Brahma's atheist

A line from the stoning scene in The Life Of Brian.
What constitutes blasphemy?
We have blasphemy laws here that protect x-tianity. They were used once recently,I think, in the late 60's or the 70's on a poem or story that had a gay Jesus. They tried to get TLOB on the laws.
Should religion be protected?
Obviously no, it shouldn't.

lunatic.retired

Apparently it is blasphemy to say the word 'christ'.

"the Ballad of John and Yoko" by, of course, John Lennon, contains the the lines;

christ you know it ain't easy/

you know how hard it can be/

the way things are going/

there gonna crucify me/

The word 'christ' was beeped out with two quick beats on the snare drum .
I can't remember when this was released but mid-seventies at a guess.

missus_gumby

Brahma's Atheist is making reference to the 1977 conviction of Gay News (and it's publisher) concerning the poem "The love that dares to speak it's name". Gay news received a small fine and it's editor was treated to a suspended sentence.

The British blasphemy laws were challenged this year on July 11th, by a group of protestors on the steps of St-Martin's-in-the-fields church in London. Eleven of the anti-blasphemy law protestors read a verse of the poem in turn. As far as I know the Crown Prosecution Service has taken no action against the protestors. The Channel 4 news item on the protest can be found <a href="http://www.channel4.com/news/home/20020711/4blas.ram" target="_blank">here</a>. (Needs RealPlayer)

The poem is easy to find on the web.

It would seem that since the death of that christian worthy, Mary Whitehouse, the blasphemy laws in Britain are effectively null and void. No one cares enough to put their beliefs on the line in a court of law, and even if they were, the authorities would be loathe to waste public money on trying to convict where there is no victim.

Martin