Where Are Marauding Vikings When You Need Them?

Ireland has passed a law against blasphemy.

I can't believe I just typed that sentence. This is 2009 AD, right?

From the Examiner:

Here is an excerpt from the Blasphemy Clause:

Section 36

(1) A person who publishes or utters blasphemous matter shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable upon conviction on indictment to a fine not exceeding €100,000. [Amended to €25,000]

(2) For the purposes of this section, a person publishes or utters blasphemous matter if (a) he or she publishes or utters matter that is grossly abusive or insulting in relation to matters held sacred by any religion, thereby causing outrage among a substantial number of the adherents of that religion, and (b) he or she intends, by the publication or utterance of the matter concerned, to cause such outrage.

This part of the bill makes it illegal to criticize any religion either verbally or in writing. Saying anything in which a “substantial number” of followers might find offensive would now be a crime in the Ireland. But the bill goes even further. Here is another excerpt:

Section 37

(1) Where a person is convicted of an offence under section 36, the court may issue a warrant (a) authorising any member of the Garda Siochana to enter (if necessary by the use of reasonable force) at all reasonable times any premises (including a dwelling) at which he or she has reasonable grounds for believing that copies of the statement to which the offence related are to be found, and to search those premises and seize and remove all copies of the statement found therein, (b) directing the seizure and removal by any member of the Garda Siochana of all copies of the statement to which the offence related that are in the possession of any person, specifying the manner in which copies so seized and removed shall be detained and stored by the Garda Siochana.

The Garda Siochana is the Irish police who can now (under this law) break into people’s homes and confiscate copies of any book which might be critical of any religion.

From the tone of things I'm reading, I'm getting that it is outrage at disrespectful atheist behavior and probably art (remember the Piss Cross?) that prompted this stupidity.

It is not comforting to know that career politicians all over the world are as stupid as their American counterparts. It severely limits potential emigration destinations.

I guess the Irish are busy, like Øbama, preparing for our return to the Dark Ages.

He's managing the destruction of all the material & economic infrastructure of modern life, and they're seeing to the social and religious de-evolution.

GE is sponsoring the event. And Al Gore will, no doubt, be the new Head of the Inquisition.

The Gunslinger