What is your opinion regarding 'blasphemy '?

[Masterblaster]

Is it the same as free speech.
What makes it objectionable.
Can you give an example of blasphemy.
Does it need to be controlled. Why?

[bjs1]

Is it the same as free speech.

It is an example of free speech.

What makes it objectionable.

It can be rude towards people who hold to the religious belief.

Can you give an example of blasphemy.

It is being disrespectful to a religious belief. For instance, burning a holy book, making an offensive picture of a holy person, or claiming to be God.

Does it need to be controlled. Why?

Legally? No.

Beyond that, a certain level of civility is expected among most people. This depends on the setting. If you watch the TV show South Park then you should expect all religious and social beliefs to be disrespected. A person who seeks out that kind of entertainment has little room to complain about it. However, just being a jerk to someone for not agreeing with your beliefs (be they of a different religion or no religion) is lacking in compassion.

[Masterblaster]

Slander was and still is punishable.
Treasonous discourse is illegal and punishable. Is heresy a justifiable offence?
Surely blasphemy is different?

[1213]

What is your opinion regarding 'blasphemy '?

It is not wise. Bible tells, eternal life is for righteous. Blasphemy is not righteous and it indicates person is who does that is not righteous and will not get the life.

Is it the same as free speech.
What makes it objectionable.

That it is not reasonable.

Is it the same as free speech.Does it need to be controlled. Why?

I think it is enough to tell to people it is not good to do so.

[Masterblaster]

We must always remember that early Christian testimony was often proclaimed under severe duress. Stoning and incarceration and death were everyday consequences of stating your ideas in public. Hostility was as likely to come from the intended audience of the teaching as it was to come from authoritarian sources. Preaching and proclaiming the Gospel was not for the faint hearted in the 1st Century, or even subsequently.

We are talking about a new faith that proposes as credible, that a human man is in fact a deity. This may not have been attempted since the times of the Egyptian pharaohs.

[Masterblaster]

Charlie Hebdo
The magazine has been the target of three terrorist attacks: in 2011, 2015, and 2020. All of them were presumed to be in response to a number of cartoons that it published controversially depicting Muhammad. In the second of these attacks, 12 people were killed, including publishing director Charb and several other prominent cartoonists.

[TRANSPONDER]

I suppose we are talking about religious blasphemy and not just cursing. And that of course splits into what God is going to do about anyone who 'blasphemes the Holy Spirit' and what religious people are going to do about it. As you say. Muslims are pretty uncompromising about what they do with anyone they disapprove of.

It's a bit curious. Suppose a prominent atheist has been saying all sorts of blasphemies about God like he is a murderer,dictator,has a moral code like Caligula and couldn't run a lemonade stand properly - if he existed, which he didn't.

Suppose this atheist then had an Experience and became a believer and a very effective Christian apologist, bringing thousands to the Lord and died with the name of Jesus on his lips.He'd go to hell of course because it says in the Bible, blaspheme the Holy Spirit and you won't be forgiven. Is that a lie? Or repentance will not do? Or is this another of those small print things like prayer. Blasphemy of Jesusgod will not be forgiven, except where God thinks it could be.

I won't even get into the other side of the coin like politics where the extreme left and extreme right are almost indistinguishable (and as we see can become virtual allies) but once saved, always saved might envisage some kid (over 7, arbitrarily designated at the which the child becomes Responsible and in his teens, was a devout believer and got saved once a year or mopre, but by his thirties has stopped believing in any of the religions and deconverted many online, though not thousands because nobody paid much attention to him.

When after a long and good life he died in his atheism and arrived at the Nacre turnstile. "Surprised eh? grins St Peter.Well God is real, the Bible is true and Jesus did rise from the dead and I was first pope, no matter what you thought.So what do you think is going to happen to you,clever clogs?"

"Perdition I suppose."

"Nope, heaven, because you were Saved when you were a believer and once saved, always saved".

"I'm astonished. It doesn't say that in the Bible."

"Ah well, that is a matter of interpretation and what the Believer thinks it says matters more than what it appears to say. No, the schedule...worship day and night, except for the sabbath (Which Jesus taught wasn't important) when you can lean over the edge and watch the Christians burning because they mistranslated "Aion"..."

However, back on topic Where is the dividing line between the faithful intervening out of Love to stop a person blaspheming and thereby risking damning themselves, and those who are doing it out of personal hate for anyone who doesn't think as they do and won't shut up and go away?

"Shooting that atheist wasn't done for God, but for himself."

"It's ok - God can use even a bad man for his purposes." I've actually heard that one. After all, I've argued that Biblical retribution against Judas (Matthew and Acts) makes no sense as he and the Sanhedrin were part of God's plan to save humans from sin, and Pilate was working against God, trying to let him off. Jesus himself snaps at Peter for saying it shouldn't happen to him.

