Pastor McConnell not guilty of 'grossly offensive' remarks about Islam

[CopyBoy]

Evangelical Christian preacher Pastor James McConnell has been found not guilty of making “grossly offensive” remarks about Islam.

The 78-year-old, from Shore Road in Newtownabbey, County Antrim, denied two charges relating to a sermon he gave in a Belfast church in 2014.

A judge said while he considered the remarks offensive, he did not consider them “grossly” offensive under the law.

Supporters of the pastor applauded when the verdict was given.

Speaking outside court, Mr McConnell said his only regret was the response from the Muslim community that he was “out to hurt them”.

bbc.com/news/uk-35232068

 

[jinglebelle]

bbc.com/news/uk-35232068

I think if the word Islam wasn’t used it would have been something else,cant think what but the word Pastor and Northern Ireland just stays on the side of hate speech,such a bore.

 

[claymcdermott]

When Americans read articles like this, we always feel this surreal distance from the rest of the world, because we forget that you can go to jail for saying mean things in other countries we think of as very similar to our own, and the rules are vague, and semi-ridiculous, and require you to parse the “offensive” from the “grossly offensive.”

 

[JonNC]

When Americans read articles like this, we always feel this surreal distance from the rest of the world, because we forget that you can go to jail for saying mean things in other countries we think of as very similar to our own, and the rules are vague, and semi-ridiculous, and require you to parse the “offensive” from the “grossly offensive.”

And yet this kind of law is beginning to be considered by some.

congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-resolution/569/text

And if it ever does , jury nullification is always a consideration

Jon