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Denmark adopts law making it illegal to burn Koran or other religious texts

37 Comments
By JAN M. OLSEN

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37 Comments
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The purpose of the law was to counter “the systematic mockery” which, among other things, has contributed to intensifying the threat of terrorism in Denmark, the justice ministry has said.

Another incidence of religious privilege and caving in to religious intimidation.

Ban, censor burn texts about proven scientific theories or historical accounts of oppressed groups.

But those 'holy' texts are legally sacrosanct.

13 ( +16 / -3 )

“Burning of the Koran is an offense to others,” he said, according to B.T. “You may express yourself as you wish, but not in such a way that you destroy other people’s lives.”

I can see how it is offensive, but I can't see how it destroy's people's lives. This is a slippery slope to anti-blasphemy laws.

12 ( +17 / -5 )

Don't give in to the religious fanatics. If it is "illegal" to burn these books then just tear out the pages and offer as free toilet paper. Or better still, how about the religious keep their religion to themselves in private and the rest of us just leave them to it and don't deliberately try to cause offense?

8 ( +16 / -8 )

Another incidence of religious privilege and caving in to religious intimidation

Yep. Perhaps a hint of courting prospective voters too.

You can burn any book you like as long as it’s not my copy. You may think it’s sacred but the rest of us aren’t obliged to agree with you.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

One man's holy book is another man's spare toilet paper. Denmark is bending the knee out of fear, trying to avoid reaction from illiberal and nondemocratic forces in their country. Perhaps the right legal strategy is to punish the reaction, not the simple misuse of paper.

If someone is upset that their precious book is being burned, then maybe they need to live elsewhere. I am trying to remember the riots that happened when the artwork "P!ss Christ" was unveiled, the artist being hounded and threatened and chased into hiding.... oh yeah, never happened.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

If someone is upset that their precious book is being burned, then maybe they need to live elsewhere. I am trying to remember the riots that happened when the artwork "P!ss Christ" was unveiled, the artist being hounded and threatened and chased into hiding.... oh yeah, never happened

Another example was the Book of Mormon stage show which absolutely ridiculed the religion. The Mormon response was to put ads in the magazine of the theatre.

I’ve got no time for religion but that was classy.

No need for threats of violence, actual violence, murder and boycotts.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Absurd.

If it is YOUR property, why should a government tell you that you cannot burn your own book- be it a bible, Koran, Jewish Torah, Buddhist text, whatever. It is just a bunch of pages that is YOUR property.

This is a backwards law I'd expect from an Islamic nation/terrorist group - not Denmark.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Is an image of a burning book ok? Or a video of one on one’s phone or iPad? People are pretty clever at finding loopholes.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Caving in to terrorists?

That’s what it looks like.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

So much for free speech.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Holy Books are Wisdom Banks

The problem is the religious disagree, sometimes violently, about which book is ‘holy’.

My take is none of them are. Some wise and unwise stuff in them.

People are like that.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

GuruMick

Some US states have legislated local libraries not have some books previously seen as classics of American literature.

Yes. This is very bad.

Australia has a grand tradition of banning books on anti offensive grounds {"Portnoy's Complaint " in the 1970's, for example }

Also, bad.

What would be the purpose of burning the Koran except to cause religious and social unrest

Or as a protest?

Society is not a "free for all " one...lots of rules impede peoples ability to do things.

Yes. But blasphemy shouldn't be one of them.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Religion is the root of all the mess going on in the world

I think that’s taking it a bit far but it is a major cause of intolerance and justifying bigotry that should have been binned centuries ago.

It’s very concerning to see that Europe which has had a terrible history of religiously inspired divisions leading to butchery and hatred is seeing new religious fault lines appearing and governments bending over backwards to appease religious groups.

Not the right approach.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Sorry, no its a big step backwards.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Which laws have Muslim countries changed to appease Europe? Definitely not the equality of women. Religions are left over superstitions from the dark ages. The solution is education based on science and facts.

