Holy #$%#$#%&! The Church Accepts Dropping Blasphemy Laws

We’re in the U.K. now, understand. Here, blasphemy has been some kind of misdemeanor since well before Disraeli was making fun of Lord Acton. Now they’re about to be repealed, and although Church leaders have signaled that they’re willing to accept the inevitable, they urge caution and hope that repealing the laws won’t result in a rise of religious hatred and abuse against the Anglican church. PM Gordon Brown himself has said he wants to consult the CoE before coming to any decisions himself.

Sounds funny to hear that the Church is dropping it’s resistance to repealing a blasphemy law, doesn’t it? It puts the Church canoodling in the same bed with atheist and Oxford professor Richard Dawkins, et al. Eeeeww! $%$(&*(8@#4!!! But, understand, that to be anti blasphemy laws, is not the same as being pro-blasphemy. To be blasphemous, I think, is choice that consensual adults ought to be able to make in the privacy of their homes, or indeed, in the public square where we routinely bow, in passing, to the god of Free Speech.

The only people around these days who believe in blasphemy laws are extremist Muslims. And as Salmon Rushie knows (he is among the supporters of the move to drop the laws—surprise), in the muslim world, if you blaspheme you could be put to death--and they don't seem to see the irony.

The issue has generated considerable debate: One blogger wrote — “The Church of England has already promoted the greatest blasphemy of all time when it allowed the 'ordination' of women. That it should agree to the elimination of the law of blasphemy comes as no surprise, for they have completely lost the plot to the atheists.”

Said another: “Why is it perfectly fine for everyone to have a go at Christianity but mention a minority religion and it's hell to pay? This is nothing more than the secularists pushing their agenda again, they can believe or not what they like but IF they wish to pursue this course then it should apply equally to all religions and not just be anti-Christian in bias.”

On a related matter, in southern California—of all places—while the Brits are dropping laws against blasphemy, one municipality is adopting cussing laws. South Pasadena’s just gone through its first NO CUSSING WEEK, and it plans to observe such a week the first week of March every year. Town leaders are hoping that people will make an effort to be more civil.

“That's one of the purposes of this,” Mayor Michael Cacciotti said of his city's proclamation designating the first week of March as No Cussing Week. “It provides us a reminder to be more civil, to elevate the level of discourse.” [from CNN]

Well, I think both ideas are good ones. No point having a law that’s not being use or has no legal force. And quaint little laws like the one in South Pasadena are indeed good reminders. And it feels good to think there are people out there who foul language as a problem.

Christians, of all people, are people of the Word, and the gracious word, seasoned (says Paul). The text is Colossians 4:6: “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone.” And, of course, there’s James 3.