Blasphemy

{{bronze}}[[File:Blake The Blasphemer.jpg|thumb|right|165px|The stoning of the blasphemer ({{bible|Leviticus|24|11|6}}), as depicted in "Blasphemer" by William Blake (c. 1800)]]
{{religion}}
{{hatnote|If you would like to take up blasphemy as an inexpensive but very rewarding hobby, see our [[Fun:beginner's guide to blasphemy|beginner's guide to blasphemy]].}}
{{cquote|Fuck god!|||A favored aphorism of Earth People, a messianic new religion of Trinidad<ref>''Pathology and Identity: The Work of Mother Earth in Trinidad'' by Roland Littlewood (1993) Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0511877080.</ref>{{rp|109}}}}

'''Blasphemy''' is an impious utterance or action concerning [[God]], [[polytheism|gods, goddesses]], or [[sacred]] things. (The very definition of "sacred" implies that jokes against it are entirely off-limits, hence the massive [[taboo]] and the special term known as "blasphemy".) Frequently, the definition is extended to include anything which would be regarded as "bad language". The fact that those people who believe in punishing blasphemers also seem to believe that that which is insulted is so weak as to require being defended by mortals is lost on the majority of them.

Blasphemy is considered by some, namely its practitioners, to be nothing more than a [[Thought Police|thought-crime]] committed against a non-existent entity (who might not be worthy of respect even if it ''did'' exist). In places with strong religion-based law, however, blasphemy laws can be, and are, used against those who ''don't even subscribe'' to the beliefs being blasphemed against. One remorseful [[Pakistan]]i boy made amends for unintentional blasphemy by cutting his own hand off.<ref>[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2016/01/15/15-year-old-pakistani-boy-chops-off-own-hand-to-prove-he-really-loves-god/ 15-Year-Old Pakistani Boy Chops Off Own Hand to Prove He Really Loves God]</ref><ref>[http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/pakistani-boy-cuts-off-own-hand-after-blasphemy-mistake-police/ar-BBog8GE?li=AAaeUIW Pakistani boy cuts off own hand after blasphemy mistake: police]</ref><ref>[http://www.opposingviews.com/i/15-year-old-boy-cuts-own-hand-prove-his-love-god-video Teen Cuts Off Own Hand, Mistakenly Thought He Committed Blasphemy (Video)]</ref>

The [[UN]] officially recognized the human right to blaspheme in ''General Comment No. 34'' in late 2011.<ref>[http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrc/docs/GC34.pdf General Comment No. 34]</ref>

==Blasphemy in modern law==
In the times of the [[Old Testament]], blasphemy was [[Actions which demand the death penalty in the Old Testament|punishable by death]], and it used to be a criminal offense in many [[Western world|Western states]]. Although many of these laws may still exist on the statute books as technicalities, they are not now enforced, or at least not with any real [[punishment]], in most western countries.<ref>[http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,1894686,00.html Review of European blasphemy laws]</ref> In the [[UK]], the obsolete blasphemy law was repealed in 2008.<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1942668/Blasphemy-laws-are-lifted.html UK repeal Blasphemy law]. Side note: the law remained on the books in Scotland, but thanks to the nature of devolved powers, was unenforceable anyway; it was finally symbolically repealed in 2021.</ref> Some<ref>[http://www.secularism.org.uk/istheblasphemylawgoingtobeextend1.html Is The Blasphemy Law Going To Be Extended?] National Secular Society.</ref> feel that the [[Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006]] was put in place to replace it, but, importantly, the new act focuses on offences against people, not offences against God. This may be attributed to the actions of [[Stephen Green]], who attempted to use the blasphemy laws against ''[[Jerry Springer: The Opera]]'' and brought attention to the fact that the UK had such an arcane law still on its books. 

[[File:Blasphemy laws worldwide.svg|thumb|center|565px| Blasphemy laws around the world. {{legend|#c0c0c0|No blasphemy laws}} {{legend|#37c837|Blasphemy laws repealed}} {{legend|#f9dc36|Local restrictions}} {{legend|#ec8028|Fines and restrictions}} {{legend|#e73e21|Prison sentences}} {{legend|#800000|Death sentences}}]]

However, blasphemy prosecutions do still occur throughout the world:

*The Austrian artist Gerhard Haderer created and published a satirical book about a cannabis-smoking, surfing [[Jesus]]. The book was published in [[Austria]]. He was subsequently tried ''in absentia'' for blasphemy in ''[[Greece]]'' and received a six-month sentence.<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2005/mar/23/austria.arts Greece sentence artist to six months for blasphemy]</ref> The sentence was revoked on appeal.

