Anti-Blasphemy Laws in Europe

IIRC, there is an anti-blasphemy law still on the books in MA. I remember someone (Randi) wearing a T-shirt designed specifically to violate that law in order to challenge it. As I recall, he got no takers. ah, here it is.

PART IV. CRIMES, PUNISHMENTS AND PROCEEDINGS IN CRIMINAL CASESTITLE I. CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTSCHAPTER 272. CRIMES AGAINST CHASTITY, MORALITY, DECENCY AND GOOD ORDERChapter 272: Section 36. BlasphemySection 36. Whoever wilfully blasphemes the holy name of God by denying, cursing or contumeliously reproaching God, his creation, government or final judging of the world, or by cursing or contumeliously reproaching Jesus Christ or the Holy Ghost, or by cursing or contumeliously reproaching or exposing to contempt and ridicule, the holy word of God contained in the holy scriptures shall be punished by imprisonment in jail for not more than one year or by a fine of not more than three hundred dollars, and may also be bound to good behavior.

BTW, I see Positive Liberty is back up. It was missed.

There are probably similar laws in many states, just as there are still state constitutions that require a religious test for office, but such laws are unconstitutional and no longer enforced. They just were never technically taken out.

I wouldn't trust that article too much. The bit on Britain is all over the shop. First, the blasphemy law covers Christianity in general, not just Anglicanism. Second, the incitement to religious hatred bill is still in Parliament.

You gotta love it. The Muslim religous leaders think that they need protection from the state for their religion which really shows how little value it has. Doesn't seem to matter where in the world it is there is clearly a need to keep the church and state separate.