The Bible made him do it.

John Thomas was just doing what the Bible tells everyone to do: kill homosexuals.

From the NBC news report:

Twenty-eight year old John Thomas says nothing as he is taken to the Delaware County prison, but investigators say he told them that he killed long-time friend Maury Seidman by stoning him and blaming the teachings of the Old Testament.

Thomas explained to investigators that he killed Seidman because Seidman had been making homosexual advances toward him over a period of time and that he had read in the Old Testament that homosexuals should be stoned in certain situations.

And he was (mostly) right about that. Here's what the Bible says:

If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. Leviticus 20:13

The Bible says that all homosexuals (or at least all non-abstinent, male homosexuals) must be put to death.

It doesn't say, however, that they should be stoned to death, only that "their blood shall be upon them." So any execution method that is sufficiently bloody would both satisfy God and be biblically correct.

John Thomas put rocks in a sock and bludgeoned Maury Seidman to death.

Again quoting from the news report:

When police arrived, they found Thomas crying in the hallway of the apartment building saying, “I’m not going down there again. There is too much blood.”

So God's requirement for blood was certainly met in the killing.

Thomas only did what God asks every Bible believer to do: kill homosexuals in a sufficiently bloody way. "Their blood shall be upon them."

Here's the NBC video.

View more videos at: http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com.

And here is a challenge from Zinnia Jones to all Bible believers.

Someone should read the Book of Revelation to Glenn Beck

In my last post, I quoted Lawrence O'Donnell, who said this about the book of Revelation:

The book of Revelation is a work of fiction describing how a truly vicious god would bring about the end of the world. No half-smart religious person actually believes the book of Revelation. They are certain that their god would never turn into a malicious torturer and mass murderer beyond Hitler's wildest dreams.

To which Glenn Beck responded:

Jeez! No it isn't. It is a book to say, this what it is going to look like. This is what the Antichrist is going to do.
...
Stop! Did he miss the two words: Anti Christ? It's not God doing it!

Which only shows that Glenn Beck has never read the book of Revelation, since it never mentions the Antichrist. (There is a whole zoo of strange beasts in Revelation, but none of them are called antichrist or kill people.)

[The word "antichrist" only occurs four times in the Bible. (1 John 2:18, 2:22, 4:3, and 2 John 1:7) It refers to anyone who denies that Jesus is the Christ and/or has come in the flesh.]

No, Lawrence O'Donnell was entirely correct. The mass-murdering monster in Revelation is God (or Jesus or angels sent by God).

Here are a few quotes from the book that Glenn Beck has never read.

Jesus will kill billions (maybe even trillions) with a sharp sickle.

And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. ... And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped ... into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And ... blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs. Revelation 14:14-20

And billions more with a sword that sticks out of his mouth. Then he'll feed their dead bodies to the animals.

And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. ... And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. ... And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. Revelation 19:11-21

God will give power to someone on a red horse that will force people to kill each other.

And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. Revelation 6:4

He will tell Death and Hell to kill one quarter of the earth's population with the sword, starvation, and "with the beasts of the earth."

And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. Revelation 6:8

He will tell his angels to torture "those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads." God carefully instructs the angels not to kill them, but rather torment them with scorpions for five months. Those tormented will want to die, but God won't let them.

And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. ... And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months. Revelation 9:3-10

Four angels, with an army of 200 million, will kill a third of the earth's population.

Four angels were loosed ... to slay the third part of men. And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand ... and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone. By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths ... for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt. Revelation 9:15-19

Anyone that messes with God's two olive trees and two candlesticks (God's witnesses) will be burned to death.

And I will give power unto my two witnesses ... These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. Revelation 11:3-5

God gives the fourth angel the power to burn people to death.

And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. Revelation 16:8

Then he'll burn people to death all by himself.

Fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. Revelation 20:9

And throw the rest into a lake of fire to be tortured forever.

The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever. Revelation 14:10-11

And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds. Revelation 16:10-11

And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:15

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Revelation 21:8

And that is how a truly vicious god would bring about the end of the world.

Lawrence O'Donnell: The book of Revelation is a work of fiction describing how a truly vicious god would bring about the end of the world.

On his show last night, Lawrence O'Donnell responded to Glenn Beck's comments on the recent tragic events in Japan.

Glenn Beck:

The book of Revelation was written so you would know what it looks like, you would know -- warning! -- in these days these things will happen.

Lawrence O'Donnell:

The book of Revelation is a work of fiction describing how a truly vicious god would bring about the end of the world. No half-smart religious person actually believes the book of Revelation. They are certain that their god would never turn into a malicious torturer and mass murderer beyond Hitler's wildest dreams.

