Blasphemy ? What is it ? How is it Done?

Like I said.. one man's religion is another man's blasphemy.

Wiki`s summary gets a little closer to scary. Blasphemy is still on the lawbooks in several U.S. States, as well as in U.K. Wonder where the cross-over point into racial vilification lies? Oz is big on R.V. at present, but I`m not sure if we still have blasphemy laws.Blasphemy - WikipediaLikewise the link there to the Catholic Encyclopedia definition shows those guys never mucked around in centuries past. Would they enforce it in the 21st century?CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Blasphemy

I thought they were translated phrases, or the actual meanings of the names of God. Yes, I agree with that totally. It's a perception thing. But it comes down to respect for something that you cannot prove exists or not, as far as God is concerned, and respect of people's beliefs.As far as Christians are concerned, blasphemy against God should not be of any concern to us, for it is written:
Matthew 12:31
And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.Where as the Jews might not forgive you, just as they accused Jesus of, and tried him for.
Matthew 26:65
Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy.They wanted to kill anyone blasphemed the Lord.I do not know enough about other religions to know how they feel about it. But to me, if we criticize people like Charles who blasphemies the Lord, or is right on the edge of blaspheming the Lord all the time, then we are not being Christian. Jesus explains clearly that the Lord will take care of it.So it's our job to be forgiving, this way scolding people like Charles won't get in the way of showing love for that person. If we have enough faith in God to handle his blasphemy, then Charles will understand the love of Christ that we are trying as best we can to portray.But alas we are only human. Depends on your religion, mine, yes. Not only blasphemy, but outright sin. Islam can get away with it, as they have a clause written in the Koran.

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Comedian and actor Rowan Atkinson has branded as "draconian" plans to make incitement to religious hatred illegal.

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He said it was a "sledgehammer to crack a nut" and urged that existing race hate laws be amended rather than hampering the right to criticise ideas.

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Performers would end up censoring themselves for fear of prosecution and that would hit free speech, he said.

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The new offence gives equal protection to all faiths. Jews and Sikhs are already covered by race hate laws.

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The Racial and Religious Hated Bill would create a new offence of incitement to religious hatred and would apply to comments made in public or in the media, as well as through written material.

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The plans - which have been failed to make it through Parliament twice before - cover words or behaviour intended or likely to stir up religious hatred.

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Ministers insist the new law would not affect "criticism, commentary or ridicule of faiths".

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Home Office Minister Paul Goggins has said: "It is about protecting the believer, not the belief."

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But a series of speakers from politics, civil liberties groups and from the arts were in Westminster on Monday to voice their concerns the day before the bill comes back before Parliament for its second reading.

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Liberty's Shami Chakrabarti brushed off Mr Goggins' reassurances saying: "In a democracy there is no right not to be offended.

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"Religion relates to a body of ideas and people have the right to debate denigrate other people's ideas."

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She said where people used religion as a proxy for expressing racism the existing race laws could be amended to encapsulate that.

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The National Theatre chief Nicholas Hytner said it was sometimes the business of his profession to offend.

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He gave the example of Jerry Springer the Opera which he argued was clearly an attack on the chat show genre and not, as some claimed, on christianity.

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Author Ian McEwan said religions all thought they held "irrefutable beliefs" and only a secular society could ensure true freedom for them and for others' right to express criticism.

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BBC NEWS | UK | UK Politics | Atkinson attacks 'draconian' law

If you ever want to see ham-handedness in full flight, you can`t go past laws drafted by lawyers.I think it was stated recently that our Parliament was passing 70-80 new laws a DAY. The mind boggles at the care shown in that mass-production plant. No sooner does someone cry 'offended', than they seek a law to cover it.
After denying citizens a crack at John Irving and his Holocaust-Denial Tour by refusing a visa, now we have to bite tongues at any extremist trend. Thus if you question billions wasted on aboriginal welfare without any change to conditions on the ground, you`re a racist. Query Israel`s stance on the Palestinian problem, and you`re anti-Semitic. Ask about the refugees held for years in detention camps and you`re supporting terrorism. What`s a bit of blasphemy compared to these?

Of course, many people who are anti-semetic DO present their feelings as being Anti-israel. It is a matter of balance. Do they exclusivily critizise Israel, while not critizse the bombers? Israel is the focus of many anti-semetic people.On the other hand, disagreeing with Israeli foreign policy is certainly understandable. Of course, so it disagreeing with the American foreign policy. For a while there, disagreeing with the war in Iraq branded people as being 'unpatriotic' by the right wing.

Funny how the Israelis have hijacked the term 'anti-Semitic'. As I understand it the term Semitic embraces the Arab race, too, so you could say every time Israelis bad-mouth the Palestinians or Arabs in general, they are 'anti-Semitic'.