For telling a good and incisive religious joke, you should be praised. For telling a bad one, you should be ridiculed and reviled. The idea that you could be prosecuted for the telling of either is quite fantastic.

Rowan Atkinson (b. 1955) English actor, comedian, and screenwriter

Letter to The Times of London (Oct 2001)
    (Source)

Regarding proposed legislation outlaw "incitement to religious hatred."