Blasphemy Day

Blasphemy Day is celebrated on September 30 to coincide with the anniversary of the 2005 publication of satirical drawings of Muhammad in one of Denmark's newspapers, resulting in the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy. Although the caricatures of Muhammad caused some controversy within Denmark, especially among Muslims, it became a widespread furor after Muslim imams in several countries stirred up violent protests in which Danish embassies were firebombed and over 100 people were killed (including protesters shot by police). The idea to observe an International Blasphemy Rights Day originated in 2009. A student contacted the Center for Inquiry in Amherst, New York, to present the idea, which CFI then supported. == Intent ==

protest by tearing apart Quranic verses they disagree with on Blasphemy Day 2018. During the first celebration of Blasphemy Day in 2009, Center for Inquiry President and CEO Ronald A. Lindsay stated in an interview with CNN: "[W]e think religious beliefs should be subject to examination and criticism just as political beliefs are, but we have a taboo on religion." According to USA Todays interview with Justin Trottier, a Toronto coordinator of Blasphemy Day, "We're not seeking to offend, but if in the course of dialogue and debate, people become offended, that's not an issue for us. There is no human right not to be offended." == See also ==