Blasphemy

In criminal law. To attribute to God that which is contrary to his nature, and does not belong to him, and to deny what does. A false reflection uttered with a malicious design of reviling God. Emlyn's Pref. to 8 St. Tr. To willfully revile the Deity or sacred things. Malicious reproach of God, his name, attributes, or religion.

2 Bish. Crim. Law, § 76.

In general, blashphemy may be described as consisting in speaking evil of the Deity with an impious purpose to derogate from the divine majesty, and to alienate the minds of others from the love and reverence of God. It is purposely using words concerning God calculated and designed to impair and destroy the reverence, respect, and confidence due to him as the intelligent creator, governor, and judge of the world. It embraces the idea of detraction, when used towards the Supreme Being; as "calumny" usually carries the same idea when applied to an individual. It is a willful and malicious attempt to lessen men's reverence of God by denying his existence, or hia attributes as an intelligent creator, governor, and judge of men, and to prevent their having confidence in him as such.

20 Pick. (Mass.) 211, 212, per Shaw, C. J.