Massachusetts Can Toss You in Jail For Committing Blasphemy

Massachusetts has tidied up the law books by eradicating some of the old blue laws, such as the one that, until 1983, forbade shopping on Sunday. However, some old chestnuts remain, such as the law against frightening pigeons.

Another blue law prohibits making or selling candy that contains more than one percent alcohol.

For 200 years until 2014, liquor stores couldn't sell booze on Sundays in Massachusetts. Urban legend says tailgating New England Patriots fans put an end to that madness.

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Laws preventing travel, making beds, sweeping floors, shaving and cutting hair on the Sabbath have thankfully fallen by the wayside.

While you are not likely to be placed in the stockades and shackled for frightening a pigeon, you could cool your heels in jail for committing blasphemy in Massachusetts. It's the law – look it up.

According to the Massachusetts General Laws, c. 272 s. 36:

"Whoever willfully 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."

In 1641 Massachusetts, blasphemy was punishable by death, so it appears we've made some progress.

According to the Library of Congress, several states including Massachusetts, Michigan, Oklahoma, Wyoming and South Carolina "all have statutes that make some reference to blasphemy."