The Blasphemy Day Thread!

As Dahan reminded us in the comment section, it's the international blasphemy day today (http://www.blasphemyday.com/ ), the purpose of which is to support the freedom of speech, to fight blasmphemy laws, to remind ourselves and everyone that in a society that values the freedom of speech, we do not have the right to protect ourselves from being offended by silencing those who say things offensive to us.

And this includes any religious sensibilities we might, or might not, have - in a free society, we've got to grow skin thick enough to be able to support the rights of speech for people who we dislike, who say things we find offensive.

So in the spirit of the day, I thought to open a blasphemy thread! Feel free to post deliciously, shockingly blasphemous content here. As this is a forum that's open not only to us heathens, but can be seen by non-members too, let me start off with an OFFENSIVE CONTENT WARNING! You don't HAVE to keep reading/watching! You'll most probably get an extra pitch-fork up your... um... in the afterlife for reading further or clicking on any links! DEFINITELY do not click on any links!

So, here's my contribution.

Starting off gentle... with a slightly different kind of a sermon:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTzXJMU1sLc

Cranking it up a notch... or two... a song so blasphemous, it makes me gringe... by possibly the most politically incorrect band I know, The Tiger Lillies. Here's "Banging In The Nails":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inIuYren8jg

Should have thought of this myself. Thanks Stegocephalian. Hmmm.

I'd heard snippets of "Banging in The Nails" before but hadn't seen the vid. Hilarious!

Joke stolen from my friend Blair Scott:

"Mary walks up to the hill and sees Jesus on the cross. As she gets closer she realizes Jesus has a ten inch erection. She turns to Paul and says, "Look, Jesus is hung on the cross!"

My favorite (supposedly) blasphemous art piece? "Sweet Jesus" by artist Cosimo Cavallaro.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://scienceblogs.com/afarensis/upload/2007/03/jesus.jpg&imgrefurl=http://scienceblogs.com/afarensis/2007/03/chocolate_jesus.php&usg=__lsHhHnZ6quxvWQrty28e9gI8Pfg=&h=360&w=300&sz=29&hl=en&start=14&um=1&tbnid=gkOZUOqcGl_q0M:&tbnh=121&tbnw=101&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmy%2Bsweet%2Bjesus%2Bchocolate%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox%26rlz%3D1I7GPTB_enUS289%26um%3D1

I don't think that's an official video for the song, just the contribution of some YouTuber - but it certainly does give the song that something extra.

As for the art, yes, art related to Jesus or other religious imagery certainly has a way of ruffling feathers.

Brought to mind another, rather more delicious images of Jesus, that made some waves a while ago: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cd5Qm7zWKyU

Which, of course, brings to mind the mildly blasphemous, and very delicious song "Chocolate Jesus" by Tom Waits: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wfamPW3Eaw 

amazing videos

Just wanted you all to know that I took the lord's name in vain today. How about THAT for dedication? That's another 15 mn in hell, I believe.

Forgive me, everyone, for the inappropriate remarks I'm about to make, this while rushing to get dinner made and on the table. I also believe in free speech and do think we should defend it, regardless of whether we agree with the words expressed. So bear with me as I express some very unpopular words....

Just because we have the RIGHT to say or write anything doesn't mean we necessarily SHOULD. There is so much hatred in the world, there is so much pain, there are so many wars, there is so much unkindness, there is so much revenge........ why add anything negative to the pot? "An eye for an eye, and soon the whole world will be blind" (I think Ghandi said that).

If anyone feels a need to defend him/herself, fine -- do! But why say anything "blasphemous" just for the sake of annoying anyone?

I apologize if my words have offended anyone.

No apologies, Anda. 

Here's my thoughts. Too often many religions hide behind cloaks of "special pleading". Claiming it's not acceptable to question them, that unlike any political, economic, or other important belief held by someone, religion is off limits to derision or ridicule. That's what's unacceptable in my (and other's) minds. 

The concept of Blasphemy Day is not to attack religion, per se. It's to open up all religious beliefs to the same level of free inquiry, discussion and criticism to which all other areas of academic interest are subjected. 

Would you also object to "Free Political Speech" day? A day for the celebration that we can can say what we want about anyone else's political beliefs? Perhaps. I think it more likely that either you still harbor some feeling that people's religious beliefs require a special handling that does not include outright ridicule or that you shy away from confrontation and wish always to deal with things in a way that does not come to that.

While the second idea has some merit, I feel that there are no sacred cows. If someone claims that people with a different color skin are stupid and lazy, I'm going to call them out. They're wrong. If they want to say that we should all defer the the holy book of the unicorn or god, I'm going to do the same. 