[[File:B W10=.jpg|thumb|right|350px|Pakistani Ministry of Religious Affairs warrant for the arrest of an alleged blasphemer. The warrant also offers a reward to any Muslim who kills the blasphemer.]]

*The [[Capital punishment|death penalty]] for blasphemy still exists in a number of [[Muslim]] countries, such as [[Iran]],<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/08/iranian-christian-pastor-released-jail Iranian Christian pastor released from jail] Guardian, Saturday 8 September 2012 10.59 EDT</ref> [[Pakistan]],<ref>[http://www.thecuttingedgenews.com/index.php?article=714&pageid=13&pagename=Analysis Pakistan death sentence for blasphemy against the prophet]</ref> and [[Saudi Arabia]].<ref>[http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/la-fg-behead30-2008may30,0,4833659.story Saudi Arabian death sentence for blasphemy]</ref> That's if you can even ''make'' it to a courtroom; a man in Pakistan was burned to death by a [[lynch mob]] for ''allegedly'' burning the [[Qur'an]].<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-18713545#TWEET168770 Pakistan mob burns man to death for 'blasphemy',] BBC News</ref> In a classic episode of one act of vicious stupidity possibly following another, a girl from the country's Christian minority was similarly threatened by a mob for burning pages of the Qur'an in order to start a cooking fire; the girl may also have Down syndrome.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/20/world/asia/pakistan-girl-blasphemy/index.html Girl held in Pakistan, accused of burning Quran,] cnn.com</ref> It turns out, however, that she was {{wpl|Frameup|framed}} by a local [[imam]] for the crime;<ref>[http://freethoughtblogs.com/dispatches/2012/09/05/imam-arrested-for-framing-girl-for-blasphemy/ Imam Arrested for Framing Girl for Blasphemy,] Dispatches from the Culture Wars</ref> this eventually resulted in the imam's arrest and the blasphemy charges being dropped.<ref>[http://freethoughtblogs.com/dispatches/2012/11/24/pakistan-drops-blasphemy-case-against-rimsha/ Pakistan Drops Blasphemy Case Against Rimsha,] Dispatches from the Culture Wars</ref>

*Even ''before'' the [[Taliban]] retook power in [[Afghanistan]], blasphemy was a capital offense. In January 2008, Sayed Pervez Kambaksh was sentenced to death for blasphemy after [[Kangaroo court|a five-minute trial]]. This followed reports that he had downloaded from the internet un-Islamic material on [[women's rights]].<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7605395.stm Afghanistan blasphemy death sentence]</ref> 

*[[Indonesia]] is a little more liberal: you only get a four-year jail sentence there.<ref>[http://www.javno.com/en/world/clanak.php?id=142753 Indonesia &mdash; four years in jail for blasphemy]</ref>

*In potential [[EU]] member [[Turkey]], Islamic [[creationist]] [[Harun Yahya]] succeeded in getting [[Richard Dawkins]]' website banned on account of its alleged blasphemous content.<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/sep/19/religion.turkey Turkey silences Dawkins]</ref>

*[[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]], not wanting to be seen as being backward, criminalised blasphemy in 2009.<ref>[http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0713/1224250543694.html Irish Times: Blasphemy law a return to middle ages &mdash; Dawkins]</ref> A referendum is expected over whether to keep the law.<ref>[http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/30/ireland-referendum-blasphemy-law Ireland set to call referendum on blasphemy laws]</ref>

*In [[Russia]], three members of the punk band [[Pussy Riot]] were arrested and charged with "hooliganism motivated by religious hatred or hostility" when their performance of a profanity-laced anti-[[Putin]] song inside Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow angered both the Russian [[Orthodox Church]] and the Putin government. The band was subsequently sentenced to two years in a prison colony for this "crime".<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/aug/17/pussy-riot-sentenced-prison-putin Pussy Riot sentenced to two years in prison colony over anti-Putin protest,] The Guardian</ref> Eventually, band member Yekaterina Samutsevich was released on appeal after serving six months; the other two members remain behind bars.<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/oct/10/pussy-riot-member-freed-moscow Pussy Riot member freed after Moscow court appeal,] The Guardian online</ref>

*In Mumbai, [[India]], [[skeptic]] [[Sanal Edamaruku]] faced blasphemy charges after he debunked a "weeping crucifix" phenomenon at the Church of Our Lady of Velankanni.<ref>[http://boingboing.net/2012/04/13/indian-skeptic-charged-with.html Indian skeptic charged with "blasphemy" for revealing secret behind "miracle" of weeping cross,] ''Boing Boing''</ref> He is temporarily living in [[Finland]] while his lawyers file appeals concerning various aspects of the case.<ref>[http://blog.newhumanist.org.uk/2012/06/sanal-edamaruku-update.html Sanal Edamaruku: an update,] ''New Humanist Blog''</ref>

