The Rhymes & Ruminations of a Black Sheep Infidel

The Born-Again Boogie -- by Richard C. Speaks

2010-06-03T23:26:00.000-07:00

He was a video prophet
And he was living a lie
Preaching moral outrage
And cruising whores on the sly

He hid his secret shame
behind his crusade on porn
Always the first to cast stones
And call for God's wrathful scorn

He bilked his gullible sheep
with afterlife extortion
Declared guerrilla war
on civil rights & abortion

Bible schools bare his name
Sheep-shearing taught for a fee
For pious fraud is an art
And everything is tax-free!

It's such a shame God's not real
And there's no Judgement Day
Too bad he'll never face Jesus
just to hear Him say:

"You've used My Gospel for gain!
Abused My good Name for power!
The widow's mite made you rich
But now you whimper & cower!

"You've wept with selfish deceit
And prostituted My story!
You've deluded My flock
to buy your pretense of glory!

"Vain fraud, I know you not!
Viper! Begone from Me!
Go join the rest of your ilk
who work iniquity!

"I've prepared a special place for you
Deep in the bowels of hell!
Full of screaming, gnashing teeth!
A place that suits you well!"

THE END

Christian Zombies? WTF? -- by Richard C. Speaks

2010-03-13T20:57:00.000-08:00

..."the dead are raised to life"....
MATTHEW 11

JC was convinced that he was living in the end-times. He was well versed in the apocalyptic writings that promised the coming of the Messiah, and many other wondrous and terrible things. He believed that the dead would one day be returned to life, because it was written long ago.

Twenty centuries later believers are still eagerly awaiting the end of reality.

By claiming that he had the power of resurrection, and other magic, JC was passing himself off as a messianic prophet. The supernatural heir to the heavenly throne of David and Solomon. The once and future ruler of God's earthly kingdom. Jerusalem. That's what JC was really after,

All he had to do was make a name for himself, so he took his magic act on the road, With JTB dead, many bumpkins were desperate to find somebody new to follow around.

King Herod had heard about him, since by now his name was well known. Some were saying, "JTB has risen from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him." Others said, "He is Elijah," others again, "He is a prophet, like the prophets we used to have." But when Herod heard this he said, "This is John whose head I cut off. He has risen from the dead."
MARK 6:14-16

This is how rumors turn into religions.

I think JC was orchestrating events ahead of time to make his magic work. He was always coming into town just in time to pull off a miracle. This is suspicious. Here's a fine example:

And when Jesus saw that a crowd was gathering, he rebuked the unclean spirit. "Deaf and dumb spirit," he said, "I command you: come out of him and never enter him again." Then it threw the boy into violent convulsions and came out shouting, and the boy lay there so like a corpse that most of them said, "He is dead." But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him up, and he was able to stand.
MARK 9:25-27

See how eager the crowd was to pronounce the lad a goner? How can we trust these witnesses? Consider the following fishy miracle:

It happened that soon afterwards he went to a town called Nain, accompanied by his disciples and a great number of people. Now when he was near the gate of the town there was a dead man being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a considerable number of the townspeople was with her. When the Lord saw her he felt sorry for her and he said to her, "Don't cry." Then he went up and touched the bier and the bearers stood still, and he said, "Young man, I tell you: get up." And the dead man sat up and began to talk and Jesus gave him to his mother.
LUKE 7:11-15

I am not impressed. This miracle could have easily been hoaxed. An ancient con-job. See ELMER GANTRY, or Steve Martin's LEAP OF FAITH sometime.

When Jesus reached the officials house and saw the flute-players, with the crowd making a commotion, he said, "Get out of here. The little girl is not dead. She is asleep." And they ridiculed him. But when the people had been turned out he went inside and took her by the hand; and she stood up. And the news of this spread all round the countryside.
MATTHEW 9:23-26 (MK. 5:35-43, LK. 8:40-56)

Not to mention the raising of Lazarus; found only in the eleventh chapter of JOHN. All of these stories could have been staged, considering the gullibility of his followers.

Now consider the following:

And going into Peter's house Jesus found Peter's mother-in-law in bed and feverish. He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to serve him. That evening they brought him many who were possessed by devils. He drove out the spirits with a command and cured all who were sick.
MATTHEW 8:14-16 (MK. 1:29-31, LK. 4:38,39)

So far so good. JC can handle everything thrown at him. He has proven his mastery over life and death to everybody. Now consider the following:

Another man, one of the disciples, said to him, "Lord, let me go and bury my father first." But Jesus said, "Follow mw, and leave the dead to bury their dead."
MATTHEW 8:21, 22 (LK. 9:59,60)

WTF? Jesus can raise the dead, even after several days, as in the tale of Lazarus, but he doesn't offer to do likewise as a favor to one of his trusted disciples? This stinks to high heaven, folks. Maybe JC wasn't able to do anything for the old guy because he was really dead, and not a plant.

What is JC saying about leaving the dead to bury their dead? It sounds pretty cold to me. Is he saying that this unnamed disciple's family are the dead left to bury his dead dad? Why are they dead to him? WTF? Sounds like a cult to me.

As A Child -- by Richard C. Speaks

2010-03-02T17:26:00.000-08:00

I dreamed of Heaven as a child
I was up on cloud nine
The magic kingdom in the sky
where everything is divine

There was a band of angels
There was an orgasmic choir
There was a very long line
of sinners doomed to hellfire

What if I died before waking
without my mind brightly bleached?
With so much doubt in my heart
Perfection out of my reach

I dreaded Heaven as a child
Sunday service that never ends
Stuck with the same hypocrites
And none of my friends

THE END

Birth Of An Infidel -- by Richard C. Speaks

2009-11-20T15:57:00.000-08:00

They say their truth
will set me free
But all they've done
is lie to me

They say they're out
to save my soul
But what they want
is mind control

They claim their aim
is peace and love
And the worship of
their god above

These things they say
don't make much sense
How about a little
evidence?

They say I'm damned
for questioning their truth
I'm weak-willed and wrong
for seeking proof

Only sheep believe in Heaven
And I'm a free-thinking man
I think their truth isn't true
It's a lie and a scam

Finis

THE TRUTH -- by Richard C. Speaks

2009-11-06T22:17:00.000-08:00

Here's another
messiah to sell
And here's some lies
for him to tell
Another nauseating mountain
of shit to smell
A new and terrifying
vision of hell

I love love
And I hate hate
I believe in free will
instead of fate
This world is in
a sorry state
Let's make things right
before it's too late

Stop winging wishes
at the empty air
There's no one there
to hear your prayers
We're all alone
And life's unfair
Your problems are
your cross to bare

Respect and love
are the way to go
If we're to survive
we need to grow
The truth is something
we already know
No one needs
to tell us so

THE END

GOD, The Almighty Abortionist -- by Richard C. Speaks

2009-10-20T20:18:00.000-07:00

The Bible and the anti-abortion movement go hand-in-hand. This makes no sense, and never ceases to disgust and amuse me when I see all of those fanatics holding their Bibles up high, as if that legitimized their meddling in other people's business. It's so ridiculous and sad. The Bible is not fetus-friendly, folks. The pro-life (anti-choice) movement have been touting the wrong book!

The Bible is jam-packed with atrocities against women and children. All of these crimes were committed by God, or by so-called men of God, who claimed to be following God's orders. The Bible is full of divinely-sanctioned cruelty, bigotry, incest, slavery, homicide, genocide, and infanticide. The Bible isn't pro-life, and I can prove it. Consider the mythical flood of Noah.

Yahweh regretted having made human beings on earth and was grieved at heart. And Yahweh said, 'I shall rid the surface of the earth of the human beings whom I created.'
GENESIS 6:6,7

God decided to throw the baby out with the bath water, because of all the pagan naughtiness that was going on back then. Countless human beings were drowned like rats. Even the innocent children and unborn babies! What a mega-abortion! God must have already known they would grow up to be sinners, had they been permitted to live.

After forty days and nights the flood waters finally receded, and the ark came to rest on Mount Ararat. Then all of the animals exited the ark, climbed down the mountain, and made their ways back to their native habitats. When it was finally over Noah really needed a drink, or twenty. So he whipped up some wine, got stinking drunk, and ended up passing out in his tent without any clothes on.

His son, Ham, was unfortunate enough to glimpse his father in the nude. He went and told his brothers about it, and they covered Noah's nakedness with a blanket, taking great care to avert their eyes the whole time. The next day the old man woke up with a terrible hang over, and an ugly temperament.

When Noah learned that Ham had seen him in the buff he was so pissed off about it that he cursed Ham's son, Canaan, and all of his yet to be born descendants. Poor Canaan didn't even get to peek at his grandpa's wrinkled, stanky old ass! What a bummer! This undeserved, multi-generational hoodoo became the justification the Hebrew's used to explain away their genocidal campaign against the pagan Canaanites, and for stealing the Holy Land from them. Does that suck, or what?

When Abraham heard that God intended to annihilate the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah, for all of their pagan naughtiness, Abe pleaded for their right-to-life with the Almighty Tyrant. Coincidentally, S&G just happened to be the home of his lecherous lush of a nephew, Lot. Abe was able to shame God into a begrudged concession, which only spared Lot and his two luscious, and fertile daughters. Lot’s contrary wife took one last look at her home town and was reduced to a pillar of salt. S&G, and the surrounding country side, was reduced to ash.

Then God decided to test Abe, to see if the old guy was willing to slit the throat of his favorite son, Isaac (or Ishmael). Abe showed God that he was willing to murder his own child, if that was what God wanted. Yahweh changed His mind at the last minute, and settled for a pseudo-pagan animal sacrifice, instead of a human sacrifice. That was awfully big of Him.

Was God getting back at Abe for daring to question His divine authority? God's little test ended up killing Sarah. The old gal couldn't take any more. I guess the moral of this tale of woe is: When God’s in a killing mood, don’t question His reasoning. Just shut up and get out of His way.

But what about the fetuses? Do the unborn have a right to life? Does God even give a damn? The Bible says no.

When Tamar was told, 'Look, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah for the shearing of his sheep,' she changed out of her widow's clothes, wrapping a veil around her to disguise herself, and sat down at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the way to Timnah...

Judah, seeing her, took her for a prostitute, since her face was veiled. Going up to her on the road, he said, 'Here, let me sleep with you.'

He did not know that she was his daughter-in-law.

'What will you give me for sleeping with you?' she asked.

