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> Which points to a wider issue, sure he was suspicious, but then what? That's exactly the question to which Europe also searches for the answer now. One of t

by acqq 11y ago

> Which points to a wider issue, sure he was suspicious, but then what? That's exactly the question to which Europe also searches for the answer now. One of the reasons everybody bends over backwards to avoid saying anything against the religions in different countries is: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blasphemy_law https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blasphemy_law "In some European countries is the crime of "religious insult", which is a subset of the crime of blasphemy. It is forbidden in Andorra, Cyprus, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Spain, Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Switzerland, Turkey and Ukraine.[30]" "The report noted that, in Europe, blasphemy is an offense only in Austria, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Italy, Liechtenstein, the Netherlands, and San Marino.[contradiction]" Human rights be damned as long as the religions teach against them, you can't call a spade a spade. It would be insulting.

jacquesm 11y ago
I'm quite ashamed to see NL on that list. Really, we should know better than this. But then again, we're also still a monarchy so we have a bit of a history of believing fairy tales.
- maxerickson 11y ago
  The date of the most recent prosecution would be a little bit more telling about the cultural atmosphere than just having the law on the books. For example, only recently did my state repeal some stupid laws, removing them from the state code: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/08/20/it-s-almost-legal-to-swear-in-front-of-your-kids-in-michigan.html http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/08/20/it-s-almost... Still, it was big news 15 years ago when someone was prosecuted under the swearing law, and the courts eventually tossed the law: http://lubbockonline.com/stories/040102/upd_075-8555.shtml http://lubbockonline.com/stories/040102/upd_075-8555.shtml I label that unsurprising inertia more than I label it embarrassing.
  - jacquesm 11y ago
    May 6th, this year someone was prosecuted for 'insulting the king': http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2015/05/f-the-king-demonstrator-taken-to-court-for-insulting-the-monarch/ http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2015/05/f-the-king-dem... This case was dropped because of the tremendous backlash but the law is still on the books. I don't recall when was the last time someone was prosecuted for blasphemy.

by acqq 11y ago

jacquesm 11y ago

I'm quite ashamed to see NL on that list. Really, we should know better than this. But then again, we're also still a monarchy so we have a bit of a history of believing fairy tales.

maxerickson 11y ago
The date of the most recent prosecution would be a little bit more telling about the cultural atmosphere than just having the law on the books. For example, only recently did my state repeal some stupid laws, removing them from the state code: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/08/20/it-s-almost-legal-to-swear-in-front-of-your-kids-in-michigan.html http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/08/20/it-s-almost... Still, it was big news 15 years ago when someone was prosecuted under the swearing law, and the courts eventually tossed the law: http://lubbockonline.com/stories/040102/upd_075-8555.shtml http://lubbockonline.com/stories/040102/upd_075-8555.shtml I label that unsurprising inertia more than I label it embarrassing.
- jacquesm 11y ago
  May 6th, this year someone was prosecuted for 'insulting the king': http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2015/05/f-the-king-demonstrator-taken-to-court-for-insulting-the-monarch/ http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2015/05/f-the-king-dem... This case was dropped because of the tremendous backlash but the law is still on the books. I don't recall when was the last time someone was prosecuted for blasphemy.