As reported by Reuters in this Yahoo! News article, the hearing for the privately brought blasphemy case against the BBC for its screening of Jerry Springer: The Opera has wound-up, with a ruling expected at a later date.

The Yahoo! article writes about the arguments used to bring the case:

[Jon] Thoday is the producer of musical “Jerry Springer-The Opera,” which the BBC aired in 2005. [Stephen "dogshit"] Green argues that the show is blasphemous, likening Jesus to “the perv in a nappy.”

Based on U.S. television host Jerry Springer’s brash talk show, the musical depicts Jesus being referred to as “a little bit gay” and features Eve attempting to fondle his genitals.

Green’s lawyer Michael Gledhill [QC], speaking on Tuesday at the opening of the two-day hearing, argued that “Jerry Springer-The Opera” would never have been staged or aired in Britain had it been a satire about Islam, not Christianity.

“No theatre would have produced it. Neither would the BBC have broadcast it,” he said.

So, instead of the expected evidence, which would normally come in the form of actually showing that the alleged “crime” took place (i.e. Jesus was actually offended) nor that the offendee actually exists (as claimed by christians the world over, “Jesus is risen”, etc.), the legal team has resorted to the “you wouldn’t say that about Mohammed” argument.

Of course, this argument has absolutely nothing to do with blasphemy and is merely a pathetically executed argumentum ad baculum, which really gives me the shivers when one understand that this is coming from a QC, ostensibly a very experienced (and successful) arguer.

Of course, should a successful prosecution be brought, this can surely be seen as the UK legal system validating the existence of a god, and specifically the christian god (seeing as the UK’s blasphemy laws are strictly applied to anglicanism). Given such validation, I wouldn’t be surprised if Green were to instruct his lawyers to push for the appropriate punishment. For those that don’t know, christian scripture proscribes being put to death (Leviticus 24:16).

This entry was posted Thursday, November 22nd, 2007 at 12:38 am and is filed under bad argument, BBC, blasphemy, christian, Christian Voice, islam, Jerry Springer:The Opera, legal, news, Stephen "Dogshit" Green, UK, Yahoo!. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.