Remember those blasphemy charges against Stephen Fry in Ireland? Yeah, that didn't take.

Courtesy of The Independent:  

An Irish police investigation into allegedly blasphemous comments made by Stephen Fry has been dropped after detectives decided there were not enough people who had been outraged by the remarks. 

Police launched an investigation into the presenter, author and comedian after he described God as "capricious", "mean-minded", "stupid" and an "utter maniac" during an appearance on Irish television show "The Meaning of Life" in February 2015. 

The comments were widely reported but did not become a legal matter until a man complained last year, prompting a police enquiry. 

After initial inquiries, officers decided that not enough people had been outraged by Mr Fry's remarks to warrant further investigation, according to the Irish Independent. 

A source told the paper: "This man was simply a witness and not an injured party. Gardaí (Irish police) were unable to find a substantial number of outraged people. 

"For this reason the investigation has been concluded."

So IF they police had found enough people who were sufficiently outraged by the comments, they could have charge Fry?

Well guess where I'm not going on vacation. 

Apparently Ireland still retains archaic anti-blasphemy laws. You know, like that bastion of progressiveness Pakistan. 

In my opinion there is no such thing as blasphemy.

You simply cannot insult an imaginary creature.

That would be like if I was arrested for teasing that a unicorn was nothing but a gay horse.

I mean, come on.

I think it is high time that Ireland join the rest of the Western world in the 21st century, and stop catering to the feelings of religious snowflakes. 

Actor Stephen Fry is being investigated for blasphemy in Ireland for calling God a "maniac." Okay this is still 2017, right?

Courtesy of The Independent:

Stephen Fry is being investigated by Irish police over blasphemy claims more than two years after his outspoken comments about God on RTE's The Meaning of Life went viral. 

Mr Fry described a hypothetical creator as “stupid” and an “utter maniac” for designing a world filled with undue suffering. 

Asked in 2015 by the programme's host, Gay Byrne, what he would say to God if he arrived at the pearly gates of heaven, the actor and author replied: “I’d say, bone cancer in children? What’s that about?” 

The committed atheist added: “How dare you? How dare you create a world to which there is such misery that is not our fault? It’s not right, it’s utterly, utterly evil. 

“Why should I respect a capricious, mean-minded, stupid god who creates a world that is so full of injustice and pain? “We have to spend our life on our knees thanking him? What kind of god would do that? 

“The god who created this universe, if it was created by god, is quite clearly a maniac, an utter maniac, totally selfish.” 

A Gardai spokeswoman told The Independent: “We're not commenting on an ongoing investigation.”

I have seen some version of this video over a dozen times, and I still LOVE it.

What a wonderful response to a stupid question.

Keep in mind this is not happening in Saudi Arabia or Iran, this is happening in freaking Ireland, a place that I think most of us believed to be here with us in the 21st century.

Apparently it also a place where one can be punished for daring to speak ill of a imaginary being.

AFA pastor accuses Pat Roberston of "blasphemy" for daring to point out that Creationism makes Christians look ridiculous.

Courtesy of Raw Story:  

A pastor affiliated with the American Family Association has accused religious broadcaster Pat Robertson of “blasphemy” for mocking creationism. 

Robertson responded to last week’s debate between Bill Nye, “the Science Guy,” and Creation Museum founder Ken Ham by flatly denouncing the idea that the Earth was only 6,000 years old. 

“Let’s be real,” Robertson said on his “700 Club” program. “Let’s not make a joke of ourselves.” 

Rev. Mark H. Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League, argued God established all scientific laws, so “good science will always point to Him.” (And yet, so far it has not.)


“That’s why we need not fear there will ever be a discovery of some scientific fact that contradicts the Bible properly interpreted,” Creech wrote in a column published Sunday by Renew America. 

Creech said he appreciated that Robertson recognized God’s sovereignty over Earth’s creation, but he said the theory of evolution directly contradicted biblical teachings in at least seven specific ways. 

“If Robertson believes that Ham’s literal interpretation of the biblical creation account is a ‘joke,’” the pastor wrote, “then I suggest Robertson’s remarks make him a ham.” 

Ham himself responded in a Facebook post last week to Robertson’s remarks, calling the broadcaster “misinformed and deceived.” 

“Sad that so many will believe him — who is neither a scientist, nor a Bible scholar rather than open their Bibles and see that evolution and millions of years are totally incompatible with the first 11 chapters of Genesis and rather than think for themselves and check out creationist web sites like Answers in Genesis,” Ham said.

Boy do I love it when Fundamentalists fight among themselves.

And really what can you say about a group of people, for whom Pat Robertson is the voice of reason?

Remember this is the same guy who once accused the country of Haiti of making a deal with the devil and said that feminism leads to witchcraft.