You're viewpoint is very Buddhist in nature. While I can see the merits, there are weaknesses as well.

Anda, indeed, no need to appologize! One of the things I love about freethinkers, agnostics and atheists in general is that we're not easily herded - we openly question, we challenge ideas, including ideas that come from "our camp".

On the issue of blasphemy, it's one that I've stuggled with for a while - really, the question coming to the fore with the publication of those Mohammad cartoons in a Danish newspaper a few years ago.

Back then, my initial reaction was essentially that while the danish newspaper had the right to pubish what they wanted, it was really stupid and inconsiderate of them to publish something on Islam that would ruffle feathers, in a time when the relations between the Western world and Islamic nations were already inflamed.

When later, as a response to the protests, a few papers chose to reprint the images in sympathy and support of free speech, I had an image in my head of two gorillas pounding their chests and roaring at each other to fight for the status of alpha male. It seemed inane.

However, I have to say that the "other side" of this issue did manage to drive it's point through to me eventually, as I looked more deeply into the issue; the response to the Danish cartoons was purposefully crafted by Islamic agitators - in line with their general purpose of restricting free speech. It was a direct, and purposeful attack against free speech, not some innocent taking of offense at something offensive - if it were not for the Danish cartoons, they would have found another piece of Western published material to whip up anger and outrage in Islamic regions.

This, in preparation for driving through resolutions - which they worryingly have managed - in the UN to ban blasphemy, and thus make criticizing religions a dangerous act that may land you in prison. After the UN adopting a binding resolution against blasphemy, essentially driven through by the Islamic nations in the UN, we've seen the return of blasphemy laws in Ireland, and there is pressure for such laws elsewhere.

One man's opinion is another man's blasphemy - if I say "there is no God", I am committing blasphemy as far as many religious people would judge it. If I criticize the acts of a church, or an Imam, or some religious movement, am I being blasphemous? Am I risking exposing myself to legal action?

It is a horrifying world that we seem to be headed towards, and this is why I believe the cat has to be put on the table - I don't enjoy being hurtful towards others, or unnecessarily insulting them, or causing offense, but here I see a need; and the need is to bring light to this ongoing attack against free speech, before it's too late. The need is to make people think about what it means to support free speech, and whether they'd like to continue living in a world where free speech is allowed - the test of that commitment being that the protected speech that you need to allow may be something you find personally offensive, something that really makes you angry, something that pushes your buttons.

For example, I can't stand Kent Hovind and his ilk, and find "documentaries" like "Expelled" insidious, hurtful, and false; a personal attack against the core of my world view, and against me too (when they, for example, equate atheism with immorality) - yet I would strongly object to any attempt at silencing these people by denying them the right to spew their garbage. 

In a society where religion dominates, atheists pretty much have to confront that test of their commitment to freedom of speech regularly - that's why, I think, atheists in general tend to be more principled about free speech; they understand that it does not come free, it does not come without consequences that you have to live with.

The general populace of believers, in a society that is belief-dominated, has an easy time paying lip service to freedom, and freedom of speech, but they may never have been put into a position where they are forced to evaluate the true value of these things, to really think about what it means.

And I see something like the blasphemy day as a good thing, because it forces that evaluation, that introspection, in the religious. That's my take on it, at least.

Reasonable Doubts did an episode on the Blasphemy Day, which includes an interview with Ayan Hirsi Ali, a courageous, intelligent woman, and a woman living under the constant threat of death, for her apostasy from Islam, and her outspoken criticism of the religion. I think you would enjoy the episode and find it fascinating. It can be found here:

http://feeds.feedburner.com/reasonabledoubts/Msxh

It's the most recent episode, episode 54. If you click the "play now" link, depending on what your browser is set up to do, it either plays it directly, or downloads the mp3 file. In the latter case, double clicking on the downloaded file should play it.

I got to your responses late, Dahan and Stegocephalian, but I think they clarified a great deal for me. Most certainly, I would not like to see any free speech be taken away. There are so many bad things going on in this country, but so far, one has been able to speak his/her mind and not have to fear being jailed for that. (I was born in Latvia and my family fled when the Communists came in, so I know whereof I speak on that point. Most of the people born here simply cannot imagine what it's like to not be able to speak freely. I had a taste of that when I returned to Latvia for a visit in 1987 or so. There were microphones planted in every room in the hotel, so we all knew better than to speak freely. When I visited my relatives in their apartments, we could not talk freely even there. The only place they felt safe to talk was in the woods, so we went for frequent walks!) I was just concerned yesterday about being on the starting end of anything unpleasant. I'm such a softie, eh?

But I appreciate both of you taking the time to answer so thoughtfully and thoroughly. Thank you.