R. v. Kinler (1925), 63 Que. S.C. 483 (English Translation)

Here's my rough translation of R. v. Kinler (1925), 63 Que. S.C. 483, another Quebec blasphemy case. The case is noteworthy for holding that the Criminal Code's provision on blasphemous libel applies only to attacks on God, not to attacks on religious adherents or religious subjects generally, but this holding would itself be undermined by subsequent cases.
It wasn't until I did further research on a related topic that I realized the publication discussed here, The Golden Age, was an official publication of Jehovah's Witnesses.
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R. v. Kinler (1925), 63 Que. S.C. 483

[1.1] M. le magistrat Lemay.

[1.1] Mister Magistrate Lemay:

[1.2] Les accusées sont devant moi sous une accusation de libelle blasphématoire.

[1.2] These accused are in front of me under a charge of blasphemous libel.

[1.3] Elles ont répandu, dans la ville de Coaticooke et ailleurs un pamphlet intitulé "L'âge d'or".

[1.3] They have spread, in the town of Coaticooke and elsewhere a pamphlet entitled "The Golden Age."

[1.4] Cet imprimé contient, entre autres choses, un article ayant pour titre "Acte d'accusation contre le clergé."

[1.4] This printed material, includes among other things, an article having for a title "Certificate of accusation against the clergy."

[2.1] Les points les plus saillants de cet article sont qu'on y attaque les clergés des différentes dénominations, que l'on met tous au même rang, mais à un rang trés bas, sous le talon de l'auteur.

[2.1] The most salient points of this article are those that attack the clergy of different denominations, that puts them all on the same standing, but on a very low standing, under the heel of the author.

[3.1] On accuse le clergé de s'être laissé prendre aux suggestions de Satan, et de s'être joint à un complot avec le diable dans le but de perdre le monde; d'avoir renié la parole de Dieu, d'avoir refusé d'enseigner au peuple le message du royaume du Messie, d'avoir voulu établir le royaume de Dieu sans Dieu, d'avoir déclaré sa loyauté au diable, le dieu du mal; d'avoir recommandé et sanctionné la guerre, de s'être moqué du Seigneur, d'avoir fondé la Société des Nations dans le but d'en faire l'expression politique du royaume de Dieu ici-bas.

[3.1] They accuse the clergy of being themselves led by and taking the suggestions of Satan, and of being joined in a plot with the devil in the goal of ruining the world; of having repudiated the promises of God, of having refused to teach people the message of the kingdom of the Messiah, of having wanted the Kingdom of God without God, of having declared loyalty to the devil, the god of evil; of having recommended and sanctioned war, of being mocking of the Lord, of having found the League of Nations in the goal of creating the political expression of the Kingdom of God here on earth.

[4.1] Et plus loin on y attaque les dogmes de l'Eglise catholique, le droit de succession des papes et des évêques aux trônes de St. Pierre et des apôtres; le dogme de la Sainte Trinité; on nie à l'Eglise le droit d'interpréter la Bible; on nie la doctrine de l'immortalité de l'âme, et autres choses semblables.

[4.1] And further, they attack the dogmas of the Catholic Church, the right of succession of popes and bishops to the throne of St. Peter and the apostles; the dogma of the Holy Trinity; they deny the Church the right to interpret the Bible; they deny the doctrine of the immortality of the soul, and other similar things.

[5.1] Comme on le voit cet article comprend deux phases distinctes: les attaques contre le clergé, et, en second lieu, les attaques contre la doctrine.

[5.1] As such, one can see this article as composed of two distinct parts: the attacks against the clergy, and in second place, the attacks against doctrine.

[6.1] Je crois de mon devoir de faire remarquer immédiatement que les attaques dirigées contre le clergé sont absolument injurieuses et injustes.

[6.1] I think it my duty to immediate make a statement that these misleading attacks against the clergy are absolutely harmful and unjust.

[6.2] Le clergé protestant et catholique, en cette province, s'est toujours montré admirable de dévouement.

[6.2] The Protestant and Catholic clergy, in this province, are always showing admirable dedication.

[6.3] Que se soit à l'école, à l'église ou prés du lit des mourants, jamais nos prêtres n'ont cessé d'enseigner la doctrine du Christ.

[6.3] Where there is a school, a church or a nearby death bed, never have our priests stopped teaching the doctrine of Christ.

