What's Wrong With Blasphemy? - Antitheists
April 19, 2012Stewart Lee shows how America does not have a monopoly on the religious right. Usually quiet non confrontational, the Christians in Britain went all out to decide to be offended by "Jerry Springer The Opera." Many of those protesting had not seen the play, instead they had decided to be offended because they were told the play was blasphemous and offensive. The widely held view was that Jesus was depicted as a sexual deviant who wore a nappy/diaper, he wasn't and he didn't. .
They picketed performances, stopped it being televised and in the end no theatre dared to house "Jerry Springer the Opera." The Christians now mobilised were not going to be stopping at anything less than complete closure. Surprisingly the Christian protesters even prevented a charity night performance in aid of a cancer hospice, threatening to picket the hospice itself. Blasphemy is a victimless crime and for the Christians to actively prevent a benefit gig for patients is totally beyond me. Raising funds for a worthy cancer charity not seen as important by the Christians, at least not as important as their offence at the play many had not seen.
This kind of action on the part of the religious makes me more determined to not be worried at causing offence with any of our forthcoming campaigns and protests. It is though inevitable the religious will call campaigns against religious harm unacceptable, offensive and an attack on them directly. Religion the ship of hypocrisy, upon which all the hypocrites righteously sail the intangible sea.
Posted by Russell John.
The rights of an individual to practice their faith ends where the rights of another to not be encroached upon begins.
