Blasphemy

Recently, Lüdinghausen, a small town in Westphalia Red Baron that was once visited on a bicycle tour, made it into the news. Up to February 25, the world was still in order in that cozy place in the bishopric of Münster with Töttchen and Pumpernickel on the menu. 

The diocese of Münster holds the silver medal in Catholicism in Germany, just short of Paderborn's gold medal. On that day in February, a judge convicted the retired physics teacher Albert Voß (meaning fox in Lower German) for blasphemy.

Westfälisches Töttchen (©T. Reddig)

Let us face it. Albert is a provocateur when he, following his retirement, began to live his atheism, openly decorating the rear window of his car with anti-religious slogans. The first text he drew from Psalm 137, starting with the famous:

By the rivers of Babylon, we sat and wept
when we remembered Zion

and ending with

Daughter Babylon doomed to destruction,
happy is the one who repays you
according to what you have done to us

Happy is the one who seizes your infants
and dashes them against the rocks.

In October 2015, Albert Voss showed the following slogan:

We make a pilgrimage with Martin Luther:
Let's go to Rome!
To kill Pope Swine Francis.
Reformation is awesome!

This was too much for a Lüdinghausen citizen. He reported Albert to the police for blasphemy. When the cops arrived, Albert had already changed the slogan to:

The Church is looking for modern marketing ideas. I help.
Our favorite artist, Jesus - has been hanging around for 2000 years.
 And no cramp yet!

Albert was accused of violating §166 StGB (penal code), paragraph 2: Whoever publicly or by dissemination of writings defames, in a manner suitable to disturb the public peace, a church established in Germany or other religious society or world view association, or their institutions or customs, shall be punished. The Lüdinghausen district attorney demanded a fine of 3000 Euros. 

I am upset with Voß. This guy is neither up-to-date when he writes Reformation is awesome nor polite when naming Pope Francis a pope swine. After all, I had never read that Francis had abused little boys.

*Doesn't he see that after nearly 500 years, the rigid approach of Protestantism to life has ossified

I am upset with Judge Ira Schwefer for declaring: What you did is an insult to the Church, Herr Voß. It is punishable, and you know it. In particular, the pope and cross are central elements of the Catholic faith. 

She changed the fine on February 25, 2016, into a suspended sentence for denigrating religious communities (formerly "blasphemy"). Schwefer should have instead sentenced Voß in a libel suit for insulting someone and not for blasphemy. 

Following his conviction: Grinning Albert Voß with his offending car (©WDR)

Interesting question: Will Albert relapse? 

Anyway, his defense counsel will appeal, arguing that §166 should be abolished altogether. The paragraph is incompatible with our Grundgesetz (constitution) guaranteeing freedom of expression.

So Albert Voß made an appeal at the Münster Regional Court. At the end of his judgment, the presiding judge said, "In terms of taste, one can argue about these slogans," and acquitted him. He saw  Albert's statements as covered by freedom of expression, "We think that society has to live with the slogans on the car, and we believe it can do that quite well..."

Voß will continue to drive through the area with his "slogan cab" and perhaps inspire another religious fellow citizen to file a new complaint. He is also considering acquiring a truck, "You'll have a larger area, and maybe you can even drive around with two slogans at the same time." 

  
P.S.: Lüdinghausen is known for convictions for blasphemy. In 2006, another guy who had retired too early was apparently frustrated and had nothing else to do than print the Koran, the holy Koran, on toilet paper that he then distributed freely. He was fined for offending Islam.

All photos ©Albert Voß

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