Chatting with a Mormon

 Here I am chatting with a Mormon on a chat room, while pretending to be a believer, interested in the Mormon faith, enjoy! (My name is: Steven)


<MrMormon> considering I am the only mormon in the room
 
<steven_663> mind if i ask you a few things?
 
<MrMormon> ok then
 
<steven_663> Who is joseph smith? is he just a human? or is he higher?
 
<MrMormon> no, he was very much a human. We considered him to be a prophet who restored the original church of christ and the gospel following years of apostasy. He was no god and whilst we respect him, we do not worship him
 
<steven_663> i heard that if you are a mormon...you have to give like 20% of your income to the church...is that true?
 
<MrMormon> no, its 10%
 
<steven_663> o
 
<steven_663> you guys believe Jesus came to America right?
 
<MrMormon> yes we do
 
<steven_663> this was after he was put on the cross?
 
<steven_663> and died etc
 
<MrMormon> yes
 
<steven_663> why did he come to america? he died on the cross for our sins...what was the purpose of him coming over here?
 
<MrMormon> To build his church there around the civilization that we believed to have revelated his teachings, and was falling into apostasy
 
<steven_663> wouldn't it be just indians over here ...if he came over here?
 
<steven_663> at that time* rather
 
<MrMormon> what, can you rephrase that question please
 
<steven_663> jesus ...if he was over here...it was awhile ago....was he teaching indians?
 
<MrMormon> kind of
 
<MrMormon> but actually they were mexcian civilizations
 
<steven_663> i've heard some mormons tell me that europeans were over here back then....but some say they wern't.
 
<MrMormon> hmm
 
<steven_663> well not europeans, but people from isreal.
 
<MrMormon> Well, although the church makes no postion on this there is some evidence that christ became the basis for the mesoamerican god Quetzalcoatl
 
<MrMormon> and yes people from israel
 
<steven_663> why didn't the religion continue with the native americans/mexicans?
 
<steven_663> were they all killed?
 
<steven_663> the ones that knew about jesus?
 
<MrMormon> most of the ones who followed him were killed
 
<MrMormon> the rest survived, and some may have continued it on
 
<steven_663> was jesus killed? or did he die of old age in america?
 
<MrMormon> no
 
<MrMormon> he ascended to heaven again
 
<steven_663> o
 
<steven_663> so what was the point then? ...if none of the people he taught survived?
 
<steven_663> why didn't god protect them?
 
<MrMormon> good question, however why didn't god protect the early christians from roman persuction in the eastern world?
 
<steven_663> true
 
<steven_663> mormons believe that god can intervene in human affairs right?
 
<steven_663> or do they believe that he just made everything..and is just sitting back watching?
 
<MrMormon> yes he can, but normally he lets things take their course. He does not make decisions on behalf of people
 
<MrMormon> bit of both
 
<steven_663> i heard that mormons believe they can become a god....is that true?
 
<MrMormon> not exactly
 
<MrMormon> we don't believe anyone can be equal to god
 
<MrMormon> but we believe that people can ascend to be like god and live directly in his precense, but never be "God" themselves
 
<steven_663> ah
 
<steven_663> sort of like an angel?
 
<MrMormon> kind of I would imagine
 
<steven_663> i also heard that mormons believe that black people are the spirits that didn't pick a side in heaven....with the God vs Satan thing.
 
<MrMormon> do you have a religion?
 
<steven_663> im kind of undecided
 
<steven_663> i believe in jesus...and god...but not exactly sure where i fit in.
 
<MrMormon> no that was sadly a lie created by someone who had an extreme bitterness against the church
 
<MrMormon> black people are welcome in our church
 
<steven_663> is it true that you use water instead of wine to represent the blood of christ?
 
<MrMormon> yes it is
 
<steven_663> why is that?
 
