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Why in G-D's name does Canada have a blasphemy law?


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Posted

http://www.torontosun.com/2012/09/14/why-does-canada-still-have-a-law-against-blasphemy-2

I find there are sillier things then Islamic blasphemy having deemed to have occurred when their prophet is (in their view) denigrated.What's sillier is Canada having a law on blasphemy in this day and age. It must be deemed anachronistic and draconian? Maybe not by some?

It’s a relief that a mentally-challenged, 14-year-old Pakistani Christian child accused of blasphemy for allegedly burning pages of the Koran has now been released from jail.

This follows testimony from witnesses who claim an imam planted evidence in an effort to incriminate the child and scare off local Christians.

But lost in all the handwringing over whether the child should have been charged with blasphemy, or whether the imam should now be charged, is the issue of why any civilized nation would include blasphemy amongst its laws.

More to the point, how can we justify the fact our criminal laws include blasphemy as a criminal offence? I’m not making this up.

Section 296 of the Canadian Criminal Code makes it an indictable offence for anyone to publish a blasphemous libel. The maximum sentence is ostensibly a term of imprisonment not to exceed two years.

True, there have been no prosecutions in about 75 years and it’s likely any prosecution would be met with a successful Charter challenge.

But the law remains on the books and, to that extent, seemingly reflects public policy in Canada.

Posted

Why in God's name is the "o" a sacred letter that must not be typed?

:)

Kidding aside, I'm sympathetic. Canada's speech laws are out of whack.

“There is a limit to how much we can constantly say no to the political masters in Washington. All we had was Afghanistan to wave. On every other file we were offside. Eventually we came onside on Haiti, so we got another arrow in our quiver."

--Bill Graham, Former Canadian Foreign Minister, 2007

Posted

Seems like a law that's mostly a relic from the era before my grandparents were born and just hasn't been so controversial as to have it formally removed from the Criminal Code of Canada yet? That's my best assumption.

"All generalizations are false, including this one." - Mark Twain

Partisanship is a disease of the intellect.

Posted (edited)

Our legal system is full of useless old laws from days of yore. They're still there on paper but they're effectively dead. If nobody cares/would prosecute, and any judge would throw the case out, who cares? It's expensive and time consuming to change it so why bother if it's just being ignored anyways?

Edited by Moonbox

"A man is no more entitled to an opinion for which he cannot account than he is for a pint of beer for which he cannot pay" - Anonymous

Posted

Recently I received a questionnaire for jury duty.

Apparently if I was ever convicted of witch craft,I can still serve on a jury!

Witch craft?!?!?!

What if the case was about someone charged with witch craft?

WWWTT

Maple Leaf Web is now worth $720.00! Down over $1,500 in less than one year! Total fail of the moderation on this site! That reminds me, never ask Greg to be a business partner! NEVER!

Posted

Why in God's name is the "o" a sacred letter that must not be typed?

Part of the Ten Commandments, about not taking G-d's name in vain.

Kidding aside, I'm sympathetic. Canada's speech laws are out of whack.

I believe Boston still has a law against "unnatural acts with a pigeon". During my law school years I never tested out that particular municipal ordinance.
  • Free speech: "You can say what you want, but I don't have to lend you my megaphone."
  • Always remember that when you are in the right you can afford to keep your temper, and when you are in the wrong you cannot afford to lose it. - J.J. Reynolds.
  • Will the steps anyone is proposing to fight "climate change" reduce a single temperature, by a single degree, at a single location?
  • The mantra of "world opinion" or the views of the "international community" betrays flabby and weak reasoning (link).

Posted

i believe it's still illegal in saskatchewan to kill coyotes with opium...

“Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives.”- John Stuart Mill

Posted

That's nothing compared to S. 365 CC. ----> fraudulently practicing witchcraft :ph34r:

"Stop the Madness!!!" - Kevin O'Leary

"Money is the ultimate scorecard of life!". - Kevin O'Leary

Economic Left/Right: 4.00

Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -0.77

Posted

Part of the Ten Commandments, about not taking G-d's name in vain.

Yes, but the usage is silly. It's like writing f*ck and then claiming innocence about the use of profanity.

“There is a limit to how much we can constantly say no to the political masters in Washington. All we had was Afghanistan to wave. On every other file we were offside. Eventually we came onside on Haiti, so we got another arrow in our quiver."

--Bill Graham, Former Canadian Foreign Minister, 2007

Posted (edited)

RE: Nastiest old laws still on the books, Nova Scotia wins!

The Nova Scotia government is having a hard time saying it's sorry. Last year, native chiefs asked the premier to remove scalping laws from the books. The 1756 proclamation offers a bounty for each Mi'kmaq scalp. It's never been removed and the province has never apologized.

