Letter: Blasphemy and the democratic right of dissent

Sir: There is a sound jurisprudential reason why the blasphemy law should be abolished. If God exists, then certainly a blasphemy is a blasphemy. If God does not exist, then a blasphemy is simply an empty expression.

God's existence is not beyond all reasonable doubt, and it is at the very least unwise to impose a law whose grounding is less solid than the normal requirements for a successful criminal conviction; accordingly any blasphemy law is at best otiose, and at worst a theocratic atavism.

Yours faithfully,

STEPHEN R. GOULD

London, SW5

11 September