<steven_663> just out of curiousity
 
<MrMormon> because our ethical code disencourages us from drinking wine because it is unhealthy and addictive to the body
 
<steven_663> ah
 
<steven_663> i never really understood that though....when drinking the water/wine....does a part of Jesus actually enter the body?...or is it just a metaphor?
 
<MrMormon> its kind of a metaphor to represent the blood christ shed for the sins of mankind, its not unique to mormons btw
 
<steven_663> yeah i know....all christians do it...right?
 
<MrMormon> I think so
 
<steven_663> mormons consider themselves to be christians...right?
 
<MrMormon> yes
 
<steven_663> sorry, if im asking to many questions :P...but im curious about mormonism
 
<MrMormon> its fine
 
<steven_663> do you guys believe in hell?
 
<MrMormon> yes
 
<steven_663> is it basically the same as all sectors of christianity?
 
<steven_663> or is it different at all?
 
<MrMormon> not quite
 
<MrMormon> different in some ways
 
<steven_663> how so?
 
<MrMormon> well
 
<MrMormon> 1) The book of mormon
 
<MrMormon> 2) we believe that the president of our church is a living prophet who recieves revelation
 
<MrMormon> 3) we believe in having temples
 
<MrMormon> 4) we believe that marriage can last eternally
 
<MrMormon> 5) we believe in two other texts, the book of moses and the book of abraham
 
<steven_663> what about hell tho?...how is that different in the mormon religion?
 
<MrMormon> well
 
<MrMormon> we just believe it isn't fiery lol
 
<steven_663> what happens tho?
 
<MrMormon> we believe the fire description just to be a metaphor
 
<MrMormon> it is a dark place where people stay in sorrow forever for their sins
 
<steven_663> do all non-mormons go to hell? or just all non-christians?
 
<MrMormon> only sinners
 
<steven_663> o
 
<MrMormon> let me explain
 
<MrMormon> unlike other christians we believe everyone is ressurected and judged, and placed into three kingdoms of glory based on their life
 
<steven_663> like heaven ..limbo..and hell?
 
<MrMormon> no
 
<MrMormon> 1) celestial kingdom- for those who have lived honorable lives as mormons, they live here in the presense of god
 
<MrMormon> 2) terrestial kingdom- for those who have lived good lives but never joined our church (for other christians and good people). They live with the essense of jesus but not god
 
<MrMormon> 3) telestial kingdom- those who have lived not so good lives, but were not essentially wicked. These people live with the holy ghost
 
<MrMormon> and actually there's a fourth one after those I forgot
 
<steven_663> hmm
 
<steven_663> interesting
 
<MrMormon> 4) Outer darkness- in other words, "hell"
 
<steven_663> so is jesus/holy ghost/ god all separate?
 
<MrMormon> no
 
<MrMormon> what do you mean?
 
<steven_663> well, is Jesus...God...and the Holy ghost...the same being...or are they separate.
 
<steven_663> guess this is a question on the trinity.
 
<steven_663> i never understood that
 
<MrMormon> we believe them to be seperate, but united in one godhead
 
<MrMormon> we do not believe in the trinity
 
<steven_663> like a snake with three heads? :P
 
<MrMormon> no, just together
 
<MrMormon> like a team lol
 
<steven_663> heh
 
<steven_663> so god is like a foot ball team...and the players are god/jesus/holy ghost?
 
<MrMormon> no lol
 
<steven_663> lol
 
<MrMormon> I just used it to describe what I meant
 
<MrMormon> however the trinity is not a true doctrine of christ, it is a pagan corruption that was introduced by the roman emperor Constantine the great 300 years after the death of christ, he done it on his own guess and judgement
 
<steven_663> that's another thing that seems odd to me....why is the new testament so much different then the old?
 
<steven_663> like different moral standards...and god seems like a different personality...
 
<MrMormon> well, they are of different eras
 
<MrMormon> the old testament was a record of jewish prophets, the new testament was a record of christs life
 
<steven_663> seems like alot of reading..mormons would have to do...old testment...new...and book of mormon.
 
