Blasphemy

Saint John Chrysostom

Prologue
They characterized it as a national passion. A great stigma and social wound.
Another pursuit of the modern Greek with worldwide preeminence
Unfortunately, also in our days blasphemy continues polluting the streets, the
factories, the offices, the schools, the sports fields, the army with its
presenceThe names of Christ, of the All holy Virgin Mary, the Precious Cross,
the sacred and venerable things of our faith, in and out of time are dragged and
soiled* shamelessly. It truly refers to a passion which defiles the social atmosphere
and stigmatizes our Greek Orthodox civilization
The fathers of the Church castigate blasphemy as the worst sin. And this
because, as Basil the Great says, he who sins transgresses the divine law, whereas
he who blasphemes is impious to God himself.
In the Revelation, the Antichrist is he who blasphemes God and His saints:
And he opened his mouth for blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name and
His habitation and those who dwell in heaven (Rev. 13:6).
This volumette is a composition from various homilies of Saint John
Chrysostom, in a free rendering, and is addressed to those well-disposed souls to
those brothers of ours, who out of ignorance, superficiality or mainly out of evil
habit remain under the hold of blasphemy.
Whoever again, with Gods grace, is delivered from this fearsome passion, we
hope that they will be urged to undertake a sacred anti-blaspheming crusade.
It is not time for us all to react, to all revolt, so that this social chastisement may
be wiped out of our land! Because it does not suit those who elevated a Parthenon
and a Saint Sophia. Because it is a shame for a people who aims to be preeminent
in the European and worldwide cultural area, for a people who for centuries now
learned to fight for justice and virtue, honor and dignity.

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 Our prayer and hope is, our brethren, who are dominated by the passion of
blasphemy, ignorant of its burden and destructive consequences, to be enlightened
and be delivered of it.
The path which leads to correction, passes through repentance, confession,
prayer, divine Communion. It is a unique path, which convinces even the most
unbelieving ones about the sweetness of the love of our God and Creator.
Saint John Chrysostom
Blasphemy!
Nothing worse!
There is nothing worse than blasphemy! No sin can be compared with it.
Nothing else enrages God so much, as for His name to be blasphemed. For this no
one should either be negligent and be swayed himself, but neither should he be
indifferent, if he hears his friend or his enemy blaspheming. This sin increases all
the evils, disturbs and confuses our whole life and in the end prepares for us
unending hell and unbearable punishment.
The person who is impious and blasphemes God, who goes against His laws
and never wants to abandon this absurd argument, resembles the drunkard and
crazy person. He acts worse than those who are in a state of intoxication and have
lost their reasoning, even if he himself doesnt seem to feel it.
Blasphemy and lewd speech, even if they are born in the soul, dont remain
however in it, but also defiles the tongue which spews them out, they also pollute
the hearing which puts up with it. Like other poisons they poison both the soul and
the body.
Why are you blaspheming?
There are some, who, as soon as they make some mistake or suddenly someone
swears at them or they get sick or they are hurting, they immediately blaspheme. In
this way however, neither do they correct the transgression nor do they take
revenge on the person cursing them nor do they soften the pain of their illness, but
they furthermore lose the spiritual gain of patience as well.
Tell me, o man, for what reason are you blaspheming and spewing evil speech?
Maybe will your pain become lighter? But even if we suppose that it would
become lighter, would you dare sacrifice the salvation of your soul to achieve the
consolation of your body?
What are you doing, my man? Are you blaspheming your Savior and
Benefactor and Protector, and Governor? Or dont you feel that you are running
towards the cliff and pushing yourself into the pit of the worst destruction? The

