Blasphemy and Learning

I like learning new things. I was watching a video presentation some time back and the suggestion was made that one of the problems our society has, is that we hate to find out that we're wrong. Instead the video suggested that we cultivate a culture where to be found wrong should be a celebration, because by discovering that we are wrong, we can move on, and follow a path closer to the truth.

I began my day with a plan to write a posting on blasphemy and this post may well end up coming full circle back to that, but as I looked up the origins of blasphemy and religious prohibitions against it, I discovered I was wrong. Hang on folks, right now, I'm not even sure where I'm going with this...

I began with the assumption that the prohibition against blasphemy originated with Exodus 20:7, which is classified as number 3 of the 10 commandments - at least by most religious denominations - The Catholics have it as number 2 and split coveting your neighbors stuff and his wife into two. So if you're Catholic and you lust after your neighbors hot wife in her Ferrari and you happen to quite like the Ferrari too, then you get dinged twice, but non-Catholics only get dinged once - kind of like a package deal!!

Anyway, moving on! I'm going to use the King James Edition of the bible for this post, since that is the version I am most familiar with.

Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

My comments on that verse were going to be based on the usage of the name of God. You see it's interesting, because somehow most, if not all Christians view that verse as a prohibition against the use of God's name in a repetitive and disrespectful setting. Such as the exclamation... "Oh My God!!" When something either great or terrible happens, or something like "What in God's Name are you doing?" when you walk into a room and see a 3 year old pouring milk into the top of the TV. Fortunately I don't speak from personal experience on that last one, although if you know the youngest members of the Koda clan, I'm not going to be holding my breath!

I guess in some ways using the name of God in such a way is disrespectful, and the argument could be made that technically that is a violation of the third commandment, but what about:

Propogation of racist teachings and indoctrination because it's God's will. It's not racist, because God said it.

Persecution of a minority and general bigotry because it's God's will. I'm not a homophobic bigot, I'm just following God's commandments.

Invasion of other countries and murder of those who believe differently, because it's God's will. God wanted me to murder those unbelievers. Christians and Muslims, you both get dinged on this one!

Isn't it funny how it's a bad thing, unless God tells us to do it, and then all of a sudden we can stand with boldness and proclaim that Good is Evil and Evil is Good, all because God said he was cool with it.

Now that's some serious usage of God's name in vain if you ask me!

Anyway, so in an effort to line up some good source material for the post, I turned to the internet to get the definition and exact reference for the verse quoted above.

Interestingly enough, I found an entry in the New World Encyclopedia under the topic of blasphemy, and it doesn't cite the 10 commandments, it cites instead Exodus 22:28

Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.

And in more recent re-translations of that verse, the word revile has been changed to blaspheme, and ruler has been interpreted as God's servants, prophets or representatives.

Going back to The New World Encyclopedia, here's the definition they have for blasphemy:

Blasphemy is the defamation of the name of one or more gods. In a broader sense, blasphemy is irreverence toward something considered sacred or inviolable. Many cultures disapprove of speech or writing which defames the deity or deities of their established religions, and these restrictions have the force of law in some countries.

The word blasphemy is derived from the Middle English blasfemen, which in turn is related to the Greek blasphemein, from blaptein ("to injure") and pheme ("reputation").

You can read the whole article here

So here's were the wheels kind of fell of the cart - at least as it relates to the posting I had planned, but let me see if I can tie it all together.

Ten Commandments condemn using God's name in vain.

And in a separate verse, not less than 2 chapters later, it is defined as a sin to revile against God, or his servants, and that is further defined as blasphemy, which is to injure the reputation of either God or his servants.

So you can't claim to be doing things in the name of God, if you aren't. And you can't criticize God or his followers.

What if though... There are men who claim to be followers of God, and to be his servants, but they really aren't?

These men would technically be in violation of the 3rd of the infamous 10 commandments, and then I guess technically, you could criticize them, without fear of violating Exodus 22:28, since they're not actually servants of God.

It's kind of a tricky situation to get yourself into when you think about it, because what if God did choose them as servants and even though they are morally reprehensible, and obviously exempt from the commandments themselves, do you want to risk your eternal salvation by taking them to task on it?

Perhaps at this point it would be helpful to point out that Exodus is in the Old Testament, and the Old Testament is also the source of the prohibition against pork and shellfish, allowing God's chosen prophets to have a whole ton of wives and concubines (something akin to a blend of a personal whore and civil union I believe) and prophets who impregnate their daughters (Even though it was God's will apparently).

All I can say in conclusion I guess is...

OMG, this bacon is delish!