<MrMormon> yeah, and the pearl of great price
 
<steven_663> do you follow each evenly....or do you guys focus more on the new testement..and book of mormon?
 
<MrMormon> kind of each evenly
 
<steven_663> heh, i feel like im playing 20 questions with you....but...do you guys celebrate holidays like easter...christmas...etc?
 
<steven_663> Because I hear that those holidays have pagan origins :P
 
<MrMormon> yes we do celebrate them
 
<MrMormon> but because of the good spirit that they can bring
 
<MrMormon> and the good morals and principles behind them, we are not bitter and stupid like Jeovah's witnesses lo
 
<steven_663> lol
 
<steven_663> they don't celebrate holidays?
 
<MrMormon> no
 
<steven_663> heh, that would be boring..
 
<MrMormon> lol yeah
 
<steven_663> Well...i've gtg...great chattting with you :)

Discussion on a Chat Room With a Muslim.

 Here I am talking with a Muslim about religion (pretending to be a Christian), the name I used is "billy".

Lulwa> what do u want to know 

billy> i wana know the differences




Lulwa> between ur religion and islam ?


billy> i was raised christian my whole life..but i started reading the quran...and i've goten interseted in it


billy> but im still new to the religion


billy> what is it that sets you apart from christianity.


billy> as far as beliefs etc.


Lulwa> first of it all ... jesus christ is not the son of god ... and god is not a spirit


billy> oo


billy> so what is god then?


Lulwa> jesus who is Eesa is a messenger of god


billy> if not a spirit?


Lulwa> we do not know .. we know he is the creator of all things


Lulwa> he is everywhere ... but we do not know of what he is like


billy> this may sound stupid..but did he create himself


Lulwa> no


billy> then how did he come into being?


billy> probably impossible to answer...but im curious..


Lulwa> this thinking will lead u to only a head full of headache :p


billy> i know.. lol




Lulwa> because it beyond over mind limitations  


billy> so who is mohammad to you? is he just a human?


billy> so who is mohammad to you? is he just a human?


billy> err


billy> is he divine?


Lulwa> and i really recommed you to go to one of these organizations that  spread islam ... better than this chat ... its mosly extremsts and racists


Lulwa> yes he is human


billy> so he is not better then me and you?


billy> jsut a human?


Lulwa> but he is the chosen on and the last prophet 


Lulwa> he is better


billy> why did allah..or god, pick him..over anyone else?


Lulwa> coz of his actions 


billy> o


Lulwa> because his heart is pure


Lulwa> i think


billy> i've been very confused about what religion to follow...why do you think islam would be the right religion for me?


Lulwa> Allah ... or god ... created us with sense of direction ... what does ur mind tell you


billy> i dont know :P


Lulwa> i am a muslim not because i was born into it ... because i beleive it with my heart and soul


billy> i've tried to think about it..but i can't seem to pic a religion...


Lulwa> because every prayer i prayed was answered


billy> what is the difference between islam ...and christianity/ judaism..etc.


Lulwa> Read books about religion ... search ... and what make sense to you ... what speaks to your brain then follow it


billy> they all seem the same to me...being ....abramaic.


Lulwa> i told u ... the core of islam that Allah is one ... one god ... one creator and Mohammad is his prophet


billy> allah= God right?


Lulwa> right


billy> why use different words then?


Lulwa> because one of his many names is Allah


Lulwa> God is the english term ... not the name


billy> ah


billy> so its a cultural thing...there is only one god..right?


Lulwa> right


billy> so how did allah talk to mohammad?


billy> through visions..or dreams?


Lulwa> Other than that Christianity is almost similar to islam


Lulwa> no ... he used to send him malak as in angel


Lulwa> in ghar hera'a


billy> o


Lulwa> to speak to him 


billy> i don't know much about islam...but i was told it was very simmilar to the old testament.


