Evangelising could be legally regarded as harassment, should new European Union (EU) equality legislation be approved, warns the Church.
The anti-discrimination proposals, to be considered by the 27 EU member states this year, have also been criticised by The Law Society, who feels the law could cut both ways.
In an official submission to the EU, the Society illustrated the potential problems: “In a shop or shared lodging house, there may be a notice board on which is posted material that some of those who see it will find offensive on religious grounds (for instance, a poster for a film, such as The Life Of Brian).”
A clever, and entirely apt, example by The Law Society. Instead of choosing an example of Christians being prosecuted by Muslims or gays, it gives an example of how Christians could take offence at a film poster which lampoons Christianity.
Of course, free speech is of the utmost importance for all of these countries I’m sure… or maybe only some “free speech.”
#2 It is becoming increasingly obvious that Free Speech is not highly valued in Europe, in favor of an increasingly sterile political correctness that seeks to legislate a polite society.
It’s hard to imagine the culture that provided us Voltaire is at the forefront of destroying the ability to freely speak one’s mind.