Sir, – Aisling Bastible (September 28th) asks, "How does removing this offence from our Constitution . . . make us a better or more progressive nation" and believes that "the offence should ... remain in the Constitution".
First it is not an offence in the Constitution. Article 40.6.i.i requires that it be punished in accordance with the law. This requires that the legislature pass law specifically about blasphemy and definitions thereof. Asking a government to define blasphemy is an onerous task open to many pitfalls, as the current legal definition quoted by Ms Bastible demonstrates this perfectly. Under it any humanist declaring that there are no gods is committing blasphemy within the meaning of the law and is therefore potentially liable to prosecution for their beliefs.
Additionally declaring in the Creed “there is only one God” is similarly blasphemous to polyglot religions of which there are many. Or declaring that one’s own god exists exclusively over others religions’ gods is similarly blasphemous and risks prosecution.
Even within the different branches of religions such as the issue of transubstantiation within Christian branches could be viewed as potentially blasphemous.
All of this may seem pedantic until one realises that Middle Eastern and Far Eastern and other countries are using Ireland’s law as an example of “best practice” at the UN and within their own countries to justify blasphemy prosecutions with lengthy sentences and even execution of “religious dissidents”.
Our Constitution places blasphemy in the same sentence with sedition and indecent matter. Open conversations about religions and religious influence are not possible in a modern state when there is the case for anyone challenging the status quo.
It is a sledgehammer against free speech and a tarnish to our society and our image and position at the UN.
This is why we need to vote Yes to free our legislature from this requirement and allow our society to move on to an open and pluralist one and keep our place of the world stage. – Yours, etc,
ANDREW DOYLE,
Bandon,
Co Cork.