Ian O'Doherty's blasphemous statement:

So, here we go -- Catholicism is a cannibal cult which eats its leader, Jews who believe that God wants them to settle in the Holy Land are deranged lunatics, Muslims who wants to install Islamic law are nothing but fascist terrorists and Scientologists are nothing but a bunch of brainwashed weirdos who have been suckered by the malicious rantings of a failed science-fiction writer.

Alright lads, I'll see you in court.

Although i disagree with Ian on some issues, he makes me laugh more than any other columnist in the Independent.......

This Blasphemy crap needs to go.

This Blasphemy crap needs to go.

It sure does. It seems so crazy after we just got rid of ours last year.

The part that I am amazed at is why the fine has remained so high! If, as the minister suggested, they were just keeping in line with the demands of the Irish Constitution by having the law on the books---then why not make the fine 1 euro.
But 25,000???????

I hope someone who gets paid to inform us of these issues actually does some work and finds out why this has come to the forefront NOW after so many years in obscurity. I have my own ideas, but I of course could be wrong.

Ian O'Doherty's blasphemous statement:

This is not blasphemy. Blasphemy involves an insult which is leveled directly at a deity; all this statement does is insult the members of various religions. It could be considered slander or libel but not blasphemy. I like this definition of the term:

Blasphemy, n[/n]. [i]Your irreverence to my deity.

You'd think, though, with all that smiting, Sodom and Gomorrah, flood and plague stuff that god could look out for himself without the help of puny human laws.

This is not blasphemy

I agree.

God is made in man's image so too god is insulted when people laugh at and scoff at the ridiculousness of religion. He imitates his creators.

Mankind is God's reality television show.