Should blasphemy be punished?

[marco]

Some countries count blasphemy as a capital offence. Obviously if we spend most of our lives in adoration, it is offensive to hear folk say bad things about the deity we've chosen to worship. In modern times we are sensitive to what others think.

Is it reasonable to punish people for mocking God?

Is it understandable that some may wish to execute blasphemers?

Do the Bible and Quran encourage folk to punish blasphemers?

[imhereforyou]

Some countries count blasphemy as a capital offence. Obviously if we spend most of our lives in adoration, it is offensive to hear folk say bad things about the deity we've chosen to worship. In modern times we are sensitive to what others think.

Is it reasonable to punish people for mocking God?

Is it understandable that some may wish to execute blasphemers?

Do the Bible and Quran encourage folk to punish blasphemers?

Is it reasonable? To me, no. Kind of silly really. How can a group of people punish others when that group can't even agree totally on blasphemy itself? And whom appointed this group to punish? God? Where's God's authority?

Yes it's totally understandable, considering the people involved though. Both religions have, at least at one time, been violent. Even today they teach violence and hate, though maybe not directly.

It's easier to hate than love, or even like. It seems to be human nature these days.

[marco]

Is it reasonable? To me, no. Kind of silly really.

Silly, perhaps, and yet in this 21st century we have people condemned to death for blasphemy. When one invites God into one's house or town, then one invites barbarity.... unless his beard has been shaved and his hair washed.


Love can come easily too. But people seem to have a predilection for seeing a human die, and all they need is an excuse. God offers one. Homosexuals were condemned to death in civilised Britain in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Today we needn't mock God - it suffices to draw a picture of his Prophet for death sentences to be passed. We have one foot in the Dark Ages - or some have.

[ttruscott]

The law to put to death the blasphemer has been relegated to the judgment day since believers are not any more obligated to keep the law but to trust in Christ and the fake believers (Cain) follow along in word.

Believers fulfil the law of Leviticus 24:10-17 about Shelomith's son, by accepting fully the absolute necessity of the banishment of the non-elect reprobate to the outer darkness for their crimes while we attempt to fulfill love by treating the reprobate with as much loving kindness as we can while GOD prepares them for destruction.

[marco]

Believers fulfil the law of Leviticus 24:10-17 about Shelomith's son, by accepting fully the absolute necessity of the banishment of the non-elect reprobate to the outer darkness for their crimes while we attempt to fulfil love by treating the reprobate with as much loving kindness as we can while GOD prepares them for destruction.

God ordered, via Moses, that the unnamed son be taken out an stoned to death. No civilised judge today would make such an order. Such a story tells me that we are not reading about a being with feeling; he was constructed to impose lessons on the unruly.

I find myself at the other end of your theology; you seem to find comfort in what I would find alarming. Tastes differ. It is ironic that humans should treat the reprobate with kindness (civilisation) and God should prepare destruction (barbarity).

[OnceConvinced]

Some countries count blasphemy as a capital offence. Obviously if we spend most of our lives in adoration, it is offensive to hear folk say bad things about the deity we've chosen to worship. In modern times we are sensitive to what others think.

Is it reasonable to punish people for mocking God?

No, a god would be bigger than that. His ego would not be that delicate that he would be hurt or offended. It's the humans that take offence, not God.

Is it understandable that some may wish to execute blasphemers?

Yes, because many believers are very insecure in their own faith, so it's not surprising they will react badly when their god or beliefs are poked fun at.

No one is being hurt here, let alone any god. It's just simply humans being overly sensitive.

Do the Bible and Quran encourage folk to punish blasphemers?

I believe the bible does, after all one of the commandments is "Don't take the lord's name in vain", however there is no way that could be the command of a perfect godlike being. Only a very insecure, childish god who is easily offended. That suggests to me that the laws relating to blasphemy in the bible are man made ones, due to insecurities of believers who are easily offended. So making blasphemy punishable by death is one way to deal with people who offend you.

[ttruscott]

Believers fulfil the law of Leviticus 24:10-17 about Shelomith's son, by accepting fully the absolute necessity of the banishment of the non-elect reprobate to the outer darkness for their crimes while we attempt to fulfil love by treating the reprobate with as much loving kindness as we can while GOD prepares them for destruction.

God ordered, via Moses, that the unnamed son be taken out an stoned to death. No civilised judge today would make such an order. Such a story tells me that we are not reading about a being with feeling; he was constructed to impose lessons on the unruly.

The story tells us how far we have come from GOD's justice...

I find myself at the other end of your theology; you seem to find comfort in what I would find alarming. Tastes differ. It is ironic that humans should treat the reprobate with kindness (civilisation) and God should prepare destruction (barbarity).

Ummmm, there is much about the world that is beautiful and much about our lives that is personally fulfilling for both the reprobate and the elect. This is what I consider when I think that HE makes the sun and the rain to fall on all men to their benefit...treating those HIS Justice hates with as much love and care as HE can while preparing their execution.

[Divine Insight]

Is it reasonable to punish people for mocking God?

No. Especially when it can't even be demonstrated the the God itself actually exists.

If a God actually existed then it might be reasonable for that God to punish people who mock him. But even that would only be reasonable if the God himself had proven his existence to the people. Otherwise they would just be mocking something they don't even believe exists.

Case in point: I was born and raised into Christianity and taught the Christian Bible describes God and is the word of God.

Later I came to the realization that the people who taught me this have no clue whether or not this is even true.

Finally when I point out why the God described in the Bible would be an absolute idiotic fool and this is the reason I don't believe the Bible describes any actual God,...

Have I just "mocked" God?

Hardly. To the contrary, I simply explained why I reject utterly absurd stories that claim to be about a God.

To explain why stories are too utterly stupid to be about a God, most certainly isn't "mocking" any God. How can that be considered to be "mocking" a God when the what is actually being explained is why I don't believe the stories could be about any God?

People need to realize that explaining why something is unbelievable is not the same as "mocking" it.

If I say that the Biblical stories are too stupid to be from any God, I am most certainly NOT claiming that any God is stupid.

I think this is where a lot of people make a big mistake.

[marco]

The story tells us how far we have come from GOD's justice...

Unfortunately we don't all travel at the same pace. Some of us endorse God's primal cry for stoning, and happily stone today, under divine guidance. God doesn't correct the error, if error it is.

This is what I consider when I think that HE makes the sun and the rain to fall on all men to their benefit...treating those HIS Justice hates with as much love and care as HE can while preparing their execution.

You place the telescope to your blind eye. Sun and rain bring misery as well as joy. When we admire the beauty of a tiger burning in the forests of the night, as Blake saw, we should reflect that God made a beautiful killer.

The God you describe, hypocritically bestowing largesse on those who are about to perish, is one to fear, not love.

[Wootah]

Of course not.

However, try pointing out a transgender is still a man and you may well find out that blasphemy laws do still exist in modern society.