In the News: Ireland Holds Blasphemy Referendum, October 26^th

Posted on 2018-10-04 by

jean.meslier Posted in In the News — No Comments ↓

Atheist Ireland: Referendum on blasphemy about freedom of speech, Irish Examiner, 2018-09-30.

Irish Atheists will today launch their campaign for a Yes vote in October’s referendum on removing the offence of blasphemy from the Constitution. […] Chairperson Michael Nugent said it is about freedom of speech and the separation of Church and State.

Mr Nugent said: […] “If there is a god, the god can take care of itself. In terms of religious people, there are other laws such as the defamation laws and the laws against incitement to religious hatred, that protect people.

“But there is a big distinction between protecting people from harm and protecting ideas from criticism.”

[…]

The organisation also issued an open letter from 24 victims of blasphemy laws.

The referendum will be held on October 26^th 2018.

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We are atheists. Critical thought and science lead us to the conclusion that gods, demons, reincarnation, the immortal soul and other supernatural beliefs are childish fictions. We value reason, knowledge and the material, intellectual and moral advancement of humanity. Our philosophy is materialist: there is no soul associated with the body, and as for the mind or intellect it too is material because based on neuronal processes. We are moral beings, constantly evolving and responsible for ourselves, as is the humanity to which we belong. We promote secularism and reject any religious involvement in civil institutions.