Lulwa> whats the old testament ?


billy> the first section of the bible


billy> before jesus


billy> abraham...moses...etc


billy> noah to


Lulwa> yes yes .,,, all of which were prophet to spead the messege


Lulwa> spread*


billy> i don't understand why it became so complicated..why not one religion?


billy> why are there so many to complicate things...


Lulwa> because men kind is proud


Lulwa> they wont admit wrong


billy> thats true


billy> ppl seem to be stuck in there ways


billy> hey, i write a blog on people that are confused about religion...this discussion has got me very interseted in islam...mind if i post it on my blog?


Lulwa> nop


billy> i've gtg...but id like to talk with you again


Lulwa> sure thing

Trying to get into the mind of a Jehovah Witness. (chat room discussion)

 In this chat room (Isq.com), I am pretending to be a Believer (not pretending to be drunk in this case). And having a chat with a JW, enjoy! (I'm Rich James bitch!)




rickjames> even with biblical knowlege..there is still so much more to understand....like what happend before the earth was created etc
 
rickjames> how was it created...
 

rickjames> i suppose that is the mind of god..
 
rickjames> which we can never understand..
 
lightspeedlazy> well, we have a theory
 
rickjames> whats that?
 
lightspeedlazy> and it makes some sort of sense to me personally, but not to everyone we speak to
 
rickjames> im prety open minded :P
 
lightspeedlazy> well, God's Holy Spirit, his tool to help us, there is a belief that God used HS to create the universe by slowing it down sufficiently so that physical matter could come into being. Now I know you are going to say that that is purely conjecture, but when we really need HS in difficult situations, HS is sent to us directly from God and gets here from there instantly,
 
rickjames> interesting
 
lightspeedlazy> Heaven is supposedly so very very far away that for it to get here in an instant of time means that it is highly powerful
 
rickjames> i wish people would talk about the stuff we talk about right now..more..
 
rickjames> its like ppl don't even talk about this kinda stuff anymore
 
rickjames> thats what i hate....even during holidays...i bring up this kinda stuff...and ppl just roll their eyes..
 
lightspeedlazy> I know, people talk more about sex and food more than any of this stuff, but few people I ever talk to are ever interested in what I have to say, the momemtn I say I am JW they lock up
 
rickjames> sex and food lol...such basic crap.....the stuff we talk about is so much more important.
 
rickjames> like why we are heree in the first place..
 
lightspeedlazy> I can answer that one
 
rickjames> not just who made us...but why...
 
lightspeedlazy> we are here solely to praise God and to live according to his rule
 
rickjames> why did god make us?
 
lightspeedlazy> read uprickjames> oh
 
rickjames> but why did god do that?
 
rickjames> why did he want that ?
 
lightspeedlazy> because he did, there is no answer for that, God had his reasons
 
rickjames> i imagine he would...would still like to know tho..
 
rickjames> was he lonely?
 
rickjames> did he want ppl to talk with?
 
lightspeedlazy> God never needed anythng, he did it all out of love
 
rickjames> interesting
 
rickjames> which leads back to ur initial point..that he made us out of love.
 
rickjames> and that god is love
 
rickjames> i suppose its just so complicated..its just hard to understand
 
lightspeedlazy> yes, he is
 
rickjames> what do you guys think about mormons?
 
rickjames> i had this mormon try to convert me a few months ago.
 
