Blasphemy

Blasphemy is a word that means speaking badly about a religion, or insulting a god. Some religions see blasphemy as a religious crime. Many countries with a state religion have laws that make blasphemy a crime. For example, blasphemy can be punished with the death penalty in Saudi Arabia or Pakistan. In other countries, the punishment for the crime is a fine, or imprisonment.

Some countries do not have laws against blasphemy. For example, after the French Revolution, France made blasphemy legal to make sure people would have freedom of religion and the freedom of the press.

The United States, Canada, and many European countries, have laws to protect people who speak badly about religion. Sometimes people do this in a satirical way, like with a movie that makes fun of a religion. In these countries, profanity is often protected by freedom of speech as well.

Related pages
Heresy
Profanity
Sacrilege

 References 

Maledicta: The International Journal of Verbal Aggression  (ISSN US 0363-3659)
Levy, L. Blasphemy. Chapel Hill, 1993.
Dartevelle, P., S Borg, Denis, Ph., Robyn, J. (eds.). Blasphèmes et libertés. Paris: CERF, 1993
Plate, S. Brent Blasphemy: Art that Offends (London: Black Dog Publishing, 2006) []

Other websites
Catholic Encyclopedia: Blasphemy
Jewish Encyclopedia: Blasphemy
 Comprehensive academic study comparing global legal approaches to blasphemy in light of the Jyllands-Posten controversy 
The Rational Response Squad: The Blasphemy Challenge 
A More4 news film report on how insulting the prophet Mohammed in Pakistan is a capital offence, and defiling the Koran carries life imprisonment.

Category:Theology