Britain abolishes anti-blasphemy law
LONDON – A funny thing happened last November when Britain launched a righteous protest over the arrest in Sudan of a British school teacher who was accused of insulting religion by naming a class teddy bear Mohammed.
The Sudanese ambassador was summoned; Prime Minister Gordon Brown issued a protest. It didn’t take long, though, for someone to point out that Downing Street was standing on diplomatic quicksand: Britain itself has a law making blasphemy a crime.
Thus began a period of collective soul-searching on free speech and secularism, traditional values and the church that anoints Britain’s queen. It culminated Wednesday in a 148-87 vote in the House of Lords to abolish the laws on blasphemy after a wrenching, two-hour debate.
“It is crystal clear that the offenses of blasphemy and blasphemous libel are unworkable in today’s society,” Kay Andrews said in introducing the government-backed amendment, adding that “as long as this law remains on the statute books, it hinders the U.K.’s ability to challenge oppressive blasphemy laws in other jurisdictions.”
Most remaining blasphemy laws in Western democracies are either little used or, like Britain’s, on their way out. This week, the Massachusetts legislature began consideration of a bill to phase out that state’s blasphemy proscription, along with other outdated “blue laws.”
Wednesday’s vote in the House of Lords was an amendment to a broad proposed law on criminal justice that must still go back to the House of Commons for approval before taking effect. Still, the vote was seen as a crucial hurdle in a process that is now all but assured.
“The law on blasphemy will be abolished. And good riddance, is what we say,” Terry Sanderson, president of the National Secular Society, said in an interview.
In fact, parliament has never passed a blasphemy law. It is a common law crime established centuries ago and clarified by judges in the 19th century to protect the beliefs of the Church of England; citizens may fall afoul if they insult God, Christ, the Christian religion or the Bible in a way that is scurrilous, abusive or offensive, or in a manner which may breach the peace.