Let me start by saying that any kind of blasphemy law is stupid and injust.
But there are laws about offending people. Calling a black person "n***er" is offensive to them, because it is insultive towards a part of who they are. Same goes for religion. Believe it or not, the religious hold their beliefs as important, and insulting them is offensive to them. Of course there shouldn't be any laws against blasphemy but saying they have no right to be offended is simply false. Insults don't actually "harm" anyone in a physical manner, but they do "moral" harm.
If someone said that atheists were amoral monsters who should not be considered citizens, then atheists would be offended. Why is insulting the religious any different ?
To me, insulting theists, saying they are blinded idiots who want to stay in the bronze age, is petty and childish, and in no way favorizes any kind of discussion. What they see instead, is condescension and arrogance from atheists who seem to think they are superior human beings becomes of their rejection of religion. And as such, these atheists appear as intolerant bigots. Of course their intention may be otherwise, but that IS the end result.
Insulting religion is fine, but insulting the religious is not. Have you ever been convinced of anything because someone says you are a moron for believing it ?
But there are laws about offending people. Calling a black person "n***er" is offensive to them, because it is insultive towards a part of who they are. Same goes for religion. Believe it or not, the religious hold their beliefs as important, and insulting them is offensive to them. Of course there shouldn't be any laws against blasphemy but saying they have no right to be offended is simply false. Insults don't actually "harm" anyone in a physical manner, but they do "moral" harm.
If someone said that atheists were amoral monsters who should not be considered citizens, then atheists would be offended. Why is insulting the religious any different ?
To me, insulting theists, saying they are blinded idiots who want to stay in the bronze age, is petty and childish, and in no way favorizes any kind of discussion. What they see instead, is condescension and arrogance from atheists who seem to think they are superior human beings becomes of their rejection of religion. And as such, these atheists appear as intolerant bigots. Of course their intention may be otherwise, but that IS the end result.
Insulting religion is fine, but insulting the religious is not. Have you ever been convinced of anything because someone says you are a moron for believing it ?
