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Asbo for man who poked fun at religion
Saturday, 24 April 2010
Secularists last night lashed out at a court for handing down an Asbo to a man who distributed anti-religious leaflets, saying the decision would “open the way for every religious extremist to persecute and prosecute their critics”.
Harry Taylor (59) was convicted yesterday of causing religiously aggravated harassment and given a suspended six-month sentence and an Asbo.
Terry Sanderson, president of the National Secular Society, hit out at the conviction.
“The professional ‘offence takers' in religious communities will now feel that they have a strong new weapon to use against anyone who is critical or disapproving of them. It is, in effect, a blasphemy law that covers all religions and is much more powerful than the one that was abolished only two years ago.”
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He was given an ASBO, a 6 months suspended sentence, £250 fine and ordered to do 100 hours community work. This is ridiculous; the punishment is completely disproportionate to the 'crime'. I've seen plenty of Christian flyers threatening me with an eternity in hell if I don't believe - why aren't these churches been prosecuted too?
Posted by Alun | 25.04.10, 08:55 GMT
Does that mean the christians will get ASBO's?
Posted by Puku | 24.04.10, 19:03 GMT
I am also disgusted to hear this. Is this judge right in the head? This type of news should not be buried in the background, but be front page stuff!!
Posted by There is no God!! | 24.04.10, 18:15 GMT
Surely this is an inhringement of this person's right of free speech and self expressuin? Is he not just as entitled to his viewpoint as rhose who practice religion?
Posted by Centaur | 24.04.10, 15:10 GMT
I couldn't agree more with Mr Sanderson. Why should religious ideas have any more protection than any others, such as for example political ideologies. This is a disgusting judgement from which I fear dire consequences.
Posted by John Dale | 24.04.10, 04:00 GMT