Do Sharia states or any Muslim-majority states ever propose criminalizing criticism of Christianity? Why, no. Once again, the efforts at accommodation and gestures of good will come only from one side.
“Justice minister to withdraw blasphemy provision amid backlash,” Ekathimerini, November 12, 2019:
Justice Minister Kosta Tsiaras announced on Tuesday he will withdraw a controversial provision that would re-establish blasphemy as a crime punishable by up to two years sin prison, citing reactions to the proposed legislation.
The minister has announced a series of amendments to the new penal code that was approved by Greece’s Parliament in July this year.
Speaking to television channel SKAI, Tsiaras said the provision is aimed at “protecting the rights of religious minorities” following the tensions created by local communities around Greece against the housing of migrants and refugees who were transferred from overcrowded island camps.
“It will be withdrawn. Considering there is a general understanding that is going against it, I think we have to take it seriously,” he said….
Commenting on the announced withdrawal, Archbishop Ieronymos defended the provision, saying it aims at “protecting, in particularly troubled times, the religious sentiment of the faithful and the overriding interest of social peace and social cohesion,” describing them as rights “that cannot be trampled on by a logic of freedom of speech that includes abuse, hatred and fanaticism.”
Well, at least the Archbishop was forthright in a manner seldom seen, readily acknowledging that he supported the destruction of the freedom of speech.
End PC says
That’s the problem with a growing Muslim population, politicians will pander to them.
Muslim immigration is not your friend.
toomanyhobbies says
um 1.5 billion muslims on the planet….HOW ARE THEY A MINORITY???
owensgate says
The Greek “Education System” must be as infiltrated as the U.S.’s, V. a V. “Progressive Indoctrination”. Apparently, the excesses of 400 years of Ottoman Turk (moslem) Occupation is no longer taught.
gravenimage says
Yes–everyone, *especially* the Greeks, should know the history of their suffering under the Muslim heel, and their brave fight for independence.
elee says
Gee, has anybody ever heard of any Muslims getting prosecuted profaning any Christian, Jewish or Hindu shrine? No? And they want to take away our right to dis al Lah? Lets see, how about the abbreviation FTS?
FYI says
The U.N.-GLOBALIST-MSM sponsored RED-GREEN AXIS credo…
All religions are equal but islam is more equal than others.
All religious/non-religious people are entitled to their beliefs:except Christians Jews,atheists and ex-muslim “apostates” as they are islamophobes.
Any religion can be criticized…except islam:that’s just being racist and ‘islamophobic” ‘hate speech’
mortimer says
Yes … great slogan:
“All religions are equal but Islam is more equal than others.”
gravenimage says
True, elee, FYI, and Mortimer.
Ray Jarman says
Thank the Lord for men like Benjamin Franklyn and Publius, better known as the Federalists, who were prescience enough to understand that the freedom of speech, religion, thought and assembly were the most vital ingredients to a nation statehood. Had these rights not been enshrined into the very fabric of our Constitution, far left fools such as Sanders, Harris, Faocahontas, et al, Americans would be unable to hold any conversation what so ever, as seen in places like the UK and Canada, where people are arrested for stating proven facts.
somehistory says
Christians and Jews recognize that there are other religions in the world…thousands of them…that do not rely on any portion of the Bible for their encouragement and direction for living.
moslims, on the opposing hand, do not recognize any other belief system as a “religion.” To moslims, only islam is a religion. So, when protection for religion is to be considered with a new law or resolution, moslims see this as a protection for them and for no others.
moslims consider it their “right” to insult and threaten all others who hold to a religious belief apart from islam, but do not consider that they are insulting “religions.” To moslims, hatred of all others is their right and duty.
If a nation considers making a law to protect “religion,” it would be necessary to name every religion it seeks to protect. But, even then, moslims would keep right on insulting and threatening Jews and Christians as they do now. And, on top of that, no one would be free to tell the Truth about islam as moslims consider Truth about islam, and its filthy book, to be “slander,” and would accuse those telling the Truth of breaking the law.
gravenimage says
All true, Somehistory.
mortimer says
WHO DECIDES WHAT IS ‘BLASPHEMY ‘OUT OF THE 4,200 DIFFERENT RELIGIONS ???
