5.12.07

Jerry Springer the Opera not blasphemous

Its not what many militant Christians may want to hear and on the other hand there are probably plenty of people (notably within the BBC) with or without religious convictions who would be pleased to see Director General Mark Thompson prosecuted for something but the High Court has ruled that in respect of the blasphemy case before it there were not grounds for a blasphemy prosecution.

There was uproar when the BBC decided to screen Jerry Springer - The Opera in 1995 which was branded by many and lobby group Christina Voice in particular as "an offensive, spiteful, systematic mockery and wilful denigration of Christian belief".

Following an ealier hearing at which the magistrates court declined to issue a summons against Thompson for blasphemy, the High Court has this week ruled that within the context of the opera and programme it could not be seen as blasphemous and no prosecution was warranted.

More legal analysis from Timesonline - Free Speech v. Religion

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