Heresy Trial In Greece

[Art Vandelay]

Which, IMO, are against the principle of free speech.

Not IMO. Does this really infringe on one's ability to express one's opinions?

El Greco

Fuss about exposed boobs ? Obligatory warnings for explicit language ? Blurring two computer-generated Australopithecuses having sex in a BBC's documentary ?

I think that it should be pointed out that it is not against the law to have naked breasts or foul language. It is against the law to advertise a broadcast as being of men playing football, but have naked women instead. True, it is a restriction to have to warn one's viewers, but it's not as big a restrictions as you're making it out to be. And AFAIK, the government didn't require the blurring.

If you notice the article, the artist was charged with "insulting public decency".

Am I missing something ?

AFAIK, in the US, the artist wouldn't be charged, whoever displayed would be. Also, in the US, the government can't legislate content, it can only legislate form. Even if the end result is the same, there's an important distinction, as a non-obscene display which "insulted" public decency or a religion would be allowed.

 

[Leif Roar]

What I'd be interested to know is whether any of those 485 pages in the EU constitution allow for such "crimes" and, if so, how they justify them.

The "EU constitution" isn't meant to be the "supreme law of the land," which means that national laws do not get their legality and authority from it. So on the matter of the Greek blasphemy and obscenity laws (note that this discussion is emphatically not about heresy laws,) the EU constitution bears no weight.

 

[Leif Roar]

AFAIK, in the US, the artist wouldn't be charged, whoever displayed would be.

It's not the artist being charged in this case either, but the art curator who was responsible for the exhibition.

 

[Elind]

The "EU constitution" isn't meant to be the "supreme law of the land," which means that national laws do not get their legality and authority from it. So on the matter of the Greek blasphemy and obscenity laws (note that this discussion is emphatically not about heresy laws,) the EU constitution bears no weight.

I see. However the EU does require some things like no death penalty. I'm surprised that they don't weight more heavily on freedom of expression.

 

[Kopji]

Blasphemy and heresy laws are actually there for the good of the offender ("perp").

You see, if there weren't trials and legal punishment, religious people would get angry and violent toward them. So the laws are a civilized way of dealing with the problem of offenses to religious sensitivities.

The UK has a blasphemy law too...











The Earth? Oh, the Earth will be gone in just a few seconds.

 

[Elind]

Blasphemy and heresy laws are actually there for the good of the offender ("perp").

You see, if there weren't trials and legal punishment, religious people would get angry and violent toward them. So the laws are a civilized way of dealing with the problem of offenses to religious sensitivities.

The UK has a blasphemy law too...

And in the Coconino Forest; what do they do? Ask people to ignore what they perceive is ignorant and behave like civilized adults?

 

[Kopji]

And in the Coconino Forest; what do they do? Ask people to ignore what they perceive is ignorant and behave like civilized adults?

We just hang out roasting lizards, pretending they's-a homosexuals.