BlasFreeMe - Il Profeta

There are many nonbelievers in the world - whether skeptical, lacking mystic zeal or simply too lazy to believe. Many nonbelievers retain some religious traditions: they set up the nativity scene for Christmas, get married in church, know how to recite the Lord's Prayer and cross themselves, but in fact, if they occasionally attend liturgies, they do so carelessly and without any involvement.

In truth, they believe little or no, but they hide their lack of faith even from themselves - feeling ashamed without even knowing why. We could call these people 'pseudobelievers'.

Pseudobelievers - and even more so sanctimonious people - take for granted a very common assumption: calling the matter of religious faith into question is likely of displeasing people; therefore, faith must be approached with the greatest consideration. An over consideration, remarkably higher than respect all human beings and every other form of thought deserve.

For most people, sanctity and holiness of religious doctrines are so obvious that they tend to forget about the reasons why they cannot criticize cults in any way. But then, the "reasons" those same doctrines put forward to prohibit people from subjecting them to judgment are very simple: "Just because – you will get in trouble!" However, if we stop and think about the so-declared "sacred" truths, we cannot really find any reason why we should renounce to closely examine them, just as we do for any other idea. Why should we give up? Why is it a sin to apply our reasoning ability to religions? Maybe is it so because Churches are afraid of the conclusions that might be drawn? Or maybe because so-called truths should rather be called fabrications? Lies for idiots? Big fibs?

That is when the word "blasphemy" makes its appearance. Blasphemy usually refers to the act of showing lack of reverence for divinities or religions throughout derision or satire, but also to the simple act of questioning the supposed "truths" of faith. Thus, blasphemy is loathed by cults, many countries forbid it by law and some others punish it by death.

However, for the mathematical community, "blasphemy" towards an unproven theorem is a precise duty, and whoever stated a theorem bears the burden of proof: if found and shared, that proof hushes up any blasphemy. Similarly, religions could defend themselves against blasphemy through confrontation: they do not deserve a special treatment, and any reverence or aura of holiness is be out of place.

It is important to remember that statements such as "God told me so", or "You must believe, or I will come and kill you", are not proofs.

The BlasFreeMe project is a heterogeneous art "production", consisting of paintings and other objects intended for an audience of pseudobelievers or misbelievers of various kinds and degrees.

Obviously, this project is not an attempt to convert: no conversion is possible towards blasphemy, which is not a religion. It is just an invitation to reflection and introspection: "Respect? Towards who? And why?"

We have nothing to say, nor do we want to say anything, to men of faith, especially when fundamentalist and quick to violence, except for: "Allow us to think that religions are a clunky product of mind designed to the exercise of power. Do not kill us under the hammer-blows of your caliphal AK-47's; do not throw your papal punches at us if we split our sides laughing at religions; keep us safe and alive for the days we are left. Be the better persons: why should you bother? After all, you are convinced that soon you will take your revenge against us for eternity. But know that if hell is a sea, we are ready to jump in with our clothes on!"