Quote Of The Day #53 Part One

“It’s now very common to hear people say, ‘I’m rather offended by that.’ As if that gives them certain rights. It’s actually nothing more… than a whine. ‘I find that offensive.’ It has no meaning; it has no reason to be respected as a phrase. “I am offended by that.’ Well, so fucking what?”

Brilliant quote from Stephen Fry, a gay man who is married to another man and who would doubtless end up in a lot of trouble if certain religious literalists got their way.

 

Since when did ‘offence’ become the way to judge comments about politics, religion or anything else for that matter? And why is some people’s ‘offence’ so much more powerful than that of others? Why is being ‘offensive’ about religion equated with racial prejudice? Isn’t making assumptions about other people – that certain ethnic groups follow certain religions – an obvious example of racism? And isn’t assuming things about racial groups ‘offensive’? Who knows?

 

Isn’t it a fact that all great truths begin as heresies – as challenges to the status quo? I’m pretty sure that the Jewish leaders of first century Israel were ‘offended’ by Jesus Christ’s claim to be the Messiah; his claim to be the Son of God would have been deeply ‘offensive’ to their fiercely monotheist beliefs? And early Christians’ talk about drinking Jesus’ blood would have disgusted and appalled Jews who have a taboo against blood that survives to this day in such nonsense as Jehovah’s Witnesses effusing blood transfusions.

 

Muhammad of Mecca’s early career as a preacher of monotheism would have been extremely ‘offensive’ to the polytheists of his time. His claim to be a prophet was rejected by the Jewish inhabitants of Arabia; can their descendants claim ‘offence’ for his followers usurping their traditions?

 

Galileo Galilei’s contention that the Earth orbit’s the Sun was no doubt ‘offensive’ to the Bible literalists of early modern Europe. Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution was ‘offensive’ to nineteenth century Christians and continues to annoy and upset fundamentalists in our own times. I am sure Pope Francis’ (alleged) recent comments that Hell does not exist will be ‘offensive’ to some Catholics.

 

I’d like to end by suggesting that I have to put up with many things that I consider ‘offensive.’ I have to put up with the privileges accorded to god botherers and their Bronze Age fairy tales. I have to pay my share of taxes in times of austerity whilst religious organisations escape scot-free. I have to listen to religious bigots whining about ‘discrimination’ whilst holding views about women, gays and Jews that I find repugnant  And I have to put up with sanctimonious, holier-than-thou fools like Justin Welby having a veto on laws about euthanasia because it goes against the wishes of his imaginary friend.

 

As Stephen Fry says, claiming to be ‘offended’ is simply a whine. It’s about as scary as a four-year-old telling you Santa won’t bring you any presents or some god botherer saying you will go to Hell if you whistle on a Tuesday or something equally absurd. And remember, offence is taken not given.