Religious Jokes to be Banned in England?

Posted on December 7, 2004

The BBC reports that a proposed new law has British comedians and writers up in arms. Blackadder star Rowan Atkinson launched a comedians' campaign against the new law which would make it a crime to "incite religious hatred".

The purpose of the law is to protect faith groups, particularly Muslims, from attack. But writers say that the way the law is written will mean that they will be committing a crime when they write political and religious jokes.

Atkinson, best known as "Mr. Bean" said the law is "wholly inappropriate" and could stifle freedom of speech. Mr. Atkinson is backed by a group of writers, MPs and the National Secular Society. Atkinson noted, "A law which attempts to say you can criticise and ridicule ideas as long as they are not religious ideas is a very peculiar law indeed."