This is interesting no only for its comedic value – you just had to laugh. But also for the side thoughts that emerge while reading the story. A man in Liverpool has been found guilty of “causing religiously aggravated intentional harassment, alarm or distress”, sentenced to 100 hours of community service, and given an ASBO forbidding him to carry religiously offensive material in public.
He left pornographic material, and cartoons of Christian and Muslim religious figures in the prayer room at Liverpool airport in an effort to convert people to atheism.
Okaaay . . . .
If you’re done gasping (or in my case giggling hysterically) lets play with this one for a moment. Does this judement now mean that I can change the sign on my front door from: “No Evangelists”; to “Evangelists Will Be Prosecuted”?
This man’s actions are curious in another – more serious way – in that it moves to pose questions about identifying belief in the first place. In a very real sense his choice of pornography was . . . . wisely chosen. A significant number of Christians, at least, place a strong emphasis on the relationship between sex, and God. Is this all our tradition can speak to? Of course not – but it is very much a part of the popular reception of what Christianity is all about.
Why? Because too many Christians at least, link their faith in God, their “belief” with sex, and sexuality, thereby narrowing the range of areas of life where they might readily percieve “blessings seen and unseen”.
2 Responses to ““A” Is For “ASBO” and “Atheist””
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Thanks for your interesting observation on this event. It doesn’t seem like a sensible way to spread the atheist message, I can’t see it having been intended as anything other than to cause offence and upset. What state is somebody’s soul in if they even contemplate trying to cause offence and hurt others, whether they are successful or not? Prayers for all who intentionally cause hurt and pain to others.
N.