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devil crafts everything to throw you into this pit. And if he sees that with pain you
blaspheme, he will immediately increase the pain and will make it greater, to throw
you into despair. If he sees however that you forbear it bravely and that, the more
the pain increases, the more you thank God, then he immediately departs, because
he is besieging you in vain.
And what happens with the dog who stands next to table happens: If he sees the
person eating throwing something of those which are on the table, he remains there
continually. If however he stands near there once and twice without getting
anything, he then departs, since it will be unbeneficial for him to remain.
Thus also the devil constantly has his mouth open to us. If you throw him,
precisely as to the dog, a blasphemous word, once he takes it, he will again attack.
If however you persist thanking God, you wiped him out in hunger and forced him
to depart right away.
Thanksgiving as an antidote
So instead of blaspheming in difficult moments, give thanks. Instead of falling
into despair, give glorification. Open your heart to the Lord, shout loudly praying,
shout loudly glorifying God. Thus also your misfortune is comforted, because the
devil flees far away with the thanksgiving, and Gods help comes near you and
protects you.
If you blaspheme, you will both lose Gods alliance and will make the devil
wilder against you, but also you will harm yourself worse.
No good is equal with thanksgiving, precisely as nothing is worse than
blasphemy. Thanksgiving is a great treasure, great wealth, invincible good, a
strong weapon. On the contrary, blasphemy makes the evil worse and deprives us
of even more of the things we lost.
Did you lose money? If you thank God, you benefited your soul and obtained
greater wealth, because you gained the favor of the Lord. If however you
blasphemed, aside from the things you lost, you also lose your salvation. Thus, you
both wont find those things again and you destroy your soul.
But there, you will justify yourself, I am swayed in difficult circumstances
and lose control.
No, the circumstances are not to blame for this, but your own indifference.
But maybe is poverty supposedly to blame?
Neither poverty is the cause of blasphemers. Because then all the poor ought to
be blaspheming. We see however many, who live with indigence and excessive

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deprivations, constantly thanking, whereas others, although they enjoy both wealth
and delight, not ceasing to curse and blaspheme.
So let us not say that poverty and sickness and difficult circumstances force us
to blaspheme. Not poverty, but foolishness. Not sickness, but scorning God. Not
the repeated misfortunes, but the lack of piety leads those who are not careful both
to blasphemy and to every evil.
The example of Job
Proof of all these things is the blessed Job, who, while he was in a great
wretched state, not only didnt blaspheme, but glorified God and was saying: The
Lord gave me the goods, the Lord them from me. As it seemed good to the Lord
thus it also happened. May the Lords name be blessed unto the ages. (Job 1:21).
So when the devil thought that he defeated Job, then he set out to leave
ashamed, without saying a word.
Stop, o devil! Why are you leaving? Didnt all the things you wanted happen?
Didnt you destroy all his flocks? Didnt you kill his children? Didnt you ruin his
body too? So why are you leaving?
Im leaving, says the devil, because while all the things I wanted happened,
that which I mainly desired and for which reason I devised all the other things, I
didnt achieve. Im leaving, because Job didnt blaspheme. I caused him so many
misfortunes, to make him blaspheme. Since however Id didnt manage to do it, I
didnt gain anything. Instead of annihilating him, I made him brighter and more
glorious.
So Job is praised not because he suffered so many evils, but because he forbore
everything thanking God. Another person suffers much less, and nevertheless
blasphemes, gets frustrated, curses the whole world, gets angry at GodThis
person is condemned not because he suffered, but because he blasphemed. And the
misfortunes didnt force him to blaspheme, because then Job ought to have
blasphemed. He blasphemed on account of his sick disposition.
So analogous with our own disposition, everything happens, either sufferable or
insufferable things.
A bad habit
Many times the tongue out of habit rushes to say a bad word. So then, before
spewing blasphemy, bite it strongly with your teeth. It is preferable for blood to
run now, than for it to desire in the next life a drop of water and to not be able to
achieve either this consolation. It is better to forbear the temporal pain now, than to
undergo eternal punishment then, precisely as the tongue of the rich person of the

