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While the three legal systems of the United Kingdom (see English law, Scots law and Northern Ireland law) do not satisfy the legal definition of freedom of religion^{[citation needed]}, the United Kingdom is a signatory to Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights which provides a right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This includes the freedom to change a religion or belief, and to manifest a religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance, subject to certain restrictions that are "in accordance with law" and "necessary in a democratic society". Image File history File links Information. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... English law is a formal term of art that describes the law for the time being in force in England and Wales. ... Scots law (or Scottish law) is the law of Scotland. ... Northern Ireland law concerns the legal system in Northern Ireland. ... The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen guarantees freedom of religion, as long as religious activities do not infringe on public order in ways detrimental to society. ... The Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, also known as the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), was adopted under the auspices of the Council of Europe[1] in 1950 to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms. ... Freedom of thought (also called freedom of conscience and freedom of ideas) is the freedom of an individual to hold or consider a fact, viewpoint, or thought, regardless of anyone elses view. ... Freedom of thought (also called freedom of conscience) is the freedom of an individual to hold a viewpoint, or thought, regardless of anyone elses view. ...

However, the crime of blasphemy is retained by England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and their respective governments have repeatedly refused to extend that crime to cover any religion other than Christianity. See Blasphemy law in the United Kingdom. Look up blasphemy in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Motto (Latin) No one provokes me with impunity Cha togar mfhearg gun dioladh (Scottish Gaelic)1 Wha daur meddle wi me?(Scots)1 Anthem (Multiple unofficial anthems) Scotlands location in Europe Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official languages English, Gaelic, Scots Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Queen Queen Elizabeth II... Northern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom lying in the northeast of the island of Ireland, covering 5,459 square miles (14,139 km², about a sixth of the islands total area). ... Christianity percentage by country, purple is highest, orange is lowest Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ...

History

The last person to be imprisoned for blasphemy in the UK was John William Gott in 1922, for comparing Jesus Christ to a clown. The next blasphemy case was in 1976, when Mary Whitehouse brought a private prosecution (Whitehouse v. Lemon) against the editor of Gay News for blasphemous libel after he published a poem by James Kirkup called The Love That Dares Speak Its Name. Denis Lemon was given a nine month suspended sentence and a £500 fine for publishing the "most scurrilous profanity" which portrayed the sexual love of a Roman centurion for the body of Christ on the cross. The sentence was upheld on appeal. Year 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar). ... This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ... Clowns Clowns are stereotypically characterized by their colored afro wigs, stylistic makeup, outlandish costumes, and unusually large footwear. ... Year 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the 1976 Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Whitehouse v. ... Gay News was a pioneering fortnightly newspaper in the United Kingdom founded in June 1972 in a collaboration between the Gay Liberation Front and the Campaign for Homosexual Equality. ... James Kirkup (b. ...

In this appeal case, Lord Scarman held that the modern law of blasphemy was correctly formulated in Article 214 of Stephen's Digest of the Criminal Law, 9th edition (1950). This states as follows: Leslie George Scarman, Baron Scarman, PC (29 July 1911 – 8 December 2004) was a Law Lord (retired) and a cross bench member of the British House of Lords. ...

Every publication is said to be blasphemous which contains any contemptuous, reviling, scurrilous or ludicrous matter relating to God, Jesus Christ or the Bible, or the formularies of the Church of England as by law established. It is not blasphemous to speak or publish opinions hostile to the Christian religion, or to deny the existence of God, if the publication is couched in decent and temperate language. The test to be applied is as to the manner in which the doctrines are advocated and not to the substance of the doctrines themselves.

In 1996 the European Court of Human Rights (case #19/1995/525/611) upheld a ban on Visions of Ecstasy, an erotic video about a 16th century nun, based on the video infringing on the blasphemy law. The Court estimated that a limited ban on vulgar or obscene publications that would be offensive to believers, while keeping legal the criticism of religion, was compatible with the principles of a democratic society. 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... European Court of Human Rights building in Strasbourg The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), often referred to informally as the Strasbourg Court, was created to systematise the hearing of human rights complaints against States Parties to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, adopted by...

Act of Settlement

The Act of Settlement 1701 decrees that that the monarch of the United Kingdom "shall join in communion with the Church of England". This act was specifically designed to prevent a Catholic monarch from ascending to the throne, but in effect discriminates against all religions other than Anglicanism. The Electress Sophia The Act of Settlement (12 & 13 Wm 3 c. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      Anglicanism is the term used to encapsulate...

Adoption agencies

Religious based adoption agencies are prevented from applying their moral codes if they conflict with The Equality Act.^[1] The Catholic adoption agencies unsuccessfully attempted to negotiate a compromise that would include an exemption for religious-based agencies, which would have allowed them to continue to facilitate adoption for traditional opposite-sex parents only.

Education

Several university student associations have implemented rules that require Christian Unions to allow "anybody, regardless of faith, ethnicity or sexuality, to sit on their ruling committees and to address their meetings."^[2] The Christian Unions say they should be allowed to require that their ruling committees share their beliefs.

See also

• Religion in the United Kingdom
• Antidisestablishmentarianism

St Pauls Cathedral The United Kingdom is traditionally a Christian state, though of the four constituent countries, only England still has a state faith in the form of an established church. ... Look up Antidisestablishmentarianism in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Footnotes

The current BBC News logo BBC News and Current Affairs is a major arm of the BBC responsible for the corporations newsgathering and production of news programmes on BBC television, radio and online. ... See also The New York Times, The Times of India, or The Irish Times. ...