Blasphemy Laws and Freedom of Speech

There was a t.v. show on tonight about blasphemy. I hadn't realised that people can be prosecuted for blasphemy against the Church of England. All other sects and religions are fair game though, it seems. The laws against inciting hate on racial and religious grounds apparently was an attempt to extend the blasphemy law to cover Islam etc., which I also hadn't realised, but apparently the relevant clauses were defeated and didn't become law.

Britain purports to have freedom of speech, but in reality we don't. If we did, I would be able to declare my religion at work and on forms without fear of persecution or biased treatment. I can't. The one thing I do admire in American Law is their stand on religious freedom, though again there are places there where I wouldn't proclaim my interests despite their more favourable laws.

Another interesting issue raised in the show was the charitable status laws, which are sometimes used to define what is and isn't a religion. According to the presenter, legally Paganism isn't a religion and therefore can't claim charitable status, whereas Odinism is and can. There was an implication too that a 'religion' has to have one clear figurehead in order to get legal recognition. Don't get me started ! (Which was the title of the show, btw).