'I will send you a kid from the flock,' he said.

'Agreed, if you give me a pledge until you send it,' she replied.

'What pledge shall I give you?' he asked.

'Your seal and cord and the staff you are holding,' she replied.

He gave them to her and slept with her, and she conceived by him.
GENESIS 38:13-18 (II KINGS 23:4-7)

About three months later, Judah was told, 'Your daughter-in-law has played the harlot; furthermore, she is pregnant as a result of her misconduct.'

'Bring her out,' Judah ordered, 'and let her be burnt alive!'
GENESIS 38:23

Fortunately, Tamar was able to prove that Judah was the father of her fetus. She was pronounced, virtuous, and her life, and the life of her fetus were spared a fiery death. Another abortion avoided through planned parenthood. Tamar was a smart woman. She became the matriarch of the bloodline that spawned David, Solomon, and perhaps even Jesus. Tamar is spoken of favorably in the Good Book. The fact remains: they were willing to burn her alive, even though she was three months pregnant! What's really odd is that burning someone alive was the punishment for witchcraft, not adultery! (See my 3 part series on hookers, homosexuality, and pagan practices in the Bible.)

Moses addressed the issue of pre-born human life from the mountain top. This is how much Yahweh valued fetuses:

If people, when brawling, hurt a pregnant woman and she suffers a miscarriage, but no further harm is done, the person responsible will pay compensation as fixed by the woman's master, paying as much as the judges decide.

If further harm is done, however, you will award life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stroke for stroke.
EXODUS 21:22,23

If the mother survived the miscarriage, then the death of her unborn child was reduced to a misdemeanor. The person who caused the abortion owed the "husband" (KJV), or "master" (NJB) a fine. Compensation for the loss of property.

If the mother had died because of the miscarriage, then the crime would be murder (of an adult), and the person responsible for the miscarriage that led to the woman's death would be put to death by divine law. But only for her death. Not her fetus'. A fetus was a non-person, as far as God and Moses were concerned.

So kill all the male children and kill all the women who have ever slept with a man; but spare the lives of the young girls who have never slept with a man, and keep them for yourselves.
NUMBERS 31:17,18

Samaria will pay the penalty for having rebelled against her God. They will fall by the sword, their little children will be dashed to pieces and their pregnant women disemboweled.
HOSEA 14:1

God killed the first infant son of David and Bathsheba, to punish them for their adultery, and the murder of Bathsheba's former husband, Uriah (II SAMUEL 12:13,14). Shades of the final plague of Exodus. Kill the children to punish the sinning adults. Suffer the children indeed!

Later God decided to become a mortal man, so He could sacrifice Himself to Himself in order to grant all Christians a heavenly pardon for the sin of freewill. I guess God wanted to experiment with masochism for a change. God’s little experiment is said to have caused Herod to order that all boy children of the region, two-years-old, and under, be murdered in an attempt to kill the future sacrificial lamb of God: JC (Matthew 2:16). Shades of the Moses nativity tale, with Herod standing in for Pharaoh. The same old story. Old habits die hard. And some habits are murder.

JC was born the avatar of Yahweh. His destiny was to suffer and die, so he could expunge all of the sins of the world yet to be committed. But only for Christians that pray for forgiveness often enough, and in the right way (see your local witch doctor for details!).

JC's tragic end, and dubious resurrection, have helped to ease the guilt of guys like Torquemada, Hitler, the Son Of Sam, BTK, and too many other fanatical sadists to name here. Christians get to pray their crimes away, because of JC’s suffering on their behalf. This artificial coping system, where they can reset their moral odometer, has made many recidivists believe that they can just go and sin again, and again, and again. It's inspired countless splinter cults, like the Branch Davidians, the People’s Temple, the Manson Family, ect., ect. It’s been used to justify crusades and inquisitions, and countless other crimes. And God became His own son, so He could sacrifice Himself to Himself, for this? He sure didn’t do it to ease the suffering of humanity. Not even for the innocent children.

Here's what JC has to say on the subject:

But Jesus turned to them and said, 'Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep rather for yourselves and for your children. For look, the days are surely coming when people will say, Blessed are those who are barren, the wombs that have never borne children, the breasts that have never suckled!'
LUKE 23:28,29 (Also in LUKE 21:23 -- MATTHEW 24:19)

And finally, a quote from the King James version. For the poetry:

O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be that rewarded thee as thou hast served us. Happy shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.
PSALM 137:8,9

For more divine abortions check out:

DEUTERONOMY 2:34,35, 20:16,17
JOSHUA 6:21, 10:28-40, 11:11-14
JUDGES 21:10,11
I SAMUEL 15:3, 22:19, 27:9-11
II KINGS 8:12, 15:16
ISAIAH 13:15-18

Hope I didn’t miss any.

I think I’ve made my point. Mein Kampf is more fetus friendly than the Good Book. Pro-lifers, find a better book. Read it some time, and you'll see what I mean.

Open your mind and your heart will follow.

peace....

Corporate Avenger - The Bible Is Bullshit (Song)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY0OZPqWvGY&feature=autofb

HANGMAN -- by Richard C. Speaks

2009-10-05T20:38:00.000-07:00

The grave they dug is shallow
And the carpenters are through
Soon they'll drag you to the gallows
Where the hangman waits for you

You took another life
Though you knew it was a sin
Well, they found your bloody knife
So they know you did him in

Your heart is racing madly
Outside the crowd begins to grow
Yes, you've lived your life quite badly
The sheriff says, "It's time to go"

Then the floor drops out beneath you
And you die without a sound
The law has made you pay your dues
Later on they'll cut you down

Your body's swinging with the wind
In a town you never knew
A snapping rope was your fitting end
Fool! The hangman laughs at you!

THE END

"You're Going Straight to Hell" by Betty Bowers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsBZCq4hp14&feature=channel

The Twelve Steps of S. K. A. (Serial Killers Anonymous) -- by Richard C. Speaks

2009-09-25T21:33:00.000-07:00

1. We have admitted to ourselves that murder is shameful, and wrong.

2. We have accepted the fact that we are not, and have never been, a higher power. We are murderers. Nothing more.

3. We have accepted responsibility for all the harm we've caused others through our selfish and immoral actions.

4. We must control ourselves, but we are weak. We need help.

5. We have searched within for the reasons to why we are driven to commit atrocity after atrocity. Knowledge is power. Know thyself.

6. We have decided to be honest with ourselves and the group. Anything said at an SKA meeting, or to an SKA sponsor, is strictly confidential.

7. You must never reveal the existence, or location of the SKA meeting place.

8. You must report to your sponsor, or to the mentor of the group, anything that might become a possible threat to the existence of SKA and to its membership. Day or night. Let's not take any unnecessary risks!

9. The SKA meeting place is neutral territory. Violence will not be tolerated.

10. To err is human, and relapse is a part of recovery. Just because you've acted out again doesn't mean that you should stop trying to stop. Call your sponsor before you lose control. Let SKA help you.

11. Keeping trophies only feeds your lust for violence. They can also incriminate you. Get rid of them.

12. Clean and sober helps to keep the demons away. Unless you're on meds.

Drawing by Robert Graysmith

The 12 Steps of S. K. A. comes from my screenplay, and novel in progress, ANONYMOUS. My script can be found collecting dust on TRIGGERSTREET.COM.

http://posting.triggerstreet.com/gyrobase/Submission?oid=oid%3A1142179

What's Up With Sodom? -- by Richard C. Speaks

2009-09-19T11:22:00.000-07:00

God's Homophobia part 3 of 3

The Sodom and Gomorrah (S&G) story has been used to condemn homosexuals, and even to justify intolerance and persecution by the just and faithful followers of Yahweh, Jehovah, Allah, Jesus, and his followers, down through the ages. Those detested towns, S&G, have been used as a metaphor to denounce idolatry, sorcery, and sex in the Bible so often that I won't even bother to quote them all.

Did this tale of terror really happen? Is it really about what we've been told it's about, or has the meaning been overwhelmed by the very idea of a drunken mob attempting to gang bang a couple of angels?

To get to the heart of the matter I've decided to do a line by line comparison with the doublet of the S&G story found in the book of Judges. The story of Gibeah of Benjamin is separated by five Mosaic books, and nearly a thousand years of pseudo-history. Both stories read like some super scary prison shower scene.

The Gibeah story is devoid of angels and miracles, but contains many uncanny similarities. The tale of a traveling holy man, with his man servant and concubine, being threatened with gang rape by a drunk and horny mob in a strange town at sundown, and the fiery destruction that followed. Is this one hell of a coincidence, or is this the retelling of the same story, set in different time periods? Both books were probably written after the fall of Babylon by the resettled Hebrews, who were trying to salvage their cultural identity. The mention of domesticated camels in Genesis is a telling clue, as camels weren't domesticated until much later than the age depicted.

Predating and postdating events and stories is still a common practice. Think Romeo and Juliet vs The West Side Story, or the modernized Leonardo DeCaprio film. Think the original Scarface vs the brilliant DePalma remake, or New Jack City. I'm sure you can come up with many other examples yourself, dear reader. George Washinton never chopped down a cherry tree, because the Chinese hadn't planted them in America yet. You get my point.

This story was probably retold so many times that it became distorted, morphing into two separate fables, and winding up in the Bible twice. Perhaps there was an inciting incident. Maybe it was just an ancient version of an urban legend. Who can honestly say?

You be the judge.