*In Greece, Greek blogger Filippos Loizos received a 10-month jail sentence suspended for three years for running a [[Satire|satirical]] [[Facebook]] page called "Elder Pastitsios". The page name was a pun using a known Greek pasta dish "pastitsio" &mdash; a reference to [[Pastafarianism]] &mdash; and a ''now deceased'' Greek-Orthodox Athos monk's name "Elder Paisios", considered by some as a "[[miracle]] worker" and a "[[prophet]]". The authorities arrested Loizos at his house in 2012 on charges of “malicious blasphemy and insulting religion” through Facebook, after Christos Pappas, an MP for the Greek [[neo-Nazi]] party [[Golden Dawn]], tabled a question in Parliament complaining about the Facebook page where the administrator insults, mocks, and tries to humiliate the "sacred figure of Greek Orthodoxy", Elder Paisios.<ref>[http://www.thepressproject.net/article/54732/Guilty-verdict-for-Greek-accused-of-blasphemy-for-satirical-Facebook-page-provokes-worldwide-condemnation Blasphemy laws alive and well in Greece: satirical Facebook page leads to 10 month sentence for 27-year-old]''The Press Project''</ref>

*In 2007, British schoolteacher Gillian Gibbons was arrested and prosecuted in [[Sudan]] for an incident where one of her students named a teddy bear Gibbons used as a teaching tool "Muhammad" on account that it is a very common boy's name. Gibbons was ratted out by the school's office assistant who accused the teacher of breaking a long-standing taboo in Islam over depictions of [[Mohammed]] and other prophets, even though it was a schoolboy who innocently christened the bear by his own volition and neither he nor Gibbons intended to cause any offence. Despite reports of angry mobs demanding Gibbons's execution for what amounts to a trivial yet clearly overblown affair, [[stopped clock|even other Muslims themselves]] – including the boy's parents – expressed concern that Sudanese authorities (as well as the aforementioned mobs of protesters) have needlessly overreacted on the issue. Gibbons was since released and pardoned following international pressure.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7124447.stm |title=Teddy row teacher freed from jail |work=BBC World Service |date=3 December 2007 |access-date=3 December 2007 |archive-date=3 December 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071203163525/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7124447.stm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna22076390 |title='Teddy bear' teacher leaves Sudan after pardon |work=MSNBC |date=3 December 2007 |access-date=18 November 2019 |archive-date=5 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305113849/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/22076390/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

*In 2010, the late Filipino performance artist and tour guide {{wpl|Carlos Celdran}} was arrested under Article 133 of the Revised Penal Code for disrupting an ecumenical meeting at the {{wpl|Manila Cathedral}} in 2010 by raising a "DAMASO!" placard{{efn|In reference to the character of {{wpl|Father Dámaso}} in the Jose Rizal novel {{wpl|Noli Me Tángere|''Noli Me Tángere''|,}} which satirised the abuses committed by friars during the Spanish colonial era in the Philippines.}} and was quoted as saying "Stop getting involved in politics!" over the [[Catholic Church]]'s interference in Philippine politics, specifically with the passage of the {{wpl|Reproductive Health Bill||.}}<ref>Tejero, Constatino C. (February 10, 2013). [http://web.archive.org/web/20130213213754/https://lifestyle.inquirer.net/89193/censored-in-the-temple-of-the-lord-who-is-carlos-celdran-really/ "Censored in the temple of the Lord: Who was Carlos Celdran, really?"]. Inquirer.net. Archived from the [https://lifestyle.inquirer.net/89193/censored-in-the-temple-of-the-lord-who-is-carlos-celdran-really/ original] on February 13, 2013. Retrieved October 9, 2019.</ref> Celdran went on self-exile in Madrid, [[Spain]] after his conviction where he died in 2019. The incident galvanized the Reproductive Health Bill's author, Edcel Lagman, to file House Bill No. 5170 (or the "Carlos Celdran Bill") in Congress in an effort to repeal anti-blasphemy laws in the Catholic-majority Philippines.<ref>Lim Uy, Sasha (October 23, 2019). [https://www.esquiremag.ph/politics/news/carlos-celdran-bill-a00204-20191023 "Petition Launched for 'Carlos Celdran Bill'"]. ''Esquire''. Philippines. Retrieved October 31, 2019.</ref>

