It was reported last year that the UN passed a measure to make blasphemy a criminal offense. The measure, "Combating Defamation of Religions," passed with a vote of 85-50. This has been a great concern ever since.
This should concern every American, not just atheists as some might think. This threatens to undermine our rights to freedom of expression - freedom of speech. It becomes criminal to call out religious people who regularly commit atrocities in the names of their deities.
Certainly atheists are not the only people who recognize and discuss the acts that pertain to certain religious groups. Can you imagine what it would have been like to have been required by law to refrain from discussing the brutality of the religious beliefs held by those who were responsible for the 9/11 attacks, for example? Can you imagine being imprisoned for expressing your thoughts on that? Can you imagine dieing for it?
Some nations, including Canada, the US, and Israel have decided to boycott the coming UN Geneva meeting that will be held in April concerning this topic because the language of it threatens human rights. It seems more importance is placed on protecting the "rights" of an idea as opposed to the rights of humans - which, of course, is absurd.
An Associated Press (AP) report said that the US will reconsider their decision to stay away if certain parts of the document are dropped. Reportedly, "[t]he Obama administration would reconsider its position if the document improves in a number of areas including dropping references to any specific country, references to defamation of religion which the U.S. views as a free speech issue, and language on reparations for slavery."
In an interview, Lou Dobbs spoke to Christopher Hitchens on this issue. (Story continues below video.)
It was reported that Bennett Graham, international program director with the Becket Fund, said last year that this document "provides international cover for domestic anti-blasphemy laws, and there are a number of people who are in prison today because they have been accused of committing blasphemy,” Further, he said that "[t]hose arrests are made legitimate by the UN body’s (effective) stamp of approval.”
The AP report said that "French diplomat Daniel Vosgien said in December that his country was firmly opposed to the idea of banning criticism of religion."
There are several groups, like American Atheists, that are speaking out against the "new BINDING UN Resolution restricting people from ridiculing religion, specifically Islam." David Silverman, National Communications Director of American Atheists, is speaking out and is encouraging other to do so as well. He said:
The United States is a nation where freedom of religion, press, and speech are paramount. They are our First Amendment. We will not back down and bow to pressure from any governing body who seeks to take our freedoms away. We will not yield to terrorism cloaked in politics.
The American Atheists convention will be held this April in Atlanta, during which attendees will be invited to participate in a protest of this resolution. According to Silverman, "those who so choose will defy the UN's demands that we keep quiet about the absurdity of religion in the name of political correctness. We will, en-masse, recite a statement ridiculing God, Allah, Muhammed, and any other mythological being or false prophet and openly plead guilty to the victimless "crime" of blasphemy. People will be given the opportunity to speak their personal views and give their names. We will then challenge the US to arrest us for this crime, or openly rebuke the UN's resolution." (His bolding of text.)
Those who are not attending the convention are encouraged to participate in the protest as well... all people, not just atheists. Silverman said, "We all enjoy the right to openly criticize each other (as we often do), and we invite people of all religious and theological beliefs to join us in this effort by recording their own blasphe-ME event, or even a personal statement, and posting it on the Internet. Of course, those who believe in a deity are expected to blaspheme gods in which they do NOT believe, as is their right (unless/until the UN gets its way). This is one issue where every American of every religion should be on our side." (Again, his bolding of text.)
Silverman has issued his protest statement. It follows:
My name is David Silverman. I openly and freely state that religion is ridiculous, and all gods are fictional. I also state that Islam, specifically, is a barbaric religion, based on the teachings of a false prophet, that promotes ignorance, hate, and violence (including terrorism). I plead guilty to blasphemy and promise to do so in court if need be. I do this in direct violation of the UN resolution, and I personally challenge President Obama to rebuke this resolution, or order my arrest.
Comments
Here is a perfect example of why freedom OF religion requires freedom FROM religion! Christians and atheists alike should speak out against this issue!!
Imagine:
*Christians in otherwise free nations will not be allowed to claim other religions are false.
*It will be illegal for any citizen to speak out against Islam... or Sharia Law!
We have a long way to go before basic freedom of speech exists worldwide...
Freedom of speech is of paramount importance.
How can this possibly even work? Christian preaching is blasphemy against Islam, Islamic preaching is blasphemy against Christianity, etc. Blasphemy laws only make sense in countries with a single religion, and there are fewer and fewer of those around.
Yet another example in a long line of examples why the UN needs to be kicked to the curb.
Theocracy is such a scary thing.
Looks like us religious folk and you athiests have a common enemy now... the UN :P
"dieing," are you serious? it's spelled "dying."
The best defense Christianity has against Islam is being able to criticize Islam in public. Any international law against such free speech will be HUGE trouble for us. I will readily allow ALL religions to be criticized if the alternative is allowing NONE to be criticized.
In open criticism, the best ideas will rise to the top. In a closed, gag-order system the most violent will win the most power, which will not be Christianity (nor secularism or atheism).
"Looks like us religious folk and you athiests have a common enemy now... the UN"
You religious folks are responsible for the majority in the UN that voted for this.
Such a law is good. Instead of criticizing another religion one can promote the merits truth. For example, one can say that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true church in the world. This statement discounts any other religion without criticizing them.
Is there any international petition to sign against this ridiculous measure? I'm not american. I live in a country where 95% of the population is muslim, and I want to be free to say that I'm a atheist!
This is a step back into the dark ages.
Be warned.
Don't complain when you have lost the right to speak as you do here. Act now before you have lost the right to speak.
Act.
Is this for real? I'm very much a theist, a Christian at that, and perosnally I would consider it an abomination to prohibit people from criticising my OWN religion, never mind any religion at all. What a ludicrous concept.
I find it depressing that it would so much as be seriously considered, myself.
We are doomed, this nation should not and most will not bow to any UN mandate or law. It is hoigh time to throw the bastards out.
I fully agree with the resolution and demand that it must be implemented with full force with respect to hinduism.
Books which blaspheme hinduism are Bible - old testament and new testament, Quran and various other books of these 2 religions. Their teachings are blasphemy as far as hinduism is concerned, since the very first dictat of hinduism is that "Everybody is free to have their own personal Gods and also to not have any God, to have any view or to not have any view. No God is superior or inferior to any god or to no god. You can worship anybody in any form. You can do all of that till you give the same absolute freedom to others to do as they wish". Both Islam and christianity by proclaiming that theirs is the only true religion and by calling idol worshippers (sizeable population of hinduism) infidels and kafirs they blaspheme. HENCE, I DEMAND THAT THEY MUST BE BANNED AND JESUS AND MOHAMMAD ARRESTED (IN THEIR ABSENSE, POPE AND VARIOUS PRIESTS AND MULLAHS) MUST BE ARRESTED TO ENFORCE MY RIGHT UNDER ANTI-BLASPHEMY LAWS.
Request other followers of ancient religions to place their viewpoint.
OBAMA IS A SHADY ASS LIAR>> worst prez ever!
As far as I'm concerned, Islam is a valid target for criticism and mockery. So is Christianity. So is Atheism, and so is this ridiculous United Nations resolution.
Once an idea enters the mass consciousness, it's fair game to be analysed, contributed to, joked about or argued against.
If you don't want to be a part of such conversation, by all means isolate yourself as you see fit, but I'm sure as hell not going to let anyone criminalise me for thinking a certain way. Which is what this amounts to.
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