What Is Blasphemy?

Skydancing · Dec 30, 2005

Some people seem to have odd odeas on what constitutes blasephemy. I have been accused of it on a number of occasions for challenging concepts of God. I reckon the old man in the sky can take care of himself, what do others think?

MoodyBlue · Dec 30, 2005

Apparently asking questions is not allowed.

Skydancing · Dec 30, 2005

I think some fundies think my questions are blasphemous!

Rae · Dec 30, 2005

People invest themselves deeply in their religious beliefs. Some of them even believe that every religious belief they hold is also held by God. Thus, when one questions such deeply-held beliefs, they get greatly offended and charge the one questioning with blasphemy. As if a God could possibly be offended by questions!

Chrysalis Kat · Dec 30, 2005

I asked for a definition of this in the Support forum about a year ago and the only staff member that replied said it means using bad words!

Rae · Dec 30, 2005

the only staff member that replied said it means using bad words!

Wow. So using the word "impact" as a verb ticks God off, too? I thought it was just me and my mom who got ticked off by people using words badly.

Skydancing · Dec 30, 2005

It is fine to have deeply held beliefs as long as they don't hurt others, but totally daft if you get upset and offended if your beliefs are challenged if you share them with others! Some Christians want to live in a cosy God type bubble where no one is going to saying anything discordant about their perception of God. If that is the case forums are probably not for them!

Skydancing · Dec 30, 2005

What are bad words? Swear words?

Catherineanne · Dec 30, 2005

Skydancing said:
Some people seem to have odd odeas on what constitutes blasephemy. I have been accused of it on a number of occasions for challenging concepts of God. I reckon the old man in the sky can take care of himself, what do others think?

In my view blasphemy is taking something sacred and deliberately profaning it. It is in a sense in contrast with idolatry, which is taking something which, if not profane, is at least part of creation, and raising it to the status of the Divine Creator. Neither act is to be recommended.

However, in relation to God himself, it is an interesting question whether it is possible to profane him, any more than he can be idolised (given that idolatry is worship applied to an unworthy object). Clearly, some people think blasphemy against God is possible, if they are accusing you of it. However, that would indicate a rather more fragile God than the one I recognise. Call mine what you like, say what you like, and he remains ever the same, ever Love, Mercy and Compassion. Like the truth, God cannot be profaned.

As an example, I regard marriage as a sacrament, and, by extension, I regard spousal abuse as a blasphemy against the sanctity of marriage. Which makes it not 'just' a sin of abuse against the partner, but also a sin against God. And incidentally explains why God would not want anyone to remain in an abusive marriage.

I do not think God is at all bothered with the 'Oh God!' type of exclamation that all of us make from time to time. That is not blasphemy; it falls more into the 'letting off steam' category, imo, and I think those just make him smile.

Skydancing · Dec 30, 2005

What is sacred to one person is not sacred to another.

We still have blasphemy laws in the UK, which are daft as they only apply to christianity. You either make them applicable to all religions, or none, hopefully they will be scrapped as no one takes any noice of them anyway, and a prosecution is rarely made!

Catherineanne · Dec 30, 2005

Skydancing said:
What are bad words? Swear words?

I personally think the word 'syncopation' is pretty bad. Not as bad as the music, but almost.

And I love words that sound like they should be swear words, but aren't, like ineffable. Wonderful word!

Chrysalis Kat · Dec 30, 2005

Rae said:
Wow. So using the word "impact" as a verb ticks God off, too? I thought it was just me and my mom who got ticked off by people using words badly.

LOL.
I think it was confusion between[font=&quot] [/font]Blasphemy and using the Lord's name in vain. I've come to believe that making the accusation of Blasphamy is just a useful tool to use when someone's theology doesn't match your own. At least, that's what I've gotten of how it is used around here.
It's a Catholic thing too but being brought up Protestant it wasn't something we were ever taught about. After reading the replies I got in the Support forum on this apparently I'm not the only one in the dark on this.

Abbadon · Dec 30, 2005

Blasphemy is making a terminator TV show set between T2 and T3, focusing on Sarah Conner, without getting Linda Hamilton to play Sarah Conner.

Sadly, this is happening.

Using God's name as an expletive and/or cursing God would be the religious version. Unfortunately, as Kat pointed out it's often used by someone disagreeing with another's theology to accuse them of something.

Chrysalis Kat · Dec 30, 2005

Abbadon said:
Using God's name as an expletive and/or cursing God would be the religious version.

What's so funny about that is that even as a child I thought that was bizarre.

Let's see... God commands us to not kill, commit adultery, tell lies, and never ever say G_d Damn It!

truthquest · Dec 31, 2005

The whole blasphemy thing is odd to me. It smacks of some kind of weird power we have over God. I can't imagine, the little peon that I am, can have the power to do something that would make God squirm, cringe or throw a temper tantrum. That would ultimately weaken God's power and greatness and give me some kind of twisted power over him. I have no power over him and I shouldn't be able to imagine a greater God. God is likely greater than I can possibly imagine.

I do think we can do things that are disrespectful to God from a human perspective. I don't think we gain anything by assigning our same human feelings to God. I'm sure there is a Godly perspective that we don't understand. The best spiritual answer I've heard is viewing things as either moving away from God or moving towards God through our actions. Not God wanting to beat us with a naughty stick. I believe that God, existing outside of time and space, has the divine foreknowledge that we will all come home to him. That is what the Bible says. Everything will be reconciled to him.

Brian

Diane_Windsor · Jan 5, 2006

Skydancing said:
Some people seem to have odd odeas on what constitutes blasephemy. I have been accused of it on a number of occasions for challenging concepts of God. I reckon the old man in the sky can take care of himself, what do others think?

Main Entry: blas·phe·my
Pronunciation: 'blas-f&-mE
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural -mies
1 a : the act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence for God b : the act of claiming the attributes of deity
2 : irreverence toward something considered sacred or inviolable

http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/Blasphemy

DIANE

Wiffey · Jan 5, 2006

twisting religious teaching around to justify cruelty and hate "in the name of God".

Christ commanded us to love one another...yet people have used His name to justify all manner of cruelty and killing (religious wars & persecutions, the Crusades). I'd think that, above all else, would be an insult to God.

shinbits · Jan 5, 2006

blaspemy is any untrue statement about God Himself.

ex: God is a woman.

Jesus was a sinner.

Also, anytime someone equates anyone or anything with God, by either saying "I Am God", or "he is God", or "that thing is God".

And it's not just any untrue statement about God either. Blasphemous statements have some sort of insulting in someway, Like when the Pharisees attributed the work of the Holy Spirit as a demonic thing.

In a nutshell, blasphemous statements, are any statements that either insult God, or make Him seem like less than God.

Peace.

Rae · Jan 5, 2006

God is a woman.

1. What objective evidence do you have that God ISN'T female?

2. Why would it be insulting to conceive of God as female? Is calling someone a woman an insult? I don't think so.

shinbits · Jan 5, 2006

Rae said:
1. What objective evidence do you have that God ISN'T female?.

The fact that God is refered to as "He" over and over again in the Bible, and that God is called "Father" over and over again.

God is called a "King", or "King of kings" if refering to Jesus. If God was female, He'd be called "Queen".

God is not a woman.

Rae said:
2. Why would it be insulting to conceive of God as female? Is calling someone a woman an insult? I don't think so.

Any guy would be offended to be called femmine in any way.

Femmine terms, when applied to a guy is insulting. Like an army drill sergant who says "Let's go, ladies!" is insulting them so that they will do better and not have to be called that.

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