In Praise (and Defence) of Blasphemy

i too love blasphemy :D

Re#129

Created by a giant spaghetti aka siwayyan monster? String theory gone phuss? Dude! Now that was funny, lol

``The thought processes and ``proofs`` used by ultra-religious types can also be used to prove that the world indeed might have been created by a giant spaghetti monster.``(Jawahara)

indeed -- there goes the string theory of cosmos creation -- right there......

Jawahara, truly enjoyed reading this, but there is a certain sense of carried-away in this article.

To think we can progress by having a little sense of blasphemy sounds like a sexy idea but one needs to hold it. When curiosity supercedes established beliefs, new ideas come naturally (as happened in the case of Galileo and Copernicus, I`m sure they were not against religion or God at all; just curious to derive correctly from their own observations. When I say correct, I mean tested and re-tested concepts). And Newton`s case was hilarious, he came up with a new idea (about time as a variable and not a constant) in an oopsy fashion (oopsy because it opposed his beliefs and he wasn`t willing to accept). Curiosity does strange things and one needs to learn to tame its powers.

I am not familiar with Hinduism that much but since its prime focus is on idol worship and dieties, I don`t see any reason why it would be blasphemous to insult a man-made diety. I mean to say, if you know Shiva and Ganesh, what`s the use of the idols, if you really do know? You tend to get angry at your parents, at your friends, at people and utter words that you later regret, don`t you? Anger too, does strange things and one needs to know how to express it effectively and that requires time and intelligence.

If you know your God, blasphemy becomes pointless but that doesn`t mean you can say whatever comes in your mouth and ``blaa!`` If you have monkey brains, then that`s a different story.

Your article would`ve made happier sense if you had used words like divine inspiration or innovation or positive variety etc. We`ve been through a very tough year, yar. Lighten up. We need to grow in a new direction.

:) But seriously, thank you for writing this.

Ref hamidm2 #101

[...... a couple of years ago there were rumors about a key-swapping club in islamabad, of all places ......... ]

Islamabad -- among other Islamic locations -- would be THE place for wife-swapping, I suspect.

After all, the husband can tell his wife ``talaq talaq talaq``, sign a nikkah-nama marrying another woman, have sex with her, thrice-talaq her and marry his original wife all over again. Under Islamic law, I am told the original would have to marry another man, have sex with him and divorce him before she could marry her previous husband once again.

I am beginning to think that Prophet Mohammad was WAAAAY ahead of his time with this thrice-talaq business or that the Bedouins were secret swingers. A sociological study seems very much in order.

Now, would Urstruly who claims that the Koran has incontrovertible facts about human embryology, nuclear power, aircraft propulsion, etc., also claim that Prophet Mohammad was the first swinger?

To all Chowkies:

Haiy tau yeh rasm-e-zamanah, lekan phir bhi
Ho mubarak tumhain yeh saal nya, meray rafiq

Happy New Year

Mohammad Gill

What is blasphemy? If we start from the premise that everything religious is unquestionable and therefore putting it under scrutiny, judging it even, disagreeing with it equals blasphemy, then we have reached a standstill. Contradictory ideas and clashing arguments have always been the driving force that pushed the world forward. The very threat of “blasphemy!” puts free thinking at peril. If Greek philosophers had been threatened with the accusation of blasphemy, or killed for being blasphemous, where would we be now?

There is a marked difference between those in direct pursuit of knowledge and engaged in intellectual inquiry and those who merely set out to deliberately offend one’s religious beliefs. To me… that doesn’t really matter, but I accept that it can be hurtful to others. Nevertheless, even in such a situation, “intentional offence” is all there is to it. “Blasphemy” is a concept that belongs (or rather SHOULD BELONG) to the Middle Ages, along with the array of heated and irrational reactions it spurs and the punishments that accompany the accusation.

Should somebody disagree with an idea put forward or a so-called blasphemous remark, then let those people resort to protest, a legitimate form of dissent. But not to burning books, burning down or desecrating other religious establishments, imprisoning or even killing the “perpetrators”. If I disagree with one’s idea of God and with what that person holds to be religious truth and openly say so, should I be put to death? Why? Because my values and beliefs are not similar to his/hers?

The Middle Ages and its intolerant mentality should have been long gone…

Re: # 120

No problem.Any time.

Now, teshah ji, you have publicly embarrassed me :).

The idea of `teaching` anything to a far more experienced and knowledgeable person is the sort of blasphemy that doesn`t appeal to me. But I take that as aapka huqm, and will find appropriate opportunity and forum for a beneficial discussion with you.

Re: # 115

Thank you dear Kaalchakra, you seem to be a master in this field. I would like to learn more from you on the subject at some appropriate place. Btw, why don`t you write an article on the subject of `Maya`?

Re: # 110: Bolta_aaina

``I have gone through the link www.venganza.org. It is something of that set of alternate ideas cropping in the world today, the most famous of them, I feel, was `The Moon Landings were Fake``.``


Are you kidding me? Did you really think this very satirical and (I think) hysterically funny site actually believes in the Spaghetti Monster or the faked moon landing?

He just wanted to illustrate that he believed that narrow interpretations of religion and the whole intelligence design stuff was bunk. He tried to use the same logic and thought processes to prove his totally off-the-wall theories and to found this religion. The thought processes and ``proofs`` used by ultra-religious types can also be used to prove that the world indeed might have been created by a giant spaghetti monster.

Happy Holidays all!

bolta ji

You raise an interesting point, but we may be highjacking the board to thrash a subject possibly of little interest to other Chowkies. It will be a privilege to learn your views of Hinduism at some other time. Theek hai?

so where`s Urstruly at?

Busy reading holocaust denial books that he said can`t be published in the US?

#117

``But if you cannot see the unity lying past the free-for-all external diversity in Hinduism, then you will obviously confuse a clear triumph for a tragedy. ``

But dont you think that this external-free-for-all in Hinduism is its real tragedy??? The external part is considered to be more true than the hidden real part.

arey bhai, do you realize, we make our own god?! Such theological empowerment of the individual is a huge strength.

But if you cannot see the unity lying past the free-for-all external diversity in Hinduism, then you will obviously confuse a clear triumph for a tragedy.

#112

Hinduism has many explanations to what it says...and that is its real tragedy. Even Lord Rama and Krishna have different meanings to different persons. The same is true with the Puranas.

Maya, what you say ,is one of the explanation. Maya ,what I say, is one of the understood explanations.

If the reasoning of Maya what I have said did not exist ,then you wouldnt have found so many Sadhus in Hinduism. Different people become Sadhus for different reasons, but the basic principle of it is the life and what you all see around you is perceptory and illusion.

OK, I might have exagerated it to make a point to Jawahara. I was commenting on the spaghetti monster as told by her and not giving a discourse of Maya.

You have to take my post in that light. Just dont get stuck to the words..try to read something beyond them.