I agree with Lawrence O'Donnell about the book of Revelation. But I'm not so sure about the half-smart religious persons. I suspect there are some half-smart religious persons that believe (or half-believe or half-pretend to half-believe) in the book of Revelation (though most haven't even half-read it).

Kosher and Halal, Shechita and Dhabiha, Cruel and Crueler

When you kill animals for food, God likes it done in a certain way.

It's one of the many things that the Torah and the Quran agree on. (See here for some others.) And it's an important part of life for Muslims and Jews.

Food that has been prepared according to Muslim dietary laws is called halal, while food consistent with Jewish laws is called kosher. Both have similar requirements when it comes to killing and eating animals.

God's rules for slaughtering animals are so similar, in fact, that some Muslims say that food prepared from animals killed using the Jewish rules (Shechita) is halal, although it seems that most Jews don't consider Dhabiha-killed animals kosher. Whatever. Either method should be sufficiently cruel to satisfy both Yahweh and Allah.

Here are some of the rules that they have in common.

• The animal is killed with a sharp, non-serrated blade that cuts through the carotid arteries, jugular veins, esophagus, and trachea.

• The spinal chord is not cut to insure that the nervous system is undamaged while the animal bleeds to death.

And here are some special requirements for Dhabiha killings.

• Allah's name must be uttered before the slaughter.

• The animal's head must be pointing toward Mecca while its throat is cut.

I'm including some videos for you to watch, if you have the stomach for it, that is. (I couldn't make it through either of them.)

Both forms of religious ritualistic killing should be illegal everywhere. And wherever it is legal, no decent person should support it by eating kosher or halal foods.

Taking the Quran out of context (to justify belief in it)

My last post was about Keith Ellison's Real Time interview with Bill Maher. In that post, I focused on what Bill Maher said about the Quran (quoting from Sam Harris' book, The End of Faith):

On almost every page, the Quran instructs observant Muslims to despise nonbelievers.

I defended Harris' statement by quoting a couple dozen verses and referring to hundreds of others. And I challenged everyone to do the Harris test to see if it's true that "on almost every page, the Quran instructs observant Muslims to despise nonbelievers."

But Keith Ellison's defense of the Quran was even more interesting.

When Maher said that Islamic terrorists were getting their inspiration from the Quran, Rep. Ellison said:

They're not getting it from the Quran.

And used the usual "out of context" defense.

Taking them [verses from the Quran] out of context is a very easy thing to do.

Then he showed the truth of his statement by taking the Quran out of context.

Why don't you read the part where it says that anyone who takes a life, it's as if he'd killed the whole world, and anyone who saves a life it's aas if he'd saved the whole world?

And that is a nice verse, too. Here it is:

We decreed for the Children of Israel that whosoever killeth a human being for other than manslaughter or corruption in the earth, it shall be as if he had killed all mankind, and whoso saveth the life of one, it shall be as if he had saved the life of all mankind. Quran 5:32

But then context goes and ruins everything by having the next verse say this:

The only reward of those who make war upon Allah and His messenger and strive after corruption in the land will be that they will be killed or crucified, or have their hands and feet on alternate sides cut off, or will be expelled out of the land. Such will be their degradation in the world, and in the Hereafter theirs will be an awful doom; Quran 5:33

So what do these verses say in context? That Allah told the Jews not to kill each other. But now Allah says to that whoever fights against Islam or encourages corruption should be either killed, crucified, have their hands and feet on alternate sides cut off, or be banished from the land.

Doesn't sound quite as nice in context, now does it?

Then Congressman Ellison has another question for Bill Maher.

What about the one where it says let there be no compulsion in religion?

And there is such a verse in the Quran. Here it is.

There is no compulsion in religion. The right direction is henceforth distinct from error. And he who rejecteth false deities and believeth in Allah hath grasped a firm handhold which will never break. Allah is Hearer, Knower. Quran 2:256

But, once again, context strikes. Here's the next verse.

Allah is the Protecting Guardian of those who believe. He bringeth them out of darkness into light. As for those who disbelieve, their patrons are false deities. They bring them out of light into darkness. Such are rightful owners of the Fire. They will abide therein. Quran 2:257

There's no compulsion in religion. It's just that if you believe in the wrong religion, Allah will torture you after you die by burning you forever in hell.

And finally, Congressman Ellison says this:

Like any ideologue, they [the terrorists] will take things out of context to do what they want to do.

But it's not the terrorists who take the Quran out of context. There's plenty of nasty in-context material in the Quran to inspire terrorists.

