Blasphemy

Question 1

What act was put in place instead of the Blasphemy Act?

Answer 1

The Race and Religious Hatred Act

Question 2

When was the Race and Religious Hatred Act introduced?

Answer 2

2006

Question 3

What does blasphemy mean?

Answer 3

Speaking in a derogatory way about God, his teachings, the Bible and Jesus

Question 4

Is denying God’s being blasphemy?

Answer 4

Yes

Question 5

Who was the last person to be sent to prison for blasphemy in the UK?

Answer 5

William Gott

Question 6

When was William Gott sentenced?

Answer 6

1921

Question 7

What was William Gott sentenced for?

Answer 7

Publishing pamphlets poking fun at the scriptures and comparing Jesus to a circus clown

Question 8

What was released after the poem which caused widespread public protests?

Answer 8

Monty Python’s ‘Life of Brian’ was met by public protests from many religious groups

Question 9

Who said in 2002 the Blasphemy Laws were ineffective?

Answer 9

Select Committee of the House of Lords

Question 10

What did the Select Committee say should happen to the Blasphemy Laws?

Answer 10

They should be extended to all religious faiths or abolished

Question 11

When was the Blasphemy Law abolished in England and Wales?

Answer 11

July 2008

Question 12

How many complaints did the BBC receive for the ‘Jerry Springer Opera’?

Answer 12

63,000

Question 13

Who were the complaints from?

Answer 13

Christian viewers who were offended by a scene which portrayed Jesus as homosexual

Question 14

Who tried to bring a private prosecution of the ‘Jerry Springer Opera’?

Answer 14

Christian Voice tried to bring a private prosecution but was rejected

Question 15

Who said the blasphemy law was contradictory to Freedom of Speech?

Answer 15

Judges and politicians

Question 16

Where is blasphemous libel still an offence?

Answer 16

Scotland

Question 17

Where is Blasphemy still an offence?

Answer 17

Northern Ireland?

Question 18

Is the law as strict in Scotland?

Answer 18

As Scotland has the Human Rights Act 1988 they are less likely to be offended by blasphemy

Question 19

Who took a private prosecution in 1977 against the publishers of ‘Gay News’?

Answer 19

Nationwide Festival of Light - an evangelical Christian group

Question 20

Why was there a prosecution against the publishers of ‘Gay News’?

Answer 20

They published the poem ‘The Love who Dares not Speak its Name’ who displayed Jesus as homosexual

Question 21

Who wrote the ‘Satanic Verses’ in 1988?

Answer 21

Salaman Rushdie

Question 22

What was Salaman Rushdie accused of?

Answer 22

He was accused of blasphemy by Islamic groups

Question 23

What was issued in 1989 for Rushdie?

Answer 23

A Fatwa calling for his death

Question 24

Why were the calls for blasphemy refused against Rushdie?

Answer 24

The blasphemy laws only covered Christianity

Question 25

How far does the Blasphemy Law go back?

Answer 25

Centuries

Question 26

Why was the Blasphemy Law brought about?

Answer 26

Religion especially Christianity was seen as the heart of society, to question/threaten that was to question/threaten society

Question 27

In 1838 what was the purpose of the Blasphemy Law?

Answer 27

To protect the 'tenants and beliefs of the Church of England'

Question 28

What did Mitch Benn Satirical songwriter say about the Blasphemy Law?

Answer 28

"Nobody has the right to be offended."

Question 29

Who was offended by the programme Father Ted?

Answer 29

Irish Catholic Priests were offended by Father Ted as they believed it over stepped the mark

Question 30

What film was banned in some areas of the UK as late as 2008?

Answer 30

'The Life of Brian'

Question 31

Who was sentenced to hang for blasphemy?

Answer 31

A Pakistani Woman Asia Bibi

Question 32

How long has Asia Bibi been on death row?

Answer 32

Since 2010

Question 33

What was Asia Bibi convicted of?

