What is "heresy"

Heresy \Her"e*sy\, n.; pl. Heresies. [OE. heresie, eresie, OF. heresie, iresie, F. h['e]r['e]sie, L. haeresis, Gr. ? a taking, a taking for one's self, choosing, a choice, a sect, a heresy, fr. ? to take, choose.]

1. An opinion held in opposition to the established or commonly received doctrine, and tending to promote a division or party, as in politics, literature, philosophy, etc.; -- usually, but not necessarily, said in reproach.

   New opinions Divers and dangerous, which are heresies, And, not reformed, may prove pernicious.
   --Shak.

   After the study of philosophy began in Greece, and the philosophers, disagreeing amongst themselves, had started many questions . . . because every man took what opinion he pleased, each several opinion was called a heresy; which signified no more than a private opinion, without reference to truth or falsehood.
   --Hobbes.

2. (Theol.) Religious opinion opposed to the authorized doctrinal standards of any particular church, especially when tending to promote schism or separation; lack of orthodox or sound belief; rejection of, or erroneous belief in regard to, some fundamental religious doctrine or truth; heterodoxy.

   Doubts 'mongst divines, and difference of texts, From whence arise diversity of sects, And hateful heresies by God abhor'd.
   --Spenser.

   Deluded people! that do not consider that the greatest heresy in the world is a wicked life.
   --Tillotson.

3. (Law) An offense against Christianity, consisting in a denial of some essential doctrine, which denial is publicly avowed, and obstinately maintained.

   A second offense is that of heresy, which consists not in a total denial of Christianity, but of some its essential doctrines, publicly and obstinately avowed.
   --Blackstone.

   Note: ``When I call dueling, and similar aberrations of honor, a moral heresy, I refer to the force of the Greek ?, as signifying a principle or opinion taken up by the will for the will's sake, as a proof or pledge to itself of its own power of self-determination, independent of all other motives.''
   --Coleridge.

"an opinion of private men different from that of the catholick and orthodox church" [Johnson], c.1200, from Old French heresie (12c.), from Latin hæresis, "school of thought, philosophical sect," used by Christian writers for "unorthodox sect or doctrine," from Greek hairesis "a taking or choosing, a choice," from haireisthai "take, seize," middle voice of hairein "to choose," of unknown origin, perhaps from PIE *ser- (5) "to seize" (cognates: Hittite šaru "booty," Welsh herw "booty").\n

\nThe Greek word was used in the New Testament in reference to the Sadducees, Pharisees, and even the Christians, as sects of Judaism, but in English bibles it usually is translated sect. Meaning "religious belief opposed to the orthodox doctrines of the Church" evolved in Late Latin. Transferred (non-religious) use from late 14c.

n. 1 (context religion English) A doctrine held by a member of a religion at variance with established religious beliefs, especially dissension from Roman Catholic dogma. 2 A controversial or unorthodox opinion held by a member of a group, as in politics, philosophy or science.

1. n. any opinions or doctrines at variance with the official or orthodox position [syn: unorthodoxy, heterodoxy] [ant: orthodoxy]

2. a belief that rejects the orthodox tenets of a religion [syn: unorthodoxy]

Heresy is a song written by and performed by Rush and appears on their 1991 album Roll the Bones. The song is about the fall of communism in Eastern Europe and Russia, resultant about-face consumerism and the passing of the Cold War nuclear threat.

Heresy were a hardcore punk band from Nottingham, England, formed in 1985 and active until late 1989. They released three albums and recorded three sessions for John Peel's BBC Radio 1 show. They are credited as one of the key bands in the late 1980s UK hardcore scene, and one of the original grindcore bands.

Heresy is an album released in 1990 by the dark ambient musician Lustmord. A remastered version was made in 2004.

Heresy is the second album by Paradox, released in 1989. The album preaches a conceptual story about the Albigensian Crusade of the 13th century. It is Paradox's best selling album to date, and was the band's last studio album for 11 years, until Collision Course (2000).

Heresy was reissued by the German label High Vaultage Records in 1999, which contains 2 bonus tracks. The album was reissued again on August 13, 2007 by Metal Mind Productions from Poland as a digipack on golden disc, featuring bonus tracks, digitally remastered using 24-Bit process and limited to 2000 copies.

Heresy is any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs or customs.

Heresy may also refer to:

In music:

• Heresy (band), a 1980s UK hardcore punk band
• Heresy (Lustmord album), 1990
• Heresy (Paradox album), 1989
• "Heresy" (Rush song), 1991
• "Heresy", a song by Nine Inch Nails from '' The Downward Spiral
• "Heresy", a song by Pantera from Cowboys from Hell

In other media:

• Heresy (radio series), a UK comedy talk show
• Heresy: Kingdom Come, a collectible card game
• Heresy, a 2001 novel in the Aquasilva Trilogy by Anselm Audley

Heresy is a comedy talk show on BBC Radio 4, created and originally hosted by David Baddiel, now hosted by Victoria Coren. In the show, the presenter and a panel of guests commit "heresy" by challenging people's most deeply received opinions on a subject, in front of a studio audience.

For example, received wisdom is that New Labour is all about spin, so the panel will try to argue that New Labour is not all about spin, and the guests have to try to make the audience change their minds.

Other assumptions challenged have included, "We should never negotiate with terrorists", "Television is dumbing down" and "We are on the brink of an environmental catastrophe".

The pilot and first series had four guests on each episode, but this has since been reduced to three.

In the fifth series, Baddiel handed over the host's chair to Coren, although he appeared on the first show as a guest, where he made jokes referring to his previous time in the chair.

Heresy is any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs or customs. A heretic is a proponent of such claims or beliefs. Heresy is distinct from both apostasy, which is the explicit renunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is an impious utterance or action concerning God or sacred things.

The term is usually used to refer to violations of important religious teachings, but is used also of views strongly opposed to any generally accepted ideas. It is used in particular in reference to Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Marxism.

In certain historical Christian, Islamic and Jewish cultures, among others, espousing ideas deemed heretical has been and in some cases still is subjected not merely to punishments such as excommunication, but even to the death penalty.