This post is contumelious...I think...

[JFN1]

I accidentally ran across this while doing some research - I thought it was a joke at first, but the domain name seems legit. Can anyone tell me if this is real?

PART IV. CRIMES, PUNISHMENTS AND PROCEEDINGS IN CRIMINAL CASES

TITLE I. CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS

CHAPTER 272. CRIMES AGAINST CHASTITY, MORALITY, DECENCY AND GOOD ORDER

Chapter 272: Section 36. Blasphemy

Section 36. Whoever wilfully blasphemes the holy name of God by denying, cursing or contumeliously reproaching God, his creation, government or final judging of the world, or by cursing or contumeliously reproaching Jesus Christ or the Holy Ghost, or by cursing or contumeliously reproaching or exposing to contempt and ridicule, the holy word of God contained in the holy scriptures shall be punished by imprisonment in jail for not more than one year or by a fine of not more than three hundred dollars, and may also be bound to good behavior.

http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/272-36.htm

Inquiring minds want to know...

[Adsos Letter]

1. well...since the link suggests it is a part of the law code...

...of the Commonwealth of Massachussetts...yeah, it seems quite possible :shrug:

[JFN1]

3. Thought so

I looked around and it seems to be 'on the books'. I wonder how long its been there.

[Adsos Letter]

7. there are lots of laws on the books....

...which are no longer enforced...Blue Laws fall into this category.

[notadmblnd]

2. Probably...

Michigan has an age old law a bout swearing too. A few years back they actually prosecuted a guy for swearing while on a canoe trip within earshot of children.

[Staph]

4. Check out The Dumb Network

It's amazing to see the silly things that have been made against the law. I hit random laws and found:

"In Ohio, if you ignore an orator on Decoration day to such an extent as to publicly play croquet or pitch horseshoes within one mile of the speaker's stand, you can be fined $25."


www.dumblaws.com

[Liberal In Texas]

5. I must say, contumelious sent me to dictionary.com. Me who does all the

daily New York Times crosswords without looking up stuff.

I believe there a lot of old laws on books all over the country that have been neither enforced nor stricken from the books.

It's an interesting curiosity that you've found. But I doubt it's been enforced for, like, a hundred years if not longer.

:-)

[L. Coyote]

6. Actually it is educational to know behaving contumeliously

is still punishable by jail time. Have you any details on the crimes against chastity? What would a few contumelies in that department get me?

[whistle]

8. Contumeliously is how republicans treats everyone who does not agree

...with them

Definitions of contumeliously on the Web:

contemptuously: without respect; in a disdainful manner; "she spoke of him contemptuously"
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn