Tourists arrested over lingerie stunt

[NM]

From news.com.au:

SEVENTEEN UK tourists have been arrested on the island of Crete for insulting the Catholic church after they paraded themselves dressed "in nun attire and naughty lingerie", police said.

 

[samh004]

From news.com.au:

No separation of church and state?

Says they aren't likely to be jailed anyway, just a fine.

 

[JohnK]

No separation of church and state?

Although Greeks have embraced change and have moved into the 21st century they still take religion very seriously. You won't be prosecuted if you are not religious but at the same it is not appropriate to make fun of the church or the orthodox religion.

I am surprised though that the reference is to a "Catholic Church" and not an "Orthodox Church". Around 95%-98% of people living in Greece are Orthodox of which ~10% are Old Calendarists. There is a very small percentage of Roman Catholic and Greek Catholic mainly living in the Cyclades when it was ruled by Venetians back in the 1800's.

 

[simongr]

These idiots deserve everything hey get. Having travelled through Europe a great deal from the age of 13 I have been well are of "acceptable attire" in Catholic Churches. It isn't hard and it just shows some respect and more importantly that the world does not revolve around "you".

 

[tuapekastar]

I don't have a religious bone in my body, but I do agree these people are absolute clowns, idiots, halfwits, and they're the mild terms I'd use!

 

[JohnK]

Didn't take long for the charges to be dropped....

Charges dropped against nun stunt tourists

CHARGES have been dropped against 17 tourists arrested in Crete for dressing as nuns and donning naughty lingerie.

The 17 male tourists turned up in court still dressed in their nun outfits and lingerie to face charges of insulting the Catholic church by provocative acts and misrepresenting a uniform.

"They were dressed like nuns, carrying crosses, but wearing thongs under their skirts and showing people their bottoms and the rest," said a police official who declined to be named.

The court in Crete's main city Heraklion found that residents were not shocked by the incident and threw out accusations against the tourists.

 

[samh004]

It's good to see common sense has prevailed.

 

[simongr]

It's good to see common sense has prevailed.

Since when is it common sense to insult people's religious beliefs? Although the residents werent shocked per se I think this sends a shocking message that it is acceptable to act like this. Frankly I think the courts were probably more focused on the tourist dollar than the actions of these idiots...

 

[drron]

Since when is it common sense to insult people's religious beliefs? Although the residents werent shocked per se I think this sends a shocking message that it is acceptable to act like this. Frankly I think the courts were probably more focused on the tourist dollar than the actions of these idiots...

As in Thailand recently.Tourism is more important than justice during the GFC obviously.

 

[oz_mark]

It's good to see common sense has prevailed.

As in Thailand recently.Tourism is more important than justice during the GFC obviously.

In both cases, it appears that the courts have been involved. In the former, the court decided that as the locals were not offended there was no point proceeding.

In the latter, a guilty plea was made and accepted by the court.

I don't see that either case is different to what we see in Australia from time to time. Courts throwing out charges, guilty pleas getting the defendant a slap on the wrist and so on.

 

[samh004]

Since when is it common sense to insult people's religious beliefs?

In this world, in most western countries, it seems to happen daily. There's the fact that free speech seems to give you that right, and the fact that religious beliefs seem to have shaped the world in ways that some people dislike these days.

It's common sense to understand what a joke is. If they'd shot the pope, that wouldn't be a joke.

Likewise, a joke is putting a bar mat in your friends handbag, not a joke is abusing the police and fleeing when all they're going to do is wag their finger at you.

 

[turtlemichael]

In this world, in most western countries, it seems to happen daily. There's the fact that free speech seems to give you that right, and the fact that religious beliefs seem to have shaped the world in ways that some people dislike these days.

It's common sense to understand what a joke is. If they'd shot the pope, that wouldn't be a joke.

Likewise, a joke is putting a bar mat in your friends handbag, not a joke is abusing the police and fleeing when all they're going to do is wag their finger at you.

Well said samh004. Perhaps the sensible judges and the good people of Crete can look after themselves without our help.

 

[simongr]

In this world, in most western countries, it seems to happen daily. There's the fact that free speech seems to give you that right, and the fact that religious beliefs seem to have shaped the world in ways that some people dislike these days.

It's common sense to understand what a joke is. If they'd shot the pope, that wouldn't be a joke.

Likewise, a joke is putting a bar mat in your friends handbag, not a joke is abusing the police and fleeing when all they're going to do is wag their finger at you.

Wow I love your interpretation of free speech. Here was me thinking that free speech was a positive in this world as opposed to do exactly what you want without concern for everyone else.

Frankly if people don't agree with local acceptable customs/traditions/values then they shouldn't be in those countries.