***************************************

When the two angels reached Sodom in the evening, Lot was sitting at the gate of Sodom. As soon as Lot saw them, he stood up to greet them, and bowed to the ground. 'My lords,' he said, "Please come down to your servant's house to stay the night and wash your feet. Then you can make an early start on your journey." "No," they said, "We shall spend the night in the square." But he pressed them so much that they went home with him and entered his house. He prepared a meal for them, baking unleavened bread, and they had supper.
GENESIS 19:1-3

As they approached Gibeah in Benjamin, the sun was setting. So they turned that way to spend the night in Gibeah. Once inside, the Levite sat down in the town square, but no one offered to take them in for the night. Eventually, an old man came along at nightfall from his work in the fields. He too was from the highlands of Ephraim, although he was living in Gibeah; the people of the place,however, were Benjaminites. Looking up, he saw the traveler in the town square. "Where are you going?" said the old man, "And where have you come from?" "We are on our way", the other replied, "From Bethlehem in Judah to a place deep in the highlands of Ephraim. I have been to Bethlehem Judah and now I am going home, but no one has offered to take me into his house, although we have straw and provender for our donkeys, and I also have bread and wine for myself, and this maid servant and the young man who is traveling with your servant; we are short of nothing." "Welcome," said the old man, "I shall see that you have all you want. You cannot spend the night in the square." So he took him into his house and gave the donkeys provender. The travelers washed their feet, then ate and drank.
JUDGES 19:14-21

***********************************

They had not gone to bed when the house was surrounded by the townspeople, the men of Sodom both young and old, all the people without exception. Calling out to Lot they said, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Send them out to us so that we can have intercourse with them."
GENESIS 19:4,5

While they were enjoying themselves, some townsmen, scoundrels, came crowding round the house; they battered on the door and said to the old man, master of the house, 'Send out the man who went into your house, we should like to have intercourse with him!"
JUDGES 19:22

****************************************

Lot came out to them at the door and, having shut the door behind him, said, "Please, brothers, do not be wicked. Look, I have two daughters who are virgins. I am ready to send them out to you, for you to treat as you please, but do nothing to these men since they are now under the protection of my roof."
GENESIS 19:6-8

The master of the house went out to them and said, "No, brothers, please, do not be so wicked. Since this man is now under my roof, do not commit such an infamy. Here is my daughter; she is a virgin; I shall bring her out to you. Ill-treat her, do what you please with her, but do not commit such an infamy against this man."
JUDGES 19:23,24

****************************************

But they retorted, 'Stand back! This fellow came here as a foreigner, and now he wants to play the judge. Now we shall treat you worse than them.' Then they forced Lot back and moved forward to break down the door. But the men reached out, pulled Lot back into the house with them, and shut the door. And they dazzled those who were at the door of the house, one and all, with a blinding light, so that they could not find the doorway.
GENESIS 19:9-11

But the men would not listen to him. So the Levite took hold of his concubine and brought her out to them. They had intercourse with her and ill-treated her all night till morning; when dawn was breaking they let her go. At daybreak the girl came and fell on the threshold of her husbands host, and she stayed there until it was light.
JUDGES 19:26

****************************************

When dawn broke the angels urged Lot on, 'To your feet! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city."
GENESIS 19:15

In the morning her husband got up and, opening the door of the house, was going to continue his journey when he saw the woman, his concubine, lying at the door of the house with her hands on the threshold. 'Get up', he said, 'we must leave!' There was no answer. He then loaded her on his donkey and began the journey home. Having reached his house, he took his knife, took hold of his concubine and cut her, limb by limb, into twelve pieces; he then sent her throughout the territory of Israel. He gave instructions to his messengers, 'This is what you are to say to all the Israelites, "Has anything like this been done since the day when the Israelites came out of Egypt until today?" Take this to heart, discuss it; then give your verdict."
JUDGES 19:27-30

***************************************

Then Yahweh rained down on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire of his own sending. He overthrew those cities and the whole plain, with all the people living there.
GENESIS 19:24,25

Yahweh defeated Benjamin before Israel and that day the Israelites killed 25,100 men of Benjamin, all of them trained swordsmen.
JUDGES 20:35

But the signal, a column of smoke, began to rise from the town, and the Benjamites looking back saw the whole town going up in flames to the sky. The Israelites then turned about, and the Benjaminites were seized with terror, for they saw that disaster had struck them.
JUDGES 20:41

***************************************

A Levite priest may not be an angel, but he would be sacred, especially in the time before Israel had a king. God's wrath, in Judges, was carried out through bloody civil war, and the end result was much the same as in Genesis: fiery destruction, and infamy.

Were these ghastly tales merely about God's hatred for male homosexuals? That's an over-simplification for the lovers of hate to exploit. I think these Bible stories were really about disloyalty to Yahweh, and the blatant disregard for the custom of offering hospitality to travelers. A big deal in days of old. A cautionary tale meant to scare the flock away from pagan practices. Beware of the customs of any strange town you may visit. Stay true to the faith that frightens you most. Backsliders make Yahweh angry. All kinds.

Pagans spilled sperm on their altars. The Yawehists spilled blood. That's why sex became taboo. Fornication was the new Original Sin. Original Sin was originally Adam & Eve's disobeying God and attaining the knowledge of wrongness. To the Yahwehists, this knowledge was the reason why sexuality had become a bad thing. Carnal knowledge. The pagans loved their Earth Mother. The Yahwehists feared their vengeful god. Yawweh was a bully and a major hater. The pagans celebrated sex. The conquors deemed it a shameful thing.

He (God) condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by reducing them to ashes as a warning to future sinners; but rescued Lot, an upright man who had been sickened by the debauched way in which these vile people behaved -- for that upright man, living among them, was outraged in his upright soul by the crimes that he saw and heard every day. All this shows that the Lord is well able to rescue the good from their trials, and hold the wicked for punishment until the Day of Judgment, especially those who follow the desires of their corrupt human nature and have no respect for the Lord's authority.
2 PETER 2:6-10

They have become deeply corrupt as in the days of Gibeah; He will remember their guilt, He will punish their sins.
HOSEA 9:9

What if the Levite had picked the wrong night to visit Gibeah, or S&G? The night some ceremony to some pagan fertility goddess was being celebrated. All were expected to attend to assure a successful harvest. Declining to attend would be unthinkable. But the Hebrews were a peculiar people. The townsfolk were probably roaring drunk by then, and highly pissed off that some snooty foreigners were blowing the ceremony, and risking the town's prosperity. They probably did come calling. Demanding that the hold-outs come and join the fun, or move on. I can see that. When in Rome, or S&G, do as they do.

They probably could've picked their partner, if they hadn't been too uptight to join in the festivities. All they were asking for was a small contribution of seminal fluid for the common good of the community. The Levite threw his concubine (sex slave) to the wolves instead. That was his contribution. Too bad for her.

Lot escaped to the hills with his two daughters before the war broke out, got stinking drunk and knocked them both up in a cave. It was all their fault anyway, as reported in Genesis. They made the poor man get drunk and horny! Lot turned out to be an upright fellow after all. At least his pecker was upright long enough to do the dirty deed with his daughters. What a wonderful roll model!

This was just too good a tale not to retell, but it was much easier for the ancient Hebrew scribes to use Canaanites in this cautionary fable about pagan rapists, than to rehash the shameful behavior of their own kindred. Maybe that's why the S&G version was the popular one. Racism appears to be the only sin left out of the Good Book. That, and slavery. I'm such a damned nit-picker!

The Professor Brothers - Bible History #1 (Sodom & Gomorrah)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bar3GOzDNzg

Holy Hookers & Sacred Sodomy -- by Richard C. Speaks

2009-09-16T22:58:00.000-07:00

God's Homophobia part 2 of 3

Linking the religious intolerance for homosexuals and prostitutes down through the ages to the pagan fertility cults of old may seem like quite a leap to most of you, but the Bible has already made that connection for us. All I've got to do is let the Bible prove my point for me. The three no-no's all sprung from the age-old struggle of the monotheists to irradicate their greatest competitor: the fertility cults. See for yourself.

I shall not punish your daughters for playing the whore, nor your daughters-in-law for committing adultery, when the men themselves are wandering off with whores and offering sacrifice with sacred prostitutes...
HOSEA 4:14

There must be no sacred prostitute among the women of Israel, and no sacred prostitutes among the men of Israel.
DEUTERONOMY 23:18

Ceremonial prostitutes were nearly ubiquitous throughout the Fertile Crescent. They were highly regarded among the fertility cults of old, and nice to have around when you're horny.

In the epic of Gilgamesh, a temple prostitute, Shamhat, was commissioned by the king to seduce the beast-man, Enkidu. She estranged him from the animals, and made a man out of him. New girlfriend. Old friends must go. Same old story. Enkidu and Gilgamesh became inseparable later on. Hmmm...? The patriarch Jacob slept with his own daughter-in-law, Tamar, mistaking her for a pagan prostitute. The authors of the gospels have suggested that Mary of Magdala may have been a ceremonial prostitute, before JC came along, and turned her around. But that's another tale for another time.

This sacred vocation was not gender specific. There were professional sperm-spillers to suite the tastes of every male worshiper in the community. The point of this was to symbolically re-impregnate Mother Earth, and to appease the other god, or gods of that town.

Quite a few Hebrews worshipped Yahweh and other gods at the same time. Finally God had to lay down the law:

Moses turned and came down the mountain with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, tablets inscribed on both sides,inscribed on the front and on the back. The tablets were the work of God, and the writing on them was God’s writing, engraved on the tablets. When Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting, he said to Moses, ’There is the sound of battle in the camp!’ But he replied: ’No song of victory is this sound, no lament for defeat this sound; but answering choruses I hear!’ And there, as he approached the camp, he saw the (golden) calf and the groups dancing. Moses blazed with anger. He threw down the tablets he was holding, shattering them at the foot of the mountain. He seized the calf they had made and burned it, grinding it into powder which he scattered on the water, and made the Israelites drink.
EXODUS 32:15-20

The first time Moses climbed the mountain to receive the tablets of Testimony from God, the things God was preoccupied with were'nt so anal. They were mostly ceremonial instructions and such. Moses broke the first tablets of the law in a pique at the foot of God's Mountain. The second time up the mountain was very different. The LAW was revised.

The Hebrews had relapsed to pagan ways in Moses' absence, with the cooperation of Aaron, his brother, the high priest. After that Moses became an obsessive-compulsive control freak about clean and unclean conduct. Sort'a like Howard Hughs and his germs. Fornication became the new Original Sin. Yaweh became a jealous god. Nothing connected to fertility cult practices was to be tolerated. Sex was for procreation only -- not for worship, not for ritual, not even for mutual enjoyment. Sex became a shameful thing.

You shall have no other gods to rival me. You shall not make yourself a craved image or any likeness of anything in heaven above or earth beneath or in the waters under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them. For I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God...
EXODUS 20:3-5

Yahweh's chosen people were frequent backsliders, as you can see.

They had built themselves high places, and had set up pillars and sacred poles on every high hill and under every spreading tree. There were even male sacred prostitutes in the country. He (King Rehoboam) copied all the shameful practices of the nations whom Yahweh had dispossessed for the Israelites.
I KINGS 14:23,24

Sacred poles and pillars were obviously phallic symbols. KJV calls the ceremonial male prostitutes, the Sodomites. That's why I'm quoting from the New Jerusalem Bible, which is more accurate and easy to understand.