– US Justice Frankfurter noted that beliefs, which are “dear to one, may seem the rankest ‘sacrilege’ to another,” and added concerning “sacrilegious” speech: “[H]istory DOES NOT ENCOURAGE reliance on the wisdom and moderation of the censor.”
– US Justice Clark in 1952 wrote: “[I]t is enough to point out that the state has NO LEGITIMATE INTEREST in protecting ANY or all RELIGIONS from views distasteful to them. … It is not the business of government in our nation to suppress real or imagined attacks upon a particular RELIGIOUS DOCTRINE.”
– The Irish Law Reform Commission’s 1991 Report opined that “there is NO PLACE for the offence of BLASPHEMOUS LIBEL in a society which respects freedom of speech.”
It refused to allow the prosecution, stating “in the ABSENCE of any LEGISLATIVE DEFINITION of the constitutional offence of blasphemy, it is impossible to say of what the offence of blasphemy consists … In the absence of legislation and in the present uncertain state of the law the Court could not see its way to authorising the institution of a criminal prosecution”.
INDIA’S SUPREME COURT – 2014 Landmark Decision – Overturns India’s Hate Speech Laws
The Supreme Court of India on Monday 3 March 2014, dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) by Advocate M L Sharma seeking intervention by the court in directing the Election Commission to CURB HATE SPEECHES. Dismissing the plea, the Apex court said that it could not curb the fundamental right of the people to express themselves.
“We cannot curtail fundamental rights of people. It is a precious right guaranteed by Constitution,” a bench headed by Justice RM Lodha said, adding “we are a mature democracy and it is for the public to decide. We are 1280 million people and there would be 1280 million views. One is free not to accept the view of others”. Also the court said that it is a matter of perception, and a statement objectionable to a person might be normal to another person.
– Wikipedia
CHARLIE HEBDO commented in NYT
“…the kind of blasphemy that Charlie Hebdo engaged in had deadly consequences, as everyone knew it could … and that kind of blasphemy is precisely the kind that needs to be defended, because it’s the kind that clearly serves a free society’s greater good.” – Ross Douthat, NYT, January 7, 2015
– “The RIGHT TO BLASPHEME RELIGION is one of the most elemental exercises of political liberalism. One cannot defend the right without defending the practice.”
– Jonathan Chait, Daily Intelligencer, January 7, 2015
gravenimage says
+1
Margaret McCann says
Here, Here!
GreekEmpress says
Dhimmies and panderers are everywhere!
Dapto says
Dont worry lefties the Fascist Leftist Greek government will work out another way to introduce these laws.
gravenimage says
Greece: Justice minister tries, fails to criminalize blasphemy in order to protect “rights of religious minorities”
………………
*Good*. No one needs to crush freedom of speech with blasphemy laws to protect the rights of religious minorities–this is just reacting to demands for Shari’ah law. I just hope he doesn’t try again.
More:
Commenting on the announced withdrawal, Archbishop Ieronymos defended the provision, saying it aims at “protecting, in particularly troubled times, the religious sentiment of the faithful and the overriding interest of social peace and social cohesion,” describing them as rights “that cannot be trampled on by a logic of freedom of speech that includes abuse, hatred and fanaticism.”
………………
This Archbishop is an idiot, How long before such a law would be used to crush the rights of his own parishioners? Just look at any Muslim countries.
This also gives the lie to the mistaken but widespread idea that all Orthodox Christians are too savvy about Islam to appease it–but this is, sadly, belied all the time.
Lydia Church says
“…saying it aims at “protecting, in particularly troubled times, the religious sentiment of the faithful and the overriding interest of social peace and social cohesion,” describing them as rights “that cannot be trampled on by a logic of freedom of speech that includes abuse, hatred and fanaticism.” ”
Oh, so he’s going to protect Christians from muslims then?
How nice! Finally justice is served!
That’ll be the day!
