Congratulations to atheist.ie for international publicity success

[Toland]

Great music too.

[Christine Murray]

less of this maybe : http://www.politics.ie/media/119362-...et-threat.html

"Everybody Knows What Blasphemy Is" - A Short Film About Ireland's Blasphemy Law on Vimeo

[Didimus]

A piece on new law on primetime tonight.

[politicsiscomedy]

I have a friend in Rwanda who is keeping up to date with what is happening, with thanks to Athesiet.ie. Well done.

[H.R. Haldeman]

I wish I hadn't watched that. I don't know which was worse. The government rep saying it's just a minor technicality that is undeserving of a referendum since the recent change "will do" and a referendum would be too expensive. Or the Muslim chap telling me in absolutely no uncertain terms that I was not allowed to say bad things about his religious beliefs and that I "had to" respect them.

In fact, I do know which is worse - it's the latter because at least the government have no ideological axe to grind...with them it's just laziness and being broke. Once again, FF fecklessness carries the day! Unbelievable.

[drkpower]

I have a friend in Rwanda who is keeping up to date with what is happening, with thanks to Athesiet.ie. Well done.

I wonder if they think we are an ignorant backward tribal country?

[FutureTaoiseach]

I wish I hadn't watched that. I don't know which was worse. The government rep saying it's just a minor technicality that is undeserving of a referendum since the recent change "will do" and a referendum would be too expensive. Or the Muslim chap telling me in absolutely no uncertain terms that I was not allowed to say bad things about his religious beliefs and that I "had to" respect them.

In fact, I do know which is worse - it's the latter because at least the government have no ideological axe to grind...with them it's just laziness and being broke. Once again, FF fecklessness carries the day! Unbelievable.

Now you know whose really pushing for this law. Note how Ali Selim referenced multiculturalism as justification for it.

Still think multiculturalism is a good idea, Labour/SF/Irish Left?

[Didimus]

Interesting that Thomas Byrne the TD put up to speak for the Minister seemed to think that a referendum would neccesitate a referendum commission. As far as I know such commisions are discretionary, and would not be needed if the gov. did not use gov. resources to fund a campaign.

[Congalltee]

What should have been just giving technical effect to A Supreme Court decision in one section of an act has been highlighted by naive morons into convincing the world Ireland has passed a Blasphemy Law,which has now been adopted by intolerent regimes.

What next? Drive the Catholic Church out of the majority of schools to concentrate on the elite, thereby abandoning the multicultural schools to Local Goverment. Idiotic.

Atheists should be satisfied to believe that there is no god or gods. This campaign is dangerous.

[Didimus]

What should have been just giving technical effect to A Supreme Court decision in one section of an act has been highlighted by naive morons into convincing the world Ireland has passed a Blasphemy Law,which has now been adopted by intolerent regimes.

What next? Drive the Catholic Church out of the majority of schools to concentrate on the elite, thereby abandoning the multicultural schools to Local Goverment. Idiotic.

Atheists should be satisfied to believe that there is no god or gods. This campaign is dangerous.

Once the minister raised the issue that the choice was either a technical measure or a referendum, it was I think reasonable for people to call for a referendum. A similiar situation happened in the Uk a year or so ago, and when the govt proposed an updating of the blasphemy law a broad coalition including religious leaders campaigned to have the law dropped altogether.
Those who are looking to change the constitution might look at how the campaign in Britain was successful.