[6.4] Et il est regrettable que des étrangers, qui ne connaissent rien de notre situation, viennent ainsi essayer de diminuer l'estime que notre peuple peut avoir pour ses prêtres.

[6.4] And it is regrettable that foreigners, who know nothing of our situation, have thus come to attempt to diminish the esteem that our people are able to have for their priests.

[6.5] Leur conduite mérite d'être flétrie.

[6.5] Their behavior merits condemnation.

[7.1] Mais, tout injurieuses et grossiéres que soient ces attaques, peuvent-elles constituer un libelle blasphématoire?

[7.1] But, are all the insults and vulgarities that constitute these attacks capable of constituting a blasphemous libel?

[8.1] Notre code criminel ne définit pas ce qui constitue cette offense; il se contente de dire que c'est une question de fait que de savoir si telle ou telle chose peut être considérée comme libelle blasphématoire.

[8.1] Our Criminal Code does not define what constitutes this offence; it is satisfied by saying that it is a question of fact to know if this or that thing can be considered as blasphemous libel.
[9.1] Il nous faut donc remonter au droit commun anglais, qui, comme on le sait est toujours en vigueur chez nous dans tous les cas non prévus par notre code.

[9.1] We therefore go back into the English common law, that, as we know, is always in force in cases not anticipated by our Code.

[10.1] L'interprétation donnée par les auteurs et la jurisprudence a subi bien des transformation avec les siècles.

[10.1] The interpretation provided by writers and the jurisprudence have undergone changes through the centuries.

[10.2] Autrefois on considérait comme libelle blasphématoire tout écrit ou toute parole s'attaquant non seulement à Dieu, mais même à l'église établie et à sa doctrine.

[10.2] In the past people considered a blasphemous libel to be anything written or anything spoken attacking not only God, but also the established church and its doctrine.

[10.3] Peu à peu, cette manière de voir s'est élargie; on en est arrivé à dire que l'on pouvait nier l'existence de Dieu sans que cela soit un blasphéme légal, et on a reconnu le droit à l'athéisme.

[10.3] Little by little, this way of looking at it widened; people came to say that anyone who could deny the existence of God without that [attack] was a lawful blasphemer, and people recognised the right of atheists.

[11.1] Si bien que de nos jours seule est considérée comme blasphème l'injure directe lancée à Dieu.

[11.1] It may well be that these days the only thing considered to be blasphemy is a direct insult hurled at God.

[11.2] L'on trouvera dans Odger, auteur anglais, un historique intéressant sur ce point, et qu'il serait trop long de réciter ici.

[11.2] One finds in Odger, the English author, an interesting history on this point, and one that is too long to recite here.

[12.1] Or dans la présente cause, nous avons des injures, et beaucoup d'injures, lancées à la tête de personnes respectables, à des ministres de Dieu.

[12.1] Now in the present case, we have insults, and a great many insults, hurled at the heads of respectable persons, the ministers of God.

[12.2] Au point de vue religieux, l'on pourrait peut-être dire que ces injures vont plus loin, et qu'elles atteignent Dieu Lui-même.

[12.2] From the point of view of the religious, people able to speak these insults go too far, and what they reach is God Himself.

[12.3] Mais, au point de vue légal, nous devons en arriver à la stricte conclusion que l'écrit incriminé ne contient rien en soi de blasphématoire contre la Divinité.

[12.3] But, from a legal point of view, we must arrive at the strict conclusion that the incriminating writing does not contain anything in itself blasphemous against the Divinity.

[13.1] Il en est de même pour la seconde partie, celle qui concerne les dogmes.

[13.1] It is the same for the second part, the one that concerns the dogmas.

[13.2] Une personne peut être absolument de bonne foi et différer d'opinion d'avec nous sur l'interprétation à donner à différents passages de la Bible.

[13.2] A person can be absolutely in good faith and differ in opinion with us on the interpretation to be given to different passages of the Bible.

[13.3] Je ne puis donc pas dire que cette personne a injurié Dieu si elle ne conçoit pas comme nous la mission du clergé, la vie future, etc.

[13.3] I do not, therefore, say that a person insults God if they do not think like we do about the mission of clergy, the future life, etc.

[14.1] Les témoignages donnés en cette cause par M. l'abbé Simard, théologien éminent, et par le Rév. M. Biggs, pasteur de l'église anglicane, confirment d'ailleurs mon opinion.