But then 2000 years of Bible Experts seem not to have twigged that the ultimate 'blasphemers' (the enemies of JesusGod) were actually doing God's will. Or at least, if the idea came to them, they kept quiet about it.

Which I suppose answered to oft -hers question "Why do you keep talking about it if you don't believe it?" Perhaps because if we don't be assured the Bible experts certainly won't.

"No, no, no no....we have to blaspheme God by denying his Word or what good is free will and choice if the faithful never hear a reason to doubt? They'd become Robots." Yea, verily, I say unto you, atheists are all part of God's Plan.

[Data]

Blasphemy is an anglicized version of the Greek word blasphemia which in Greek meant any injurious, abusive or defamatory speech towards God or men. The English version of the word though, usually applies only to such speech directed to God or sacred things. Blasphemers were to be stoned to death, but blasphemy was only punishable by death under the Mosaic Law.

Satan was the first and remains the primary instigator of blasphemy (Genesis 3:1-5; John 8:44-49) for suggesting that God was untruthful. Calling upon the name of God, as mentioned at Genesis 4:26 was apparently not done in an appropriate way, as is indicated by the Jerusalem Targum, which says: "That was the generation in whose days they began to err, and to make themselves idols, and surnamed their idols by the name of the Word of the Lord." It is believed that men began applying the name of God to men, and/or to idols of worship.

The first three of the Ten Commandments dealt with Jehovah God's sovereignty and exclusive right deserving worship. Calling down evil upon God or cursing a chieftain was also blasphemy deserving death. The first case of this happening after the Ten Words (comandments) were given was when a son of an Israelite woman and an Egyptian man was stoned for abusing the name of God and calling down evil upon it. From then on, the offense was punishable by stoning to death. (Exodus 20:1-7; Leviticus 24:10-16)

Blasphemy didn't need to be expressed vocally in the Hebrew Scriptures to be considered as blasphemy. A blatant disrespect for Jehovah God's laws was also considered blasphemy, though the unintentional lawbreaker was given mercy. (Numbers 15:27-31; Nehemiah 9:18) It didn't always result in death.

Some examples of blasphemy in the Hebrew Scriptures are Eli's sons (1 Samuel 3:12-13), the Assyrian official Rabshakeh, (2 Kings 19:4-6, 22-23) and that of false prophets (Jeremiah 23:16-17). Naboth, though innocent, was convicted of blasphemy and was stoned to death based upon the testimony of false witnesses.

The incorrect view began to take effect that the pronunciation of God's name was a blasphemous act based upon a misapplication of Leviticus 24:10-16. Talmudic tradition also indicates that upon hearing the testimony of blasphemous words of the accused, religious judges should tear their garments; this is based upon 2 Kings 18:37; 19:1-4. (Jewish Encyclopedia, 1976, Vol. III, p. 237)

The importance of the name in the Hebrew Scriptures and among Semitic people should not be overlooked. According to Professor G.T. Manely: "A study of the word 'name' in the OT reveals how much it means in Hebrew. The name is no mere label, but is significant of the real personality of him to whom it belongs. . . . When a person puts his 'name' upon a thing or another person the latter comes under his influence and protection." (New Bible Dictionary, edited by J. D. Douglas, 1985, p. 430.)

Deuteronomy 23:2 forbids illegitimate children from coming into the congregation. Adultery, punishable by the death of the unborn child along with the mother and father, (Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:22) was forbidden due to the breakdown of the family arrangement and would result in the child having no inheritance. All of this would have a devastating effect upon society. For this reason, the illegitimate child of David was taken. (2 Samuel 12:14) Since Jehovah had a Kingdom covenant with David he wasn't put to death. (2 Samuel 7:11-16)

Paul used the Greek verb blasphemeo at Romans 2:24 in reference to Ezekiel 36:20-21 which demonstrates the harmony of the basic meaning of the word from Hebrew to Greek. Herod committed blasphemy when he claimed the prerogative of God (Acts 12:21-22)

Jesus was accused of blasphemy when he forgave sins, (Matthew 9:2-3) when he claimed to be God's son, (John 10:33-36) and for telling the Sanhedrin that he would sit at the right hand of God, to which they proclaimed him worthy of death. (Mark 14:61-64) They had no authority from the Romans, however, so they shrewdly changed the charge to sedition. (John 18:29 - 19:16)

Blasphemy against the holy spirit is the only unforgivable sin (Luke 12:10) Blasphemy comes from the heart and must be a willful and deliberate act, not merely a result of imperfection or human weakness.

[Masterblaster]

Is it possible to offend God directly?
Does God need protection.
Is God vulnerable or malleable in any way. How?

[bjs1]

Slander was and still is punishable.

Blasphemy might be called slander against God. If He wishes to press a civil suit, that would be His right, and only His.

Treasonous discourse is illegal and punishable. Is heresy a justifiable offence?

Blasphemy might be considered "treasonous discourse" against God. If God wishes to press charges, that would be His right. No one else has the authority to do so on His behalf.