lightspeedlazy> mormons, I have an opinion, but it wouldn't be nice to mention it because its not respectful
 
rickjames> well...im not a mormon
 
rickjames> so go ahead ?:P
im a methodist....if u wana know
 
lightspeedlazy> I think Mormons have been grossly misled by JSmith, as I have had the opportunity to research all about them
 
lightspeedlazy> JSmith was a golddigging trickster, and that's as far as I'm willing to go
 
rickjames> i agree
 
rickjames> i tell that to mormon friends al the time..and they get angry at me
 
rickjames> but its ture
 
rickjames> true*
 
lightspeedlazy> well, its true
 
rickjames> therers a difference between faith...and just being a moron
 
rickjames> i don't get mormons
 
rickjames> jsmith was known for his missleading of ppl
 
rickjames> they say that mormonism is the next hot religion in the united states
 
lightspeedlazy> yes, I am aware of that
 
lightspeedlazy> I also know that his beliefs have no basis in fact with relation to the bible
 
rickjames> u mention the bible
 
rickjames> can the bible be added on to?
 
rickjames> like in the futer?
 
rickjames> or is it set in stone?
 
rickjames> sorry im not a good typer.. :OP
 
lightspeedlazy> there is a scripture that mentions the opening of other scrolls in the paradise, but I doubt it will add to the bible, these new scrolls will probably be new rules for perfected humanity to live by
 
lightspeedlazy> we have the bible because we are imperfect and need guidance, but these new scrolls will be something wholly on a scale of understanding far greater and more difficult to understand for us imperfect humans right now
 
rickjames> thats another thing ..humanity......in the town i live in..murder is almost a common thing to occur.....
 
rickjames> why hasnt the bible stopped murder?
 
rickjames> its in the commandments..
 
rickjames> you would think ppl woudl obey that sort of stuff ...
 
rickjames> being that it would determine their eternal fate.;
 
lightspeedlazy> yes, but we have sinful tendencies as bore through Adams sin
 
rickjames> yeah but murder?...what is more sick then that?
 
lightspeedlazy> the bible will stop murder the moment people start taking the bible seriously
rickjames> why would anyone ever do such a thing...
 
lightspeedlazy> I mean, in one sense it has, no Jehovah's witness, a practising witness has ever committed murder
 
rickjames> um
 
rickjames> thats the one thing im interested in..what is a jehavoah witness? what does that mean?  who is jehavova?
 
rickjames> sorry if i missed it before
 
lightspeedlazy> yes, i'm afraid you missed it before, but I don't mind going through it again
 
lightspeedlazy> A jehovah's witness is someone that dedicates his/her life to the praise of 

Jehovah God, follows his commands by means of the bible, reads and studies the scriptures regularly, preaches the good news of the kingdom regularly, meeting attendance also is necessary for a christian, and for that reason we have regular meetings
 
rickjames> jehovah = god then?
 
lightspeedlazy> yes, exactly
 
lightspeedlazy> can I direct you to a site? sure
 
rickjames> honestly tho..what you said...is what soudl be expected of a good christian in general..
 
lightspeedlazy> trust me I'm not about to infect your system with viruses or anythng but its just a site that I found that shows a digitally remastered copy of the Dead Sea Scroll
 
lightspeedlazy> Its called the Isaiah Scroll, I think its from the 2nd C BCE
 
lightspeedlazy> look for the Dorot Foundation Isaiah Scroll
 
rickjames> i only have a methodist bible tho :P..would it be in it?
 
lightspeedlazy> it is a copy of the original scroll in digital form
 
rickjames> brb, one sec
 
lightspeedlazy> like an interactive photo, almost as though you'd have the original scroll in your hands
 
lightspeedlazy> and if you look for the Tetragrammaton YHWH then you'll see that it occurs hundreds of times in that scroll alone
 
lightspeedlazy> though you'd have to check what the Tetragrammaton looks like in Hebrew first in order to identify it
 
lightspeedlazy> looks something like the following 'HIH
 
rickjames> back
 
rickjames> had to use the bathroom :P
 
lightspeedlazy> but my keyboard doesn't have hebrew characters
 
lightspeedlazy> ok, np
 
rickjames> the main thing im curious aobut is...what separates a jw..from an ordinary roman catholic.
 