Asa did what Yahweh regards as right, as his ancestor David had done. He drove the male prostitutes out of the country and got rid of all the idols which his ancestors had made.
I KINGS 15:11,12

He pulled down the house of the sacred male prostitutes which was in the Temple of Yahweh and where the women wove veils for Asherah.
II KINGS 23:4-7

Tamar put a veil over her face to disguise herself as a sacred hooker, so that she could trick Judah into knocking her up (GENESIS 38:13-18). The reason for the wearing of veils was to make the sex act less personal, and more symbolic. A possible origin for the term: "Bag that face, so we can get it on!" -- or something like that.

The Temple was filled with revelling and debauchery by the gentiles, who took their pleasure with prostitutes and had intercourse with women in the sacred precincts, introducing other indecencies besides.
II MACCABEES 6:4

Mark, then, what I command you today. I am going to drive out the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites before you. Take care you make no pact with the inhabitants of the country which you are about to enter, or they will prove a snare in your community. You will tear down their altars, smash their cultic stones and cut down their sacred poles, for you will worship no other god, since Yahweh’s name is the Jealous One; He is a jealous God. Make no pact with the inhabitants of the country or, when they prostitute themselves to their own gods and sacrifice to them, they will invite you and you will partake of their sacrifice, and then you will choose wives for your sons from among their daughters, and their daughters, prostituting themselves to their own gods, will induce your sons to prostitute themselves to their gods. You will not cast metal gods for yourself.
EXODUS 34:11-17

The man who has intercourse with a man in the same way as with a woman: they have done a hateful thing together; they will be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.
LEVITICUS 20:13

You will not follow the laws of the nations whom I am driving out before you; they practice all these things, which is why I detested them.
LEVITICUS 20:23

I'm not sure what JC's position on this issue was. He was far more concerned with religious hypocrisy among the higher ups. I believe his was a political mission. More on that later.

The writers of the epistles echo the OT's sentiments: Fags are the devil! They must die for being the way they are. God detests gay men. Being a gay Christian makes about as much sense to me as being a Jewish Nazi. Talk about being your own worst enemy!

This black sheep infidel says: What the hell? Be a gay Christian if that floats your boat. Ignore all the verses that bother you. Try and have it both ways. After all, you're forgiven. Right? Who knows? Yahweh might've been misquoted again. Better not spill any sperm though. Just to be on the safe side. Even a wet dream can make a guy unclean all day! (LEVITICUS 15:16,17)　

Mrs. Betty Bowers explains the Bible-based marriage:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFkeKKszXTw&feature=channel

Blessed Are The Lesbians -- by Richard C. Speaks

2009-08-28T11:09:00.000-07:00

God's Homophobia part 1 of 3

This shameful prop. 8 business (where my home state, thanks to religious bigotry, voted in favor of discrimination) has got me thinking. And that can be a dangerous thing! Why all the hate? Whatever happened to live and let live?

I remember when all the Fundies were gleefully proclaiming that the AIDS virus was God's divine retribution against homosexuals for being the way they are. I always got a kick out of pointing out to these heavenly haters that: "God must love the lesbians, because they're less likely to catch it. They don't play: 'You pitch -- I catch!' They ain't catching anything! Get it?" They'd usually counter with: "Well, God hates them too!" Does He? I wonder....

I find that women doing women bothers guys a lot less than men doing men. Most of us find women doing women pretty cool. You can even find pictures of women doing women in the pages of Playboy, the classiest of the skin mags. And nobody's complaining. Not even Hef. Almost every straight-sex porno ever made features women doing women somewhere. I checked.

I recently spotted a bumper sticker that read: "Yes, I'm a lesbian. No. You can't watch!" It's like she was reading my mind! Think about it. God's a guy. Right? He gets to see everything that's going on down here. Right? (Nudge. Nudge. Wink. Wink.) Maybe that's why God's always had such a hard-on for gay men. I guess God doesn't like what He's been seeing. Too bad He can't just change the channel if the action bothers Him. Maybe He isn't able to tune it out; being omniscient and all. A raw deal, if you ask me!

The OT is silent on the subject of lesbianism. A holy loophole? It's got plenty to say about men doing men, and none of it is very nice. Men doing men pisses God off big-time!

You will not allow any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, thus profaning the name of your God. I am Yahweh. You will not have intercourse with a man as you would with a woman. This is a hateful thing. You will not have intercourse with any kind of animal; you would become unclean by doing so. Nor will a woman offer herself to an animal, to have intercourse with it. This would be a violation of nature. Do not make yourselves unclean by any of these practices, for it was by such things that the nations, that I am driving out before you,made themselves unclean. The country has become unclean; hence I am about to punish it for its guilt, and the country itself will vomit out its inhabitants.

LEVITICUS 18:21-25

This would have been a great opportunity for God to bitch out the lesbians, but He neglects to mention them. An oversight, or a divine exemption from on high?

The Epistles make some mention of female perversion, but only in a general sense. Which could mean many other sexual activities besides lesbianism (Several of which come to my dirty mind right now, but let's not go there). Paul's wording is just too vague (as usual), in my not so humble opinion. But Paul was quite specific in regards to male homosexuality.

While they claimed to be wise, in fact they were growing so stupid that they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an imitation, for the image of a mortal human being, or of birds, or animals, or crawling things. That is why God abandoned them in their inmost cravings to filthy practices of dishonoring their own bodies -- because they exchanged God's truth for a lie and have worshipped and served the creature instead of the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

That is why God abandoned them to degrading passions: why their women have exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural practices; and the men, in a similar fashion, too, giving up normal relations with women, are consumed with passion for each other, men doing shameful things with men and receiving in themselves due reward for their perversion.

ROMANS 1:26,27

I guess all the lesbians of the world can heave a sigh of relief. You're off the heavenly hook, sisters! Women doing women is cool with God, the authors of the Bible, and most men (myself included).

As for you gay guys out there -- bummer, dudes! God's down on you. The Bible tells me so.

And why is that? It's because of the ancient pagan fertility cults of that region; where homosexuality between men, prostitution, orgies, masturbation, music, dancing, and intoxicating libations were all a part of the festivities. And it was all looked upon with reverence among the neighboring nations.

God's chosen people were an uptight island of prudes, surrounded by a sea of pagan passion. The Israelites were often seduced away from the stodgy monotheism of Yahweh/Jehovah. They were probably hedging their bets. That's why the Bible authors called all such practices an abomination. They were losing business!

You spent quite long enough in the past living the sort of life that gentiles choose to live, behaving in a debauched way, giving way to your passions, drinking to excess, having wild parties and drunken orgies and sacrilegiously worshipping false gods.

I PETER 4:3

Want to know what all this fuss is really about? It's about sperm. The ancients believed that a man's seed created babies, and that the womb was nothing more than a nifty incubator. Spilling one's seed upon the ground, or in any manner unrelated to procreation, was a grave sin, akin to infanticide, according to Levitical Law. It was also akin to paganism, which was a threat to the priests of Yahweh.

Among the pagans, such an act would be deemed a special offering to the Earth Mother. Jacking off was the Pharaoh's sacred duty, to usher in the annual flooding of the Nile. He was symbolically knocking up Mother Earth. Yahweh says, ‘That’s my job!’ Hands off yourselves, men! It's a dirty evil sin, deserving of death! It will also damage your optic nerves, and give you hairy palms! Scary shit, friends!

Monty Python said it best: “Every sperm is sacred! Every sperm is great! If a sperm is wasted, God gets quite irate!”

Judah took a wife for his first born, Er, and her name was Tamar. But Er, Judah’s first born, offended Yahweh, and Yahweh killed him. Then Judah said to Onan, ‘Take your brother’s wife, and do your duty as her brother-in-law, to maintain your brother’s line.’ But Onan, knowing that the line would not count as his, spilt his seed on the ground every time he slept with his brother’s wife, to avoid providing offspring for his brother. What he did was offensive to Yahweh, who killed him too.

GENESIS 38:6-10

Onan sounded like a selfish prick to me. Tamar should'a put the punk in a scissor-lock until he screamed, and gave up the baby-batter. More on Tamar to come. Pun intended.

I imagine most harem masters of old were tolerant of any girl on girl action going on amongst the concubines. It probably made harem-life more entertaining, and smoothed out a lot of friction.

No seed was wasted. No sin was committed. Matter closed. But the spilling of seed in a non-reproduction-oriented manner equals witchcraft in the eyes of jealous Yahweh. Looks like we’re all a bunch of filthy pagans in one way or another! And we didn’t even know it!

My apologies to any practicing pagans, homosexuals, and hookers out there. Lez be friends!

peace....

If you haven't seen Monty Python's "Every Sperm Is Sacred" musical number here's your chance. A true classic!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-L3JMk7C1A

THE SKY-SCRAPER CALLED BABEL -- by Richard C. Speaks

2009-06-12T11:13:00.000-07:00

When the world was young
The people spoke with one tongue
Fear and strife never troubled the land

With the flood abated
Noah's seed repopulated
From the clouds God smiled down on Man

They all lived in one place
They were all the same race
Peace on Earth gave them time to aspire

Under God's leery eye
His children reached for the sky
Bricks and mortar they stacked ever higher

They sought the god of their dread
And brought His wrath down instead
God humbled Man with frightful power

From each mouth came strange sounds
Then God scattered them round
Babel became history's name for their tower

Thus, united no more
greed and hate brought on war
Which still causes us much misery

Bigotry now abides
Even God has picked sides!
Bitter fruit from a forbidden tree

FINIS

Closing comments:

Chapter 11 of Genesis opens with the contradictory statement:

And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

GENESIS 11:1-4

Contradictory? Consider the post-flood genealogy for the sons of Noah in the preceding chapter. It tells a very different story about the dawn of civilization. And God plays no part in it. See for yourself.

...By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.

GENESIS 10:5 (Again in 10:20,&10:31,32)

...And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord. And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.

GENESIS 10:8-10

Which one was it? Did mankind migrate and develop different languages on their own, or did God confound their speech and scatter them across the globe just to stop their stairway to Heaven? You can't have it both ways, brothers and sisters. Think about it.

Messed-Up Bible Stories 5: Tower of Babelhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ldI2FJQ_oE&NR=1

Nyctophobic -- by Richard C. Speaks

2009-05-29T16:19:00.000-07:00

When mother

turns out the light

your room is swallowed

by night

Shadows moving

all around

Fear amplifying

every sound

Your mind is working

overtime

As if in penance

for some crime

The monsters hiding

'neath your bed

escaped from stories

you've been read

A floor board creaks

somewhere nearby

By now you're much

too scared to cry

Mother's just

a scream away

She'll keep the bogyman

at bay

She checks to see

if you're alright

You beg her to

leave on the light

You're fast asleep

before she's gone

But when she leaves

the light's left on

THE END

I love you, Mom!

Loaning Money -- by Ruth E. Towle

2009-04-11T00:35:00.000-07:00

I think that I
shall never see
that dollar that
I loaned to thee

A dollar that
I could have spent
In many forms
of merriment

The one I loaned
to thee so gladly
Is now the one
I need so badly

For whose return
I had great hope
Just like an optimistic
dope

For dollars loaned
to folks like thee
Are not returned
to fools like me

Betty Boop Cartoon Banned For Drug Use 1934http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9Tb4TMibk0&NR=1

An Elegy For Grandma -- by Richard C. Speaks

2009-04-09T20:30:00.000-07:00

Ruth Ellen Towle

Your pain is finally over
And now it’s time to let you go
We all know that’s how you wanted it
Because you told us so

You were love and strength to everyone
You fed the poor and helped the weak
You were the one that Christ referred to
When he said, “Blessed are the meek”

It’s hard to imagine life without you
You were always there for me
And if there really is a Heaven
I have no doubt that’s where you’ll be

Rest in peace. Your memory lives on.

Grandma & me

I read this poem at Grandma's memorial service in the Calvinist Meeting Hall of my youth. It went over like a wet fart on a pew. From the pulpit I could see all those true believers murmuring to each other, "What did he mean: 'IF?'" Talk about choking on a gnat! I'm so glad I'll never have to go back there again! It was a bad flashback I won't repete, no matter who kicks off next. I won't be attending. Write that in stone.

Many of the 65th street lambs remembered me, and were polite enough. They had little to say to me, except, "That was a nice poem, Richard." I knew they all hated it. Not that I really cared. I didn't want to read it to them anyway, but if I didn't read it some old fart was more than happy to read it aloud for me. I gave him the elegy that Grandma wrote in 1971. It was better received than mine. It was very uncomfortable for me.

A few familiar faces shunned me all-together. And made a point of demonstrating that they were doing this. In case I hadn't noticed. I was actually fine with that. Grateful even. They all knew about me from the wagging tongues of some of my less than loving family members. Even though I weighed my every word, seeking to avoid offence, my efforts were in vain. They were offended anyway. They all knew that I was an apostate. An infidel. They all knew why "IF" was as far as I can go without smirking, or rolling my eyes.

One of Grandpa's preacher pals actually tried to get me to pray with him for my grandmother's soul. As if she needed any praying over! I looked him straight in the eye and lied to him, saying: "I did, Mr. Adams. Earlier. Before I got here." He was shaking his head and trying to retort, but I pressed on. "Besides, didn't Jesus tell us to do our praying in the closet, and not publicly for peer approval? I prayed in my closet, before coming here. I've got to go. Got to get ready for work. Thanks for your concern." I was on bereavement leave at the time, but I needed to get away from him without causing a scene, and embarrassing my mom and sister's family. He just stared at me with a befuddled grin while I beat a hasty retreat.

Now that it's all over, I'm glad I was able to show my respect for my grandmother without offending anybody too much. At least they didn't pull an intervention on me this time. That's been tried before. I'll have to save that story for another time. I do run on.

Anyway.

Here's the elegy Grandma wrote for her mother-in-law, Great Grandma Lizzy Abagail Spooner.

GRANDMA'S GONE -- by Ruth E. Towle

(Sept. 7th 1972)

Is this a dream that I dreamed?
This rushing here and there
With many different things to do
attending Grandma's care

The many trips with plants and flowers
And letters, cards, and things
Have made the days of summer fly
on swift and silent wings

And now our Grandma's gone away
Up to her home above
To rest and praise her Saviour dear
for His eternal love

And I am glad that she's at rest
With loved ones gone before
And know that it will not be long
till we too reach that shore

But what an emptiness is left
That nothing can replace
Since we'll not hear her voice again
on earth, or see her face

But what is life? A testing place
And what of joy or sorrow?
We'll fill each moment as it comes
And trust Him for tomorrow

THE END

GRANDPA & ME -- by Richard C. Speaks

2009-04-09T18:44:00.000-07:00

My Mother's dad
is wise with age
And he swears by every
Holy Page

His days are spent
lost in the past
He's ready for Gabriel's
trumpet blast

He's set his sights
on opal cloud
He sees death slowly
shrink his crowd

He preaches that the world
is plagued with sin
That Christian soldiers
must fight to win

With all my heart
I love the man
I just don't share
his pious plan

Blind faith through fear
I find insane
Still I bite my tongue
And hide my pain

He sees me as
a lamb astray
Doomed by pride
come JUDGEMENT DAY

To him, I'm lost
in doubt's abyss
Unfit to share
in HEAVEN's bliss

My search for truth
is an uphill climb
To seek the reason
in the rhyme

To liberate my mind
from fear
And to learn that life
is brief, but dear

He loves me
though he finds me strange
For Grandpa's mind
will never change

My Mother's dad
is wise and kind
Perhaps, like faith
love must be blind

I miss you Grandpa.

R. I. P.

Were Jesus & John, The Baptist, Really Cousins? -- by Richard C. Speaks

2009-04-01T20:03:00.000-07:00

Luke is the only gospel that claims John The Baptist (JTB) and JC (Jesus Christ) were cousins. Luke is also the only gospel to claim that JTB was born miraculously (1:5-25). The other Gospels did their best to downplay JTB, but Luke had done his homework. He had read every available history, so he knew that JTB was a big-deal to all of the historians, and JC wasn't. Each of the gospels make sure to hitch JC's ministry to JTB's, but JTB is merely a gateway prophet in each version. The opening act to a divine tragedy.

Luke decided to outdo the others by claiming that JC and JTB were blood relatives. That's how Luke operated as a pseudo-biographer of JC and later of Paul. Where Matthew distorted OT prophecy to sell his story, Luke distorted history to add an authentic aroma to cover up that fishy odor. Fact and fiction are often combined that way even today. The Civil War was historic. Scarlet O'Hara wasn't. In a thousand years GONE WITH THE WIND might be thought to be a true story because of its authentic backdrop and references to historic persons. Just like the gospel of Luke and Acts are to believers. Luke was a historic novelist and didn't even know it!

When Mary went to tell her cousin, Elizabeth, about her own miraculous pregnancy according to Luke, the five month-old fetus of JTB “leapt in her womb”, recognizing the hours-old fetus of JC within Mary (1:39-45). The funny thing is, they seemed to be unable to recognize each other afterwards in Luke's account. How novel of Luke! And nobody ever recognizes Superman when he puts on his specs and combs his hair back. Anything is possible in fiction. Even historic fiction.

Luke stated JTB was arrested (3:19,20) two verses before JC’s baptism (3:21,22)! Luke simply states that JC was baptized. There are no details given in the narrative. JC could have been dunked by one of JTB's acolytes according to Luke. No family reunion there.

Later, apparently from Herod’s dungeon, JTB learns about JC from his own disciples, and sends two of them to ask him if he was the Messiah (LUKE 7:18-30). JC sends them back to tell JTB that he was. I guess JTB forgot to ask, "S'up, cuz?"

Then JC goes on to talk to his disciples about how terrific JTB was. Not just a prophet. More than a prophet. Yet JTB had to send messengers. JC never mentions this alleged genetic link to JTB in Luke, or anyplace else. I think he would have brought it up at least once if Luke's claim was true. Wouldn't you?

The other three gospels show JC and JTB meeting as strangers, and the gospel of John even used JTB’s own words to refute Luke's claim of a family tie between these holy men.

The next day he saw Jesus coming towards him and said, "Look, there is the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. It was him that I said, ‘Behind me comes one who has passed ahead of me, because he existed before me,’ I did not know him myself, and yet my purpose in coming to baptize with water was so that he might be revealed to Israel.’ And John declared, ‘I saw the Spirit come down on him like a dove from heaven and rest on him. I did not know him myself, but he who sent me to baptize with water had said to me, "The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and rest is the one who is to baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that he is the Chosen One of God."
JOHN 1:29-34

Why did Luke make up such a lie? Was it because JTB was historical and JC wasn't? Was it because they were both historical, but JTB used to be a much bigger draw in his time? JC had arrived on the scene at the end of JTB's career, much like Elisha had with Elijah. Was JC a JTB disciple before becoming the next Messianic hopeful? This possibility seemed to bother the gospel authors. That's why they put so many self-deprecating remarks about his own unworthiness into JTB's mouth; that he was there on earth at that time only to usher in the true Messiah. They were eager to get JTB out of the story as fast as they could. Except for Luke, who attempts to use JTB's fame to build up JC as JTB's equal pre-baptism, and his superior afterward.

Consider what Josephus had to say about the fallout after JTB's execution.

Now, some of the Jews thought that the destruction of Herod’s army came from God, and that very justly, as a punishment of what he did against John, that was called the Baptist; for Herod slew him, who was a good man, both as to righteousness towards one another, and piety towards God, and so to come to baptism; for that the washing (with water) would be acceptable to him, if they made use of it, not in order to the putting away, (or the remission) of some sins (only,) but for their purification of the body: supposing still that the soul was thoroughly purified beforehand by righteousness.

Now when (many) others came to crowd about him, for they were greatly moved (or pleased) by hearing his words, Herod, who feared lest the great influence John had over the people might put it into his power and inclination to raise a rebellion, (for they seemed ready to do anything he should advise,) thought it best, by putting him to death, to prevent any mischief he might cause, and not bring himself into difficulties, by sparing a man who might make him repent of it when it should be too late. Accordingly he was sent a prisoner, out of Herod’s suspicious temper, to Macherus, the castle I before mentioned, and was there put to death.

Now the Jews had an opinion that the destruction of this army was sent as a punishment upon Herod, and a mark of God’s displeasure against him.

FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS, THE ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS: Book 18, Chapter 5, Verse 2

Yes. JTB was very big news in his day. He wasn't a Christian, and had no desire to invent his own religion. He was a devout Jew. His followers came to him for purification, not conversion.

