WAS SAINT PETER A SERIAL KILLER? -- by Richard C. Speaks

Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. Jesus said to Peter. "Put your sword back in its scabbard; am I not to drink the cup that the Father has given me?"
JOHN 18:10,11

Peter was JC's right hand man. His strong arm. His rock. He kept order for JC. And Judas kept the books (JOHN 13:29). JC sure knew how to pick friends. I guess he wasn't much of a judge of character. Then again, maybe we've misjudged JC's character. After all, he did say....

"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace on earth: it is not peace I have come to bring, but a sword. For I have come to set son against father, daughter against mother, daughter-in-law against mother-in-law; a person's enemies will be the members of his own household. No one who prefers father or mother to me is worthy of me. No one who prefers son or daughter to me is worthy of me. Anyone who does not take his cross and follow in my footsteps is not worthy of me. Anyone who finds his life will lose it. Anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it."
MATTHEW 10:34-39
(also LUKE 12:51-53)

"As for my enemies who did not want me for their KING, bring them here and execute them in my presence."
LUKE 19:27

He said to them, "But now if you have a purse, take it, and the same with a haversack; if you have no sword, sell your cloak and buy one, because I tell you these words of scripture are destined to be fulfilled in me: 'He was counted as one of the rebellious.' Yes, what it says about me is even now reaching its fulfillment." They said, "Lord, here are two swords." He said to them, "That is enough!"
LUKE 22:36-38

And that's the prince of peace speaking! The same guy who overturned the tables of the money-changers (MATTHEW 21:12,13, MARK 11:15-18, LUKE 19:45-48, JOHN 2:13-16). The same guy who referred the Gentiles as dogs (MATTHEW 7:6, 10:5-7 & 15:22-28, MARK 7:24-30). The same guy who turned his back on his own family, and often spoke disrespectfully to his mother (MATTHEW 12:46-50 & 13:54-58, MARK 3:31-35 & 6:1-6, LUKE 8:19-21, JOHN 2:3,4). Maybe these are just some of JC's Satanic verses!

The cult of Christ was much like the People's Temple, and the Branch Davidians, and so many others when you look at it objectively. JC, like all cult-leaders, needed to separate his converts from their non-believing family members. JC would also need a bodyguard, an enforcer, a major-domo, a Sergent-at-arms. JC needed a guy like Peter to keep order, and to take care of His dirty work for Him. Peter was perfect for the job. He was a violent guy. He had a sword, and didn't seem to mind using it. JC needed men-at-arms, just like David Koresh needed automatic weapons and explosives. Faith must be very fragile armor against the dangers of the real world if even JC required an honor guard!

I think Judas' death smells awfully fishy too. What if Peter tracked Judas down after the Crucifixion and made him pay for selling out the Savior? Think about it. That's why the other three Gospels are silent about the fate of Judas. He just vanished from Luke, Mark, and John after the arrest of JC. They either didn't know what really happened to Judas after he received his blood money, or they knew, but chose to omit the facts because the truth was just too ugly to admit. That's why the hanging death of Judas, found only in Matthew, became the official story.

When he found that Jesus had been condemned, then Judas, His betrayer, was filled with remorse and took the thirty silver pieces back to the chief priests and elders saying, "I have sinned. I have betrayed innocent blood."

They replied, "What is that to us? That is your concern."

And flinging down the silver pieces in the sanctuary he made off, and went and hanged himself. The chief priests picked up the silver pieces and said, "It is against the Law to put this into the treasury; it is blood money."

So they discussed the matter and with it bought the Potter's Field as a graveyard for foreigners, and this is why the field is still called the Field of Blood.
MATTHEW 27:3-8

Matthew's poetic, and unique account of Judas hanging himself was a cover story. Much better than remaining mum about it, like Mark, Luke, and John. Much, much better than the bloody murder of Judas hinted at in the book of Acts.

Matthew gave the readers just what they wanted. Poetic justice. Judas hanged himself in shame. All suicides are damned to eternal torment. A just and fitting fiction. Matthew's gospel has a lot of inventions that don't appear in the other gospels. Why let the truth ruin a good story? Matthew wasn't really a historian. Matthew was a myth-maker. A propagandist and a proselytiser. Matthew was a pious BS'er.

In ACTS (Luke's sequel) Peter described Judas’ blood-spattered demise as if he had witnessed it himself, and he thought it was a righteous thing. Peter even attempted to use the scriptures to justify his act. He didn't do a very good job of it, as far as I'm concerned. The following passage has both the ring of truth as well as a hint of foul play to it.

One day Peter stood up to speak to the brothers – there were about a hundred and twenty people in the congregation, "Brothers," he said, "the passage of scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit through David, foretells the fate of Judas, who acted as guide to the men who arrested Jesus – after being one of our number and sharing our ministry. As you know, he bought a plot of land with the money he was paid for his crime. He fell headlong and burst open, and all his entrails poured out. Everybody in Jerusalem heard about it and the plot came to be called BLOODY ACRE, in their language, Hakeldama. Now in the Book of Psalms it says: Reduce his encampment in ruin and leave his tent unoccupied. And again: Let someone take over his office."
ACTS 1:15-20

No hanging for Judas in Peter's account. Judas falls to his death and splatters on the rocks below. Peter didn't say how Judas fell. If he'd jumped, or even fallen by accident, I'm sure Peter wouldn't have neglected to mention it. Peter seemed reluctant to provide a reason for Judas' fatal fall, yet he didn't spare us the guts and gore. Very, very fishy, folks.

"Bloody Acre", or the "Field of Blood", are fitting names for the spot where a ghastly murder was committed. Names that remind everybody that blood was spilled on this location. These names don't suggest a hanging. They suggest a violent death.

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Here's a description of how the early Christian community, under Peter's iron hand, brought freedom to the world.

None of their members was ever in want, as all those who owned land or houses would sell them, and bring the money from the sale of them, to present it to the apostles; it was then distributed to any who might be in need.
ACTS 4:34

Sounds like a brainwashing cult to me. Sweet setup, if you're in charge. The rest just had their faith, and a get out of hell free card. Pretty damn handy. If you're dead, and God doesn't turn out to be Odin, instead of the other guy.

Peter was running the show until James, 'The Just', quietly took over. Peter was demoted without any stated reason. What happened? Luke and Paul were reluctant to write of it in the N.T. A scandal perhaps? The book of Acts shows us the probable reason. In Acts, Luke tried like hell to clean this story up. How do you clean up a double homicide?

There was also a man called Ananias. He and his wife, Sapphira, agreed to sell a property, but with his wife’s connivance he kept back part of the price and brought the rest and presented it to the apostles. Peter said, "Ananias, how can Satan have so possessed you that you should lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land? While you still owned the land, wasn’t it yours to keep,and after you had sold it wasn’t the money yours to do with as you liked? What put this scheme into your mind? You have been lying not to men, but to God."

When he heard this Ananias fell down dead. And a great fear came upon everyone present. The younger men got up, wrapped up the body, carried it out and buried it.

About 3 hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had taken place. Peter challenged her, "Tell me, was this the price you sold the land for?"

"Yes," she said, "That was the price." Peter then asked, "Why did you and your husband agree to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Listen! At the door are the footsteps of those who have buried your husband. They will carry you out too."

Instantly she dropped dead at his feet. When the young men came in they found she was dead, and they carried her out and buried her by the side of her husband. And a great fear came upon the whole church and on all who heard it.
ACTS 5:1-11

People who pissed off Peter had a way of dropping dead.

But these people speak evil of what they do not understand; they are like brute beasts, born only to be caught and killed, and like beasts they will be destroyed, being injured in return for the injuries they have inflicted.
II PETER 2:12

Was Peter a multiple murderer? You be the judge.

Peter & Paul & The Christian Revolutionhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hh2ztwD4s4A&feature=related