[14.1] The testimony given in this case by Mister Simard, the priest and eminent theologian, and by the Reverend Mister Biggs, pastor of the Anglican Church, further confirms my opinion.

[15.1] Je dois donc conclure qu'il n'y a pas ici de libelle blasphématoire, et je renvoie la plainte portée contre les accusés.

[15.1] I must therefore conclude that there is not a blasphemous libel here, and I dismiss the complaint brought against the accused.

END

R. v. Pelletier (1901), 6 R.L.N.S. 116 (English Translation)

Several years ago, when I first started researching the history of blasphemy in Canada, I translated some Quebec cases from the French. I am by no means an expert at the process, so please remain aware of the dangers of mistranslation. For this and other cases, I have numbered each paragraph and sentence, and provided both the original French and my translation.

R. v. Pelletier (1901), 6 R.L.N.S. 116.

[1.1] Les défendeurs étaient accusés d’avoir, en la cité de Montréal, le 1er juillet 1899, publié, dans une certaine publication périodique appelée “La petite Revue” e mis en circulation, un libelle blasphématoire contre la Divineté et plus paticuliérement contre N.S.J.C. le Divin foundation de la religion chréetienne.

[1.1]The defendants are accused of having, in the city of Montreal, on July 1, 1899, published, in a certain periodical in circulation named “The Little Review”, a blasphemous libel contrary to God and also contrary to Our Saviour Jesus Christ, the divine founder of the Christian religion.

[1.2] Ce libelle consiste en un dialogue entre l’auteur et sa servante au sujet du prétendu schisme entre les apôtres saint Pierre et saint Paul au commencement de la chrétienté, à propos du baptême des chrétiens.

[1.2] This libel consists of a conversation between the author and a servant on the alleged schism between the apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul at the beginning of Christianity, regarding the baptism of the Christians.

[1.3] Il y est dit que saint Paul n’admettait que le baptême spirituel par l’eau, tandis que saint Pierre voulait que’le baptême fût matériel et sanguin par l’ablation..... ou cironscision.

[1.3] It is said it was Saint Paul who allowed spiritual baptism by water, while it was Saint Peter who wanted baptism to be physical and bloody by ablation . . . or circumcision.

[1.4] L’auteur dit que saint Paul eut raison contre saint Pierre malgré Jésus-Christ, et que, par conséquent, le baptême spirituel par l’eau prévalut dans l’Eglise chrétienne.

[1.4] The author said Saint Paul had got the better of Saint Peter despite Jesus Christ, and, consequently, spiritual baptism by water prevailed in the Christian Church.

[2.1] De plus, l'auteur prétend faussement que le morceau de peau ou chair divine enlevée du corps du Sauveur par la circoncision, est frauduleusement exposé à l'adoration des fidéles dans au moins 14 églises différentes en Europe.

[2.1] Also, the author falsely claims that a piece of divine skin or flesh was removed from the body of the Saviour by circumcision and fraudulently shown to the adoration of the faithful in 14 different churches in Europe.

[3.1] Le tous est exprimé de mauvaise foi, dans des termes moquers et dérisoires, dans un language inconvenant et vulgaire, de mainiére à ébranler la foi et à détruire la vertu.

[3.1] Everything was said in bad faith, in mocking and derisory words, in annoying and vulgar language, in a manner to weaken faith and destroy virtue.

[4.1] Le 13 mars 1900, l'Honorable juge Desnoyers, président la Cour des Sessions de la Paix, à Montréal, prononca contre les accusés la sentence suivante:

[4.1] On March 13, 1900, the Honourable Judge Desnoyers, President of the Court of Sessions of the Peace, in Montreal, pronounced the following sentence against the accused:

[5.1] "Vous avez plaidé coupables à l'accusation d'avoir publié un libelle blasphématoire contre la Divinité, et plus particuliérement contre Notre-Seigneur Jésus-Christ, le Divin fondateur de la religion chrétiene."

[5.1] "You have plead guilty to the charge of having published a blasphemous libel against God, and also specifically against Our Saviour Jesus Christ, the divine founder of the Christian religion."

[5.2] "Ceux qui vous ont conseillés d'agir ainsi, ont bien fait, car toute tentative de défense de votre part, à mon avis, n'eût pu qu'aggraver votre faute."

[5.2] "Those who have counselled you to act that way have done well, because all attempts to defend your role, in my view, only aggravate your mistake."