The gospel writers needed to bring JC out from under JTB's shadow, but they couldn't omit him, so they reduced JTB to the role of a mere torch-passer. Kind'a like Obi Wan Kenobi was in Star Wars.

Just like Muhammad tried to do with JC about 600 years later. According to Muhammad, JC had only come to serve Allah, and to foretell the coming of a greater prophet (himself) and the real true faith (Islam, of course). At least until the coming of Joseph Smith, the Rev. Moon, Jim Jones, David Karesh, and a host of other false prophets and control freaks who continue to find lost sheep in search of somebody to tell them how to live their lives for them. Sheep aren't known for their smarts.

And (remember) when Isa (Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary), said: “O Children of Israel! I am a messenger of Allah (sent) to you, reaffirming Taurat (the Torah, that came) before me, and giving the good news of a Messenger (reference to the Prophet Muhammad) to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad.” But when he (the Prophet) came to them with clear proofs, they said, “This is clearly magic (aimed at deception)!”
SURA 61:6

Don't bother looking for this "prophecy" of JC's outside the Quran. We're just gonna have to take Muhammad's word that JC actually said what he said he said. I guess we've got to have faith in the Prophet's truthfulness in order to buy this specious quotation attributed to the son of man by the founder of the rival faith. It's so easy to put your own words into the mouth of a dead man. Shakespeare did it all the time. At least he wasn't trying to deceive anybody into abandoning their families, giving away all they owned, and following him around like a bunch of lemmings!
It's just like Aesop's fable about the emperor's new clothes. He only appeared to be naked to those lacking in faith.
Lies beget more lies. And all lies are called the truth. Faith can fool you into believing practically anything, if you want it to bad enough. What's really the truth? Open your eyes, and your mind first. Think for yourself. Go figure.
Happy April Fools Day, dear readers! The joke's on all of us!

Peace....

5 Question Challenge to Muslimshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtbbDx5ys9Y&feature=related

PAGAN PARADOX -- by Richard C. Speaks

2009-03-26T21:54:00.000-07:00

O, harlot of Zion
Painted Jezebel
Are you burning
down in hell?

They dragged you screaming
from your throne
Dogs lapped your blood
And gnawed your bones

Enigmatic Ba'al
uttered not a sound
As the vengeful mob
pulled His altars down

The god of old
prevailed again
The love of flesh
replaced by sin

THE END

MATTHEW vs LUKE On The Nativity -- by Richard C. Speaks

2009-03-17T21:20:00.000-07:00

Was Jesus really born of a virgin in King David's hometown of Bethlehem? The Gospels of Mark and John are silent on the subject of JC's immaculate birth. They both suggest that JC's birthplace wasn't Bethlehem, but Nazareth (Mark 6:1-5, 14:67, & John 1:37-46, 7:40-52, 19:19). Matthew and Luke both agree that JC was born in Bethlehem of the virgin Mary, but they tell conflicting accounts about all the details and incidents surrounding that divine event.

In a court of law such contradictory evidence would be catastrophic to the case for JC's Bethlehemic birth, as well as His Davidic linage. But blind faith is disdainful of any truth that questions, or conflicts with dogma. The believers just blur this disunity into a unified Xmas card tradition that borrows imagery from both versions; with three wise men following the Xmas star to Bethlehem, and baby Jesus in a manger, surrounded by bowing shepherds, and a choir of euphoric angels.

This is not gospel. This is a hybrid. A Christian crazy-quilt constructed, out of necessity, to cover up all the contradictions of Matthew and Luke. I think that's why the New Testament compilers stuck Mark's gospel between the two, when chronologically it should have come first, not Matthew. It was a put there to help obscure these glaring contradictions about JC's origins.

Matthew was the most dramatic, and had to be read first to imprint specific details (that exist no where else) upon the willing minds of believers, so they can harmonize the whole mess for themselves in their minds, and disregard the things that don't fit. People often see what they want to see. Even when it's not really there.

The only way to see through this smokescreen of dogmatic tradition is to examine both gospels individually with open eyes and an open mind.

Matthew begins with JC’s genealogy from Abraham down to Joseph. "...and Jacob fathered Joseph, the husband of Mary." (1:1-17) Luke waits until the last half of chapter 3 (3:23-38). Luke’s contradicts Matthew's from the branch of King David all the way down to JC, "being the son, as it was thought, of Joseph, son of Heli." Luke’s genealogy was written in reverse order, starting with JC’s non-biological father, Joseph, and working all the way down to “Adam, the first son of God.” Matthew claimed that JC's Davidic branch was Solomon. Luke said it was Nathan. They couldn't even get the name of JC's paternal grandfather right. Some apologists have attempted to explain this away by claiming that Luke's genealogy is actually Mary's linage, but the text makes is quite clear that this was Joseph's family tree, not his wife's.

Let’s take a closer look at these miraculous birth stories.

*****************************************

MATTHEW 1:18-2:23

In Matthew's gospel, Joseph lives in Bethlehem. He doesn’t have to travel to get there. He's already there! The star of Bethlehem shines down upon Joseph’s house in Matthew(1:20, 24/ 2:9-11). The wise men come to Joseph's house, were Jesus was born.

The sight of the star filled them with delight, and going into the house they saw the child with his mother, Mary, and falling to their knees they did him homage.
MATTHEW 2:10,11

Matthew doesn't mention any Augustus ordered taxation, and/or census. Matthew also neglects to report the miraculous birth of John the Baptist, which preceded JC's miraculous birth according to Luke. In Matthew, JC meets JTB for the very first time at JC's baptism. Luke claims the two were first cousins, and even precedes JC's miraculous birth with a miraculous birth story for cousin JTB. They don't appear to have any family connection in Matthew's version.

In Matthew's gospel the angels speak to Joseph, clearing up the matter of his blushing bride's suspicious pregnancy, and other important information, but Mary is left out of the heavenly loop (1:20-24, 2:13, 2:22). King Herod hears about the birth of JC, the Messiah and future king from Matthew's traveling wise man (How wise was that?), and he orders the murder of all they baby boys in the land (2:16-18). Being forewarned of this atrocity by a angel in a dream, Joseph flees Bethlehem with his family, and sojourns in Egypt to fulfill ancient prophecies (2:13-15). Too bad the angels neglected to warn everybody else! Sometime later, Joseph departs from Egypt, upon hearing of Herod's unlamented demise in another dream, and he moves his family to Nazareth (To fulfill another prophecy)(2:19-23). After that Matthew never mentions JC's un-dad again.

************************************************

LUKE 1:26-2:21

In Luke, Joseph lives in Nazareth, and must travel with his pregnant wife, Mary, to Bethlehem to pay taxes, and be counted by Augustus’ census. (2:1-6). There is no room at the Inn, and JC is born in a manger (2:7). No wise men come lavishing gifts, but a bunch of scruffy shepherds abandon their flocks just to come into town, and fawn over cute little baby Jesus. They don't bring any gifts, and they don't stick around long, lest their flocks go astray (2:8-20).

In Luke's gospel Joseph and Mary stayed eight days in Bethlehem, and they were never in any danger. They even took the baby Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem for His (oddly necessary) circumcision, along with the ritual blood sacrifice of 2 turtledoves (2:21-38). After that they return home, in Nazareth, without further incident (2:39). No star of Bethlehem. No wise men. No jealous Herod. No mass-murdered baby boys. No flight into Egypt. No drama.

In Luke's account the angels talk to almost everybody, but poor, confused Joseph (Zacharias: 1:11-22, Mary: 1:28-38, shepherds: 2:9-15). Luke's Joseph gets the silent treatment from on high, just like the rest of us.

**********************************************

The Apocryphal Gospels THE PROTEVANGELION (13:1-12) and I INFANCY (1:4-21) both claim that Jesus was born in a cave on the outskirts of Bethlehem. God was even kind enough to pause time itself, so Joseph could run and fetch a midwife. The book of MARY also states that Joseph resided in Bethlehem.

And now the ninth month from her conception drew near, when Joseph took his wife and what other things were necessary to Bethlehem, the city from whence he came.

MARY 8:13

In the QURAN (Suras 3:45-59 & 19:16-36) we get yet another version of JC's immaculate birth that never mentions Joseph, or the town of Bethlehem. As a matter of fact, Muhammad referred to JC as the "son of Mary" almost every time. And that's quite a bit. "Isa, the son of Maryam." There's something fishy about Muhammad's overuse of this title. If JC wasn't the son of Allah, and he wasn't the son of Joseph...? Was Muhammad implying that the son of man was a bastard? Mary was a single mother, according to the Prophet. And she gave birth to JC alone, and in secret under a date tree. Very fishy.

In the Book (Quran), tell (the story of) Maryam (Mary), when she went away from her family (for prayer) to a place in the East (her chamber). She placed a screen (to hide herself) from them. Then We sent to her Our angel, and he appeared before her in the form of a man of respect in every way.

She said: “Verily, I ask for shelter from you with (Allah) Most Gracious: (Do not come near me) if you guard (yourself) against evil.”

He said: “I am a messenger from your Lord, (only to announce to) you, the gift of a righteous son.”

She said: “How shall I have a son, when no man has touched me, and I am not immodest (or indecent)?”

He said: “(It will still be) so. Your Lord says: ‘That is easy for Me. And (We wish) to appoint him as a Sign to men and a Mercy from Us.’ It is a matter (already) ordered.”

So she started to carry him (baby Jesus in her womb), and she went (to rest) with him to a far place. And the pains of childbirth took her to the trunk of a palm-tree: She cried (in her pain): "Oh! If I had died before this! If I was a thing forgotten and not (even) seen!"

Then (a voice) cried to her from under (the tree): “Do not feel sad! Because your Lord has made (for you) a stream underneath you. And shake towards yourself the trunk of the palm-tree. It will drop fresh ripe dates (fruits) upon you. So eat and drink and cool (wet your) eye. And if you see any man, say, ‘I have promised solemnly to (Allah) the Most Gracious, and this day I will not enter into talk with any human being.’”

At the end she brought the baby to her people, carrying him (baby Jesus in her arms). They said: “O Maryam (Mary)! Truly an amazing thing have you brought! O sister of Haroon (Arron)! Your father was not an evil (adulterous) man, and your mother was not an immoral woman!”

Then she pointed to the baby (Jesus). They said: “How can we talk to one who is only a child in the cradle?”

