Ireland's state broadcaster issue apology after a comic segment calls God a rapist

RTÉ, Ireland's state broadcaster has issued an apology after it received severe criticism for airing a comedy sketch that depicted God as a rapist.

A countdown show on New Year's eve on the channel included a mock new report about God being the latest known personality to get implicated in a sexual harassment scandal.

“The 5bn-year-old stood accused of forcing himself on a young Middle Eastern migrant and allegedly impregnating her against her will, before being sentenced to two years in prison, with the last 24 months suspended,” said the newsreader.

“Following the news, movie producer Harvey Weinstein requested a retrial in Ireland.”

The segment was presented by Waterford Whispers News- a satirical news website. The clip was 23 seconds long but prompted over 1000 complaint to RTÉ and was condemned by Ireland's Catholic primate archbishop, Eamon Martin.

Martin took to Twitter and demanded that the clip be pulled down.

“This outrageous clip should be removed immediately and denounced by all people of goodwill,” he tweeted.

“To broadcast such a deeply offensive and blasphemous clip about God and Our Blessed Mother Mary during the Christmas season … is insulting to all Catholics and Christians."

While responding to the complaints, RTÉ apologised and said it would reply according to statutory rules. The channel, however, did not promise to remove the sketch from the RTÉ player.

In a statement, RTÉ apologised and said it would respond to complaints according to statutory rules. It did not promise to remove the sketch from the RTÉ Player.

“RTÉ recognises that matters which can cause offence naturally differ from person to person, within comedy and satire in particular. Having reviewed the feedback and complaints received up to this point, RTÉ wishes to apologise to those who were offended by the segment.”

Meanwhile, a group called Atheist Ireland defended the broadcaster’s right to transmit material deemed offensive and cited a 2018 referendum that removed a prohibition on blasphemy from the constitution.

The last prosecution for blasphemy in Ireland was in 1855 when a priest who accidentally burned a Bible was prosecuted and later acquitted.

In 2015 Stephen Fry had faced similar heat when he described God as “capricious”, “mean-minded”, and an “utter maniac” on TV.
The police had to investigate the comedian's comments and eventually charges were dropped after deciding insufficient numbers of people had been outraged.

Once deemed as a conservative society which was deeply linked to the Catholic church, Ireland has in recent years turned secular and liberal with the legalisation of gay marriage and abortion in popular votes.