[6.1] "Cet article est écrit dans des termes capables de faire rougir tout homme respectable à quelque croyance qu'il appartienne."

[6.1] "This article is written in words capable of making blush all respectable men who are members of the faithful."

[6.2] "Des choses les plus sacrée y sont tournée en ridicule; le sarcasme apparaît à chaque phrase dans la forme la plus impie, et j'ajouterais, la plus obscène."

[6.2] "Sacred things have been turned into jokes; sarcasm appears in every sentence in the form of impiety, and, additionally, obscenity."

[7.1] "C'est, on le sent, la production d'un esprit libertin et d'un coeur gâté."

[7.1] "It is, one feels, the creation of a licentious mind and of a decayed heart."

[7.2] "On y trouve des expressions qui ne se comprendraient que sous la plume d'un païen mal appris."

[7.2] "One finds that these expressions can be understood only as the writing of a heathen espousing evil."

[7.3] "En citer même une phrase me répugnereait; le titre seul que je ne veux pas reproduire, est blasphématoir, et l'article entier, qui couvre au-delà de sept pages de la 'Petite Revue,' exhale le blasphème et l'immoralité."

[7.3] "I find it repugnant to quote these words; I do not even want to reproduce the blasphemous title, and the whole article, which covers seven pages of the 'Little Review,' breathes blasphemy and immorality."

[8.1] "La religion de Jésus-Chrit est une école de moralité et de vérité."

[8.1] "The religion of Jesus Christ is the school of morality and truth."

[8.2] "Le libelle en question essaie de la faire passer pour une école d'impudence et de mensonge."

[8.2] "The libel in question tries to make instead a school of impudence and falsehood."

[8.3] "Le sacerdoce y est indignement outragé; les souvenirs les plus vénérables de la Rédemption y sont mis cyniquement en comparaison avec les objets les plus vulgaires."

[8.3] "The priesthood suffers outrageous indignities; the revered relics of the Redemption are placed in cynical comparison with vulgar objects."

[8.4] "L'auteur exagère et défigure les traditions et les faits pour pouvoir ensuite se moquer plus à son aise, et tout cela sans aucun propos, sous forme de dialogue, avec une servante aussi repoussante qu'éhontée, dans le seul but d'insulter à la foi des chrétiens."

[8.4] "The author exaggerates and distorts the traditions and facts to allow him then to mock them at his leisure, and all of this is done under the guise of a dialogue with a servant as disgusting and shameless as he is; this is repulsive and shameful on its own, but also insults the faith of Christians."

[8.5] "C'est un crime que les lois eussent, jadis, puni par les châtiments les plus sévères."

[8.5] "It is a crime that has for many years been punished by severe penalties."

[9.1] "Vous avez déclaré sous serment que vous êtes ni l'un ni l'autre les auteurs de cet article."

[9.1] "You have sworn under oath that you are not the authors of this article."

[9.2] "Je le crois sans peine, car je ne crois pas qu'une plume canadienne soit capable de produire de pareilles obcénités."

[9.2] "I believe that without difficulty, because I do not believe that a Canadian writer is capable of producing similar obscenities."

[9.3] "Une plume étrangére a dû commettre cet horreur."

[9.3] "Only a foreigner could perpetrate such horror."

[10.1] "Vous avez également juré que vous n'aviez pas lu cet article avant sa publication."

[10.1] "You have equally sworn that you did not read this article prior to publication."

[10.2] "Je dois vous croire, puisque vous l'affirmez sous serment; mais au moins, pourquoi ne l'avez vous pas répudié quand vous en avez pris connaissance?"

[10.2] "I must believe you, since you have affirmed it under oath; but nonetheless, why didn't you repudiate it [the article] after you became aware of it?"

[10.3] "Pourquoi, par la suite avez vous encouragé l'oeuvre de ces tristes écrivains que vous connaissez et dont vous avez refusé de donner les noms?"

[10.3] "Why do you continue your endorsement of the work of these sad writers whom you knew and whose names you have refused to give?"

[10.4] "Je comprends que vous cherchez, par ce moyen à atténuer votre faute, mais votre responsabilité d'éditeurs publicistes reste ici tout entiére."

[10.4] "I know that you look by this way to mitigate your mistake, but your responsibility as publisher for everything printed here is complete and total."

[11.1] "Songez au mal que de pareils écrits peuvent faire en pénétrant au milieu des familles, et surtout parmi la jeunesse."

