BLASPHEMY-is it really worth punishing people?

Blasphemy is something which you say or do that shows you DO NOT RESPECT GOD or religion. Almost every religion has blasphemy laws which severely punishes offenders who show any acts of blasphemy.

According to Judaism, those who speak blasphemy "shall surely be put to death".

Christianity condemns blasphemy and considers it as unforgivable-the eternal sin.

In Islamism, penalties for blasphemy can include fines, imprisonment, flogging, amputation, crucifixion, hanging, or beheading.

Individuals have been accused of blasphemy or of insulting Islam for:

• speaking ill of God
• finding fault with Muhammad
• slighting a prophet who is Qur’an, or slighting a member of Muhammad's family
• claiming to be a prophet or a messenger.
• speculating about how Muhammad would behave if he were alive (Nigeria).
• drawing a picture to represent Muhammad or any other prophet, or making a film which features a prophet (Egypt).
• writing Muhammad's name on the walls of a toilet (Pakistan).
• naming a teddy bear Muhammad (Sudan).
• stating facts such as: Muhammad's parents were not Muslims (Pakistan).
• invoking God while committing a forbidden act.

We might say it with pride that we are now living in a modern society where everyone has the right to freedom of religion but the bitter truth that still prevails is that blasphemy laws still exist in many countries and people are still even given death sentences for speaking against a religion. I just came to know about such a case where a Pakistani Christian woman named Asia bibi was convicted by a Pakistani Court of blasphemy and received  a death sentence by hanging. Her only fault was speaking some ill things about Islam. Even a Punjab governor, Salman Taseer was  shot dead for supporting her and this is all happening in 2011 only.

This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever come across in which you are unnecessarily punished for expressing your views about something. Instead of punishing people an ideal religious organization should in fact counsel the offender and should teach him the exact message which a religion carries and I believe every religion has sound principles which are only meant for humanity’s benefit but by passing blasphemy laws a religion’s image is totally tarnished. Islam extremists have always been accused of imposing their religion on others and by punishing those who speak against them I believe they are justifying their status.

One cannot impose any religion on others and nor should anyone has the right to punish those who speak ill about any religion. Blasphemy Laws are inhuman and I feel glad that at least Hinduism does not have such laws.

I agree that it is not fair to ridicule any religion but then we need to understand that one shouldn’t be hanged for merely saying a hate line about prophet. Broad-mindedness is the word which such extremists should better include in their mind vocabulary.