It's the good, kind people (like Keith Ellison) that have to take the Quran out of context so that they can believe in it. Because the Quran, like all the other hateful holy books, can only be believed if it is taken out of context.

Here's the interview again.

On almost every page . . .

In Friday's "Real Time" interview with Rep. Keith Ellison (the first Muslim elected to the United States Congress), Bill Maher quoted from Sam Harris' book, The End of Faith, saying

On almost every page, the Quran instructs observant Muslims to despise nonbelievers.

To which Rep. Ellison replied

That's absurd, ridiculous, and untrue.

But is it? Let's open a Quran and see.

The Quran isn't a very big book. Its 114 chapters (or surahs) take up only 400 or so pages. And yet there are 534 intolerant passages, including over 200 verses that include these words (or a variant thereof): "And for the disbelievers, Allah has prepared a painful doom."

Here's what Allah says about disbelievers in the Quran.

Allah loveth not the disbelievers. Quran 3:32

Allah (Himself) is an enemy to the disbelievers. Quran 2:98

Those who disbelieve Our revelations, We shall expose them to the Fire. As often as their skins are consumed We shall exchange them for fresh skins that they may taste the torment. Quran 4:56

But as for those who disbelieve, garments of fire will be cut out for them; boiling fluid will be poured down on their heads, Whereby that which is in their bellies, and their skins too, will be melted; And for them are hooked rods of iron. Whenever, in their anguish, they would go forth from thence they are driven back therein and (it is said unto them): Taste the doom of burning. Quran 22:19-22

So clearly, Allah despises disbelievers.

But what about Muslims? How does the Quran instruct Muslims to view disbelievers?

As for the Disbelievers, Whether thou warn them or thou warn them not it is all one for them; they believe not. Allah hath sealed their hearing and their hearts, and on their eyes there is a covering. Theirs will be an awful doom. Quran 2:6-7

Those who disbelieve, and die while they are disbelievers; on them is the curse of Allah and of angels and of men combined. Quran 2:161

Slay them wherever ye find them, and drive them out of the places whence they drove you out, for persecution is worse than slaughter. And fight not with them at the Inviolable Place of Worship until they first attack you there, but if they attack you (there) then slay them. Such is the reward of disbelievers. Quran 2:191

Let not the believers take disbelievers for their friends in preference to believers. Quran 3:28

Those who believe do battle for the cause of Allah; and those who disbelieve do battle for the cause of idols. So fight the minions of the devil. Quran 4:76

They long that ye should disbelieve even as they disbelieve, that ye may be upon a level (with them). So choose not friends from them till they forsake their homes in the way of Allah; if they turn back (to enmity) then take them and kill them wherever ye find them, and choose no friend nor helper from among them. Quran 4:89

In truth the disbelievers are an open enemy to you. Quran 4:101

O ye who believe! Choose not disbelievers for (your) friends in place of believers. Would ye give Allah a clear warrant against you? Quran 4:144

The only reward of those who make war upon Allah and His messenger and strive after corruption in the land will be that they will be killed or crucified, or have their hands and feet on alternate sides cut off, or will be expelled out of the land. Such will be their degradation in the world, and in the Hereafter theirs will be an awful doom. Quran 5:33

O ye who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians for friends. They are friends one to another. He among you who taketh them for friends is (one) of them. Quran 5:51

O ye who believe! Choose not your fathers nor your brethren for friends if they take pleasure in disbelief rather than faith. Whoso of you taketh them for friends, such are wrong-doers. Quran 9:23

Strive against the disbelievers and the hypocrites! Be harsh with them. Their ultimate abode is hell, a hapless journey's end. Quran 9:73

O ye who believe! Fight those of the disbelievers who are near to you, and let them find harshness in you, and know that Allah is with those who keep their duty (unto Him). Quran 9:123

Never be a helper to the disbelievers. Quran 28:86

Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. And those with him are hard against the disbelievers and merciful among themselves. Quran 48:29

Thou wilt not find folk who believe in Allah and the Last Day loving those who oppose Allah and His messenger, even though they be their fathers or their sons or their brethren Quran 58:22

O ye who believe! Choose not My enemy and your enemy for allies. Do ye give them friendship when they disbelieve. Quran 60:1

O ye who believe! Be not friendly with a folk with whom Allah is wroth, (a folk) who have despaired of the Hereafter as the disbelievers despair of those who are in the graves.Quran 60:13

Strive against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be stern with them. Hell will be their home, a hapless journey's end. Quran 66:9

So Sam Harris had it about right. On almost every page, the Quran instructs observant Muslims to despise nonbelievers. It's not absurd, ridiculous, or untrue. (Open a Quran and see for yourself.)