*In another widely publicised incident in the Philippines, the drag queen {{wpl|Pura Luka Vega}} elicited controversy in 2023 for their<!-- Luka is non-binary; they/them pronouns are used for consistency's sake. --> parodic depiction of [[Jesus Christ]] dancing to a remix of the Lord's Prayer, which led to knee-jerk reactions from church leaders and local government units who declared Luka ''persona non grata'' from their localities.<ref>[https://www.rappler.com/entertainment/celebrities/pura-luka-vega-persona-non-grata-localities/ Pura Luka Vega declared persona non grata in 11 localities]</ref> While Luka initially dismissed the outrage and maintained that [[separation of church and state]] should be upheld, they were later arrested following a complaint by a Nazarene confraternity who took offence at Luka's performance as the Black Nazarene, an image of Jesus widely venerated in the Philippines.<ref>[https://entertainment.inquirer.net/521583/pura-luka-vega-arrested-in-manila-over-ama-namin-drag-performance "Pura Luka Vega arrested in Manila over 'Ama Namin' drag performance"]. ''Philippine Daily Inquirer''. October 4, 2023. Retrieved October 4, 2023.</ref> Luka's arrest was condemned by the [[Human Rights Watch]], who opined that their arrest is in violation of free expression rights and that Philippine authorities should repeal or amend the laws in question.<ref>Thoreson, Ryan (October 5, 2023). "Philippine Drag Artist Arrested for 'Offending Religion'". Human Rights Watch. Retrieved October 7, 2023.</ref>

*In what is perhaps another case of two fails coming together, a Filipino ''[[Exorcism|exorcist]] priest'' named Winston Cabading – of all people – was arrested for ''merely echoing what the [[Vatican]] themselves concluded'' in 1951 regarding the supposed {{wpl|Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace|Mediatrix of All Grace}} apparition in Lipa, Batangas, following a complaint from Harriet Demetriou, a former Commission on Elections chair and retired judge. Cabading held an online conference discussing the supposed miraculous event in Lipa, sternly cautioning the Catholic laity about "how [[demon]]s can appear to be holy", which Demetriou insinuated as being an oblique reference to the Mediatrix.<ref>[https://www.rappler.com/nation/why-exorcist-priest-winston-cabading-arrested-offending-religious-feelings/ Why an exorcist priest was arrested for ‘offending religious feelings’]</ref> The Regional Trial Court concluded in 2023 that Cabading did nothing wrong, as his statements were "not of his own but he was merely echoing what 'the Vatican said' or based on the dogma of the church."<ref>Navallo, Mike (September 4, 2023). [https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/04/23/court-no-offense-alleged-in-offending-religious-feelings-case-vs-exorcist-priest "Court: No offense alleged in 'offending religious feelings' case vs exorcist priest"]. ABS-CBN News. Retrieved October 7, 2023.</ref> This, on top of the above-mentioned Celdran and Vega blasphemy incidents, further increased calls for blasphemy laws in the Philippines to be repealed as anathema to freedom of religion and dissent in the country.<ref>Cabristante, Raffy (May 30, 2023). [https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/05/30/23/calls-to-scrap-religious-feelings-law-renewed-after-case-vs-priest "Calls to revoke religious feelings offense renewed after case vs. priest"]. ABS-CBN News. Retrieved October 7, 2023.</ref>

*And it gets worse in the Philippines in what may amount to a [[cult]]-related killing allegedly involving the notorious Christian sect [[Iglesia ni Cristo]]: on March 15, 2025, a standup comedian named {{wpl|Gold Dagal}} was shot and killed by unidentified gunmen at the Mayari Beer House in Angeles City, Pampanga, allegedly on orders of the INC who were apparently more than pissed off at Dagal's comedy routines made at their expense.<ref name="dagal">{{cite news |last1=Salonga |first1=Kaxandra |title=Slain comedian Gold Dagal received threats over dark humor, says mom|url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2025/3/19/slain-comedian-gold-dagal-received-threats-over-dark-humor-says-mom-0928 |access-date=25 March 2025 |work=ABS-CBN News |date=19 March 2025}}</ref>

The majority of countries in Latin America and Central America never had any form of blasphemy law. The same is true for a few Western European countries such as [[Portugal]], [[Belgium]], and Luxembourg, as well as the [[United States]] and the majority of Eastern and Central Europe. The [[Netherlands]], [[Great Britain]], and [[Iceland]] had blasphemy laws on the books, but the laws were successfully repealed. Blasphemers may still get into trouble due to other laws over [[Iconoclasm|desecrating venerated objects]] (USA) or inciting religious hatred (UK).<ref>{{wpa|Blasphemy law}}</ref>

==Defamation of religion==
"Defamation of religion" is often a [[euphemism]] for blasphemy bandied about in an attempt to [[Psychological projection|make said blasphemy seem culturally insensitive]] or otherwise [[politically incorrect]].