[11.1] "Consider the evil similar writings would create in reaching the realm of family, and especially among youth."

[11.2] "Vous avez admis, à l'enquête, que la circulation de votre Revue est d'un millier."

[11.2] "You have admitted, in the inquest, that the circulation of your Review is one thousand."

[11.3] "Le fait n'a été discuté ni vérifié, et surtout, pour l'honneur de nos populations il n'est aucunement démontré que cette circulation se fasse parmi des abonnes."

[11.3] "This fact cannot be debated nor verified, and specifically, for counting people it hasn't in any way been shown what circulation is made among the subscribers."

[11.4] "Dans tous les cas, si j'en prends votre parole, c'est donc à des milllers de personnes, que chaque quinzaine, vous envoyez de sang-froid, et de gaieté de coeur, le poison, capable de donner la mort à la foi et à la vertu."

[11.4] "In any event, however I construe your words, it is therefore in the thousands of persons who, each fortnight, you delivered calmly and with a cheerful heart this poison, capable of causing the death of faith and of truth."

[12.1] "Vous, Néciphore Pelletier, quel exemple vous donnez à votre fils!"

[12.1] "You, Néciphore Pelletier, what an example you gave your sons!"

[12.2] "Je ne connais pas d'homme plus coupable que l'auteur et le propagateur de mauvais livres et de mauvais journaux."

[12.2] "I do not know any man as guilty of writing and propagating such nasty books and nasty journalism."

[12.3] "Ce sont des scandaleux, des apôtres du mal, des corrupteurs publics, et les honnêtes gens, les pères de famille surtout, ne sauraient trop se mettre en garde contre eux et leurs productions."

[12.3] "It is disgraceful, these apostles of evil, these corruptors of the public, and the honest men, the fathers of families especially, do not know how much they should be on guard against them and their productions."

[12.4] "Ils ont la loi pour eux et ils font bien d'y recourir."

[12.4] "They have the law on their side, and they make a good appeal to it."

[12.5] "Aussi, dans la plainte faite devant moi par un citoyen de cette ville, j'ai vu la plainte du public honnête, du public chrétien tout entier."

[12.5] "Also, in the complaint made before me by a citizen of this city, I see the complaints of the honest public, of the Christian public in its entirety."

[12.6] "J'ai eu la visite de plusieurs péres de famille, à qui vous aviez adressé votre revue, et qui, après l'avoir parcourue, l'ont renvoyée avec indignation."

[12.6] "I've had visits from several heads of families, to whom you have sent your journal, and who, after having perused it, have returned it with indignation."

[13.1] "C'est au nom de ce public, au nom de ces pères de famille que je parle en ce moment."

[13.1] "It is in the name of the people, in the name of these heads of families, that I speak at this time."

[14.1] "L'article du Code Criminel, relativement au libelle blasphématoir se lit comme suit: 'Est coupable d'un acte criminel et passible d'un an d'emprisonnement, celui qui publie un libelle blasphématoire."

[14.1] "The article of the Criminal Code, concerning blasphemous libel, reads as follows: 'He that publishes a blasphemous libel commits a culpable criminal act liable to a year's imprisonment."

[15.1] "Quoique cet article statue absolument que tel libelle sera puni par l'emprisonnement, heureusement pour vous qu'un autre article du même Code m'autorise à n'infliger qu'une amende."

[15.1] "Although this article absolutely declares that such a libel will be punished by imprisonment, fortunately for you one other article of the same Code authorizes the levying of a fine."

[16.1] "Si vous étiez vous-mêmes les auteurs de l'écrit incriminé j'appliquerais cet article contre vous dans toute sa rigueur."

[16.1] "If you yourself were one of the authors of the incriminating writing I would apply this article against you in all of its severity."

[16.2] "Mais vous n'avez fait que le publier; de plus, celui qui vous a cités devant ce tribunal a avoué, dans un sentiment de charité chrétienne qui l'honore, tenir à ce qui vous cessiez votre oeuvre malsaine et non à vous voir conduire en prison."

[16.2] "But you haven't made that publication; furthermore, those who have spoken before this tribunal agree, in a spirit of Christian charity and honour, to be content without seeing you conducted to prison if you cease your evil work."

[17.1] "Je tiens compte de ces deux faits, et je mitige en conséquence la sentence que je dois prononcer."

[17.1] "I've weighed these two facts, and I consequently mitigate the sentence that I must deliver."

