The Ten Commandments in the Torah starts with an admonition against misusing the name of God ... aka blasphemy. This implies that blasphemy is the greatest of all transgressions.

Blasphemy laws create an interesting version of the reflexive paradox. To accuse another of blasphemy, one must first know the mind of God.

For me to accuse you of blasphemy, I would have to start with a claim that I know the mind of God.

But, the mind of God is beyond human comprehension. So, my accusation of blasphemy would itself be blasphemy.

In most cases, the accusation of blasphemy is a worse blasphemy than whatever action led to the charge.

In this article the woman charged with blasphemy claims that her accuser was trying to trap her because she deflected unwanted advances. It appears that the accuser is guilty of a deeper blasphemy than the accused.

BTW: I think the story of Jesus is a tale designed to highlight this paradox. It takes a god to know the mind of God. The story of Jesus says that God took human form as Jesus. The pharisees accused Jesus of blasphemy and had him crucified.

The story of Jesus creates a conundrum. If Jesus was just a deluded person, then the pharisees were following the Torah when they executed him. So there actions were just according to the law. But, if Jesus was the Son of God, then the pharisees were committing blasphemy when they executed Christ.

The only way to know the truth would be to know the mind of God ... which is impossible.

During the crucifixion, Christ said: "Forgive them for they know not what they do."

This act of forgiveness was an interesting resolution of the paradox. In the Christian tradition, this act of forgiveness is called grace.

But, back to your post, people who hold that blasphemy is the greatest of all sins are in a terrible spot. The act of accusing others of blasphemy starts with a claim to know the mind of God ... which is blasphemy.

!hivebits