rickjames> as far as beliefe
 
lightspeedlazy> we don't believe in trinity, we don't believe in the pope as intermediary between God and man, Jesus is that person
 
rickjames> that is what i believe to
 
lightspeedlazy> we don't believe in mixing pagan beliefs with christian ones, as the catholics frequently have done
 
rickjames> like xmas? lol
 
rickjames> i hear that is a pagan holiday
 
lightspeedlazy> we don't meddle in politics, war, and we don't conduct immoral business
 
lightspeedlazy> we don0t do xmas because there are a mass of reasons why it is so pagan
 
rickjames> i know..
 
lightspeedlazy> we don0t do easter for the same reason
 
rickjames> i did some research on that..
 
rickjames> why is easter pagan?
 
lightspeedlazy> look up info on the God Astarte
 
rickjames> oo
 
rickjames> ill do that..let me write that down
 
lightspeedlazy> ok
 
rickjames> kk
 
lightspeedlazy> you know that some gods have identifying symbols
 
rickjames> yep
 
lightspeedlazy> well, Astarte's symbols are the egg and the rabbit, (I wondered for years where the egg came out of the anus of the rabbit
 
rickjames> lol
 
lightspeedlazy> and now I know
 
rickjames> so easter is pagan...huh..
 
rickjames> never knew that
 
rickjames> ppl are so ignorant..
 
lightspeedlazy> there is only one date that we stick to
 
rickjames> supporting nasty beleifs..
 
lightspeedlazy> Nisan 14
 
rickjames> what date is that? :P
 
lightspeedlazy> its the date of the Passover in the Jewish calendar
 
lightspeedlazy> Jesus celebrated it
 
lightspeedlazy> so we do it
 
rickjames> i personally don't like to celebrate for religious reasons...b/c i don't know which dates are orginallly christian...and which days are pagan.....i like to look at every day as being special.
 
rickjames> may seem a bit corny..but thats what i do :P
 
lightspeedlazy> we believe that the breaking of the bread is symbolic of those that will be 
selected to go to heaven to live there as King-Priests with Jesus
 
lightspeedlazy> we follow the customs that jesus followed
 
rickjames> i want to ask you a qustion
 
lightspeedlazy> for all Jews it was expected that they perform the passover ritual
 
rickjames> i write a blog on religion.....mind if i have this convo..on it?
 
lightspeedlazy> you can ask me anything
 
rickjames> to show ppl a good discussion on religion is like?
 
lightspeedlazy> you can put anything on it, but I'd hope that when it is up there, that its done in a way that doesn't twist what I said
 
lightspeedlazy> people do that
 
rickjames>  not at all
 
lightspeedlazy> but if you want, how can I stop you?
 
rickjames> i actually am very interested in what you say
 
lightspeedlazy> I don't know where it will be posted
 
rickjames> i view the jw as being a more progressive religion
 
lightspeedlazy> well, I suppose it might be nice to chat again sometime
 
rickjames> anytime.....just look for rickjames.
 
lightspeedlazy> we are definitely progressive, but like any child we make our mistakes, and we learn from them always
 
rickjames> ill be on here with that name
 
lightspeedlazy> I'm always here as LSL
 
rickjames> i've gtg, would be great to talk with you again..perhaps get into a deeper discussion on religion etc.
 
lightspeedlazy> I'm actually studying the history of the organisation through a publication they produced many years ago
 
lightspeedlazy> its very in-depth
 
rickjames> nice
 
lightspeedlazy> maybe you can find a copy
 
lightspeedlazy> we'll chat about it again next time I hope
 
lightspeedlazy> I hope you have a nice evening,
 
lightspeedlazy> and I hope that Jehovah God blesses your efforts to know more about him
 
rickjames> tnx..back at you :)
 
lightspeedlazy> see you next time
 
lightspeedlazy> byebye

lightspeedlazy>lightspeedlazy>rickjames>lightspeedlazy>lightspeedlazy>lightspeedlazy>lightspeedlazy>rickjames>lightspeedlazy>lightspeedlazy>

