"Well it turns out they are annoyed at the prospect that proposed legislation will make it an offence to gratuitously offend religion"
Isn't it already an "offense" to "gratuitously offend" religion? Not in a legal sense but it sure seems to piss off most people as it is.
"in reality, Catholicism (their big bogeyman)."
Nah. It's the Baptists and other Protestant sects that I have the biggest problem with. The Catholics have had their day and, for the most part, aren't all that important.
I do find the old guy with the funny hat and a serious case of unmerited self-importance to be quite amusing however. God's representative on Earth, indeed.
"The big question is, though, what kind of ideology gets it kicks out of gratuitously offending the sincerely held views of others? It seems both immature and vulgar."
So does telling 2/3 of the planet that they're going to hell, are filthy sinners, don't deserve respect and are utterly contemptible because they don't follow you silly bullshit religion.
I find that far more disagreeable than someone telling you to shove your made up bullshit in your ass because people are tired of hearing it.
"Perhaps the best critique of this ideology is provided in the recently published 'The Irrational Atheist: Dissecting the Unholy Trinity of Dawkins, Harris, and Hitchens', by Vox Day."
Haven't read it. Haven't even heard of it--which is surprising since I tend to listen to the local fundy nutjob on the radio--but it sounds like typical religious twaddle. Judging by the title I'd say it's nothing but 200+ pages of ad hominems.
"This brilliant critique clearly demonstrates why a mere anti-blasphemy law is not sufficient."
Not sufficient? It's not even practical. You really think such a thing would either be enforced or actually enacted to begin with? This isn't the 12th century buddy.
"In the interests of rationality and common sense, the legislation should go further and label atheism a thought crime."
A thought crime? I know I usually tell you guys to try reading something other than your Bible but maybe you should go back to it and lay off Orwell for a while.
