Of all the strange "crimes" that human beings have legislated out of nothing, "blasphemy"is the most amazing — with "obscenity" and "indecent exposure" fighting it out for second and third place. ---Robert A. Heinlein
>Of all the strange “crimes” that human beings have legislated out of nothing, “blasphemy”is the most amazing<
The context was that of the Lord’s supper being portrayed as a Folsom fest, and was not about freedom of speech, but my judgment was of what was done with it.
Blasphemy is the religious equivalent of flag burning, or counterfeit currency, misusing authority. Perhaps some would not be offended by someone using a picture of their mother as an ashtray, but most would be. Of course, the real issue is whether the authority is worthy of reverenced, or it defaming the office itself. The Bible teaches reverence for the office, and those within it due to it, while exposing the character of those who hold it, whether they be good or evil.
The command against blasphemy is not promulgated out of nothing, rather, the command to honor God came after He manifested His own worthiness of it.
Moreover, the commanded obedience to Him were and are not because He needed anything, as He does not (Acts 17:25), but because they were right, and for our benefit, the opposite being true when are disobeyed, as history testifies.
Having misused His good things, and broken His good laws, man needs a redeemer, and God, who is a giving God, “spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, and “who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Rm. 8:22; Gal. 2:20), that we may live thru Him. And which faith works for the good of any country. Thanks be to God!