish Independent newspaper , no publicised cases of blasphemy have been brought before the courts since the law was introduced in 2009 and a source said it was "highly unlikely" that a prosecution against Fry would take place.
'Such misery'
Appearing on The Meaning of Life, hosted by Gay Byrne, in February 2015, Fry had been asked what he might say to God at the gates of heaven.
Fry said: "How dare you create a world in which there is such misery? It's not our fault? It's not right. It's utterly, utterly evil. Why should I respect a capricious, mean-minded, stupid god who creates a world which is so full of injustice and pain?"
He went on to say that Greek gods "didn't present themselves as being all seeing, all wise, all beneficent", adding "the god who created this universe, if it was created by god, is quite clearly a maniac, an utter maniac, totally selfish".
The Irish Independent reported a member of the public made a complaint to police in Ennis in the same month the programme was broadcast. He was recently contacted by a detective to say they were looking into his complaint.
The viewer was not said to be offended himself but believed Fry's comments qualified as blasphemy under the law, which carries a maximum penalty of a fine of 25,000 euros (£22,000).
The law prohibits people from publishing or uttering "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 government said at the time it was needed because the republic's 1937 constitution gives only Christians legal protection of their beliefs.
'Absolutely astonished'
Fry's representatives have been contacted for a comment.
Speaking to the BBC in 2015, Fry said he had been "absolutely astonished" by some of the reaction on social media to what he had said on the show.
He said: "I don't think I mentioned once any particular religion and I certainly didn't intend, and in fact I know I didn't say anything offensive towards any particular religion."
A police spokeswoman told the BBC: "We are not commenting on an ongoing investigation."
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-39830447
Tags
Who is online
393 visitors
Blasphemy? As a criminal charge? In a modern Western nation? In 2017? Are they fucking insane? I mean come on. Blasphemy? Really?
You should probably not visit Ireland ... ever !
Even the Irish are not that backwards!
Ain't that the truth. Say there ain't no god and they might as well bring back the stocks in the public square! What the hell century is this anyway? Are we gonna start burning witches next?
According to a report in the Irish Independent newspaper , no publicised cases of blasphemy have been brought before the courts since the law was introduced in 2009 and a source said it was "highly unlikely" that a prosecution against Fry would take place.
They introduced this law in 2009!!! Not in 1009! or 1109! or 1209! But in 2009! Are they out of their fucking minds to introduce a "Blasphemy" law in 2009??? What the hell were they thinking? Or were they thinking at all?
Don't worry. By the end of the year Trump will have an executive order outlawing blasphemy of the judaeo/christian faiths....only.
A very reasonable argument. Although the interviewer looks extremely uncomfortable about it.
I loved him on "V for Vendetta" along with Hugo Weaving.
Human beings ascribe to God not only human characteristics, but more importantly, human intentions and motives. It would be hard to imagine a more pointless exercise than trying to fathom God's purposes. By definition God is beyond our understanding.
What is always amusing is watching atheists embrace the same language (giving God human emotions, understanding and motives) in discussing God as some believers use.
No, what's really funny is the Bible stories depicting God to be nothing like what you describe it as.
Hal, we are within nature. God is, at least partly, outside of nature, by definition.
Religions are cultural expressions of an urge to try and understand ultimate questions of existence. They succeed or fail just like human beings succeed or fail at everything else they do. Because Catholic doctrine might not be literally true doesnt invalidate adherence to it. This is the point you and other atheists always miss. The most dedicated Catholic priest in the world will tell you that in the end they don't KNOW that their religion is true. They have "faith" that it is. That is the human expression that relates to something that no one who has ever lived could possibly know.
I don't really care if people want to believe in things I think are nuts. They can insist on believing that the moon is made of cheese for all I care. Unfortunately, when those beliefs lead to mass discrimination of people who don't think like they do, we have a problem.
You don't know whether it is nuts or not.
As for people following it, people have followed all sorts of belief systems that have gone astray, and probably always will.