Blasphemy...

The Scottish government is about to decriminalise blasphemy, more than 175 years after the last case was prosecuted (a blasphemy case was brought against bookseller Thomas Paterson for “exhibiting placards of a profane nature” in his shop window in 1842), and twelve years after the blasphemy laws were repealed in England and Wales.

Blasphemy is a strange crime, designed to protect religions and deities against criticism or mockery. But it’s people who need protection from bigotry and discrimination; ideas - and beliefs - are reckoned, in the 21st century, to be able to look after themselves. Religious people demand respect for their own beliefs, but are seldom so vociferous in their demands for other religious beliefs to be offered the same rights. Such is the nature of religious exceptionalism.

Everyone in Britain now enjoys religious freedom: the right to worship one god, or many gods, in whatever way they see fit, and the law grants us the concomitant freedom to worship no god at all. The righteous are free to believe religious propositions on insufficient evidence, just as I am free to point this out.

The ruins of Elgin Cathedral, licensed yesterday...