[17.2] "Vous êtes condamnés à payer comme amende la somme de cent piastres chacun, ou à défault de paiement, à rester en prison tant que l'amende n'aura pas été payée."

[17.2] "You are sentenced to pay the same fine in the amount of a hundred dollars each, or in default of payment, a stay in prison as long as that fine is not paid."

[17.3] "Croyez que la peine est douce en comparaison de celle que vous avez réellement méritée."

[17.3] "Understand that the penalty is soft in comparison of that which you have truly deserved."

[17.4] "Il n'y a pas bien longtemps, la cour du Banc de la Reine, n'a-t elle pas condamné un publiciste, de Montréal à six mois de prison, pour avoir publié un libelle diffamatoire contre un ministre canadien de Sa Majesté?"

[17.4] "Wasn't it not long ago that the Court of Queen's Bench condemned a publisher to six months in prison in Montreal, for having published a defamatory libel against the Canadian minister of Her Majesty?"

[18.1] "Mais je dois vous avertir que si vous continuez à publier des articles dans le même esprit qu'un grand nombre de ceux qui ont paru dans la 'Petite Revue', depuis sa fondation, articles railleurs, sarcastiques, calomniateurs contre la religion chrétienne et ses plus augustes représentants, vous pouvez vous attendre à être de nouveau traduits aux assises criminelles, et, cette fois, ce n'est pas à une simple amende que vous serez condamnés."

[18.1] "But I owe you a warning that if you continue to publish articles in a spirit similar to that of a large number of those that appear in the "Little Review", since its creation, articles by mockers, parodists, and slanderers against the Christian religion and its august representatives, you will await a new prosecution by the criminal courts, and, this time, it will not be a simple fine that you are being sentenced to."

[19.1] "J'espere que vous ferez disparaître de votre publication la gravure du frontispice, qui est loin d'être convenable et que vous vous veillerez à en faire une Revue honnête, respectueuse des croyances religieuses et de la moralité chrétienne."

[19.1] "I hope you will make disappear your writings engraved in the frontispiece that are a long way from being appropriate and that you attend to making an honest Review, respectful of religious beliefs and Christian morality."

END

"Truth, Civility, and Religious Battlegrounds: The Contest Between Religious Vilification Laws and Freedom of Expression"

Joel Harrison, Truth, Civility, and Religious Battlegrounds: The Contest Between Religious Vilification Laws and Freedom of Expression, 12 Auckland U. L. Rev. 71 (2006)

This is a strong, impassioned critique of the entire idea of religious vilification laws. Using two prosecutions as examples (Victoria's Catch the Fire Ministries and Ontario's R. v. Harding), Harrison argues that vilification laws inevitably require courts to decide contested questions of religious truth in a manner that is clearly outside of their competency and in a fashion that runs aground of the freedom of religion and expression values that are so central to modern democracies. Further, Harrison argues that the natural result of such vilification laws are that "high" speech (civil, balanced, decorous, academic-style debate) is allowed as "reasonable" or "made in good faith", while "low" speech (raucous, vulgar, polemical) is deemed out of bounds, thus drawing distinctions in allowable speech for what may be nothing more than the class, education, or zealousness of the speaker. Finally, it suggests that prosecutions for religious vilification almost invariably result in the impugned speaker becoming a "martyr" or otherwise far more popular than before.

An excellent article, full of persuasive arguments against vilification laws.

Is Facebook Blasphemous in Pakistan?

Howard Friedman's Religion Clause blog has this post about Pakistan's Lahore High Court entertaining arguments about whether Facebook should be permanently banned as blasphemous. Some of the controversy seems to stem from "Everybody Draw Muhammed" day and "Everybody Burn Quran" day among some members of the site. Those arguing for the ban have cited the U.N.'s Defamation of Religion resolutions as additional grounds for suppression.

"Blasphemy in a Secular State: A Pardonable Sin?"

