and it came to pass jesus did cum down and did most vigorously fuck mohammed in the ass, and god looked down and said, oh me that is so fucking hot.

Tomorrow is International Blasphemy Day. Why is it important? Well, the Center for Inquiry has more than a few ideas, and so does PZ Myers of Pharyngula - all of which I agree with.

From the article on the CFI website,

Blasphemy Day International is a campaign seeking to establish September 30th as a day to promote free speech and stand up in a show of solidarity for the freedom to challenge, criticize, and satirize religion without fear of murder, litigation, and reprisal. It is the obligation of the world's nations to safeguard dissent and the dissenters, not to side with the brutal interests of those who demand "respect" for their beliefs (i.e., immunity to being criticized or mocked or they threaten violence).

The right to free speech, which includes the right to criticise any idea, is one of the most important human rights.

Certain religious people, groups and countries seem to think that religion should be exempt from criticism (i.e. blasphemy) because religious ideas are somehow deserving of immunity from criticism. Of course, that's utter bullshit, but that fact hasn't kept the UN from giving into pressure specifically from Islamic nations to do the exact opposite of what makes sense, and declare the "defamation of religion" a human rights violation. The problem is, human rights are about protecting humans, not human ideas. Not one single idea, concept, or belief should ever be exempted from the most intense scrutiny or criticism.

It is grossly disturbing that free speech is being so constricted by the international community. No idea should ever be exempt from criticism, no matter how "sacred" or important it is to a society.

Though this was specifically instigated by Muslims' freak-out over the Mohammed cartoons of 2005, Islam is far from the only offender, though perhaps currently the worst. Christianity has just as bad a history as Islam does in allowing free inquiry, and the vast majority of religions curtail in to one degree or another.

While in most parts of the world physical violence is no longer likely if one blasphemes Christianity specifically, it is still very taboo in many cultures and countries, where it enjoys a very privileged status. For example in Ireland, it is even now illegal to blaspheme. From wikipedia,

In Ireland, blasphemy is prohibited by the constitution and carries a maximum fine of €25,000. A controversial law was brought into law on 9 July 2009 making blasphemous libel a crime for material "that is grossly abusive or insulting in relation to matters held sacred by any religion, thereby causing outrage among a substantial number of the adherents of that religion; and he or she intends, by the publication of the matter concerned, to cause such outrage"blasphemy is prohibited by the constitution and carries a maximum fine of €25,000. A controversial law was brought into law on 9 July 2009 making blasphemous libel a crime for material "that is grossly abusive or insulting in relation to matters held sacred by any religion, thereby causing outrage among a substantial number of the adherents of that religion; and he or she intends, by the publication of the matter concerned, to cause such outrage"

In some countries the right to free speech is curtailed under existing "hate speech" laws where "inciting hatred" against specific groups is illegal, and while certain degrees of hate speech should be illegal (inciting murder for example), far too often it is applied to something as trivial but important as the right to "insult" religious groups, through criticising or attacking their beliefs and traditions. This happens routinely in Canada and Europe especially.

I do my best to blaspheme daily, but I think it deserves a little extra attention tomorrow. The only way we'll ever bring about tolerance for others' right to be and believe different is to allow complete and open criticism, comment and speech on every topic imaginable. Notice I didn't say tolerance for other's beliefs, but rather their right to those beliefs. I believe in being utterly intolerant and disrespectful of bad beliefs, non-scientific beliefs, and harmful beliefs. But beliefs and their expression cannot ever be curtailed.

In this one instance, the laws of the US are ahead of the rest of the world - because of the first amendment. But the cultural ramifications of blasphemy are still very real in the US, and conservative Christians specifically seem unable to grasp why they don't deserve any sort of special respect for their beliefs, nor why when they preach against other creeds (atheism, Islam, polytheism, etc.) they're doing exactly what they want to be exempted from.

Unabashed and unending blasphemy is one of the best solutions to bring awareness to the importance of the right to free speech and right to criticise any and all ideas. Free inquiry and free thought are the foundations of rational thought, science as well as are the core of the very idea of human rights.

So to start off,

Joseph Smith was a paedophile, con-artist, and all-around fuck-tard, Tommy Monson and his cronies are in charge of one of the cleverest, richest and brainwashiest pyramid schemes/cults of all time, and aren't fooling anyone as to the real reason of their obsession with attacking gay rights.

Any other takers?