Vatican demands respect
A Vatican representative has told the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva that it must develop “mechanisms or instruments” to defend religious believers from ridicule. Members must have been relieved to hear that Archbishop Silvano Tomasi was not talking about the rack, merely some kind of legislative framework which would “defend the message of religious communities from manipulation and would avoid a disrespectful presentation of their members.”
Respect of the rights and dignity of others should mark the limit of any right, even that of the free expression and manifestation of one’s opinions, religious ones included
And this respect for the dignity of others
implies respect of his freedom in religious matters to profess, practice and publicly manifest one’s religion without being mocked, injured, discriminated against
The nuncio failed to note that there are already laws in place preventing injury and discrimination. What he wants is another one which would prevent mockery. Sorry Archbish. The right to believe in shit is inseparable from the right to take the piss. They are part of the same package.
UPDATE: David Thompson picks up the censer and runs with it.
I wonder if he ever watched Father Ted?
I keep hearing it in a cartman from southpark voice “you will respect my deity”
They can have imaginary respect for their imaginary friends any time in my book. If they want real respect, then they have to prove the assertion.
The article also talks about religious freedom, which I do agree with. There are some UN members states who don’t have those.
I think the representative wise in separating religion from cults and terror organizations.
Legislating respect for religion is a stupid idea. Does the Vatican not have enough faith in their god that need to make laws to respect religion? Who will be the office of Ensuring Faith?
The Vatican is not referring to states granting their citizens freedom of expression. It is talking about setting laws for restricting all individuals from criticizing other peoples’ beliefs.
[i]“One cannot consider the ridicule of the sacred as a right of freedom,†the archbishop said.[/i]
He is not referring to the freedom of democratic governments to rule as they wish. He is referring to an individuals right to express a criticism of religion to be curbed to protect the religious.
This, of course, would make missionaries illegal. Missionaries completely utterly disregard others’ religious beliefs.
1) Get a pope who does not sound like a Nazi (in both accent and the bullshit that comes from his mouth) and I might laugh at him less.
2)Maybe if he had said “implies respect of his freedom in sexuality matters to profess, practice and publicly manifest one’s sexuality without being mocked, injured, discriminated against” then I might be able to laugh a little less at them… but as it stands I shall continue to laugh lots… : )
Maybe these tossers witll get some respect when they earn some respect. That is the way it works. No one has an automatic right to respect.