International Blasphemy Day is not just a day. It is a movement to dismantle the wall which exists between religion and criticism.
The primary focus of the Blasphemy Day movement and indeed this website is not to debate the existence of any gods or deities (there is an abundance of fantastic websites which deal explicitly with that argument all over the internet, check the Web Links section).
The objective of International Blasphemy Day is 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.
Why September 30? The last day in September is the anniversary of the original publication of Danish cartoons in 2005 depicting the prophet Muhammad’s face. Any visual depiction of Muhammad is considered a grave offence under Islamic law
Well I can get behind them as far a free speech goes and think laws on blasphemy are stupid.
Blasphemy is a joyous, funny, socially progressive, and profoundly moral act. It deserves its own day. Join the group. Spread the word.
Well if God does not exist then cursing him is not a moral act, just a wasted one. Defiling sacred things if they are in fact not sacred is time spent in your very short lifetime. The main purpose of a blasphemy day is for atheists to call attention to themselves to mock theists. And of course P.Z. Myers has to weigh in.
I only have one reservation. Every day should be Blasphemy Day
Well as a former atheist I can also speak some atheist blasphemies.
- Darwin not only did not come up with evolution, but he said some racist things and lived a double life to hide his convictions.
- Schopenhauer, Nitsche, and Rand and countless other atheistic philosophers were all selfish jerks who alienated those around them and died miserable.
- Theists are free to believe or disbelieve whether a miracle occurred in a specific circumstance. Atheists must dogmatically reject that a miracle occurred.
- Theists are free to accept or reject evolutions based on evaluating the scientific evidence. Atheists are not free to reject evolution.
- Freethinkers are not free to believe in God.
- The scientific method is a fruit of the theology of Christianity. The scientific method was stillborn in all other cultures because of their philosophy.
- If extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, then where is the extraordinary evidence that matter could be ex nihilo – out of nothing.
Of course the main focus of Blasphemy day is Christian Blasphemy Day. As Chesterton said:
Blasphemy is an artistic effect, because blasphemy depends upon a philosophic conviction. Blasphemy depends upon belief and is fading with it. If any one doubts this, let him sit down seriously and try to think blasphemous thoughts about Thor. I think his family will find him at the end of the day in a state of some exhaustion.
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The silliness of this reminds me of junior high boys saying, “Hey, let’s all sit around and talk about poop.”
TWO
TRUTHS
To the Nuclear
Plant I went
With wafered host
I was hell-bent.
Exposed the wafered un-
Consecrated host
To radiation
Now, nuked toast.
Offered heretic
“Taste and see.”
“Oh no!” He cried
“That’s not for me!”
“But look,” I said,
“Nothings changed…
A still white wafered
Host arranged.”
“Though looks the same,
Could do much harm!”
The heretic knew
Exclaimed with alarm.
As Catholics know
A spiritual radiation
Daily at Mass
The Transubstantiation!
When it turns out these folks blew Pascal’s Wager, it stood be interesting to watch their tap dance when they report in (though I admit I may be just a bit too busy with my own situation to pay a lot of attention).
Of course, there is the matter of God’s mercy. Which would explain why Gunny used to say the streets of Heaven are guarded by U.S. Marines (and Gunny is rarely wrong — kind of like Sister in that). I suppose St. Mike’ll clear it up when he comes in the tavern at Fiddler’s Green, dumps his armor, kicks back with a cold one, and sits in on the bull session.
For you gamblers:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal's_Wager
There are all kinds of blasphemy – such as diversity of thought is more important than diversity of skin color or genitals.
And that “free thinking” universities are the places with the least freedom of thought.
Odin shall smite thee for saying no one cares about his mighty son Thor.