===Origins and legitimate use===
The term is also used (properly, and not euphemistically) for speech which defames (in the ordinary sense of the word) an entire religion or its followers.

The best known example of that might be the infamous [[blood libel]]s of [[medieval]] [[Europe]]. Indeed, "defamation" in regards to religion was originally used to counter [[antisemitism]] (see [[Anti-Defamation League]]). The talking point of the American right that "[[Islamophobia|all Islam is]] [[radical Islam]]" could also fairly reasonably be lumped in this category, as could the claim that "all Muslims are [[terrorists]]."<ref>[http://www.fredericksburg.com/news/local/spotsylvania/tension-escalates-at-meeting-on-proposed-mosque-in-spotsylvania/article_03d0ad38-8d9f-11e5-8f8a-bbdb3370d8a4.html Virginia tries to out-Alabama Alabama]</ref>

It differs from the concept of blasphemy in that blasphemy refers to any theological narrative that runs counter to one's own theological narrative. Blasphemy can refer to defamation, but is not necessarily defamation. The defamation of a religion is to misrepresent the beliefs or rituals of a religion in order to discredit the religion (i.e., blood libel). Is there potential for the abuse of the term in order to silence other points of view? Absolutely. However, the defamation of a religion is often a tool to advance the persecution of religious groups, particularly when religion is associated (implicitly or explicitly) with [[race]]. 

===Misuse===
The Organization of the Islamic Conference, acting through its specific members, regularly brings resolutions before the UN Human Rights Council condemning "defamation of religion". The term itself sounds fairly innocuous, and in fact at first blush, even appropriate; if we let those anti-religion types run around and bash religion, the reasoning goes, [[Reductio ad Hitlerum|it will lead to all kinds of things like icky Nazis killing off Jews]]. So the UN tends (or tended) to support the resolutions. Recently, however, this support has been waning, perhaps because the Human Rights Council has finally taken the bother to notice that a person can still be executed for "defamation of religion" in the member nations of the OIC, including [[Pakistan]]. In short: in modern [[theocracies]], "defamation of religion" is essentially the same as blasphemy.

Even in the USA, blasphemy can get a person into trouble. In [[Tennessee]], a man is in jail after posting unspecified notes to church doors.<ref>[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2017/07/12/tn-man-charged-with-vandalism-after-posting-his-beliefs-on-church-doors/ TN Man Charged With Vandalism After Posting His Beliefs on Church Doors]</ref> Ironically, [[Martin Luther]] (allegedly) did this to much greater ([[Protestant Reformation|eventual]]) success (he still got [[Excommunication|excommunicated]] over it, though).

==Some blasphemy in the Bible==
*The Third of the '''[[Ten Commandments]]'''
*'''{{bible|Leviticus|24|11|16}}''': "And the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed the name of the Lord, and cursed. … And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the Lord, shall be put to death."
*'''{{bible|1 Kings|21|10}}''': "And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die."
*'''{{bible|1 Kings|21|13}}''': "… Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died."
*'''{{bible|Matthew|12|31|32}}''': "… And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the [[Holy Ghost]], it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come."
*The '''[[Book of Revelation]]''': a whole lot of blaspheming

==See also==
{{fun|Beginner's guide to blasphemy}}
{{collist|2|
*[[Political correctness]]
*[[Conservative correctness]]
*[[List of actions prohibited by the Bible]]
*[[List of actions prohibited by the Qur'an]]
*[[Apostasy]]
*[[Heresy]]
*[[Stephen Green#Jerry Springer the Opera blasphemy suit|Jerry Springer the Opera blasphemy suit]]
*[[Religulous]]
*[[Ten Commandments]]
*[[Mary Whitehouse]]
*[[Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006]]
*[[Essay:Why Heresy Is Good And Blasphemy Is Bad]]
}}

==External links==
*[http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/sep/05/pakistans-blasphemy-laws-colossal-absurdity How to commit blasphemy in Pakistan]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

[[Category:Blasphemy| ]]
[[Category:Religious terms]]
[[Category:Political correctness]]
[[Category:Euphemisms]]
[[Category:Freedom of speech]]
[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:Political terms]]
[[Category:International relations]]

Categories: Blasphemy, Religious terms, Political correctness, Euphemisms, Freedom of speech, Religion, Political terms, International relations