So when somebody like that points out that part of your superstitious belief system makes you look like a joke, that is something that you just might want to take into consideration.

How come religious people have such trouble understanding this?

I feel the same way when we are accused of "hating god." How can you hate something that you have found no proof even exists?

Now religious people themselves? Well that is a different story.

By the way G.W. Foote was a secularist who founded "The Freethinker" in 1881. And it is still being published today.

Performing Arts Charter School decides to put on a play about the Bible. Decide to spice it up with gay characters. Christian heads exploding in 3..2..1

Courtesy of Item Live:  

The head of a western Massachusetts charter school says a student production of a play that retells the biblical story of Genesis with gay characters will go on as planned despite objections from some who say it's offensive to Christians. 

Scott Goldman of the Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Public Charter School said in a letter to parents Wednesday that the school has received email petitions and phone calls describing Paul Rudnick's 1998 comedy "The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told" as "blasphemous and hateful."

You know if a theater has to provide extra security because a play has upset "Christians," perhaps they ought to think about changing their name, or perhaps reading about the guy whose name they seem to identify themselves with. 

Besides you remember Jesus right? Long haired guy dressed in robes, that hung around with a bunch of guys, and only let the women touch his feet? Somehow I think he would be okay with this play.

President Obama addresses the UN. A must see speech in my opinion. Update!

The speech is incredibly far reaching in that it honored the memory of Ambassador Stevens, and addressed in a very adult and honest manner the violence that erupted recently in the Middle East.

I found the entire speech quite powerful (Romney might want to simply drop out of the race right about now.), however I found the portion below, where the President discusses how important free speech is to America, to be especially worthy of note.

I know there are some who ask why we don't just ban such a video. The answer is enshrined in our laws: our Constitution protects the right to practice free speech. Here in the United States, countless publications provoke offense. Like me, the majority of Americans are Christian, and yet we do not ban blasphemy against our most sacred beliefs. Moreover, as President of our country, and Commander-in-Chief of our military, I accept that people are going to call me awful things every day, and I will always defend their right to do so. Americans have fought and died around the globe to protect the right of all people to express their views – even views that we disagree with.

I think THAT pretty much says it all. 

I have heard that the GOP is attempting to create controversy over the fact that the President is not meeting privately with any of the visiting UN dignitaries, but personally I think he said just about everything he needs to say to all them in this speech.

Hopefully they will listen to, and understand the importance of, his words.

(P.S. If anybody finds the video of this speech, send it my way and I will embed it here for everybody to watch. Thanks ahead of time.)

Update: here is the video of the President's UN speech. (And as you know it is ALWAYS much better to hear the President speak, then to simply read what he said.)

This is the kind of thing you can show your fundamentalist family members and friends just to watch their pointy little heads explode.

You know the more you learn, the less any of what you have been told in church makes sense.

Indian man faces three years in jail, on charges of blasphemy, for explaining that the local "miracle water" is in fact leaky toilet water.

"Look how can I say this so you understand. You're drinking poopy water."

Courtesy of Secular News Daily:

The local Catholics spotted water dripping from a crucifix in Mumbai’s western suburbs. They eagerly lapped up the “miracle water”, thinking it had magical powers. 

Sanal Edamaruku, president of the Indian Rationalist Association and Rationalist International, inspected the site and pinpointed the source of the water. A leaking toilet drain. 

For explaining that the only “magic power” the water has is to transfer gastrointestinal infections and other disease, Edamaruku now faces up to three years in prison for “blasphemy”. 

"It’s a case of miracle-mongering," Edamaruku told AFP from his home in New Delhi. "Any kind of miracle-mongering is ultimately to get money and power." Accusing him of spreading "anti-Catholic venom" during televised debates on the crucifix, outraged religious groups in Mumbai have filed police complaints that could see Edamaruku jailed for up to three years under India’s blasphemy law. 

Joseph Dias, general secretary of the Catholic-Christian Secular Forum, lodged one of the complaints, claiming it was the result of Edamaruku’s “”very obvious and stridently anti-Christian bias”. Edamaruku, who has spent the last 30 years debunking India’s mystics and gurus who attract massive followings (and fortunes), welcomes the charges as an opportunity to challenge India’s blasphemy law.

Okay now as you know I am constantly taking issue with people putting faith above logical thinking, but I cannot remember when I saw a more clear cut case of  a faith inspired harmful outcome that was rectified by a logical thinker. And for this Sanal Edamaruku faces jail time?

I am not sure where they  get the "anti-Christian bias" here since his discovery has potential saved dozens, if not hundreds, of Christians from contracting a gastrointestinal infection and at the very least rescued them from drinking dirty toilet water.

Unless what they are saying is that they would rather drink feces infused toilet water then have to face the fact that their blind faith might be a detriment to their physical and emotional well being?