Therein wide feel a term is utilized by Sir Francis Bacon in the Advancement of Learning, when he speaks of "blasphemy against learning". Several cultures disapprove of speech or even even writing which defames a God or gods of their established religions, and these restrictions own a inflict of law in some countries.

Christian theology may condemn blasphemy, as in the Luke 12:10, where blaspheming a Holy Spirit is spoken of when inexcusable. Nevertheless in a simpler message of a period of Jesus, whilst Christian ideas relied upon the influence of natural authority against the so secular religious power of the Second Jewish Temple period, (positions exchanged in a centuries that followed), this admonishment can be interpreted when warning against an actual reaction from either the Holy Ghost in the form of a curse that can irreparably harm the human (& so become unforgiveable but not by dictate). This statement effectively establishes a importance of this aspect of the Godhead, rather than setting an arbitrary law. The careful reading of Mark (from a U.s. Standard) shows this: Mark 3:29 "But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin" A extra metaphysical aspects of early Christianity existence currently occluded per Dogma of secular religious authority.

A public domain 1913 Webster's Unabridged Dictionary defines blasphemy as:

The Catholic Encyclopedia has a more extensive article on [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02595a.htm Blasphemy].

Sometimes blasphemous words are spoken under stress and not by deliberate act.

Some include here cases when sacred names are used as stress expletives without intention to pray or speak of sacred matters.

Sometimes the word "blasphemy" is used loosely to mean any profane language, for example in "''By owning lot pounding & blasphemy, a locomotor's replacement spring was eventually fitted.''".

Blasphemy laws
There has been a recent tendency in Western countries towards the repeal or reform of blasphemy laws, and these laws are only infrequently enforced where they exist. Blasphemy laws - nowadays often altered to include blasphemy regardless of religion - still exist in several countries, such as in Austria (Articles 188, 189 of the criminal code), Finland (Section 10 of chapter 17 of the penal code), Germany (Article 166 of the criminal code), Italy, Ireland (See: Irish Constitution), The Netherlands (Article 147 of the criminal code), Spain (Article 525 of the criminal code) and United Kingdom. In the United States, the First Amendment guarantees a relatively unlimited right of free speech, although some US states still have blasphemy laws on the books. Chapter 272 of the Massachusetts General Laws states, for example:

Among Muslim-majority countries, Pakistan has the harshest anti-blasphemy law. In 1982, President Zia ul-Haq introduced Section 295B to the Pakistani Code of Criminal Procedure punishing "defiling a Holy Qu'ran" with life imprisonment. In 1986, Section 295C was introduced, mandating the death penalty for "use of disparaging remarks inside respect of the Holy Prophet".

In 1990 the Federal Shari’ah Court ruled that the penalty should be a mandatory death sentence, with no right to reprieve or pardon. This is binding, but the government is yet to formally amend the law, which means that the provision for life sentence still formally exists, and is used by the government as a concession to critics of the death penalty. In 2004, the Pakistani parliament approved a law to reduce the scope of the blasphemy laws. The amendment to the law means that police officials will have to investigate accusations of blasphemy to ensure that they are well founded, before presenting criminal charges.

However, the law is used against political adversaries or personal enemies, by Muslim fundamentalists against Christians, Hindus and Sikhs, or for personal revenge.

The Pakistani Catholic bishops' Justice and Peace Commission complained in July 2005 that since 1988, some 650 people had been falsely accused and arrested under the blasphemy law. Moreover, over the same period, some 20 people accused of the same offense had been killed. As of July 2005, 80 Christians were in prison accused of blasphemy.

Blasphemy in Islam
Blasphemy in Islam constitutes speaking ill of the Prophet Mohammed, or any other Prophet mentioned in Quran or all Biblical Prophets. It also holds true for speaking ill of Allah. It is considered a very serious offence and may be punishable by death if charges are proven. British author Salman Rushdie's novel The Satanic Verses was seen by many Muslims to contain blasphemies against Islam, and Iranian clerical leader Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwah in 1989 calling for Rushdie's death (although strictly this was in response to Rushdie's claimed apostasy, not the novel's supposed blasphemy). The fatwa was not accepted universally by the Muslim Ulema as the way to deal with the problem of Rushdie's book. Some British Muslims called for Rushdie to be tried under English law for blasphemy, but no charges were laid, as the English legal system recognises blasphemy only against the Christian faith. The Rushdie case stimulated debate on this topic, with some arguing the same protection should be extended to all religions, while others claimed the UK's ancient blasphemy laws were an anachronism and should be abolished. Despite much discussion surrounding the controversy, the law was not amended. The last British person to be imprisoned for blasphemy was John William Gott in 1922, for comparing Jesus to a clown. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3753408.stm]

Accusations of blasphemy and anti-blasphemy legislation are examples of the special pleading logical fallacy where the chosen religion is extended protection from rational enquiry and ridicule that is not extended to other topics.