Bible Stories for Prisoners
For some reason, US jail authorities seem to think that the Bible is a good thing for prisoners to read. There are tidbits of wisdom in the Bible just like other religious books and many secular books. There are also acts of depravity that are sanctioned by God.
Some people who claim a biblical basis for their own violence. These acts include blowing up a Federal Courthouse, murdering receptionists at an abortion clinic; and leaving a bomb at a public place like the Olympic Village in Atlanta, Georgia.
I suspect that those who push the Bible as a panacea have not taken the effort to read it from cover to cover. I wanted to alert those individuals to a couple of the many Bible stories that promote behavior that one might consider undesirable for prisoners.
Lot and His Family
God, speaking with Abraham, revealed his plan to nuke Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham bargained, and God agreed to spare the populace of the two cities if ten righteous people could be found in the city limits. (KJV Gen 18:20-33)
God sent a couple of good looking angels to visit Lot in Sodom. Soon, all the men of Sodom were at Lot’s door, demanding the visitors be turned over to the mob for sex. Lot, being a good host, offered his two virgin daughters to the mob in place of the angels.
But, the mob wanted man flesh and turned the offer down. The mob of men was wicked. The angels blinded the mob and advised Lot to get out of town with his family. He entreated his two sons in law (but the daughters were virgins, or were there other daughters?) to leave, but they mocked him.
Lot complied with some help from the angels. God nuked Sodom, including the unborn, newborn, and other infants. Obviously, the concept of innocent children didn’t carry much weight with God.
God’s orders were to not look to the past. But, Lot’s wife had a fit of nostalgia and was turned into a pillar of salt.
Later, Lot’s daughters conspired to get him drunk and seduce him. This was an act that required some planning since they needed to brew the wine. The daughter’s scheming was successful. The incest took place on two successive nights, the girls were impregnated, and two sons were born. The two sons of drunkenness and incest were the progenitors of two powerful nations.
These acts of incest and drunkenness are apparently all right since no one got nuked. (KJV Gen 19)
Ananias and Sapphira
A group of disciples were required to sell their possessions and give the proceeds to the apostles. The apostles would then distribute the proceeds based on need. This was a commune, and the apostles were clearly in charge. (KJV Acts 4:32-37)
Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, withheld money from the commune. The Apostle Peter had them struck down. First, Ananias was summoned and confronted. He died, and his body was wrapped and taken out by young men. Those who heard about this were frightened.
An hour later, Sapphira was taken before Peter and confronted. She was also struck down, and her body was wrapped and removed. Everyone in the commune was now aware of the penalty for withholding their dues. Dues bought life, withholding brought death.
According to the Biblical account, the two cheaters simply fell dead. That was the defense against any possible accusations of murder. (KJV Acts 5:1-11)
by Brian McCorkle
in category Criminal Justice,Rants
