Posted on 07/11/2002 2:46:02 PM PDT by rface
LONDON- In a face-off Thursday over Britain's 17th-century blasphemy laws, sidewalk preachers bellowing biblical verses drowned out a group of free-speech activists who read a homoerotic poem about Jesus Christ on the steps of a central London church.
The laws, which ban outrageous or indecent attacks on Christianity, are under review by the House of Lords, which may recommend abolishing them or extending them to protect other religions.
"Christ came into the world to save sinners and YOU need salvation!" one demonstrator shouted at a few activists who took turns reading verses from "The Love that Dares to Speak Its Name" on the steps of St. Martin-in-the-Fields church in Trafalgar Square.
Although blasphemy laws are rarely enforced, the activists said they were risking prosecution and even jail by reciting the explicit poem, which imagines a Roman centurion having a sexual encounter with the body of Jesus Christ just after he was removed from the cross.
"We consider the blasphemy law to be a dangerous threat to free speech," said Keith Porteous Wood, general secretary of the National Secular Society, who participated in the reading. "It's harsh, antiquated, inappropriate and it must be abolished."
The last person to be convicted under Britain's blasphemy laws - and the only one prosecuted since 1922 - was Denis Lemon, the editor of a newspaper called Gay News, who got a fine and a suspended prison sentence in 1977 for printing "The Love that Dares to Speak Its Name."
The laws, which date from the 17th century, ban outrageous or indecent attacks on Christianity, but not serious-minded criticisms of the religion - leaving the distinction open to interpretation.
Individuals who find something that has been published or broadcast offensive can seek permission to launch a private prosecution for blasphemy, as Mary Whitehouse did in the Lemon case.
The House of Lords appointed a committee in May to examine whether the blasphemy laws should be amended or abolished and make a recommendation. In addition to the free-speech concerns, some non-Christians have called the statute discriminatory because it only protects Anglican Christianity, Britain's official religion.
The Lords committee is also considering whether to suggest making incitement to religious hatred a crime, which some free-speech proponents fear could restrict legitimate criticism of religion.
Police surrounded the dozen or so free-speech campaigners who read out the poem by James Kirkup, keeping them separated from an equal number of counter-protesters.
Some counter-protesters criticized the officers for not stopping the reading.
"You can't have absolute freedom of speech," said Gordon Ferguson, a minister from the Free Presbyterian Church in London. "Do people have the right to insult someone on the basis of race or color? It seems the only person you're allowed to insult in this land is Christ."
Derek Levendusky, an American youth minister from Madrid, N.Y., joined the counter-demonstrators after he happened to walk by their pickets. He held a sign that said, "Stop Blaspheming Christ Now!"
He said he wouldn't necessarily support arresting the group that read the poem, but wanted the police to stop them.
"We just believe Jesus deserves better than that," he said.
Another counter-demonstrator wore a bright red suit, bolo tie, dark sunglasses and a tan cowboy hat and held a large crucifix over his shoulder as he shouted at the poem-readers through a megaphone.
Porteus Wood said the blasphemy laws had a powerful effect even though they were rarely enforced, because they frightened people into censoring their speech.
He said he was hopeful the House of Lords review would lead to a repeal of the blasphemy laws, but said he feared legislators could revive a government proposal to make incitement to religious hatred a crime.
"It's potentially a much more worrying, draconian form of censorship," said protester David Nash, a history lecturer at Oxford Brookes University.
You know, these guys are welcome to have group anal fisting intercourse with ten uncondomed anonymous partners four times a day if they want - and to blab about it wherever they want. Why do they feel the incredible overwhelming need to smear the name and image of Jesus Christ - a man who is the Son of God to 1/3 of humanity and who preached love and foregiveness?
Yes, that's for sure.
What weapon should the police employ to stop people who are dead set on reading poetry out loud in public?
If the people reading this poem remain defiant, should the violence used by the police to silence them escalate to include ending their lives if necessary?
I mean we are talking about crimes against the National Church and in the past death has always been the most effective means to silence enemies of the faith.
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