He (the baby Isa) said: “Indeed I am a servant of Allah. He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet. And He (Allah) has made me blessed where ever I be, and has commanded for me prayer and charity as long as I live. He(Allah) has made me kind to my mother, and not arrogant or miserable. And peace is on me the day I was born, the day I die, and the day I will be raised (again) to life!”

Isa (Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary) was like this. (It is) a statement of truth, about which they dispute (without any use). It is not suited for (Almighty) Allah that He should father a son. Glory to Him (Allah)! When He determines anything, He only says to it, “Be”, and it is.

(Isa said:) “And surely Allah is my Lord and your Lord. His (Alone) you therefore worship (and serve). This is the Straight Path.”
SURA 19:16-36

In the Apocrypha, and the Quran, JC was born with the power of speech. Just like the Buddha. Matthew and Luke wisely kept all of JC's miracles post-baptism.

Which version of the Nativity is true? Probably none of them. I'm not saying that there wasn't a real human being named some Aramaic version of Jesus bar Joseph behind all this mythology. The Jesus tomb, found at the foot of the Mount of Olives in 1980, proves that much. There might have even been a real human being, from some forgotten long ago, upon which the legendary Hercules was based. A remarkable person, or persons, who's exceptional qualities and deeds inspired repetitions, as well as inventions from the traveling bards of old. Time, and countless re-tellings have a way of turning men into demi-gods. That's probably how Paul Bunyan got so damn tall! Like JC, Hercules was also said to be the son of the god of gods. People used to worship Hercules too. They had faith in him long ago. Today Hercules is just a myth. A fictional character found in comic books and bad B-movies. Lot's of fictional characters are based upon real people. But fact is fact, and fiction ain't.

I should know. The Buddha and I have the same birthday! If they got the date right, that is. We all know they didn't get JC's birthday right. It wasn't during the Winter Solstice. Unless Luke was also wrong about the shepherds in the fields tending their sheep. Who can say?

The inconsistencies of the Gospels is reason enough cast doubt on their claims that JC was in fact: God sacrificing Himself to Himself. Even Muhammad had problems buying into such non-sense. The suicidal avatar of the Almighty God? What a downer!

O People of the Book! Do not commit excesses in your religion: Nor say anything except the truth about Allah. Messiah Isa (Christ Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary) was (no more than) a messenger of Allah, and His Word, which He sent down to Maryam (Mary), and a Spirit created by Him: So believe in Allah and His messengers. Do not say ‘Trinity’: Stop (saying so): It will be better for you: Because Allah is One Allah: Glory be to Him: (Far Supreme and Glorious is He) above having a son. To Him belong all things in the heavens and on earth. And, Enough is Allah as a Disposer of affairs. Messiah (Christ) does not find it unworthy to serve and worship Allah, nor do the angels (find it unworthy), those (angels) nearest (to Allah): Those who find His (Allah’s) worship unworthy and (those who) are arrogant -- He will collect them all together to Himself (to answer for their actions).

SURA 4:171,172

Truly, in blasphemy are those who say that Allah is Messiah (Christ), the son of Maryam (Mary). Say (to them): “Who then has (even) the least power against Allah, if His Will was to destroy Messiah (Christ), the son of Maryam (Mary), his mother, and all -- Every one that is on the earth? And to Allah belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between. He (Allah) creates whatever He pleases. For Allah is able to do all things.”(Both) the Jews and the Christians say: “We are sons of God, and His beloved.” Say: “Why then does He punish you for your sins? No, you are only men (mere human beings) -- Of the (other) men He has created. He forgives whom He pleases, and He punishes whom He pleases. And to Allah belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between. And to Him is the final goal (of all).”

SURA 5:17,18

And remember! Allah will say (on the Day of Judgment): “O Isa (Jesus) the son of Maryam (Mary)! Did you say to men, ‘Worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah’? He (Isa) will say: “Glory be to You! It was not for me to say what I had no right to say. If I had said such a thing You would indeed have known it. You know what is in my heart, even though I do not know what is in Yours. Truly, You fully know all that is hidden and unseen. Never did I say to them anything except what You did command me to say, which is, worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. And I was a witness over them while I lived among them. When You did take me up, You were the Watcher over them, and You are a Witness to all things.

SURA 5:116,117

And the Jews say Uzir (Ezra) is a son of God, and the Christians say Messiah (Christ) is the son of God. That is a saying from their mouth; (In this) they tell what the disbelievers of the old (days) used to say. Let Allah’s curse be on them. How they are deceived away from the truth! They hold their priests and their monks to be their lords besides Allah, and (they hold as Lord) Messiah (Christ), the son of Maryam (Mary); yet they were ordered to worship only One Allah. There is no god but He. Praise and glory to Him. (Far is He) from having the partners they associate (with Him).

SURA 9:30,31

They say, “Allah has fathered a son!” -- Glory be to Him! He (Allah) is Self-Sufficient! His are all things in the heavens and on earth! No reason do you have for this (lie about Allah)! Do you say about Allah what you do not know?

SURA 10:68

The Christians have faith that JC was God made flesh. The Muslims and Jews have faith that he was not. As for me, I require proof. Faith is belief without proof. A placebo.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

HEBREWS 11:1

Pre-programmed blinders and circular logic are what faith is all about. That's why Christians are so concerned about their children's early religious indocturnation, and in limiting their educational parameters. Too much objective thinking might spoil their brain-washing.

Skeptic Bible Study: The Jesus Timelinehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBufxLab5ns&feature=related

Nit-Picking Matthew's Prophetic Claims -- by Richard C. Speaks

2009-03-07T13:51:00.000-08:00

In my last post I dismissed the author(s) of Matthew's gospel as less than truthful. I thought I'd better show you why by researching Matthew's use of the Old Testament (OT) to show that Jesus' short life was foretold centuries before. These are unique to Matthew. Lots of things are. Let's see how well these OT connections hold up under scrutiny. I think you'll be surprised.

The first Christmas according to Matthew
***************************************
This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being an upright man and wanting to spare her disgrace, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his mind to do this when suddenly the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.' Now all this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: ‘Look! The virgin is with child and will give birth to a son whom they will call Immanuel.’ A name which means ‘God is with us.’
MATTHEW 1:18-23

This verse establishes that Joseph was of the royal bloodline. But it also establishes that JC wasn’t his biological son!

The Bible doesn’t tell us about Mary’s family tree. I suspect it might have been included if royal blood ran in her veins, but maybe not. The Good Book didn't put very much stock in female bloodlines, or mitochondrial DNA.

The son of man might have bled Port for all we know.

Here’s the OT passage the author(s) of Matthew were referring to. Does it really foretell the coming of JC?

Yahweh spoke to Ahaz again and said, ‘Ask Yahweh your God for a sign, either in the depths of Sheol or in the heights above. But Ahaz said, ‘I will not ask. I will not put Yahweh to the test.‘ He then said: ‘Listen now, House of David: are you not satisfied with trying human patience that you should try my God’s patience too? The Lord will give you a sign in any case. It is this: the young woman is with child and will give birth to a son whom she will call Immanuel. On curds and honey will he feed until he knows how to refuse the bad and choose the good. Before the child knows how to refuse the bad and choose the good, the lands, whose 2 kings are frightening you, will be deserted. Yahweh will bring times for you, your people, and your ancestral House, such as have not been seen since Ephraim broke away from Judah (the king of Assyria).’
ISAIAH. 7:10-17

Was this holy child, promised to king Ahaz, really JC?

I seriously doubt that Ahaz would have cared about what was going to happen a thousand years after he was dead. I think he would be far more concerned with his near future. Wouldn't you?
I think this prophecy was really about King Ahaz’s unborn son, Hezekiah; who did bring about a renaissance to the often troubled throne of David's progeny.

Consider the following:

In the 3rd year of Hoshea son of Elah, king of Israel, Hezekiah son of Ahaz became king of Judah. He was 25 years old when he came to the throne, and he reigned for 29 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abijah daughter of Zechariah. He did what Yahweh regards as right, just as his ancestor David had done. He abolished the high places, broke the pillars, cut down the sacred poles and smashed the bronze serpent which Moses had made (Numbers 21:6-9); for up to that time the Israelites had offered sacrifices to it; it was called Nehushtan. He put his trust in Yahweh, God of Israel. No king of Judah after him could be compared with him-- nor any of those before him.
II KINGS 18:1-5

The part about the child being born of a virgin was just a mistranslation from Hebrew into Greek.

The “young woman" spoken of by Isaiah was probably Queen Abijah. The Israelites were often referred to metaphorically as a virtuous maiden in the Bible. Perhaps Abijah, daughter of the prophet Zechariah, mother of good King Hezekiah, may have been that paradigm of virtue they were referring to. The divine Mother of the just king.

The Good Shepherd cometh
***************************
After Jesus had been born in Bethlehem in Judea during the reign of King Herod, suddenly some wise men came to Jerusalem from the east asking, ‘Where is the infant king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose and have come to do him homage.’ When King Herod heard this he was perturbed, and so was the whole of Jerusalem. He called together all his chief priests and the scribes of the people, and enquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, ‘At Bethlehem in Judea, for this is what the people wrote: “And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are by no means the least among the leaders of Judah, for from you will come a leader who will shepherd my people Israel.
MATTHEW 2:1-6

Here is the OT passage they were talking about. Does it really predict JC’s birth? You be the judge.

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, the least of the clans of Judah, from you will come for me a future ruler of Israel, whose origins go back to the distant past, to the days of old. Hence Yahweh will abandon them only until she who is in labor gives birth, and then those who survive of his race will be reunited to the Israelites. He will take his stand and he will shepherd them with the power of Yahweh, with the majesty of the name of his God, and they will be secure, for his greatness will extend henceforth to the most distant parts of the country. He himself will be peace! Should the Assyrian invade our country, should he set foot in our land, we shall raise 7 shepherds against him, 8 leaders of men; they will shepherd Assyria with the sword, the country of Nimrod with naked blade. He will save us from the Assyrian, should he invade our country, should he set foot inside our frontiers.
MICAH 5:1-5

This Messiah was coming to save his people from the Assyrians, not their sins.

Micah seemed to be hoping for a great warrior-king like David, who had been a good shepherd himself in his youth. Bethlehem was David's home town after all. A town whose origins go back to per-kingdom Israel, as depicted in the book of Judges.

I don’t think this has anything to do with JC.