Margaret McCann says
Unbelievable an Archbishop would make such a STUPID comment considering the minority is soon going to BE Christians and I do not see ANYONE making any laws to protect them! I guess the Greeks do not have the separation of church and state laws that we do but it seems to me that here in the US we have way too many ILLEGAL intercessions for Muslims and none for the Christians when NEITHER group should be getting any. Also, I would say the majority of Christians in this country are CITIZENS which is something which may not be true about Muslims with the way too open borders allowing them to come in and out at will! I will never be over 9/11 having lost my brother and his wife and raising their 3 daughters from the ages of 3 weeks, 18 months & 34 months, not that we would not do it again as the girls are now beautiful young women who would make their parents proud, however, they had the RIGHT to be raised by their parents & not their aunt and uncle along with 4 cousins. In one day we went from a family of 6 to a family of 9. Our youngest son was only 3 weeks old & my brothers youngest was 7 weeks old and both babies were exclusively breast fed which of course I continued with both but there were days I didn’t know how I managed to keep my eyes open all day. Thankfully, we have a wonderful family and tons of support but WE ARE NOT AN ISOLATED EXAMPLE, we are but one of THOUSANDS of families effected by the 9/11 TERRORIST ATTACK on the WTC. Think of the size of your own extended family and multiply the number of people by 3,000 yet our government seemed more concerned with protecting the INNOCENT MUSLIMS! Have these people ever READ the Quran? I was never more blessed than to have found Robert Spencer & David Woods and all the people who work with them spreading the word about what Islam is really about. I am not saying that Muslims are bad people, they are victims of a 3rd world, violent cult religion which is spreading today due to sheer fanaticism along with the zeal that carries with it and the LIBERAL LEANINGS the US seems to be so eager to push on our citizens. They still do not understand why the democrats did not win over someone like Donald Trump (whom I avidly support) & they will not win in 2020 for the same reason. There is a fear in the US today where people do not tell each other what they really think about certain issues, however, we see what their true opinions are through forums where they can be honest as well as in the voting booth where no one can see who they voted for. My husband and I are afraid to wear our ‘Trump 2020′ hats for fear of some type of retaliation & it is not POLITICALLY CORRECT to even say you support our president (how sick is that) and we still have people who are so plain ole’ out of touch they continue to claim Donald Trump is NOT their president! Ask them who is, however, and you get some really weird looks or comments. Ask your average citizen what they think of the whole illegal alien problem and they will tell you to send them back where they came from to await a hearing like EVERY OTHER NATION, not let them in and HOPE they will return for their hearing. England will send them home within 72 hours of finding them and will seriously fine anyone found to have rented them living space or giving them a job. Here in the US we have sanctuary cities where we actually PROTECT ILLEGAL ALIENS who are living off the US taxpayers, receiving free health care and food stamps & in CA they even give them drivers licences but are not even allowed to use that information to find where they live to deport them, WHAT IS GOING ON???? Now we want to give them free education?
Does anyone remember their history classes regarding how immigration was handled back in the 1800’s when we had wave after wave of immigrants from Ireland, Italy, etc., they came by boat through Ellis Island but if they did not have proof that they had someone to vouch for them and give them somewhere to stay, or a job lined-up or were educated and would quickly be able to be employed they did not let them in. They were required to have a health screening and were sent back whence they came if they had any disease which was communicable to those who already lived in the US. There were no OPEN BORDERS then, people had a lot of paperwork to do in order to immigrate to the US, they did not SNEAK ACROSS THE BORDER AND EXPECT TO HAVE EVERYTHING HANDED TO THEM AND THE REST OF THE COUNTRY HELPING THEM HIDE FROM THE GOVERNMENT!
Finally, I would like to say I really appreciate your site and the information you make available about Islam and what we MUST be educated about in order to fight this dangerous cult. I would, however, like to mention how completely inappropriate much of your advertising is. Many of the articles are about cures for type 1 diabetes and they are absolutely absurd and have absolutely no basis in science or medicine. As a retired physician I assure you these articles are nothing but pure quackery. I have 2 sons with type one diabetes and there are many others who suffer from the disease who are sick to death of having to read this garbage. I clicked on the ‘Trump’s Election Victory in 2020 is Guaranteed’ and was floored that first I had to prove some kind of security check to even see what it was because someone wanted my personal information and I had my VPN on so they were unable to find out my identity or track me (which they will be unable to do anyway because dropping my VPN won’t help them, nice to be married to a computer security expert. Then there are the absurd articles which state that ‘do this and you will be able to last 2.5 hours in bed’. Well, my husband lasts 8 hours in bed provided I do not lock him out for the night (which I do not do, I’m just trying to make a point) the innuendo is simply absurd and only there as click bait which I refuse to even acknowledge. Do you have a system where people can donate to your site so that maybe you can keep your site going without sinking to this level? It really does DESTROY the credibility of the site. It’s the same principle which judges people by who they associate with. If you hang around with these insand advertisers is anything YOU have to say any different?
