The list of quotations, ranging from the humourous (George Carlin and the Monty Python troupe get nods) to quotations from the Bible itself (as its statements can be taken as blashphemous by other religions). The full list is a little too long to quote here but can be found at the following link; Atheist Ireland Publishes 25 Blasphemous Quotes.BBC.co.uk wrote:An atheist group in the Irish Republic has defied a new blasphemy law by publishing a series of anti-religious quotations on its website.
Atheist Ireland says it will fight any action taken against it in court.
The quotations include the words of writers such as Mark Twain and Salman Rushdie, but also Jesus Christ, the Prophet Muhammad and Pope Benedict XVI.
The new law makes blasphemy a crime punishable by a fine of up to 25,000 euros (£22,000; $35,000).
The government says it is needed because the republic's 1937 constitution only gives Christians legal protection of their beliefs.
The new law was passed in July 2009 but came into force on 1 January.
Atheist Ireland responded by publishing 25 quotes it considers anti-religious on its website.
The group said its aim is to have the law repealed and to attain a secular Irish constitution.
Chairman Michael Nugent said it would challenge the blasphemy law through the courts if it were charged, the London-based Guardian newspaper reported.
"This new law is both silly and dangerous," he said. "It is silly because medieval religious laws have no place in a modern secular republic, where the criminal law should protect people and not ideas."
Atheist Ireland says it will hold a series of public meetings around the country to launch its campaign.
Even if Atheist Ireland never gets charged, indeed, even if no-one is ever charged, this is a fucking stupid law to have on the books especially one with such a flimsy excuse for existing in the first place. The Irish government claims the law exists to cover an oversight in the 1937 constitution, that it only guarantees the freedom of religion to Christians. This is a lie. All overt references to specific religions was removed by the Fifth Amendment. It is true that "God" is referenced in the preamble (which has no legal status) as well as with the line
It also does not take a leap of logic to figure out that "Almighty God" probably is not intended to be Allah or, indeed, any not Christian (or even non-Catholic) deity. Even so, this does not negate the rest of Article 44 which expressly states that the State cannot support or endow any religion. Freedom of worship is also guaranteed subject to "public order and morality."The State acknowledges that the homage of public worship is due to Almighty God. It shall hold His Name in reverence, and shall respect and honour religion.
The audacity of the government to try and cover a non-existent oversight with an archaic piece of law pulled out of the middle ages that even if needed could have been better accomplished while safeguarding more fundemental rights with a constitutional amendment disgusts me.