Teaching the scientific method is the correction for ignorance.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

That should save them a bunch of money in damages, every time someone does.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Wrong side of history, Denmark. Go back and try again.

1 ( +9 / -8 )

One of the many Freedoms many fought and died for, is freedom of expression, the right to express one opinion, sometimes satirical, mocking, sometimes ridicule.

Questioning humanities sometime irrational need to worship a god regardless of denomination.

I am a firm believer, a Catholic devout.

I see this as personal choice, faith.

I except that other feel differently. A respect that point of view.

Dave Allen mocked the Catholic faith, sometimes with the ridicule it deserved. Pompous over bearing Popery.

Religious extremism, to force one belief onto another with the threat of incarceration, is a very slippery slope.

If a religious group are unwilling to intergrade into western democratic society, without the ever present threat of violent suppression then the debate must be had to forced repatriation.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

I would never burn any book in my library. But I'll defend my right to do it, if I choose, and I have an incinerator chimney in my backyard, so I have no need nor perverted wish to make a public display of it. Can't stop the nutbags, though, nor the goofballs they elect.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

"Nobody has the right to not be offended."

0 ( +7 / -7 )

Some US states have legislated local libraries not have some books previously seen as classics of American literature.

Australia has a grand tradition of banning books on anti offensive grounds {"Portnoy's Complaint " in the 1970's, for example }

What would be the purpose of burning the Koran except to cause religious and social unrest

Society is not a "free for all " one...lots of rules impede peoples ability to do things.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

None of my business ...if so why do the book burnings happen in public ?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Let's go back to the idea that deliberately offending a group is of itself offensive.

Many "book burning advocates " would'nt express or give the same rights to others....mostly Muslims.

Oh ! I'm so brave ...I'll advocate burning a book Holy to millions...in private at least.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

What would be the purpose of burning the Koran except to cause religious and social unrest

Society is not a "free for all " one...lots of rules impede peoples ability to do things.

Most of these instances are intended to offend and stir up trouble. In America there's been cases of hatemongers intestinally burning truckloads of Korans just to be seen in public, get the attention and to stir up hate. That's the big problem here. Those idiots never even read anything in the Koran itself.

I take it the same way as burning Bibles, Vedas, any old holy books. If you don't believe or agree with it, nobody is force-feeding it on you. These zeroes who desecrate holy books in public are just immature brats who want to have their Famous 15 Minutes causing a stench. But they look like provocative fools.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

It was a burning of the Koran that made the poet Heinrich Heine remark, "When people start burning books they end up buring peope.*

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

what's the "protest " in burning the Koran ?

Just asking...

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

GuruMick

what's the "protest " in burning the Koran ?

Just asking...

It's none of your or anyone's business why I may choose to burn it. That's the whole point.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Not how I would do things, but their country, their rules. Don’t like it, don’t go there.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

I'd have thought burning any book in a public place would be illegal as it is a fire safety risk. I'm fairly sure if I burned an encyclopedia, novel, or newspaper on my local high street, I'd get stopped by the police.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Holy Books are Wisdom Banks. The Holy Bible, the Bhagavad Gita, the Torah, Granth Sahib, the Holy Koran, the Buddhavacana, the Avesta, the Agam Sutras, and several canons of the Chinese - offer guidance, meaning, motivation, courage, and stamina, for lovers of wisdom to journey through life with heads held high.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Good, it's about time. Should upset a few of the fedora-wearing edge lords!

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

Its an offence to burn money in Australia.

And a few Western Christian nations have anti blasphemy laws .

Denmark is adopting a practical measure akin to not kicking the hornets nest.

Thailand imprisons people who criticise or jest about it's Monarchy.

The world is not uniform.

I wouldnt go to fight for someones right to burn any books...has a bad past.

-9 ( +2 / -11 )

Agree with GuruMick

-11 ( +1 / -12 )

Thailand imprisons people who criticise or jest about it's Monarchy.

Many European countries imprison people who deny the holocaust or give the Nazi salute.

-11 ( +1 / -12 )

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