Man convicted for mocking Jesus, the Pope and Muslims.
Discussion
wtf!
Why does religion get such levels of protection in this country when other ideologies do not? The right to mock and satirise has to be absolute; there cannot be compromise on this even if people are offended.
Would someone who dropped anti-communist leaflets outside the Communist Party of Britain HQs be treated in such a way? How about mocking environmentalists at the Green Party conference?
It's mad.
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1223...
Why does religion get such levels of protection in this country when other ideologies do not? The right to mock and satirise has to be absolute; there cannot be compromise on this even if people are offended.
Would someone who dropped anti-communist leaflets outside the Communist Party of Britain HQs be treated in such a way? How about mocking environmentalists at the Green Party conference?
It's mad.
MEN said:
Athiest who mocked Jesus and the Pope hit with Asbo
April 24, 2010
An atheist who left leaflets mocking Jesus, Islam and the Pope in an international airport’s prayer room has been given an Asbo.
Harry Taylor, 59, from Salford, left home-made posters at Liverpool John Lennon Airport three times in 2008.
The self-styled philosopher denied three counts of causing religiously aggravated harassment, alarm or distress but a jury unanimously found him guilty in less than an hour.
One leaflet showed 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."
Islamic suicide bombers at the gates of paradise were told in another: "Stop, stop – we’ve run out of virgins."
Another leaflet depicted the Pope with a condom on his finger.
Taylor, of Griffin Street, Higher Broughton, told Liverpool Crown Court he was sexually abused by Catholic priests as a youngster.
But he said he bore no grudge against religious people and claimed he was merely trying to convert them to atheism. Taylor, who is unemployed and on medication for depression, said it was ‘preposterous’ to suggest people could be incited to violence by cartoons.
He had adapted newspaper and magazine cartoons and added captions of his own.
But some went way beyond exercising freedom of expression, prosecutor Neville Biddle said, including one that linked Muslims to attacks on airports.
It emerged in court that Taylor was convicted of similar offences in 2006.
He left offensive leaflets in Manchester city centre churches St Ann’s and the Hidden Gem.
Judge James told him: "Not only have you shown no remorse for what you did but even now you continue to maintain that you have done nothing wrong and say that whenever you feel like it you intend to do the same thing again in the future."
Taylor’s Asbo bans him from carrying religiously offensive material in a public place. He was also sentenced to six months in jail, suspended for two years, ordered to do 100 hours’ unpaid work and pay £250 costs.
April 24, 2010
An atheist who left leaflets mocking Jesus, Islam and the Pope in an international airport’s prayer room has been given an Asbo.
Harry Taylor, 59, from Salford, left home-made posters at Liverpool John Lennon Airport three times in 2008.
The self-styled philosopher denied three counts of causing religiously aggravated harassment, alarm or distress but a jury unanimously found him guilty in less than an hour.
One leaflet showed 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."
Islamic suicide bombers at the gates of paradise were told in another: "Stop, stop – we’ve run out of virgins."
Another leaflet depicted the Pope with a condom on his finger.
Taylor, of Griffin Street, Higher Broughton, told Liverpool Crown Court he was sexually abused by Catholic priests as a youngster.
But he said he bore no grudge against religious people and claimed he was merely trying to convert them to atheism. Taylor, who is unemployed and on medication for depression, said it was ‘preposterous’ to suggest people could be incited to violence by cartoons.
He had adapted newspaper and magazine cartoons and added captions of his own.
But some went way beyond exercising freedom of expression, prosecutor Neville Biddle said, including one that linked Muslims to attacks on airports.
It emerged in court that Taylor was convicted of similar offences in 2006.
He left offensive leaflets in Manchester city centre churches St Ann’s and the Hidden Gem.
Judge James told him: "Not only have you shown no remorse for what you did but even now you continue to maintain that you have done nothing wrong and say that whenever you feel like it you intend to do the same thing again in the future."
Taylor’s Asbo bans him from carrying religiously offensive material in a public place. He was also sentenced to six months in jail, suspended for two years, ordered to do 100 hours’ unpaid work and pay £250 costs.
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1223...
TheEnd said:
It's a prayer room.
3 times now he's been told to GTF, and he still keeps coming back trying to troll the guys wanting a bit of peace.
Pushing his views is no different to Jehovah's witlesses knocking on your door.
Secretly, he probably wants to meet another priest again...
I do not doubt the guy is an idiot and an attention seeker but should 'religiously aggravated harassment' really be treated more seriously than simply 'harassment'? The former carry far stricter penalties in this country than the latter.3 times now he's been told to GTF, and he still keeps coming back trying to troll the guys wanting a bit of peace.
Pushing his views is no different to Jehovah's witlesses knocking on your door.
Secretly, he probably wants to meet another priest again...
It's like this 'hate crime' nonsense. Should someone who attacks another for being say homosexual be treated more harshly than another attack which was caused because the victim was fat or odd looking?
I don't know, maybe it should.
Edited by 5unny on Saturday 24th April 18:59
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