Magic Statistics

In a serious blow to his authority as Prime Minister, Tony Blair suffered a humiliating loss in the British House of Commons when his Labour Government was forced to accept unwanted changes to the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill.

Tony Blair's authority was gravely weakened last night after the Government crashed to a double defeat over the religious hatred Bill.

In farcical circumstances, the Prime Minister was apparently allowed home shortly before the second crucial Commons vote, which the Government lost by one.

Opponents of the bill, both inside and outside Parliament, saw it as an attack on free speech.

Last night's votes came as some 200 objectors demonstrated outside the Palace of Westminster before and during the Commons debate. Labour and Tory MPs had expressed disquiet over the proposed legislation, which in its original form would have made it a crime to use words or behaviour that were threatening, insulting or abusive to religious groups.

The House of Lords had amended the Bill by removing the "insulting or abusive" element, and the Government failed to re-insert them after a lively three-hour debate.

Rowan Atkinson, a leader in the public opposition campaign, gave a speech earlier this week urging the government to accept the amendments passed by the House of Lords.

It is absolutely right and reasonable that religions should be protected from threatening language, behaviour and written material but I support the amendment to retain the right to abuse and insult, because of the essentially irrational nature of religious beliefs. That is not to dismiss them: indeed, I'm a great believer that the most important and most sustaining things in life are essentially irrational.
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In my opinion, freedom of expression is being allowed to cause trouble, or create discomfort, or offence, as long as your words or behaviour are not threatening.

I agree. Freedom of speech is not worth very much, in my view, unless it includes the right to voice unpopular or objectionable or, on occasion, offensive opinions. Unfortunately, I think, that understanding of freedom of speech is coming under heavy attack. I blogged the House of Lords' amendments to this bill back in October.

Another bit of churchy silliness. This new product seems custom-designed for the emerging church movement. Don't like the look and feel of your traditional, old-fashioned church building? Blow up your own! It's the inflatable church. It even has stained glass windows and an inflatable organ.

This could ease the transition for Episcopal congregations turfed out of their buildings by ECUSA bishops.

Lots more pictures here.

The same company also makes inflatable pubs. It would probably be a good idea to use those only in jurisdictions with no-smoking by-laws.

via Pontifications.

This may be the best church advertisement I've ever heard.

via Drell's Descants.