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Blasphemy outrage is so seventeenth century
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Just as fear of sorcery has proven to be alive and well, blasphemy outrage is also making a comeback.
One indication that archaic superstitions still controlled a significant portion of the world’s population was when Muslims rioted over cartoons in Danish newspapers in 2008, simply because those cartoons depicted Mohammed. In a further attack on freedom of speech, the Organization of the Islamic Conference continued its attempts to get a United Nations resolution that would make it illegal to blaspheme Islam.
In a somewhat understandable reaction to this and other acts of barbarism, the Center for Inquiry instituted International Blasphemy Day , which was intended to be a celebration of free speech, but which may have been interpreted as gratuitous contempt for the religions of the world..
This past week, Curb Your Enthusiasm let it be known that the show had recorded an episode in which the main character accidentally and carelessly allowed urine to splash on a picture of Jesus. To their credit, even outraged Christians acknowledged the show's right to freedom of speech.
Is it really true that the world is actually discussing making blasphemy illegal in the 21st century? Doesn't this type of argument really belong in the period of history that brought us puritans, stocks, and witch burnings? If we make the concepts of Mohammed and Jesus so sacred that they can not be blasphemed, are we not essentially engaging in idolatry? Why is an image or a grouping of words so important that it must be destroyed or criminalized?
"Blasphemy Day" may have lent unnecessary attention to certain superstitions, and gratuitous insults of our fellow human beings should be avoided, but when blasphemy becomes illegal, freedom of speech has died.
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