Lev

You are an expert at reporting half truths. If you were to read the post where I wrote 'that people who practice abortions, teach that we "came from apes" and teach the truth of global warming should be jailed.' you would see I was responding to some ignorant person who was suggesting that bible believing Christians should be jailed. Again the deafening sound from the left in Victoria exposed its total hypocrisy. If you are going to quote someone try and at least get it in some sort of context and you might win some credibility.

Go ahead and take what ever you want out of context. Religion is the biggest joke on the planet. No other species needs it, except the small minded and the insecure.

Sensitivities! What about ours?, We are the ones that have to put up with your crap. I believe there should be a four year course in reality.

Sensible piece. The 'west' has painted itself into a corner by being gratuitously nice and by not realising that to prevent islam from taking over the world the same ruthlessness must be adopted.
If it was 1939 people would be getting punished for expressing a negative view of the nazis.
Our civilisation and freedoms are at stake so wake up folks.

Great article. At the same time I do wonder about the balance or freedom and responsibility in freedom of speech.

The Piss Christ thing seems to be an example where the purpose was to offend. Was there any chance of a message we needed to hear other than that our society allowed the image? Something where offense by those who love their christ was expected and not unreasonable.

Sometimes we will need to offend others because a message needs to be heard but unless there is some important message attached to Piss Christ then it seems to me the balance was lost.

I'll happily rebutt false claims made by people of "faith" and accept that innocent bystanders may be offended in the process but to deliverately seek to offend just because I can is a different thing.

I doubt that the law can deal with that issue adequately but it's something to consider.

R0bert

<<When the National Gallery of Victoria displayed Piss Christ in 1997, a petition against it being displayed by Dr George Pell, the Archbishop of Melbourne, was rejected by the Victorian court in support of the artist’s right to express his mind.>>

LUDICROUS.... of course the above report makes an absolute joke out of the RRT2001 because as long as the vilification is presented in a WORK OF ART context.. it is immune from prosecution.

So.. everything can simply go on as if the act did not exist.. all you have to do is call it 'art'....

"Street Theatre" in which the characters say 'alarming/annoying/vilifying things about Mohammad or Buddha or Brahmin or Jesus.

When I made a complaint to the EOC about "Da Gospel According to
Ali G" in which he mocks the ten commandments and does a whole lot of stuff which is outright vilifiying to Christians, Jews and the Church, the complaint was rejected because it was not 'Sasha Baren Cohen' who's views were being expressed, but the views of 'Ali G' the character.

Well..that's how they saw it anyway. But weeee know...don't we.

So..even an opinion piece here could be outrageously vilifying of a public figure.. perhaps even grossly defamatory..and as long as it was 'The character' doing it... you are apparently immune to complaint or prosecution.

Lets have a street theatre event..where the torture and beheading of Kinana Chief of the khaybar Jews is portrayed and Mohammad taking his 17 yr old wife is shown... Or..show him taking 9 yr old ayesha into his bed. As long as it is 'art' nothing can be done to stop it.

Or we could portray Muslim soldiers who have just killed the men of a tribe, and now ask Mohammad if they can practice 'coitus interruptus' with the women..and Mohammad says 'No, you can go all the way' (words to that effect)

So the Act is a joke..

"When I made a complaint to the EOC about "Da Gospel According to
Ali G""

Perfect example of a frivolous complaint. It's free speech. You've spent plenty of time on these boards villifying Islam and you have no problem with it. So you sir, are a hypocrite. It never occurs to you that other people find something like Ali G entertaining and enjoyable. All you think about is banning it so no one else can view this entertainment. Rather than switch off the television you go and cry like babies to the government authorities for the ban. Then you will spout off about Islam and pornography and whatever else you deem offensive. NO ONE IS FORCING YOU TO WATCH ANYTHING.