Reid Mortensen, Blasphemy in a Secular State: A Pardonable Sin?, 17 University of New South Wales L. J. 409 (1994)

This is an older article, but one still relevant for scholars interested in how Australia has treated blasphemy. According to the piece, the Commonwealth (Federal government) does not have a statutory prohibition on blasphemy. However, blasphemy as a common law offence is a possibility in a few Australian states--the evidence is equivocal, balancing dicta and oblique statutory references against the possibility of abrogation through desuetude. At the time this article was written in 1994, a clear answer as to the status of blasphemy in Australia could be found only in three jurisdictions: Tasmania, which has a direct prohibition on blasphemy in its Criminal Code; and Queensland and Western Australia, which have abolished common law crimes and do not have a statutory prohibition on blasphemy. (p. 417-18) Mortensen argues that blasphemy laws are not consistent with principles of secularism in a modern nation-state, though (from what I can tell) the lack of both recent prosecutions and a constitutional bill of rights applicable to state legislatures means the crime of blasphemy is difficult to challenge.* Mortensen concludes that "The case for the abolition of the blasphemy laws is a strong one. It has still met with little success, and if the more recent trend towards the extension of [religious] vilification laws should persist, the law will continue to claim it can know and designate its heresiarchs, of old kinds and new." (p. 431)

* In upcoming posts, I'll examine more recent law review articles that discuss how the situation has changed in regard to these two points.

"Des crimes religieux: aux confluents du droit pénal et de la liberté de religion"

Marie-Pierre Robert, Des crimes religieux: aux confluents du droit pénal et de la liberté de religion, 50 Les Cahiers de Droit 663 (2009).

This article, which I would roughly translate as Religious Crimes: The Intersection of Criminal Law and Freedom of Religion,* is a Canada-focussed piece about the nature of secularism and how that principle relates to criminal laws that seem to have a religious motivation for their existence. The discussion of secularism in Canada is interesting, and the article concludes that, despite the lack of an explicit textual guarantee in the Charter, the courts have furthered the view that the state should treat religious subjects in a neutral, non-preferential manner. As Robert says, "All the necessary ingredients of securalism are present. Secularism exists in fact and in law, but this secularism is not proclaimed." (p. 672)

After a general discussion of secularism in Canada, the article moves on to distinguish two types of laws originally motivated by religious beliefs: those which have clear secular purposes and which do not discriminate on the basis of religious belief (laws against murder, theft, etc.) contrasted with laws that originally had a discriminatory religious purpose that can not be justified today (polygamy and blasphemous libel). Canada's hate propaganda law, interestingly enough, is deemed acceptable because it protects all religious and non-religious persons, whether belonging to a majority or minority faith.

Much of the article is devoted to examining the case for holding polygamy and blasphemous libel laws unconstitutional. Robert argues that Canada's long-standing ban on polygamy was originally motivated not by a desire to protect vulnerable women and girls (the rationale most often given by supporters of the ban today), but by animus towards American Mormons who were starting to cross the border in larger numbers. She argues that the ban on blasphemous libel was motivated by a desire to protect Christianity, and that the law does not protect religious minorities ("Why criminalize blasphemous libel? To protect the Christian religion, that's it" at p. 687). I tend to think the motives behind Canada's 1892 blasphemous libel law are perhaps more complex, and that the question of whether the law protects religions other than Christianity is an open one.

Although I don't anticipate seeing the blasphemous libel provision litigated anytime soon, it will be quite interesting to see the results of the B.C. reference over the constitutionality of polygamy bans.

* All quotations here are my translation, and apologies for any mistranslations or misunderstandings of the original French text.

"Religious Freedom, Democracy, and International Human Rights"

John Witte, Jr. & M. Christian Green, Religious Freedom, Democracy, and International Human Rights, 23 Emory Int'l L. Rev. 583 (2009)

This interesting and provocative article argues that, despite the rise of constitutionalism and concomitant religious freedom guarantees all over the world, "this very same global human rights revolution has coincided with intensifying religious and ethnic conflict, oppression, and belligerence" (p. 586) in the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia, and much of the former Soviet Union. The article accurately notes that "charges of blasphemy, seemingly as premodern as charges of heresy or apostasy, are making their way back into the headlines" (p. 599), as are punishments for religious conversion or evangelization. "Indeed, in many areas of the world, a new 'war for souls' has broken out--a battle to reclaim the traditional, cultural, and moral fabric of these new societies and a struggle to regain adherence and adherents to indigenous faiths. . . . These tensions exist under the surface of shiny constitutional veneers of international human rights instruments[.]" (p. 587) The fact that religious freedom is under attack in many countries across the globe is not news, of course, but the fact that constitutionalism--domestic or international--has largely failed to solve the problem should be a good wake up call for any legal theorists who spend too much time thinking about rights in the abstract and too little about concrete measures of enforcement.