Blasphemy and Sacred Scripture
Sacred scripture is the inspired word of God and due serious respect as such. Ideally, it is read privately and publicly with that understanding. Non-believers and those in doubt also read scripture for a variety of reasons.
I am curious as to the effect of reading scripture publicly in various settings. Specifically, is it possible that scripture may be blasphemed depending on the circumstances in which it is read? Also, does the condition of the individuals listening to the reading of scripture matter? For example, an obvious problem would be scripture being read where it is explicitly being mocked or attacked during a public meeting.
What if someone read scripture in a public gathering where people were openly consuming alcohol? If it is problematic, the culpability of the individuals would vary depending on their knowledge that scripture was going to be read at the event or if the reader or organizer of the event were aware that people would be drinking during the reading.
How should someone react when a lapsed Catholic includes scripture in a problematic ceremony chiefly because it is familiar and is nice literature even when they know others in a given setting believe it to be sacred and deserving to be treated as such? How is the balance struck between letting the word of God have power in even the most unlikely of situations and protecting it from being made ridiculous, even unwittingly, because of the setting in which it is read?
I am curious if anyone has been troubled after observing the reading of scripture in a problematic setting.
Thank you.
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