The Bible on how to Properly Pillage Women: Deuteronomy 21:10-14

"When the LORD your God gives you victory in battle and you take prisoners, you may see among them a beautiful woman that you like and want to marry. Take her to your home, where she will shave her head, cut her fingernails, and change her clothes. She is to stay in your home and mourn for her parents for a month; after that, you may marry her. Later, if you no longer want her, you are to let her go free. Since you forced her to have intercourse with you, you cannot treat her as a slave and sell her. -Deuteronomy 21:10-14 GNB

 These verses are a great example of the primitive/barbaric mindset of the authors. Breaking this down, starting off with:  "When the LORD your God gives you victory in battle and you take prisoners, you may see among them a beautiful woman that you like and want to marry". This shows that the Bible supports taking citizens of an enemy nation as prisoners, presumably to be used as slaves, wives (suppose there is not much of a difference here) etc.

If a person sees a "beautiful woman" that they would "want to marry", they are to take her home and she is to to "shave her head, cut her fingernails, and change her clothes". I wonder why they would want her to shave her head and cut her fingernails, this sounds sort of similar to the preparation the Jews had to undergo before entering a concentration camp (not drawing any parallels beyond that). 


"She is to stay in your home and mourn for her parents for a month; after that, you may marry her". So her parents were killed then? That would be the assumption, being that she is mourning them. Does this imply that if you are to steal a woman from a captured civilization, you must murder her parents first?

The last part of the quote: "Later, if you no longer want her, you are to let her go free. Since you forced her to have intercourse with you, you cannot treat her as a slave and sell her." So it is okay to essentially steal a female from a rival civilization, force her into having "intercourse with you" (along with marriage), but not okay to sell her as a slave; its good to know where they draw the line.

The Biblical moral here is: err, uuhhhh.....if it's in the Bible it must be moral (go ask a Christian about it).

Biblical Law on Rape: Deuteronomy 22:28-29

"Suppose a man is caught raping a young woman who is not engaged. He is to pay her father the bride price of fifty pieces of silver, and she is to become his wife, because he forced her to have intercourse with him. He can never divorce her as long as he lives. -Deuteronomy 22:28-29 GNB

So many things wrong with this, where to begin..

Let's start with: "He is to pay her father the bride price of fifty pieces of silver, and she is to become his wife,". What the hell kind of punishment is that? Some piece-of-garbage rapes a "young woman", and he is punished by having to marry her for "long as he lives"? Was the Bible written by rapists? Not only would this not have been a punishment (besides having to pay some silver), it in fact would be a reward.

This 'Biblical Law' gives no say to the victim at all, for "He can never divorce her as long as he lives". I imagine this Biblical law has been enforced in the past. And not only is getting raped a horrible thing for a women to experience, a law like this would have been the icing on the cake.

These verses are not only not a deterrent, they would be a motivator. If a guy became obsessed with a girl, and raped her, it can be fairly certain he would have little objection in marrying her. This verse makes women out to be mere property, the rapist is essentially buying her from the father.

The Bible lists: working on the Sabbath, homosexual behavior, worshiping other gods, cursing at a parent, and many others "crimes" as capital offenses, but not rape. Some may disagree with me, but I think even in modern times, rape should be considered a capital offense (excluding mitigating circumstances).

Intolerance in the Bible (Part 2): Homosexuality

Much bigotry towards homosexuals its rooted in scripture. Here are a few examples of this found within the Bible.

No man is to have sexual relations with another man; God hates that. -Leviticus 18:22

 "Women are not to wear men's clothing, and men are not to wear women's clothing; the LORD your God hates people who do such things. -Deuteronomy 22:5 

If a man has sexual relations with another man, they have done a disgusting thing, and both shall be put to death. They are responsible for their own death. -Leviticus 20:13

The first of these three verses makes the claim that God hates men that have "sexual relations with another man". This is something which the more tolerant believers cannot escape. There are two routes: rather the writers were directly inspired by God, or they were not. Rather God hates gays (apparently an all-loving god can hate), or the Bible's god does not exist (would be a character in a work of fiction). For the more open-minded believers, they may be tolerant towards gays. Tolerance is a good thing, but hypocritical at the same time — you rather believe it is the word of god, or it isn't. It appears that the majority of Believers are intolerant of gays. Scripture for them is rather a source of hate, or a way to help justify it.

