In a delightful move, two judges have turned down Christian Voice’s attempt to prosecute Mark Thompson, the BBC’s Director General, for blasphemy in having broadcast ‘Jerry Springer: The Opera’.
The decision was welcomed by human rights pressure group Liberty, who said it had “critically weakened outdated blasphemous libel laws”.
“Today’s ruling is a blow to bigotry,” said the group’s legal officer Anna Fairclough. “The obvious next step is to repeal this outdated offence.”
Absolutely. The concept of blasphemy in a mature, 21st century society is abhorrent. It should be wiped immediately from the statute books. Christian Voice says:
“Clearly, if Jerry Springer the Opera is not found in court to be blasphemous, then nothing in Britain is sacred. We have to take a stand.”
The point is that a progressive, modern society has no need for a national standard of ‘the sacred’ – we have thankfully evolved past the need for one. Whilst I admit there can be a need for censorship, it’s a relief to know that under the law that bar is now set at the high level at which it belongs.
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