What purpose does the blasphemy challenge serve?

Answer 1

People often think that we really do believe on some level. If we did we wouldn't have the courage to do the unforgivable sin because supposedly you can't ever be forgiven for it.

It was a publicity stunt that points out that we really aren't afraid at all.

Answer 2

Blasphemy was a capital crime in ancient Israel. Blasphemy is when a man falsely claims to be God. The Jewish elite didn't believe Jesus was God, so they charged Him with blasphemy. Many Jews did believe He was God, including all the apostles. Hitler also believed he was God, so the danger in people believing this about themselves is evident. Many other genocidal dictators have believed they were God too.

Answer 3

"Blasphemy challenge"?

I have no idea....only thing I can think of is that someone spoke about the one unforgiveable sin...to blaspheme the Holy Spirit...

However....I fail to see if that was a possible challenge to anyone....there are more ways to "blaspheme the Holy Spirit" than by merely saying something against Him...

May you find Peace :)

Answer 4

It shows who is willing to stand up to religious superstitious intolerance. I won't do it because I can't deny the existence of something that I can neither prove exists nor disprove. The Holy Spirit might be real and it might not, but I have no "scientific" way of testing for the possibility - you can't have a scientific test for measuring the supernatural, and you never will.

Answer 5

Many people in the time of Jesus , thought he was a blasphemer and the reason the Jewish leaders hated him so much was because they were afraid of loosing their place of power and nation to him.
The Jewish religious leaders accused Christ Jesus of blasphemy because he said that the sins of certain persons were forgiven (Mt 9:2, 3; Mr 2:5-7; Lu 5:20, 21), and they tried to stone him as a blasphemer because of his declaring himself to be God’s Son. (Joh 10:33-36) When Jesus made a statement to the Sanhedrin concerning God’s purpose toward him and the high position to be granted him, the high priest ripped his garments and accused Jesus of blasphemy, for which Jesus was condemned as worthy of death. (Mt 26:63-66; Mr 14:61-64) Having no authority from the Romans to implement the death sentence, the Jewish religious leaders shrewdly changed their accusation of blasphemy to that of sedition when taking Jesus before Pilate.—Joh 18:29–19:16.
Since Jesus was God’s Son and direct representative, the things spoken against him may also properly be defined as blasphemy. (Lu 22:65) So, too, since the holy spirit or active force emanates from God and is intimately connected with God’s person, Jesus could speak of “blasphemy against the spirit.” This is stated to be the unforgivable sin. (Mt 12:31; Mr 3:28, 29; Lu 12:10) Blasphemy is shown to originate within one’s heart (Mt 15:19; Mr 7:21, 22); hence the heart condition, manifest in the willfulness involved, must relate to such blasphemy against the spirit. The incident that led to Jesus’ statement concerning the unpardonableness of such sin demonstrates that it refers to opposing the operation of God’s spirit. This would not be because of deception, human weakness, or imperfection; but the opposition would be willful and deliberate. The Pharisees clearly saw God’s spirit at work in Jesus to accomplish good, yet for selfish reasons they attributed this power to Beelzebub, Satan the Devil, thereby blaspheming God’s holy spirit.—Mt 12:22-32; compare Heb 6:4-6; 10:26, 27.
Like Jesus, Stephen was martyred on a charge of blasphemy. (Ac 6:11-13; 7:56-58) Paul, as Saul, had been a blasphemer and had tried to force Christians to make “a recantation” (literally, “to blaspheme”). However, upon becoming a disciple himself, he suffered blasphemous contradictions from the Jews, and in Ephesus his teaching was possibly labeled by certain elements as blasphemous against the goddess Artemis. (Ac 13:45; 19:37; 26:11; 1Ti 1:13) By a disfellowshipping, Paul handed Hymenaeus and Alexander “over to Satan that they may be taught by discipline not to blaspheme.” (1Ti 1:20; compare 2Ti 2:16-18.) James showed that the rich, as a class, were prone to “blaspheme the fine name” by which the disciples were called. (Jas 2:6, 7; compare Joh 17:6; Ac 15:14.) In “the last days” blasphemers would abound (2Ti 3:1, 2), as the book of Revelation also foretells by statement and by symbol.—Re 13:1-6; 16:9-11, 21; 17:3.
As we live our daily lives and we accept teachings of men rather than teachings of Jehovah God it causes us to be un- intentional blasphemers, and if we continue unchecked it will cause our everlasting destruction, the second death. And if we refuse to be corrected by the holy word there is no help.

And the One seated on the throne said: “Look! I am making all things new.” Also, he says: “Write, because these words are faithful and true.” 6 And he said to me: “They have come to pass! I am the Al´pha and the O·me´ga, the beginning and the end. To anyone thirsting I will give from the fountain of the water of life free. 7 Anyone conquering will inherit these things, and I shall be his God and he will be my son. 8 But as for the cowards and those without faith and those who are disgusting in their filth and murderers and fornicators and those practicing spiritism and idolaters and all the liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur. This means the second death.”

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Answer 6

I was unaware there was such a challenge. Therefore I have no idea what purpose it might serve. Clue me in.

O.K. I got it. It was being posted as I wrote. It would appear to me that you got your answer.

Answer 7

A lot of people think that atheists aren't serious, that it's a fad, that we really deep down somewhere believe in god. It's to demonstrate that no, really, we don't think there's a god and we're willing to wager eternal damnation on that. Because there's no evidence for a god whatsoever. No reason to be afraid.

Answer 8

Getting just as many people as they possibly can to join them in the pits of hell.

Answer 9

I think it has emboldened people who would normally keep their atheistic views to themselves, by showing that they are not alone.

Answer 10

I think it's mostly just to annoy people. I'm not a fan.