Answer 33

She was convicted of insulting Islam's Prophet Muhammad during an argument over a glass of well water

Question 34

What video was said to offended Muslims?

Answer 34

Katy Perry's video 'Dark Horse'?

Question 35

Why was 'Dark Horse' deemed offensive?

Answer 35

Katy Perry in the video shoots a laser at Pharaoh wearing a symbol which said Allah in Arabic and was later disintegrated along with the Pharaoh

Question 36

What did Shazad Iqbal claim Perry did not have the right to do?

Answer 36

The freedom to insult or blaspheme people's deities under the protection of free speech

Question 37

What did Shazad Iqbal do as a result of the video?

Answer 37

He put on an online petition which gained 65,000 signatures to take off Perry's video immediately

Question 38

What was the "Charlie Hebdo" incident?

Answer 38

The magazine editors published a satirical cartoon of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad offending a minority, these men went in a shot the employees of the company

Question 39

What did protesters in Pakistan say about the incident in France?

Answer 39

25,000 marches shouted: "Death to France!", "Death to the blasphemers" and "(We are) ready to sacrifice life for Muhammad"

Question 40

What did many people feel the shootings were an attack on?

Answer 40

Freedom of Speech

Question 41

What do people believe is a middle standard?

Answer 41

Free speech applies to those who mock Islam whilst Muslims are penalised for expressing their own provocative views

Question 42

Who are Britain fearful of criticising?

Answer 42

Islam

Question 43

What has Britain been given?

Answer 43

A self-imposed blasphemy law

Question 44

What should the press be encouraged to do?

Answer 44

They should be encouraged to print controversial material instead they fear they are criticising a religion

Question 45

What did Former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey say?

Answer 45

"A de facto blasphemy law is operating in Britain today. The fact is the publishers and newspapers live in fear of criticising Islam"

Question 46

What does the Archbishop argue the blasphemy laws are?

Answer 46

Unjust and outdated

Question 47

What did Chancellor George Osborne say?

Answer 47

"Magazines should publish what they want...without fearing that armed gunmen are going to come through the door and kill them."

Question 48

What did Salman Rushdie condemn the attack on Charlie Hebdo as?

Answer 48

An assault on free speech

Question 49

What are Muslims calling for in the UK?

Answer 49

Blasphemy laws

Question 50

What do some people argue blasphemy laws contribute to?

Answer 50

Increasing intolerance, violence, injustice and widely open to misuse

Question 51

What do people argue the law is?

Answer 51

Very poorly defined

Question 52

What did Lord Denning say on the blasphemy laws?

Answer 52

"The offence of blasphemy is now a dead letter"

Question 53

What do some people argue religions should be strong enough to do?

Answer 53

Defend themselves

Question 54

What has been argued against blasphemy laws in regards to Britain currently being a multicultural society?

Answer 54

Blasphemy laws are unacceptable in a multicultural society

Question 55

What social media site has violated the freedom of speech regulations?

Answer 55

Twitter

Question 56

What is the official policy on violence and threats on Twitter?

Answer 56

"You may not publish or post direct, specific threats of violence against others."

Question 57

What has the reports of threatening messages and death threats been responded by?

Answer 57

"We have found the reported comment is currently no in violation of the Twitter rules at this time."

Question 58

What did Stephen Fry say about the Blasphemy laws in the UK?

Answer 58

"I'm afraid I don't believe there is such a thing as blasphemy, just outrage from those insecure in their own faith."

Question 59

What quote highlights many's views on the Charlie Hebdo incident?

Answer 59

"The murders had nothing to do with Islam, Muslims or Islamic blasphemy laws. They certainly had something to do with Western foreign policy or domestic Islamophobia. But by the way Charlie Hebdo is a racist magazine."

Question 60

How many convictions were there between 2008-09?

Answer 60

10,690

Question 61

How many people were prosecuted by the CPS in 2008-09?

Answer 61

11,624