Religion as an indicator of good character
So. Apparently Cherie Booth has decided that someone convicted of assault occasioning actual bodily harm (a broken jaw) should be given a suspended sentence because he is a religious man.
Notwithstanding that she obviously didn't get the memo from Harriet Harperson stating that the use of such gender-specific terms is sexist & will lead to the end of the world as we know it, the part that has me completely agog with disbelief is this:
She suspended his six month sentence for two years, on the grounds that he was "a religious person and have not been in trouble before … you are a religious man and you know this is not acceptable behaviour."
Umm. Let me see. Religion as an indicator of good character? I don't fucking think so. It is a matter of public record that CB is a Catholic (although obviously not a terribly devout one, due to her infamous gaffe about "forgetting her contraceptive equipment" a few years ago). I'm sure we would all agree that the Catholic Church is a fine example of exactly how good a person being religious makes you. There are no reports of any Catholics ever doing anything illegal, or immoral at all. No Catholic has ever killed anyone, raped anyone, abused any children, committed theft, defrauded anyone, or anything else, no siree.
(Note I am not solely ranting against the Catholic church, it just happens to be a convenient example. history is littered with examples of criminal/immoral/whatever you want to call it behaviour carried out by people who are religious - be they Jewish, Muslim, Catholic, Protestant, whatever.)
What's my point here? That someone's purported religion is utterly immaterial in instances like this. The only thing (for me) that determines whether or not someone is of good character is their conduct, in a very freeman-ish way. Act honourably, do not injure other people, do not attempt to defraud, do not enter into false contract. Blokey above falls down on one of those hurdles, doesn't he? His choice of which sky-pixie to believe in (or not believe in) is irrelevant.
(With no small degree of irony, a moment of self-reflection points out to me that I fail this test as well, based on my historical conduct.)
I await thoughts from the masses!
Notwithstanding that she obviously didn't get the memo from Harriet Harperson stating that the use of such gender-specific terms is sexist & will lead to the end of the world as we know it, the part that has me completely agog with disbelief is this:
She suspended his six month sentence for two years, on the grounds that he was "a religious person and have not been in trouble before … you are a religious man and you know this is not acceptable behaviour."
Umm. Let me see. Religion as an indicator of good character? I don't fucking think so. It is a matter of public record that CB is a Catholic (although obviously not a terribly devout one, due to her infamous gaffe about "forgetting her contraceptive equipment" a few years ago). I'm sure we would all agree that the Catholic Church is a fine example of exactly how good a person being religious makes you. There are no reports of any Catholics ever doing anything illegal, or immoral at all. No Catholic has ever killed anyone, raped anyone, abused any children, committed theft, defrauded anyone, or anything else, no siree.
(Note I am not solely ranting against the Catholic church, it just happens to be a convenient example. history is littered with examples of criminal/immoral/whatever you want to call it behaviour carried out by people who are religious - be they Jewish, Muslim, Catholic, Protestant, whatever.)
What's my point here? That someone's purported religion is utterly immaterial in instances like this. The only thing (for me) that determines whether or not someone is of good character is their conduct, in a very freeman-ish way. Act honourably, do not injure other people, do not attempt to defraud, do not enter into false contract. Blokey above falls down on one of those hurdles, doesn't he? His choice of which sky-pixie to believe in (or not believe in) is irrelevant.
(With no small degree of irony, a moment of self-reflection points out to me that I fail this test as well, based on my historical conduct.)
I await thoughts from the masses!