Comments on: ‘You are free to offend others but not to offend me’

By: Be-witched

Be-witched — Fri, 16 Jan 2015 21:42:00 +0000

I am just wondering what part of ‘freedom of expression’ many, including the Pope, are having difficulty understanding.

The important thing was that many declared that: ‘We are all French today’.

Was that meant for that particular, awful Wednesday, just until last Sunday or what? I didn’t know that believing in real freedom of expression had a use-by date.

By: Chris Ripard

Chris Ripard — Fri, 16 Jan 2015 13:31:45 +0000

In reply to Chris. Je ne suis pas Chris.

By: Lawrence Attard

Lawrence Attard — Thu, 15 Jan 2015 22:23:11 +0000

In reply to Lawrence Attard.

Two different subjects you say? Not at all. Both are manifestations of the same thing at varying degrees, two ends of a spectrum of intolerance, if you wish.

Religion breeds intolerance by poisoning the mind and killing rational thought. I see it happening all the time. Don’t you?

The reason that 21st century popes do not order blasphemers to be like struck like vermin, as did most of their predecessors, is that the rest of western society has evolved somewhat and will not allow it.

By: Gahan

Gahan — Thu, 15 Jan 2015 22:15:55 +0000

In reply to A. Charles. There goes Charlie!

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 15 Jan 2015 22:07:16 +0000

It’s really not about religion. http://time.com/3662152/kareem-abdul-jabbar-paris-charlie-hebdo-terrorist-attacks-are-not-about-religion/?pcd=hp-magmod

By: H.P. Baxxter

H.P. Baxxter — Thu, 15 Jan 2015 20:22:57 +0000

In reply to Mila. It's easy for the Pope to pontificate. See what I've done there.

By: Lawrence Attard

Lawrence Attard — Thu, 15 Jan 2015 19:58:51 +0000

There you go:

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20150115/world/pope-free-speech-has-limits.551994

And three days ago you posted about how Francis the Pope agreed with you on something:

http://daphnecaruanagalizia.com/2015/01/i-see-the-pope-agrees-with-me-as-franco-debono-might-say/

You see it is about religion after all, at least in part.

[Daphne – No, sorry: two different subjects entirely. One is about limits to freedom of expression where causing offence to religion is concerned (with which I absolutely do not agree), and the other is about terrorists not being driven or created by religion (with which I most certainly do agree).]

By: Candy

Candy — Thu, 15 Jan 2015 18:15:40 +0000

Blessed be the cheesemakers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asUyK6JWt9U

By: Mila

Mila — Thu, 15 Jan 2015 15:48:55 +0000

R. C. Blitt, a University of Tennessee associate professor of law, who was an international law specialist for the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, makes a fair point.

”Making blasphemy a crime incites intolerance”

http://www.thecalifornian.com/story/opinion/2015/01/13/making-blasphemy-crime-incites-intolerance/21696431/

Putting this in perspective one notes that, if Wiki is to be relied upon, vilification of the Roman Catholic Apostolic Religion, in Malta, makes the vilifier liable to imprisonment.

By: David

David — Thu, 15 Jan 2015 15:42:58 +0000

You spoke too soon. The Pope has clearly spoken that the right to free speech does not mean the abuse of this right by offending others.

This is also what the laws in many countries including our Constitution state. Or do you think all such laws as libel and defamation laws should be repealed?

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20150115/world/pope-free-speech-has-limits.551994

[Daphne – David, what have we all just been quarrelling about? Islam, shariah law, secularism. The Pope does not make the law in the same way that the Koran or imams do not make the law. Also, causing offence and libelling/slandering somebody are NOT the same thing.]