Everybody give a big awww to killjoys Christian Voice, as it looks like their favourite activity – taking the BBC director Mark Thompson to court – is finally at an end.

The High Court yesterday ruled that Thompson could not be prosecuted under the medieval blasphemy laws for broadcasting Jerry Springer – The Opera, as broadcasters and theatres are excluded from the laws, while insinuating that the quite frankly ecclesiastical laws are about as dated as, say, a 2,000-year-old superstitious belief.  

Christian Voice leader Stephen Green had been attempting to reverse the court's first decision to not prosecute the BBC for broadcasting Jerry Springer – The Opera, the show that his group has ardently opposed by picketing theatres when it toured the UK – joined by the equally charming group, the BNP – to help their cause, which seems to be getting a pretty middle of the road comedy a lot of publicity.

But like all good single-minded and non-rational people, being told he was wrong once didn't stop Mr. Green, who carried on with his protests until Jerry Springer – The Opera was headline news and everyone in the UK wanted to watch it to see what the fuss was about.

And yesterday Christian Voice was knocked back a second time by the High Court judge, who ruled that broadcasters and theatres staging live productions could not be prosecuted for blasphemy. Following the ruling, the BBC posted a statement saying: 

"We believe the work, taken in its proper context, satirises and attacks exploitative chat shows and not the Christian religion."

Even though it shows Jesus being fondled under his loincloth by another character. One thing's for certain, though – the ruling is a victory for rationalism and free speech. But don't hold your breath because there is plenty more life in Mr. Green, who claimed the decision was: 

"Carte blanche to blasphemy… I hope and pray the House of Lords will uphold the totality of the law against blasphemy and allow the prosecution to proceed".  

Well we're waiting for your next move, but in the mean time we're going to watch the new BBC comedy Three Gay-Liberal-Muslim-Polish Plumbers and a Little Baby Jesus – The Opera.

Read more:

Springer opera not blasphemous, court rules - Guardian

[story by Paul McLoughlin]