Blasphemy

Blasphemy is still considered as an offence in many parts of the world, especially in Islamic countries. Selman Rushdie is still under threat because of his book "The Satanic Verses" considered as blasphemous. The cartoons about Prophet Mohammed are still fresh in mind.

The recent example was in Morocco. A newspaper "Nichane" has been banned and its site on the Internet blocked because it published an issue of 10 pages on jokes the Moroccans make about religion, politics and sex. So religion is still a sensitive issue.

Da Vinci Code was a controversial film because it put in question many held ideas about Christ and Christianity. The controversy it raised showed that blasphemy still matters as long as there are believers who don't want to be offended in their faith.

Many things were taboo including sex and blasphemy. But now due to the Internet it has become possible to publish anything including jokes about what used to be too sacred to talk about irreverently.

The danger is when blasphemy becomes so widespread, religion will become outdated forcing a new society whose members will have to find new ways to link for it not to break up totally.