Atheist given Asbo for leaflets mocking Jesus

[didymus]

The Independent:

Atheist given Asbo for leaflets mocking Jesus

An atheist who left leaflets mocking Jesus Christ, Islam and the Pope in an airport’s prayer room has been given an Asbo.
Harry Taylor, 59, from Higher Broughton, Salford, left the anti-religious posters in prayer rooms at Liverpool John Lennon Airport in November and December 2008.

One of the posters Taylor left at the airport depicted a smiling crucified Christ next to an advert for a brand of “no nails” glue. In another, a cartoon depicted two Muslims holding a placard demanding equality with the caption: “Not for women or gays, obviously.” A third poster showed Islamic suicide bombers at the gates of paradise being told: “Stop, stop, we’ve run out of virgins”.
Terry Sanderson, president of the National Secular Society, has been left angry over the conviction.

“The six month sentence may have been suspended, but it is still totally out of proportion for what Mr Taylor did. The ** professional ‘offence takers’ **in religious communities will now feel that they have a strong 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 which was abolished two years ago.”

The headline is rather misleading – he wasn’t arrested just for mocking Jesus but other faiths as well.
I love the line about professional offense-takers; I don’t know about the UK but over here they are the atheists always looking for a cross they can demand be taken down (like the city seal of Los Cruces)or an AD or “year of our Lord” to be removed from official documents.

Qy; what is asbo?

 

[Call_Me_V]

I love the line about professional offense-takers; I don’t know about the UK but over here they are the atheists always looking for a cross they can demand be taken down (like the city seal of Los Cruces)or an AD or “year of our Lord” to be removed from official documents.

I agree, there are many atheists who are a little too obsessed with ridding the world of nativity scenes and whatnot. However, this man should not be punished just for handing out leaflets. There’s such a thing as freedom of speech, and it should be defended, even if the person is spreading something vile and evil. Unless these people are going to punish Christians who hand out Christian leaflets, it would be unjust to punish this man just for passing out his leaflets.

Now, if he broke into these rooms in order to hang up these posters, or if there were rules banning posters, etc. then he should be punished. But he shouldn’t be punished just for being offensive.

Look at Chick tracts, for instance. Keep in mind I despise Jack Chick as much as Catholics do. Even though the things that he writes are untrue, cruel, misleading, and offensive, he should not be punished for writing or distributing them, because we have freedom of speech and that means that even mean and rude people get to say what they want.

V

 

[didymus]

Thanks.
Sounds like the closest thing in US law is an order of protection, usually used in domestic violence cases.

 

[Call_Me_V]

Ah. I was not paying attention, I didn’t realize this was in Britain. Well, obviously, the British government should punish him if he broke the law (though personally I think that they should have freedom of speech the way we do – just a suggestion, Britain )

V

 

[Call_Me_V]

Sorry, I wasn’t trying to sound arrogant or condescending towards Britain. I just really like freedom of speech

V

 

[Call_Me_V]

Well, I’m not an anarchist, but I do have some libertarian leanings.

Finally, someone who understands

Oh, I know. I just prefer as much freedom of speech of speech as is feasible.

V

 

[Call_Me_V]

I agree, handing out leaflets just seems like a waste of paper. Who’s ever been converted by such methods? Especially when it was just stupid jokes, not even actual arguments.

V

 

[Kaninchen]

Well, it all seems really silly - except that there’s an argument that the fewer clearly bonkers people around airports the better.

 

[Santi2]

I agree, handing out leaflets just seems like a waste of paper. Who’s ever been converted by such methods? Especially when it was just stupid jokes, not even actual arguments.

V

One must consider that, while the Christian and Jewish faith communities can be appeased by ASBO’s, there are factions of the Islamic faith over here who may take serious offence and not take the conduct as a “joke”. The purpose of the order is to curb anti-social behaviour. Handing out leaflets to evangelise is an entirely different matter where the intent is to convert or ecumenical in nature, not to ridicule.