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parable also, who even though it was aflame, it couldnt find any comfort (Luke
16:24-25).
And what other forgiveness will we have or what defense, even if a myriad of
times we put forth habit as the justification?
It is said that one of the ancient orators* (he means Demosthenes) had the habit
of walking moving his right shoulder constantly. However he defeated this habit in
the following way: he placed above his shoulders sharpened knives, and thus, from
the fear that he not be cut, he was healed of the evil habit.
You also imitate him to tame your tongue. Instead of a knife however, put
above it the fear of Gods punishment, and of course you will win. Because it is
impossible for us to ever be defeated, when we strive with attention and diligence
to do this struggle.
Gods majesty
God gave a commandment to love your enemies, and you turn God away who
loves you? He gave a commandment that you say good words about those who
swear at you and that you give blessings to those who speak evil of you, and do
you speak evil of your Benefactor and Protector without having been treated
unjustly in anything? Maybe supposedly couldnt he free you from the trial for
which you are now blaspheming Him? However He didnt do it, for you to become
more worthy.
Isnt it, I wonder, absurd, for us to grab in our mouth with impiety, scorn and
for nothing the Lord of the angels name, at the moment when the heavenly Powers
pronounce His holy name with trembling, with surprise and admiration? I saw the
Lord, says the prophet Isaiah, sitting on a tall throne, and the Seraphim flying
around Him and shouting to one another and saying all together: Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord of the powers. All the earth is full of His glory (Is. 6:1-3).
And while, if it is necessary for you to grab the Gospel, you first wash your
hands, and then hold it with great respect and piety, you dont freak to bring
untimely on your tongue the Master of the Gospel and to disparage Him?
And God, of course, no one can harm with his insults nor make him more
brilliant with his glorifications. God always maintains the same glory, which is
neither increased with the praises nor lessened with the blasphemies. To people, on
the contrary, the following odd thing happens: Whoever glorifies Him, they gain
benefit from the glorification, whereas whoever blasphemes Him and humiliates
Him, destroys their own self.

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 Someone said about whoever blasphemes God: He who throws a stone
upwards, throws it on his head (Wisdom of Sirach 27:25). He who in other words
throws a stone upwards, in the end accepts a strong hit on his head, because the
stone will not be able to traverse the sky, but will return to him who threw it. Thus
also he who shoots blasphemies to heaven. He will never be able to ever harm God
and in nothing, since He is much higher and taller, so that He cannot accept any
harm, with this action of his however he sharpens the sword against his soul,
showing ingratitude towards his Benefactor.
Just punishment
He, Scripture says, who speaks evil of his father or his mother, should be
punished with death (Ex. 21:16).
This command prevailed in the time of the Old Testament, when the spiritual
age of humanity was infantile. What could we say now about those who, while we
live in the age of grace, dont speak evil of their father or their mother, but of God
Himself, who is the creator and governor of the whole world?
What punishment will be imposed on them? What analogous hell will suffice
for their wickedness? What fiery river, what sleepless worm, what outer darkness,
what bonds, what gnashing, what crying? All the tortures, both the present ones
and the future ones, arent enough to punish as ought the soul which reached such
wickedness.
But the blasphemers arent worthy even to see the sun. Whoever in other words,
blasphemes God, is unworthy to enjoy His own creations, at the moment
furthermore when the creations themselves glorify and honor their Maker. Just like
a son who curses and dishonors his father, is not worthy to be served by his
(fathers) servants. On the contrary, furthermore, he is worthy of heavy
punishment.
And if again whoever blasphemes the earthly king is punished, how much more
so ought whoever blasphemes the King of the angels be punished?
But why, someone will ask, are some punished in this life and some in the
next one?
Truly, God punishes others here and others not. He punishes, in other words,
here some blasphemers, so that they stop their wickedness and lighten their
punishment in the future life or even to completely deliver them. The rest of the
blasphemers, seeing their exemplary punishment, can become more prudent.
Others again God doesnt punish, so that they are shamed of His longsuffering, to
repent and escape both the punishment here and there. If however they persist in

