HumanistNetworkNews.org
May 14, 2008
The long standing British blasphemy laws were officially abolished on May 8, 2008. And good riddance to their long, repressive reign—say humanist and free speech advocates.
The blasphemy laws were based on a centuries old notion that "faith" was at the heart of a moral society. To challenge or offend the official faith was akin to threatening the fabric that held British society together.
The laws specifically prohibited "insult to the tenets and beliefs of the Church of England." It did not include Judaism, Islam, or any other religions in its purview.
The amendment to abolish the "common law offenses of blasphemy and blasphemous libel," was part of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act of 2008. The amendment was put forth in Parliament by Dr. Evan Harris, a Liberal Democrat MP, and, in the House of Lords, by Lord Avebury, also a Liberal Democrat.
Hanne Stinson, chief executive of the British Humanist Association (BHA), told the Humanist Network News, that although the laws were rarely enforced, the fact that they existed caused self-censorship in speech, filmmaking, literature and other art forms.
The last person to be sent to prison for blasphemy was a man named John William Gott in 1922. He received nine months hard labor for comparing Jesus Christ to a circus clown.
In 1977, a religious conservative brought a private prosecution against the Gay News for publishing an erotic poem called "The Love That Dares To Speak Its Name." Written by James Kirkup, the poem is a narration by a Roman centurion who graphically describes making love to the dead body of Jesus Christ. The poem was banned in 1976 under the blasphemy laws.
The judge said it was "touch and go" whether he would send the publisher to jail; but, in the end, no jail time was served.
On the 25th anniversary of the poem, Stinson and other members of the BHA stood of the steps of the Church of St. Martin in the Field (with the church's permission), and read the poem aloud to protest the blasphemy laws. While police were at the scene, they made no arrests.
In 1989, Nigel Wingrove's short video about the visions of St. Theresa of Avila, "Visions of Ecstasy," was banned for blasphemy. The 18-minute film, which was meant to be viewed on British television, was denied a certificate by the British Board of Film Classification.
The film showed St. Theresa of Avila caressing and kissing Christ and includes shots of her being erotically touched by a female character representing her psyche. Wingrove said his film was inspired by Bernini's sculpture "The Ecstasy of St. Theresa," and by the saint's own writings.
Denial of a certificate prohibited the 18-minute film from being shown or distributed in cinemas or on video cassettes anywhere in Britain.
Stinson said that her group has campaigned for many years against the blasphemy laws.
In support of its overthrow, the BHA gave written submission to the House of Lords' Select Committee and presented oral evidence. In addition, over 1,000 members of the BHA e-mailed their MP's to urge them to support the repeal, said Stinson.
The British Humanist Association has doubled in membership to approximately 8,000 in the past few years, according to Stinson.
Stinson feels that this is partly due to the fact that both non-believers and supporters of free speech have become alarmed by the increased religious tone in public life, replacing what had been a more secular-friendly, or at least neutral, public arena.
In recent years, "religious organizations have been vociferous," said Stinson. "Every organization consults faith-based leaders. It didn't used to be that way."
Most British surveys have found that approximately 40 percent of Britons identify as "non-religious." However, among those who describe themselves as practicing Christians, more are vocal and politically active, said Stinson.
Former prime minister, Tony Blair, was outspoken about his belief in God in a way that Americans are familiar with from some of our own politicians, such as President George W. Bush and former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee.
While the majority Labour Party is fairly secular, it's disproportionately Christian at the top, said Matt Cherry, executive director of the Institute for Humanist Studies, and a British citizen.
Britain's current prime minister, Gordon Brown, describes himself as a practicing Christian. In contrast, Labour leaders of the 1970s and 1980s, such as Michael Foot and Neil Kinnock, were open about their atheism and agnosticism respectively.
Stinson said that she doesn't think that abolishing the laws themselves will make that much of a difference. She does feel that it will take away the "threat that is hanging over people."
In addition, it will serve to remove the argument made by believers of other religions, that they deserved the same kind of "protection" that was granted to those who were members of the Church of England.