Thank you for your time and I apologize for the length, I just wanted to share a few things,
Margie
Linde Barrera says
To Margaret McCann-I am very sorry that you lost your brother and his wife in 9/11. But thank our good Lord that you raised their children, and bless you and your husband for doing that.
And like you, I too am very grateful to Robert Spencer and his colleagues at the Freedom Center, PJ Media and the Geller Report for their truthful reporting about the evil doctrines of Islam and how Islam has negatively impacted mankind for at least 1300 years. In my opinion, Muslims are brainwashed; but to their way of thinking, they are just being obedient slaves of Allah. And Allah seems very akin to Satan the devil. Google Quran verses 5:51, 8:12 and 9:5 and see for yourself.
Take care and please post again.
gravenimage says
Margaret, I am *so* sorry about your brother and his wife. Glad to hear about what you were able to do do for their daughters.
If you are new to Jihad Watch, welcome!
gravenimage says
Elsewhere, Archbishop Ieronymos has actually sounded at least somewhat clear on the threat of Islam to Greece:
“Ieronymos referred to some “centers that want to deprive the country from Greek values a place and commented that “the existence of Muslims is not the best” for Greece. […] It is not the risk of Islamization, It is an attempt of tampering by these .centers.”
“The Muslim is not assimilated by the Greek, by the Orthodoxy, he cannot.”
https://www.keeptalkinggreece.com/2016/11/02/archbishop-ieronymos-shocks-those-who-thought-he-was-a-progressive-spiritual-leader/
(try to overlook both the clunky English translation of this article, and its sneering at anyone concerned about the Jihad threat)
This makes Ieronymos’ support for these Shari’ah blasphemy laws all the more disturbing.
Heidi says
Unfortunately we are not only threatened by our unwelcome “guests” but also from within and they are bonding fast. All of Europes press is sneering at the POTUS and are hoping he will be impeached. I hope the European press will fall flat on their face when the Dems make a laughing stock of themselves. This article from 2017 should be a warning to all of us https://www.jihadwatch.org/2017/10/us-antifa-and-other-leftist-groups-met-in-germany-with-al-qaeda-and-isis-to-plot-trumps-destruction
AP says
Restricting free speech is the beginning of slavery!
J D S p says
Blasphemy laws: This failed in Greece for the present, will it fail in the U.S.? At the rate it is being spoken of…No it will not fail! Not right away but with the “NO KNOWLEDGE OF ISLAM” effect by elected officials and the pandering to Muslims for their vote will soon bring blasphemy to the forefront…Should muslims face the same concerning Christians and Jews and many others the cry death to America, the Jews and Christians in general, not be a rallying point for our leaders to stand up and let the world know that we will not bend to the will of Islamist ? I guess not because I don’t find leaders speaking out against the Islamic FORCE and FEAR that has been used from the inception of islam.
Giacomo Latta says
Tsiaris has a great idea here! Islam is blasphemy to Christians. Christianity is blasphemy to Islam. Atheism is blasphemy to both. Let’s all throw ourselves in jail!
gravenimage says
Christians are not throwing Atheists in jail, Giacomo.
Giacomo Latta says
Tsiaris wanted (still wants?) to.
gravenimage says
Awful, Giacomo. Would being Atheist be enough to violate these “blasphemy” laws? That would mean throwing 4% of the Greek population into prison.
toomanyhobbies says
um 1.5 billion muslims on the planet….HOW ARE THEY A MINORITY???
Angemon says
Bad news for all those “refugees” pouring into Greece…