Would Mr. Fry insult a Buddhist or a Muslim so easily?
Madam Editor, There is talk in the media today about the actor Stephen Fry being prosecuted for things he said last year to Gay Byrne on the RTE programme ‘ Would you Believe’ under the blasphemy laws. As of yet this has to be decided by the State Prosecution. I firmly believe in the right to free speech but one must use wisdom and tact especially when it comes to religion and the deeply held faith people have in Ireland. One must not go out of their way to offend the religion of other people. If Mr Fry and others have no religion or faith in God, that is their right. But that gives them no right to say offensive things about God of the Chrisitian religion of the Holy Bible which is sacred in the eyes of many millions of people throughout the world. Because the church is weak at the moment in Ireland that does not mean that the people can fling stones at it with contempt because of the wrong doings of a minority of Judas- priests who won’t get away with their sins in the next life. I bet Mr Fry and others would not go to a Buddhist or a Muslim county and say bad things about their prophets and Gods or they would soon be in chains or worse. But in Ireland it is a step too far on what they say about our God and prophet and Holy bible. Liberal law lets them get away with it as there is nobody here to bring them to heel. Mr Fry is a well- known gay person. If I was to say or write against his preferred lifestyle I would be branded a homophobic and taken to court, yet free speech gives him the right to offend me, the bible and God. Yours faithfully, Martin Ford St. Anne’s Terrace Sligo