In a few days Ireland will vote on whether to remove the offence of blasphemy from the country’s Constitution. Christians are on both sides of the argument on this issue. I recently spoke to some members of my own church who were sincerely and passionately concerned that God was being taken out of the Constitution.
On the other hand my friend David Turner, Director of Church in Chains, wrote an excellent letter in the Irish Times declaring his intention to vote ‘Yes’ in the Referendum because of the ways in which other countries use their blasphemy laws to persecute Christians: https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/blasphemy-and-the-constitution-1.3669419
My own opinion is very similar to David’s, even though I love and respect this who hold a different view. Actually, I won’t get to vote in this Referendum because I am in the Middle East this week. Ironically I’m meeting with people who have seen loved ones persecuted and killed because others interpreted their devotion to Jesus Christ and His Gospel as a blasphemy against the dominant faith in their region.
But it’s worth remembering that there’s one important difference between Christians and adherents of other religions who get outraged at blasphemy against their gods and want the sanction of the law against blasphemers. Our very faith is based on the greatest example of blasphemy in history.
The very foundation of Christianity – the crucifixion of Jesus – is in itself an act of blasphemy. What could be more blasphemous than stripping God naked, subjecting Him to a public flogging, and then nailing Him to a piece of wood? After that, any purported blasphemy is tame by comparison. And how did Jesus respond to this ultimate blasphemy? By demanding that the culprits be stoned to death? By calling upon the Romans to impose a €25,000 fine? No. He prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)
