A sacrilegist is an individual who commits sacrilege or is guilty of acts that violate or desecrate what is regarded as sacred. This can involve defiling holy objects, places, or rituals, showing disrespect towards religious beliefs or institutions, or treating something held as holy with contempt. The term often carries a strong negative connotation, implying a deliberate and malicious intent to offend religious sensibilities or undermine the perceived sanctity of a thing or place. The severity of sacrilege can vary widely depending on the context and the offended religious viewpoint.
Sacrilegist meaning with examples
- The protestors, accused of being sacrilegists, spray-painted religious symbols on the church doors, leading to widespread outrage. Their actions were seen as a direct attack on the community's deeply held faith and a blatant disregard for the sanctity of the place of worship. The police were dispatched, arresting the sacrilegists and charging them with vandalism and religious desecration for their disrespectful display.
- Historians debated whether the ruler could be classified as a sacrilegist because he destroyed ancient temples during his conquest to impose the ruling religion, even though he said it was done for his own religious reasons. He faced accusations of being a sacrilegist. The evidence was hotly contested, with some considering his actions a necessary evil and others a blatant act of religious disrespect and desecration to the conquered culture.
- The art critic condemned the artist, calling him a sacrilegist for using religious icons in a manner that the critic thought was mocking and irreverent. The artist, who was charged with sacrilege, claimed it was satire. The public was divided; some saw the artwork as a provocative commentary, and others found the actions deeply offensive to their religious beliefs and considered it an act of blasphemy.
- The treasure hunter, labeled a sacrilegist by local indigenous communities, unearthed artifacts from a sacred burial ground for profit. His actions were perceived as a desecration of ancestral remains and cultural heritage. Ignoring the locals' protests, the treasure hunter's exploitation fueled a long-running conflict. The discovery of the desecrated site led to legal action against the sacrilegist.