What the hell is this crap?

[format]

I'm almost speechless in disbelief that in this day and age, a resolution like this can be passed.

A United Nations forum on Thursday passed a resolution condemning "defamation of religion" as a human rights violation, despite wide concerns that it could be used to justify curbs on free speech in Muslim countries.

LINK

What a pathetic joke.
Why does religion deserve any respect at all?

At least the EU seems to be doing alright -

Addressing the body, Germany said on behalf of the European Union that while instances of Islamophobia, Christianophobia, anti-Semitism and other forms of religious discrimination should be taken seriously, it was "problematic to reconcile the notion of defamation (of religion) with the concept of discrimination."

"The European Union does not see the concept of defamation of religion as a valid one in a human rights discourse," it said. "The European Union believes that a broader, more balanced and thoroughly rights-based text would be best suited to address the issues underlying this draft resolution."

Good to know that in Europe it's not too bad but I really feel for all the people who will be silenced and repressed under this.

[transylvanic]

I'm in full agreement with you, format.

The saddest part is that stating the uncomfortable truths about religions will quickly be deemed to be defamation now. So if we say that religions more often lead to hatred and violence, we're defamers.

Total facepalm moment.

[sadbuttrue]

A United Nations forum (dominated by Muslim nations) on Thursday passed a resolution condemning "defamation of Islam" as a human rights violation, despite wide concerns that it could be used to justify curbs on free speech in non-Muslim countries.

There, fixed that for you.

[TheAnimus]

Ah who cares, its not as if people have been able to censor the internet!

[format]

Ah who cares, its not as if people have been able to censor the internet!

O RLY?

[Grey M@a]

O RLY?

I would of thought the great firewall of China would classify as a major censorship of a nation of internet users. The thing is we are probably censored day in and day out and we never know about it. The more people look out for it and bring it into the public eye the more we will see an open platform.

[mediaboy]

Why does religion deserve any respect at all?

Because religous fanatics can be dangerous? Dangerous things deserve respect, and a bullet to the head if they can't be fanatical in a non-dangerous way.

I have nothing against religion in anyway. It's the fact that people use it as justification for lots of things that gets me angry.

Anyway, it's off the topic...

[TooNice]

The 'great firewall of China' is quite easily defeated via proxies. Unless every governments work together, it is not that easy to censor the Internet (for now).

My take is that there are many good, productive every day people who are religious. I wouldn't respect them anymore than I would respect a stranger in the street. Yet I see it as a waste of energy to see all of them as inferior beings or provoke ill will by attacking their beliefs.

Having said that, I do fully expect that they will respect my way of life (I have friends who are religious, yet none have tried to get me into their religions). And I do have an issue with those who can't do that. That applies equally to any non-religious stranger.

[format]

The 'great firewall of China' is quite easily defeated via proxies. Unless every governments work together, it is not that easy to censor the Internet (for now).

Easily defeated via proxies, but what do you think the punishment for using those proxies is?

Also, did you see my link? What we have now is an unregulated body with no oversight that decides to censor whatever they want without even saying that they are censoring it, and this happens IN THE UK.

[chuckskull]

As much I believe in freedom of religion, I also believe I have the right to think it's idiotic and say so should I please and of course I accept that they can call me a heretic in return.

That's why it's called free speech, it's free(for now).

[Netjock]

I think like the rest of you it is political correctness gone to far. You can't really say anything without the likelihood of offending somebody or that person using it to their own advantage.

You have to respect the laws of the land but then sometimes you can see it is passed by politicians to satisfy their own lobby groups (ie. big business).

Like they say... follow the money trail.