The second verse: "Women are not to wear men's clothing, and men are not to wear women's clothing". I wonder how the writers were able to know that God hates this sort of thing. Were they able to talk directly to God? I suppose they would have had to (or they were making up bull@#$!). Let's say hypothetically the writers were able to talk directly to God (remember they would have to, to know he hates transvestites). If the Bible is indeed the true word of God, why didn't the writers ask better questions? They could have asked such more important questions, but they ask what this god's opinion is on transvestites? You would think the creator of the universe would think of such questions as being nonsense, and a waste of time. But perhaps when it comes to hate, the Judeo-Christian god can make time!

Now the last verse: the instruction to put homosexuals "to death". Not only does the Bible create extreme hatred towards gays, but insights extreme violence towards them as well. And then we have hypocrisy here: "they have done a disgusting thing, and both shall be put to death". Homosexuality is a disgusting behavior, but murder isn't? The end of this verse tries give justification for murderous behavior, saying: "They are responsible for their own death". These three verses reflect the ignorance and lack of empathy the Bible has towards people that are different. It assumes that being gay is a choice, a bad behavior like murder and rape — well not that bad, in-fact those acts can be, by biblical standards, 'righteous' in certain circumstances.

What I do not understand, and this is directed towards homophobes: why do you care? Me personally, I don't care what another guy does sexually. I view gay men as less competition. What another guy does with his junk is his business, and the last thing on my mind. The fact that it is on the minds of the less sexually secure, seems a bit hypocritical. People should just live and let live.

Intolerance in the Bible (Part 1): Deuteronomy 13:13-17

This is the first part of a series of blog posts; the focus (as stated in the title) is on Bible verses that fuel intolerance of others. A real gem is found in the book of Deuteronomy...

that some worthless people of your nation have misled the people of their town to worship gods that you have never worshiped before. If you hear such a rumor, investigate it thoroughly; and if it is true that this evil thing did happen, then kill all the people in that town and all their livestock too. Destroy that town completely. Bring together all the possessions of the people who live there and pile them up in the town square. Then burn the town and everything in it as an offering to the LORD your God. It must be left in ruins forever and never again be rebuilt. Do not keep for yourselves anything that was condemned to destruction, and then the LORD will turn from his fierce anger and show you mercy. He will be merciful to you and make you a numerous people, as he promised your ancestors, -Deuteronomy 13:13-17

This quote reflects how intolerant the Bible is towards those that do not believe in it — it instructs Believers to commit complete annihilation on those that do not. I'm sure these verses have been used in the past to justify nasty behavior. I suppose the mindset of Believers is: "if it's in the Bible it must be moral". Those that look for morality in an old book, will tune out the real source of morality — which comes from within. Those that are truly moral do not need a holy-book to know not to rape and murder. They know not to steal, not because they were told so in church — if this was not the case, prisons would be full of nonbelievers (tends to be the opposite). 

The real motivation here for the religious is: "and then the LORD will turn from his fierce anger and show you mercy. He will be merciful to you and make you a numerous people, as he promised your ancestors,". The religious moral is: if you completely destroy people that are "different", God will be nice to you. People love to get rewarded, for some, they will commit disgusting acts, for personal benefit (it's a shame empathy isn't a commandment). This is sort of like a father not liking one of his sons, and wanting his favorite son to kill this brother (but remember, this father is all-loving). The 'favorite son' kills his brother. Who is worse: the 'favorite son'? or the father?