Blasphemy is etymologically derived from the Greek “blasphēmia” that is “speaking ill, impious speech, slander,” from the verb blasphēmein that is “to speak evil.” 

Blasphemy was considered a criminal offense deserving of censorship and often death for centuries. Death for speaking or writing so-called “blasphemy” was served to French nobleman François-Jean Lefebvre de la Barre in 1766 when he was “tortured, beheaded, and burnt with a copy of Voltaire’s Philosophical Dictionary nailed to his torso” for failing to remove his hat in front of a Catholic procession. Blasphemy was the crime of bizarre thinkers like Giordano Bruno, who was burned at the stake in Rome in 1600 for believing in an infinite universe and multiple worlds. Even the virtuous defender and posthumously declared patron saint of France, Joan of Arc, was burned at the stake in 1431, guilty of blasphemy. Worth noting is that the Christian belief at that time was that the burning of the body prevented resurrection, therefore eternally damning the soul. Therefore, the punishment for blasphemy was torture, fire, and hell.  

Blasphemy exists in American history too. In the 1641 Massachusetts Body of Liberties, blasphemy is a capital law that stated, “You get one strike on worshipping false idols, then you are put to death.”  In 1782, the Massachusetts legislature passed An Act Against Blasphemy that stated “every Person so offending, shall be punished by Imprisonment not exceeding Twelve Months, by sitting in the Pillory, by Whipping, or by sitting on the Gallows, with a Rope about the Neck, or binding to the good Behaviour, at the Discretion of the Supreme Judicial Court before whom the Conviction may be, according to the Aggravation of the Offence.” Fortunately for American blasphemers,  successful blasphemy convictions have decreased as the 1st Amendment’s freedom of speech clause has strengthened in this area. Nevertheless in 1968, Irving West was charged with blasphemy in Maryland for telling a policeman to “get your goddamn hands off me,” but a judge ruled this charge unconstitutional. Fortunately, modern U.S.citizens enjoy the umbrella protection of the 1st amendment if ever they utter disbelief or let out a “goddamn” or a “Jesus fucking Christ.” 

Unfortunately the international scene for blasphemy charges can be quite different. As recently as 2023, the Iranian government hanged two people convicted of blasphemy for organizing “anti-Islam groups and channels.” In fact, 57% of the world population in 2025 lives under the purview of some form of blasphemy laws. Promoting the freedom of thought is a minority position. The freedom of conscience that we hold is something to be cherished. Frighteningly, book bans affecting more than 10,000 books are in place in the US, with the state of Florida being the most egregious offender. About 26% of book bannings in the US are motivated by religious points of view.  Book bannings in the US are motivated by religious viewpoints. 

Blasphemey charges have been used to censor, harass, torture, and execute countless victims of extreme intolerance. World religions should be respected and appreciated for their historical and cultural influence on many millions of people, but intolerance cannot be tolerated. We should not allow the zealous to warm their hearts by setting our beliefs and bodies ablaze. Blasphemy has been the legal device of an ignorant oppressor unwilling to listen and very willing to kill. Therefore, be wary of any person or institution that would sling the charges of blasphemy against another; being called a blasphemer can be justification for censorship and cruelty.