Reading University Atheist, Humanist and Secularist Society was forced to remove a “blasphemous pineapple” named Mohammed as a form of hateful or discriminatory speech. The pineapple was intended to spark debate over whether
The Reading University Atheist, Humanist and Secularist Society (RAHS) took part in the fair on Wednesday, in order to to “encourage discussion about blasphemy, religion, and liberty.”
The society named the pineapple Mohammed “to celebrate the fact that we live in a country in which free speech is protected, and where it is lawful to call a pineapple by whatever name one chooses.” It appears that that is not true when it comes to fruit bearing the prophet’s name. The group was told by the Reading University Student Union that, due to complaints, the pineapple would have to go . . . or at least go by a different name. The society refused but it did re-name the pineapple . . . as Jesus.
The society was then set upon by a group which took the pineapple’s name tag and the society was then forced to leave the event.
Nick Cook, vice-president of student activities at Reading University, insisted that the act of censorship was justified in order to guarantee “all students feel welcome and included in all of our activities.”
It was the classic confrontation between free speech and discrimination laws. The interesting thing is that religious organizations are increasingly being accused of violating discriminatory views, as discussed in this column. Would Muslim or Christian groups be barred for discussing view of homosexuality as a sin or, in some groups, professing the divine basis for limiting rights of women? This was clearly designed to be a provocative display and quickly led to a confrontation with what was described as five Muslim students. One approach is to say that the society could have raised the issue of blasphemy without the insulting display. Yet, the society wanted to show that what is blasphemous to some is a joke to others. What do you think?
Source: Huffington Post
Source:
Teji To keep the record straight on a subject that I know about. The Danish cartoonist Kurt Westergaard who did his infamous drawings never got killed, although several attempts to his life was made. I’m Danish and we went through a hellish time when they were published. None of my family or friends or colleagues , approved of the drawings ! we all approve of freedom of speech ! but there is and must be an invisible line drawn to what is in acceptable taste and respectable.
We are more and more becoming a ” one world ” thanks – or no thanks – to American lifestyle, with the food we eat, the music we listen to and the movie we watch. The fashion hasn’t hit us yet – except for the jeans and baseball cap. The emerging of the one world hasn’t gone easy, apart from the Western part of the world. Because the rest of the world hasn’t ” come on board ” yet, there are no need to “call for war ” by insulting them constantly and being dis-respectful about their beliefs.
The ICCPR prohibits that, and the European Parliament has just condemned hate speech / action. A dignified move and wise move, to keep this world in peace and harmony, there are enough ugliness around and proplems to be solved to add salt in the wounds.
bettykath,
No, but those who follow the 10 Commandments as taught by most of the Christian tradition would (no false gods before me). But it has been my experience that pagans being “sinners” is a moral judgment based in dogma rather than an ethical judgment based on their actions. I’ve known ethical and unethical pagans just like I’ve known ethical and unethical actors of other faiths or no faith at all.
In re mespo’s statement of the origins of American law.
His proof is 200 plus years of American jurisprudence that repudiates the notion our legal system is based in [J]udeo-[C]hristian and [R]oman [sic] laws. The only connection any of our legal system has with Roman law is that Louisiana is a civil law state based upon Napoleonic law which in turn was partially based upon old Roman civil law, in particular the Code of Justinian. Any other intersections in subject matter are simply philosophical points of intersection common among discussing any human laws. Our American laws and legal system are squarely based on English Common Law. End of story. Any other contention is what constitutes bullshit and/or simple ignorance on the part of the speaker.
M,
Why?
Missed it. Six yards wide. Where’s your proof? Bla bla BS. The thought is clear and is represented in others comments. No further acknowledgements of your hurt feelings forthcoming. Get over it.
I love fresh pineapple, no matter what his/her religion is!
idealist:
“I guess our laws based on judeo-christian and roman values pass muster with you on the abovenamed criteria.”
**************
Do you ever read what you type? There is very little correlation between Roman Law and Judeo-Christian law and U.S. law. Oh, there are points of philosophical intersection amongst the topics but that is also true of some of the the Code of Hammurabi if you can get by all the prohibitions against casting spells. Maybe that’s what you mean by “values,” but the same philosophical underpinning is also true of most legal systems especially if you are talking criminal law provisions. Thus talk of “values” to differentiate legal systems isn’t particularly helpful. The jist is in the details.
Our common law is based on none of the systems you mentioned but rather on English Common Law. We also have codified much of our legal policy in the different levels of local, state, and federal statutes and regulations that bear no resemblance to either Roman or Judeo-Christian legal provisions.
If you’re going to be sarcastic it really helps if your premise can pass the laugh test — else the joke is on you.
“arsle first” worries me a bit. 😈
Show me a line, and I’ll cross it. Sometimes arsle first.
Malisha,
Be glad that the pen did not slip and instead write “pagan prick”. What then bright woman?
Oh, irony,
“Nick Cook, vice-president of student activities at Reading University, insisted that the act of censorship was justified in order to guarantee ‘all students feel welcome and included in all of our activities.’ ”
“The society was then set upon by a group which took the pineapple’s name tag and the society was then forced to leave the event.”
Gene,
Are you suggesting that “pagan pomegranate” is a sinner by definition?
Good catch, Malisha.
My favo cucumber is called: “self-slicing cucu”.
“If you won’t crucify me, then I will self-immolate.”
He’s a bit coocoo. Most religious are.
Keep throwing the fruit, I’m fixing supper now.
Oro Lee,
I would seldom wonder why I was at school. it was mostly a trade school, although it had a higher class called university.
NOW! Now you supply the answer. 4 years wasted.
Malisha,
Sinners come in all shapes and sizes. 😉
51 percent,
“Sharia Law is demonic, insulting and a plague on America.”
I guess our laws based on judeo-christian and roman values pass muster with you on the abovenamed criteria.
At this point, I would guess that the number of injustices, in the opinion of a common American, are just as frequently done in Americn LE and courts.
20 years for marijuana use seems a bit tough to me, if it is that little. There they cut off your head, here they cut off your life. Same-same.
Just to give you something to chew on, not a defense of Sharia.
Blasphemous pineapple
adulterous cantaloupe
pagan pomegranate
murderous cucumber
ONE OF THESE THINGS IS NOT LIKE THE OTHERS ❗
Teji, I’m surprised you don’t remember that Jesus looked like Mel Gibson!
Malisha my bad. With a nice accent.
Blasphemous pineapple? I guess it’s a good thing they didn’t bring the adulterous cantaloupe, pagan pomegranate or the murderous cucumber.
Gene: Adulterous cantaloupe(s)?
The Hooter’s girl would have been the perfect prop.
Without reading other comments, here is mine:
Now just suppose that there were a church which supported pedophilia, and/or frequently was found to practice it by its religious leaders, what would be an appropriate form of protest, blasphemy, and means to awaken discussion?
Suppose if the protesters put up a large photo of the present Pope, with the the text: “Chief Pedophile and our Holy Father, blessed in all ways by the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost”.
Would this be accepted by Reading University?
By you?
I would.