Indignation over Stephen Fry’s alleged blasphemy coming from one side

THE first victim of truth is language. Once words are suborned, anything is possible, writes Gerard Howlin

Vitriol spewed over a phantom prosecution of Stephen Fry for blasphemy. That came after outcry against nuns generally and Sisters of Charity particularly, over the national maternity hospital. The public conversation on those issues elicited remarkable coarsening. Road rage on air, in print and on social media is now accepted public speech. Self-appointed hatred is the posture of preference. It defiles any genuine sense of liberal values.

Firstly may I say, I found Stephen Fry’s interview with Gay Byrne remarkably apt. His anger at a “capricious, mean-spirited, stupid God” is the cry of Job. The Church of Ireland Bishop of Cork, Dr Paul Colton, put it well, saying Fry “is fully entitled to express his views about God”. Tellingly, he pointed out “he only highlighted something many people struggle with”. Some who have are great saints.