Blasphemy

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(Blasphemy in modern law)
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*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 (The sentence was revoked on appeal.)  
 
*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 (The sentence was revoked on appeal.)  
  
*The [[Capital punishment|death  penalty]] for blasphemy still exists in a number of [[Muslim]] countries such as [[Iran]] <ref>[http://www.rightsidenews.com/200809181975/culture-wars/iran-s-death-penalty-for-apostacy.html  Iran's death penalty for apostasy]</ref>, [[Pakistan]] <ref>[http://www.thecuttingedgenews.com/index.php?article=714&pageid=13&pagename=Analysis  [[Pakistan]] death sentence for blasphemy against the prophet]</ref> <ref>Provided you can actually ''make'' it to court; for an example of someone who didn't, see [http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-18713545#TWEET168770]</ref>. [[Saudi Arabia]].<ref>[http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/la-fg-behead30-2008may30,0,4833659.story Saudi Arabian death sentence for blasphemy]</ref>  
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*The [[Capital punishment|death  penalty]] for blasphemy still exists in a number of [[Muslim]] countries such as [[Iran]] <ref>[http://www.rightsidenews.com/200809181975/culture-wars/iran-s-death-penalty-for-apostacy.html  Iran's death penalty for apostasy]</ref>, [[Pakistan]] <ref>[http://www.thecuttingedgenews.com/index.php?article=714&pageid=13&pagename=Analysis  [[Pakistan]] death sentence for blasphemy against the prophet]</ref> <ref>Provided you can actually ''make'' it to court; for an example of someone who didn't, see http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-18713545#TWEET168770</ref>. [[Saudi Arabia]].<ref>[http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/la-fg-behead30-2008may30,0,4833659.story Saudi Arabian death sentence for blasphemy]</ref>  
  
 
*Even in the "new" [[Afghanistan]] blasphemy remains a capital offense. In January 2008 Sayed Pervez Kambaksh was sentenced to death for blasphemy after a five minute trial.  This  followed reports 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>  
 
*Even in the "new" [[Afghanistan]] blasphemy remains a capital offense. In January 2008 Sayed Pervez Kambaksh was sentenced to death for blasphemy after a five minute trial.  This  followed reports 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>  

Revision as of 22:29, 9 July 2012

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If you would like to take up blasphemy as an inexpensive but very rewarding hobby, see the beginner's guide to blasphemy

Blasphemy is an impious utterance or action concerning Goat God, gods, goddesses, or sacred things.[1] Frequently the definition is extended to include anything which would be regarded as "bad language". Blasphemy is considered by some, namely its practitioners, to be barely nothing more than a thought-crime committed against a non-existent entity. In places with strong religious based law however, blasphemy laws can be, and are, used against those who don't even subscribe to the beliefs being blasphemed against.

Blasphemy in modern law

In the times of the Old Testament, blasphemy was punishable by death and used to be a criminal offense in many 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.[2]. In the UK the obsolete blasphemy law was repealed in 2008,[3] although another law, the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006, has also been invoked to punish blasphemy. This may be attributed to the actions of Stephen Green, who attempted to use the blasphemy laws against Jerry Springer: The Opera, which brought attention to the fact that the UK had such an arcane law still on its books.

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.[4]. (The sentence was revoked on appeal.)
  • Even in the "new" Afghanistan blasphemy remains a capital offense. In January 2008 Sayed Pervez Kambaksh was sentenced to death for blasphemy after a five minute trial. This followed reports he had downloaded from the internet un-Islamic material on women's rights.[9]
  • Indonesia is a little more liberal, there you only get a four year jail sentence. [10]
  • Ireland, not wanting to be seen as being backward, criminalised blasphemy in 2009.[12]

See also

Footnotes

  1. 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".
  2. Review of European blasphemy laws
  3. UK repeal Blasphemy law
  4. Greece sentence artist to six months for blasphemy
  5. Iran's death penalty for apostasy
  6. Pakistan death sentence for blasphemy against the prophet
  7. Provided you can actually make it to court; for an example of someone who didn't, see http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-18713545#TWEET168770
  8. Saudi Arabian death sentence for blasphemy
  9. Afghanistan blasphemy death sentence
  10. Indonesia - four years in jail for blasphemy
  11. Turkey silences Dawkins
  12. Irish Times: Blasphemy law a return to middle ages - Dawkins
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