Muslim countries want UN supported ban on Blasphemy

[realthinker]

An article from the AP on USA Today is describing an effort backed by Muslim countries to "protect" religious symbols and beliefs:

GENEVA (AP) — Islamic nations are mounting a campaign for an international treaty to protect religious symbols and beliefs from mockery — essentially, a ban on blasphemy.

Documents obtained by The Associated Press show that Algeria and Pakistan have taken the lead in lobbying to bring the matter to a vote in the U.N. General Assembly.

Such a ban would face great resistance in Western nations that enshrine freedom of expression as a fundamental right.

The countries that form the 56-member Organization of the Islamic Conference are currently lobbying a Geneva-based U.N. committee to accept its plan, a first step for it to eventually be put before the General Assembly.

If that occurs, Muslim countries and their allies in the developing world would stand a decent chance of mustering the simple majority needed in the General Assembly to adopt such a treaty.

Questions for debate:

First, do you feel should such a treaty be enacted?


Second, what do you think would be the foreseeable impact of such a treaty on international dialogue and politics?

[East of Eden]

I am definitely against this. It is not only a step back for humanity in terms of freedom of thought and expression, it violates my human rights too.

No thanks.

Exactly. Just look who's pushing it.

[JoeyKnothead]

It cracks me up that a God is powerful enough to create an entire universe, but gets His feelings hurt when folks mock Him.

This is nothing more than an effort to silence dissent. IMO, the ToE mocks the claims in Genesis (but maybe not Islam), so it would also, if my opinion counts, have to be silenced. I wonder if this is an ultimate aim of such legislation.

[JoeyKnothead]

I am definitely against this. It is not only a step back for humanity in terms of freedom of thought and expression, it violates my human rights too.

No thanks.

Exactly. Just look who's pushing it.

I think this is a very valid take. From what I can tell the Islamic religion, as a whole, will accept nothing less than the subjugation of the entire planet. I make sure to note there are good, honorable, reasonable voices within Islam, but I can't deny what I myself observe.

[East of Eden]

I am definitely against this. It is not only a step back for humanity in terms of freedom of thought and expression, it violates my human rights too.

No thanks.

Exactly. Just look who's pushing it.

I think this is a very valid take. From what I can tell the Islamic religion, as a whole, will accept nothing less than the subjugation of the entire planet. I make sure to note there are good, honorable, reasonable voices within Islam, but I can't deny what I myself observe.

I say we all get on an Islamic forum and hassle them.

[VermilionUK]

I am definitely against this. It is not only a step back for humanity in terms of freedom of thought and expression, it violates my human rights too.

No thanks.

Exactly. Just look who's pushing it.

I think this is a very valid take. From what I can tell the Islamic religion, as a whole, will accept nothing less than the subjugation of the entire planet. I make sure to note there are good, honorable, reasonable voices within Islam, but I can't deny what I myself observe.

I say we all get on an Islamic forum and hassle them.

[Sir Rhetor]

This would be a disaster. In the God Delusion by Richard Dawkins, he describes a teacher who was executed for this "crime" in Iran, I think. He told his students that Mohammud was not a Muslim before he started Islam, and this was seen by 13 of his students as blasphemy. The teacher was beheaded, I believe.