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Blasphemy Act 1697
The Blasphemy Act 1697 (9 Will 3 c 35) was an Act of the Parliament of England. It made it an offence for any person, educated in or having made profession of the Christian religion, by writing, preaching, teaching or advised speaking, to deny the Holy Trinity, to claim there is more than one god, to deny the truth of Christianity and to deny the Bible as divine authority. The first offence resulted in being rendered incapable of holding any office or place of trust. The second offence resulted in being rendered incapable of bringing any action, of being guardian or executor, or of taking a legacy or deed of gift, and three years imprisonment without bail. The Act was directed against apostates at the beginning of the deist movement in England, particularly after the 1696 publication of John Toland's book ''Christianity not Mysterious''. It was rarely applied: the legislation allowed only four days after the offence for a formal complaint to be lodged and the trial itself was ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Short Title
In certain jurisdictions, including the United Kingdom and other Westminster-influenced jurisdictions (such as Canada or Australia), as well as the United States and the Philippines, primary legislation has both a short title and a long title. The long title (properly, the title in some jurisdictions) is the formal title appearing at the head of a statute (such as an act of Parliament or of Congress) or other legislative instrument. The long title is intended to provide a summarised description of the purpose or scope of the instrument. Like other descriptive components of an act (such as the preamble, section headings, side notes, and short title), the long title seldom affects the operative provisions of an act, except where the operative provisions are unclear or ambiguous and the long title provides a clear statement of the legislature's intention. The short title is the formal name by which legislation may by law be cited. It contrasts with the long title which, while usual ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |