About
Heresy is a term used on the internet to describe a dislike of someone or a misdemeanor and is usually used in online conversations and has spawned many images as well.
Origin
The term heresy by definition refers to any belief or an action that goes against common beliefs and customs present in society. A heretic is a person who has been accused of heresy. The context of the term is usually used in relation to religion.[1] However, on the internet, the word is used as a general insult. This context of the word came from the 1987 tabletop miniature war-game Warhammer 40,000. In the game, umanity has come to worship “The Emperor of Mankind” (shown below) who led the Great Crusade to restore humanity to the stars, as a one true god. In the Emperor’s realm, the Church ruled over mankind.[2] Because of the leadership of the church, heresy became one of the worst possible crimes a person could commit along with blasphemy.[3]
Spread
The word heresy is regularly used around forums, blogs, and comment sections of the internet and is usually used along with images relating to Warhammer 40,000. Multiple sites using the term in relation to the game have been seen including Heresy Online[4] and an article on 1d4chan.[5]
External References
[2]Wikipedia – Warhammer 40,000
[4]Heresy Online – Wargaming Forum