From your perspective if you were with a woman visiting a catholic church in Italy would you deem it acceptable to ignore the protocol of wearing a scarf or being covered?

 

[JohnK]

I tend to agree with simongr's stance on this matter. What we are saying is that it is OK to visit foreign countries, get drunk and then not be responsible for our practical jokes. Have some respect for other people's beliefs and customs. I am very religious and I find it offensive when people insult my beliefs, God or the Bible.

Would they have got away so easily if they offended the king's name in Thailand? Would they have got away so easily if they dressed in kinky lingerie and paraded inside a mosque in a muslim country?

These clowns got away very lightly. I would have slapped a huge fine on them and sent them back home. The world would be a much better place without these type of tourists....

 

[mannej]

What may be common sense in Australia may not be common sense in many other countries. Alot of Australians realise this and respect local custom when they are o/s whilst there are others that don't. I find it a bit hypocritical when people harp on about people not doing things the Australian way in Australia, but moan if they are not allowed to do the Australian thing overseas.
This cases highlights how seriously these foreigners take the Crete legal system to be, and really probably a fine would be a fair outcome.

 

[samh004]

Wow I love your interpretation of free speech. Here was me thinking that free speech was a positive in this world as opposed to do exactly what you want without concern for everyone else.

People everyday use free speech to their own political (and other) agendas. It's been happening for a long time now and wont be stopping any time soon.

Frankly if people don't agree with local acceptable customs/traditions/values then they shouldn't be in those countries.

That's true, but who did they offend? On another occasion, in another place, this may have offended someone, though it turns out they didn't in this case, it was just an overzealous police officer. Perhaps a member of the Catholic minority?

From your perspective if you were with a woman visiting a catholic church in Italy would you deem it acceptable to ignore the protocol of wearing a scarf or being covered?

Didn't realise I'd need to be covered, when I eventually go to Italy I'll remember that.

I tend to agree with simongr's stance on this matter. What we are saying is that it is OK to visit foreign countries, get drunk and then not be responsible for our practical jokes. Have some respect for other people's beliefs and customs. I am very religious and I find it offensive when people insult my beliefs, God or the Bible.

Would they have got away so easily if they offended the king's name in Thailand? Would they have got away so easily if they dressed in kinky lingerie and paraded inside a mosque in a muslim country?

I'm not suggesting an eye for an eye, but without naming all the cultural problems in Australia, maybe visitors here should respect the beliefs and customs here too, and in the UK. It probably wouldn't change a thing, but it might make tourists heading the other way have more respect.

Probably the main thing to note is that this could happen a lot. UK tourists go to places like Crete a lot for short holidays, with the full intention to get drunk and have fun, and the country knows that's why they come. That and the nice weather.

These clowns got away very lightly. I would have slapped a huge fine on them and sent them back home. The world would be a much better place without these type of tourists....

And then they'd be boycotted for a while and the tourism industry there (the bars and costume hire shops) would suffer.

I have no desire to turn this into a religious debate, as practical jokes aren't always picking on religions, but maybe if the many religions of the world stopped imposing their values on others they wouldn't be such big targets?

That's clearly not the issue here though.

If anything useful came from this, they probably spent less on grog and didn't wake up in jail with hangovers as they were spared from consuming too much. Lucky them.

 

[Alanslegal]

If they were parading inside a church then it may be offensive - but nooooo ... it was at a "popular resort" town known for many 'drunken' tourists there solely to party and booze up. Those 17 should never have been pursued in the first place.

 

[Alanslegal]

Since when is it common sense to insult people's religious beliefs? Although the residents werent shocked per se I think this sends a shocking message that it is acceptable to act like this. Frankly I think the courts were probably more focused on the tourist dollar than the actions of these idiots...

Fully disagree with you Simongr - wearing outrageous clothing does not mean insulting someone's relgious beliefs.

(And I can sense this thread will be shut down shortly)

 

[Alanslegal]

From your perspective if you were with a woman visiting a catholic church in Italy would you deem it acceptable to ignore the protocol of wearing a scarf or being covered?

But its not fair to compare visiting a church to visiting a party resort town.

 

[simongr]

That's true, but who did they offend? On another occasion, in another place, this may have offended someone, though it turns out they didn't in this case, it was just an overzealous police officer. Perhaps a member of the Catholic minority?

I would expect in Crete that Catholics are not in the minority.

If they were parading inside a church then it may be offensive - but nooooo ... it was at a "popular resort" town known for many 'drunken' tourists there solely to party and booze up. Those 17 should never have been pursued in the first place.

I think we can both be careful on the interpretation of "popular resort". The article isnt clear whether the activity occurred on a beach or outside some religious establishment.