Now a CBC request under the Freedom of Information Act reveals the government is shrouding its actions in secrecy.

Question: Why does blasphemy apply only to Christian religion?

Edited by jacee
Posted

Recently I received a questionnaire for jury duty.

Apparently if I was ever convicted of witch craft,I can still serve on a jury!

Witch craft?!?!?!

What if the case was about someone charged with witch craft?

WWWTT

Just because you're eligible for jury duty doesn't mean you'll be selected. You are questioned and lawyers/judge decide.

You'd either not be chosen for the jury, chosen as a "peer" of the witch, or excused ... then recruited as an expert witness. :D

Posted (edited)

Part of the Ten Commandments, about not taking G-d's name in vain.

I believe Boston still has a law against "unnatural acts with a pigeon". During my law school years I never tested out that particular municipal ordinance.

:blink: Umm ... that was a recurring problem in Boston? :lol: Those bluebloods eh!?!

Oh wait ...

After a while, the pigeon trained itself to perform unnatural acts like hopping on one leg and tucking its head under its wing in the hopes of getting a treat. ...

http://everything2.com/title/Coincidental+Correlation

So don't hop on one leg while carrying a pigeon ... ? :D

Edited by jacee
Posted

RE: Nastiest old laws still on the books, Nova Scotia wins!

The Nova Scotia government is having a hard time saying it's sorry. Last year, native chiefs asked the premier to remove scalping laws from the books. The 1756 proclamation offers a bounty for each Mi'kmaq scalp. It's never been removed and the province has never apologized.

Now a CBC request under the Freedom of Information Act reveals the government is shrouding its actions in secrecy.

Question: Why does blasphemy apply only to Christian religion?

Apparently Canada is a Christian nation? Or is it more Catholic?

Posted

Why in God's name is the "o" a sacred letter that must not be typed?

:)

Kidding aside, I'm sympathetic. Canada's speech laws are out of whack.

especially the Quebec language law

Posted

especially the Quebec language law

No, that's but one example, and has no effect on anyone not in Quebec.

“There is a limit to how much we can constantly say no to the political masters in Washington. All we had was Afghanistan to wave. On every other file we were offside. Eventually we came onside on Haiti, so we got another arrow in our quiver."

--Bill Graham, Former Canadian Foreign Minister, 2007

Posted
The Nova Scotia government is having a hard time saying it's sorry.

Last year, native chiefs asked the premier to remove scalping laws from the books. The 1756 proclamation offers a bounty for each Mi'kmaq scalp. It's never been removed and the province has never apologized.

Odd. The premier doesn't make laws and can't "remove" them. More odd: how does a province apologise?

This apologising for old laws and policies is a silly business.

Posted

In Ont it is against the law to have fun.

Toronto, like a roach motel in the middle of a pretty living room.

Posted

Why in God's name is the "o" a sacred letter that must not be typed?

:)

Kidding aside, I'm sympathetic. Canada's speech laws are out of whack.

It was left out for effect. It was left out to get a reaction. It was left out to make a point.

You see, I don't believe in god, any god. But, I do believe in response to bait.

Kidding aside laws on the books are used by convicts with nothing better to do all the time. If the law is not enforced or unenforceable, then revoke/repeal the friggin law in g_d's name.

I am seeing some good examples here of other inane laws. Isn't the missionary position ONLY allowed in one state?

Posted

i believe it's still illegal in saskatchewan to kill coyotes with opium...

I think it's actually seals that are protected by that particular Saskatchewan law.
  • Free speech: "You can say what you want, but I don't have to lend you my megaphone."
  • Always remember that when you are in the right you can afford to keep your temper, and when you are in the wrong you cannot afford to lose it. - J.J. Reynolds.
  • Will the steps anyone is proposing to fight "climate change" reduce a single temperature, by a single degree, at a single location?
  • The mantra of "world opinion" or the views of the "international community" betrays flabby and weak reasoning (link).

Posted

Odd. The premier doesn't make laws and can't "remove" them. More odd: how does a province apologise?

This apologising for old laws and policies is a silly business.

Sort of like the idea of pardoning Louis Riel coming up in, I believe, the 2004 election? Or was it 2006?
  • Free speech: "You can say what you want, but I don't have to lend you my megaphone."
  • Always remember that when you are in the right you can afford to keep your temper, and when you are in the wrong you cannot afford to lose it. - J.J. Reynolds.
  • Will the steps anyone is proposing to fight "climate change" reduce a single temperature, by a single degree, at a single location?
  • The mantra of "world opinion" or the views of the "international community" betrays flabby and weak reasoning (link).

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