Here's the Real Time interview.

God's message to the tsunami victims

I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me. Proverbs 1:26-28

It's time for us all to send a message to God.
(I guess he didn't get the last one.)

2 Nephi 6: Someday God will force non-Mormons to eat their own flesh and get drunk on their own blood.

Last time we learned what the LDS church really thinks about Native Americans: they are idle, mischievous, dark-skinned savages. They got that way because their ancestor Laman disobeyed Nephi, so God caused "a skin of blackness to come upon them" to make them "loathsome unto" the "white, and exceedingly fair and delightsome" Nephites.

Now we find out what Mormons think about everyone else.

The chapter begins with Jacob (Nephi's newly-ordained little brother) giving a speech about "exceedingly many things."

Behold, my beloved brethren, I, Jacob, having been called of God, and ordained after the manner of his holy order, and having been consecrated by my brother Nephi ... behold ye know that I have spoken unto you exceedingly many things. Nevertheless, I speak unto you again ... Yea ... I have spoken unto you concerning all things which are written, from the creation of the world. 2 Nephi 6:2-3

Before long, though, Jacob gets bored with his own words, so he begins reading from the book of Isaiah.

Behold ... I will read you the words of Isaiah ... the words which I shall read are they which Isaiah spake concerning all the house of Israel; wherefore, they may be likened unto you, for ye are of the house of Israel. And there are many things which have been spoken by Isaiah which may be likened unto you, because ye are of the house of Israel. 2 Nephi 6:4-5

The section he reads from (Isaiah 49:22-26) begins by saying that "the Gentiles" will will "be thy nursing fathers."

Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, ... and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders. And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers; they shall bow down to thee with their faces towards the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet. 2 Nephi 6:6-7 (Isaiah 49:22-23)

Now "Gentiles" has a special meaning to Mormons. It doesn't mean non-Jews; it means non-Mormon, non-Catholic Christians (WASPs).

White Anglo-Saxon Protestants will nurture and protect Mormons until the good WASPs become Mormons themselves.

Next Jacob tells us somewhat about something he heard from God and an angel: in another 600 years or so, the Jews will crucify Jesus.

And now I, Jacob, would speak somewhat concerning these words. For behold, the Lord has shown me ... that ... they [the Jews] should scourge him [Jesus] and crucify him, according to the words of the angel who spake it unto me. 2 Nephi 6:8-9

Then after the hard-hearted and stiff-necked Jews kill Jesus, God will punish them by having everyone smite and afflict them.

And after they have hardened their hearts and stiffened their necks against the Holy One of Israel, behold the judgments of the Holy One of Israel shall come upon them. And the day cometh that they shall be smitten and afflicted.2 Nephi 6:10

The Jews will be afflicted, scattered, smitten, and hated by pretty much everyone until they too (those that survive, anyway) become Christians.

Wherefore, after they are driven to and fro, for thus saith the angel, many shall be afflicted in the flesh, and shall not be suffered to perish, because of the prayers of the faithful; they shall be scattered, and smitten, and hated; nevertheless, the Lord will be merciful unto them, that when they shall come to the knowledge of their Redeemer, they shall be gathered together again to the lands of their inheritance.2 Nephi 6:11

But blessed are the WASPs, for if they become Mormons and stay the hell away from the Catholic church, they will be saved.

Blessed are the Gentiles ... for behold, if it so be that they shall repent and fight not against Zion, and do not unite themselves to that great and abominable church, they shall be saved.2 Nephi 6:12

Whoever opposes Zion (the Mormon church), though, will be licking dust off shameless Mormon feet.

They that fight against Zion ... shall lick up the dust of their feet; and the people of the Lord shall not be ashamed. 2 Nephi 6:13

Then, after they're done licking, they will die horrible deaths. God will burn them to death, kill them with storms, earthquakes, wars, disease, and starvation. That will teach them that God is a Mormon.

And they that believe not in him shall be destroyed, both by fire, and by tempest, and by earthquakes, and by bloodsheds, and by pestilence, and by famine. And they shall know that the Lord is God, the Holy One of Israel. 2 Nephi 6:15

But before they die, God will give them a special treat. He will force them to eat their own flesh and get drunk on their own blood.

And I will feed them that oppress thee, with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood as with sweet wine; and all flesh shall know that I the Lord ... the Mighty One of Jacob. 2 Nephi 6:18

And then he'll torture them forever in hell.

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Blogging the Book of Mormon

Next Episode: 2 Nephi 7-9: Tomorrow is a Latter Day

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Michael Moore: America is not broke

Today just 400 Americans have more wealth than half of all Americans combined.