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Happy Blasphemy Day


Merlyn_LeRoy

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I guess my question is: why does religion get to corner the market on blasphemy? Nice suggestion, by the way, Gern.

But why isn't it blasphemy to lampoon a politician, or the Congress, or the CEO of Bank of America? What is the special status of religion that makes IT the only place for blasphemy?

I mean if I publicly denounce a popular scientific idea, say I state that the one-gene-one-enzyme idea is little more than alchemy, why don't I get my tongue cut out for that? Why the hyper-sensitivity of organized religion?

 

A while back I stimulated a discussion about religion as a result of my contention that Satan is a figment of the imagination, not real, just fantasy. I was not surprised to see the indignation that such an icon of Christianity could be questioned openly the way I did. Come on, folks, Satan? Did I blaspheme?

I'll say it again. Satan is not real, it doesn't exist, never did, and there is no one who can offer objective evidence to the contrary. Satan is an imaginary thing that for some reason, we feel the need to have in our lives. Satan is the evil version of a childhood imaginary friend except that some of us cling to the idea as 'adults'.

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Why is blasphemy such a big deal for many of you? God gave each of us free will from the day we were born. You have always had the choice to blaspheme. Nobody can ever take away what God has given.

 

Just as the things I consider sacred are so because I choose to believe in them. Nobody forces my choice. I do so through my own free will. It's really not such a big deal.

 

Maybe the rub lies in that there have always been societal consequences, and as some of believe, eternal consequences, for our blasphemous acts and words.

 

But hey, in the end it's all about free will...

 

Ken

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Nobody can ever take away what God has given

 

I disagree; if you are, say, executed for blasphemy, that takes away your right to blaspheme (and also your right to live). Declaring that some right can't be taken away doesn't make it so, and can lead to a false sense of security.

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What God gave us was free will (choice), not a RIGHT to blaspheme. Indeed, we Christians believe that free will comes with consequences (wages of sin). I am not condoning execution for blasphemy, but some societies have done that. I believe judgement will come at another place and time. Of course, their definition of blasphemy may not coincide with mine, either.

 

 

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The reason not to blaspheme is the same reason we don't shout "Nigger!" at passing African Americans on the street. Yah, sure, we have a "right" to shout whatever we want, eh? That's not the point. The point is whether we should.

 

Using emotionally-charged derogatory language directed at the things others hold sacred says a lot about us, eh? Says we're elitist, discourteous, self-absorbed at best. Says we're interested in oppressing others and their beliefs at worst. Comes nowhere near "courteous" "kind" or "reverent." And that's when we do it in private.

 

When we shout "Nigger!" or blaspheme in public, that kind of thing certainly is pretty far away from "the best kind of citizenship." It usually divides people. Causes resentment and social unrest. I reckon that's why some civil societies restrict it, and all civil societies shun it.

 

Of course defendin' or celebratin' blasphemy is one of those things that pampered teens tend to do when they are bored and rebellious. That's the province of teenagers; they have to try out their new-found frontal lobes da way they once tried out their new-found hands by pickin' up everything and sticking it in their mouth. After a couple of years, they learn.

 

Well, most of 'em do, anyways.

 

Beavah

 

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