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their evil, then they will undergo greater punishment for the complete scorn of
Gods revengelessness.
God forbears us
So lets abstain from evil speech, lewd words and blasphemies. Let us
blaspheme neither our neighbor nor God. Because many of those who speak evil of
their fellow man, reached even to this craziness, to lift up their tongue against the
Lord of all creation
And we observe that God is cursed every day and no one cares. What do I say
every day? Every hour! From rich and poor, from those who are prosperous and
from those who are afflicted, from the downtrodden and from the tyrantsAnd He
is cursed, whereas He is present and sees and hears! We enrage Him every day
without repenting, and He forbears us with great longsuffering.
Pay attention to what way God Himself speaks to us when He is cursed. In the
Old Testament He says: O my people, what did I do to you? (Micah 6:3). And in
the New Testament: Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? (Acts 9:4). Neither
did He throw a lightning bolt nor did He command the sea to rise up and drown the
blasphemers nor to open the ground and to swallow them. But He also dawns the
sun and sends the rain and grants everything abundantly to those who blaspheme
Him.
God forbears, He longsuffers and is ready to forgive the blasphemers if they
repent and promise that they will no longer ever blaspheme, so long as one
confesses his sin, and he will be delivered of the divine punishment.
How you will be corrected
So cry, sigh, give charity, defend yourself to God and reconcile yourself with
Him. Cleanse your tongue and dont enrage Him. If someone with hands full of
dung would grab your feet and beg you, not only wouldnt you want to hear him,
but you would also kick him. How now do you dare to approach God with your
filthy tongue? Because the tongue is the hand of whoever prays and with it they
lean on Gods knees.
Consequently dont defile it with blasphemies, so that God doesnt also tell you:
If you increase your prayers, I will not hear you (Is. 1:15), because from the
tongue depends life and death (Prov. 18:21) and from your words you will be
justified and from your words you will be condemned (Math. 12:37). Guard your
tongue more than your eyes. The tongue is like a royal horse. If you put a bit on it
and teach it to move in a disciplined way, the king will be able to sit on it. If
however you leave it without a bit to turn here and there to be unruly, then it
becomes a chariot of the devil and of the demons.

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 Think that, when you commune, you accept in your mouth the Body and Blood
of Christ, and keep the tongue clean of lewd words, cruses, blasphemies, oath
breakings etc. Because it is a destructive thing, for the tongue which was painted
with the masters Blood and became a golden knife, for you to use it in
blasphemies. Respect the honor with which God honored it and dont lower it to
the baseness of sin.
Lift up your brother!
So because I spoke to you about blasphemy, I want to ask you all for a favor:
To chasten the people who blaspheme in your city. Lets limit their mania. Lets
make their mind prudent. Lets strive for their salvation. Lets stop this absurdity
of theirs. Lets put a blockage in their mouths, lets close them as if they are fatal
wounds and let us change them to the opposite. And if it is needed for us to die for
this action of ours, something like this will bring us great gain. So, let us not be
indifferent, when we see our common Master to be cursed. This indifference will
bring us great harm in the entire city because the crime of blasphemy burdens all of
us. It is a public injustice.
And dont tell me this cold word: What does it interest me? I dont have any
relationship with the blasphemer.
Only with the devil dont we have any relationship whereas with all people we
have many common things. Because they also have the same nature with us, they
dwell in the same land; they have the same Lord and are destined to enjoy the same
good with us. So let us not say that we dont have anything common with them,
because this is a satanic saying and reveals diabolic inhumanity.
Isnt it I wonder improper, when we see in the market people clashing, to run to
reconcile the clashing people, and why should I say people? When we see some
animal fallen, we all run to help it to get up, whereas for our brethren, who are
being lost shall we be indifferent?
The blasphemer resembles a loaded animal, which fell, because he couldnt
bear the burden of his anger. Approach and lift him up both with words and with
works, both with leniency and with strictness. Let the medicine of the cure be
varied.
If we thus strive for the salvation of our neighbor, the blasphemers will quickly
be corrected and we will become longed for and worthy of love. And the most
important thing, we will all be granted to enjoy the goods which have been
prepared for us, with the grace and philanthropy of our Lord Jesus Christ, to
whom, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, belongs the glory and the
honor unto the ages of ages.

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Translated by Fr. Nicholas Palis from a pamphlet Voice of the Fathers No. 26,
Translated from the original Hellenistic Greek
of Saint John Chrysostom into Modern Greek
by the Sacred Paracletos Monastery, Oropos, Attica, 2002;
Edited by Irene Maginas.