Out of Egypt I have called my Son
********************************
So Joseph got up and, taking the child and his mother with him, left that night for Egypt, where he stayed until Herod was dead. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: ‘I called my Son out of Egypt.’
MATTHEW 2:14,15

"When Israel was a child I loved him, and I called my son out of Egypt. But the more I called, the further they went from me; they offered sacrifice to Baal and burnt incense to idols."
HOSEA 11:1,2

Hosea was talking about back-sliders, apostates, and idolatry. Not JC. This wasn't even a prophecy! Matthew was just fishing for "My son" references anywhere he could find them. This is the fishiest one of all!

BTW. I'm amused by the Christian fish icons glued to so many bumpers. I have another take on the meaning of the JC fish. I see it as an admission that the NT is a very fishy book. Especially Mathew. Sorry for the digression. My mind works in mysterious ways.

The Slaughter of the Innocents
*****************************
Herod was furious on realizing that he had been fooled by the wise men, and in Bethlehem and its surrounding district he had all the male children killed who were 2 years old or less, reckoning by the date he had been careful to ask the wise men. Then were fulfilled the words spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: A voice is heard in Ramah, laminating and weeping bitterly. It is Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted because they are no more.
MATTHEW 2:16-18

Does the OT really foretell the slaughter of the innocents? A story uncorroborated by Mark, Luke, John, or by any historian. Let’s see for ourselves.

Yahweh says this: A voice is heard in Ramah, lamenting and weeping bitterly: it is Rachel weeping for her children, because they are no more. Yahweh says this: Stop your lamenting. Dry your eyes. For your labor will be rewarded, Yahweh declares, and they will return from the enemy’s country. There is hope for your future after all. Yahweh declares, your children will return to their homeland.
JEREMIAH 31:15-17

There is nothing in Jeremiah about King Herod, JC, or the slaughter of the innocents. Jeremiah was predicting the return of the captive Hebrews in Babylon.

Jeeze!

Nazarene or Nazirite?
*********************
So Joseph got up and, taking the child and his mother with him, went back to the land of Israel. But when he learnt that Archelaus had succeeded his father, Herod, as ruler of Judaea he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream, he withdrew to the region of Galilee. There he settled in a town called Nazareth. In this way the words spoken through the prophets were to be fulfilled: He will be called a Nazarene.
MATTHEW 2:21-23

Here is the only passage in the OT that comes close, but it doesn’t mention the town of Nazareth. This is about another "Chosen One" -- Samson the Nazirite hero -- A Herculean Hebrew who kicked some serious Philistine ass back in his day.

Was this another Hebrew into Greek error, or more pious fraud? See for yourself.

There was a man of Zorah of the tribe of Dan, called Manoah. His wife was barren; she had borne no children. The Angel of Yahweh appeared to this woman and said to her, ‘You are barren and have had no child, but you are going to conceive and give birth to a son. From now on, take great care. Drink no wine or fermented liquor, and eat nothing unclean. For you are going to conceive and give birth to a son. No razor is to touch his head, for the boy is to be God’s Nazirite from his mother’s womb; and he will start rescuing Israel from the power of the Philistines.
JUDGES 13:2-5

The Philistines were long gone before JC's time. The Babylonians had put the Philistines out of business centuries before then. Matthew was such a fibber!

What is a Nazirite? I'm glad you asked. Here's what Moses has to say:

Yahweh spoke to Moses and said, ‘Speak to the Israelites and say: “If a man or woman wishes to make a vow, the nazirite vow, to vow himself to Yahweh, he will abstain from wine and fermented liquor, he will not drink vinegar derived from one or the other, he will not drink grape juice or eat grapes, be they fresh or dried. For the duration of his vow he will eat nothing that comes from the vine, not even juice of unripe grapes or skins of grapes. As long as he is bound by his vow, no razor will touch his head; until the time for which he has vowed himself to Yahweh is completed, he remains consecrated and will let his hair grow freely. For the entire period of his vow to Yahweh, he will not go near a corpse....
(ect. ect. ect.)
NUMBERS 6:1-21

The word Nazirite means set apart unto God. Ultra-kosher. Pure. Which didn't fit ol' Samson very well either. This sure doesn't fit JC. Perhaps the prophets of old were talking about John, The Baptist, or maybe JC’s brother, James, the vegetarian. Definitely not JC, who didn't seem to sweat Levitical law. Consider the following passage:

"For John came, neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He is possessed.' The Son of man came, eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a drunkard, A friend of tax collectors and sinners.' Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds."
MATTHEW 11:18,19

The word Nazarene is'nt in the OT. As you can plainly see, Matthew was willing to take anything out of context to prove his gospel was backed up by the OT Prophets. Very fishy. Just like George Washington never telling a lie, chopping down a cherry tree before they were introduced to the New World, and chucking a silver dollar across the Delaware. So much for the truth. Fables are far more comforting.

As Paul once said:

You might as well say that if my untruthfulness makes God demonstrate His truthfulness, to His greater glory, then I should not be judged to be a sinner at all.
ROMANS 3:7

I'm not done with Matthew, but I think this is a good start. Stay tuned.

Betty Bowers Explains Prayer to Everyone Else
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5QqEmBi8iw&feature=related

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

2009-02-24T20:16:00.000-08:00

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.

************************************************************

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

ELISHA: Miracle-Maker, or Mass-Murderer? -- by Richard C. Speaks

2009-02-13T20:57:00.001-08:00

Let's begin with a rhetorical question: Two guys go off into the desert together. Only one of them returns with torn clothes, the other guy's wallet, and a wild story about alien abduction. Would you believe him? I bet you wouldn't.

Then why should we believe this same scenario just because it's in the Bible? Yet the faithful never question the tale of Elijah's ascention into Heaven upon a flaming chariot for that reason alone. If it's in the Bible, it must be true. Right? Not necessarily, folks. What really happened to Elijah? God only knows. We can only speculate. Foul play cannot be ruled out.

The begining of the end for Elijah came while the old guy was hiding from Jezebel's assassins upon Mount Horab; the mountain of God, where Moses received the Commandments. God had a commandment for Elijah that day. Here is what He had to say:

"Go," Yahweh said, "Go back by the same way to the desert of Damascus. You must go and anoint Hazael as king of Aram. You must anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king of Israel, and anoint Eilsha, son of Shaphat, of Abel-Meholah, as prophet to succeed you. Anyone who escapes the sword of Hazael will be put to death by Jehu; and anyone who escapes the sword of Jehu will be put to death by Elisha. But I shall spare 7000 in Israel; all the knees that have not bent before Baal, all the mouths that have not kissed him."
1 KINGS 19:15-18

I wonder how Elijah received this bit of news from on high. I have my suspicions. The Bible text is vague, but there are clues that suggest disharmony between master and disciple.

Leaving there, he came on Elisha, son of Shaphat, as he was ploughing behind 12 yoke of oxen, he himself being with the 12th. Elijah passed near to him and threw his cloak over him. Elisha left his oxen and ran after Elijah. "Let me kiss my father and mother, then I will follow you," he said.
Elijah answered, "Go, go back; for have I done anything to you?"

Elisha turned away, took a yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He used the oxen's tackle for cooking the meat, which he gave the people to eat. He then rose and, following Elijah, became his servant.
1 KINGS 19:19-21

I find it interesting that Elisha was introduced with a scene involving slaughter. After all Elisha was supposed to take part in reducing the surplus population of Israel down to a pious 7000 living souls, according to God. Elisha fit the bill. He was young and strong, and completely unbothered by bloodshed.

Elijah sounded less than enthused at first, but Elisha's casual brutality must have won him over for a while. I wonder if he scared Elijah.

Oddly enough Elisha isn't mentioned again in I Kings. Perhaps he was temporarily entrusted to some subordinate from the Brotherhood of Prophets for training, while Elijah was busy placing a death curse upon Ahab and Jezebel following the murder of Naboth and the theft of his vineyard.

Perhaps he just didn't get mentioned because he had nothing to say at the time. I'm actually surprised that some ancient scribe didn't just insert Elisha into the text somewhere, in much the same way Raymond Burr was inserted into the original Godzilla, or the way the ancient scribes added Aaron into most of Moses' action. They could have given Elisha some quote-worthy thing to say, that could be squeezed into the narrative somewhere, as they often did in the Bible, but they didn't think of it this time, and so Elisha got left out of the action until the second chapter of II Kings. Which was Elijah's swan song. Luke Skywalker had a longer internship!

The next time we read about Elisha he seemed to be little more than a tag-along. Elijah seemed eager to ditch him at each town they came to. I assume that must have been the routine between these two all along. Was Elijah displeased with his disciple? Was Elisha fearful that his master might be thinking about replacing him? Am I just reading too much into it? You be the judge.

This is what happened when Yahweh took Elijah up to heaven in the whirlwind: Elijah and Elisha set out from Gilgal, and Elijah said to Elisha, "You stay here, for Yahweh is only sending me to Bethel. But Elisha replied, "As Yahweh lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you!" and they went down to Bethel.

The brotherhood of prophets living at Bethel came out to meet Elisha and said, "Do you know that Yahweh will carry your lord and master away today?"

"Yes, I know," he said, "Be quiet."
II KINGS 2:1-3

Elijah tried to shake Elisha at Gilgal, Bethel, and Jericho before his disappearance on the far side of the Jordan. All in the same day we are told. Could this be a motive for murder? Or was it a Close Encounter of the weird kind?

Elijah said, "Elisha, you stay here, Yahweh is only sending me to Jericho. But Elisha replied, "As Yahweh lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you!" and they went on to Jericho.

The brotherhood of prophets living at Jericho came out to meet Elisha and said, "Do you know that Yahweh will carry your lord and master away today?"

"Yes, I know," he said, "Be quiet."

II KINGS 2:4,5

And again:

Elijah said, "Elisha, you stay here, Yahweh is only sending me to the Jordan." But Elisha replied, "As Yahweh lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you!" And they went on together. Fifty of the brotherhood of prophets followed them, halting some distance away as the two of them stood beside the Jordan.
II KINGS 2:6-7

This time the Bible tells us that the Brotherhood of Prophets sent 50 followers to follow Elijah and Elisha all the way to the bank of the Jordan River in an attempt to witnesses Elijah's mysterious departure. Too bad they failed. I wonder why the Brotherhood approached Elisha with the news at each town and not his master? I guess because Elijah already knew everything, being a prophet and all.

Here is where we enter the Twilight Zone, dear readers:

Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water; and the water dividedto left and right, and the two of them crossed over dry-shod. When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, "Make your request. What can I do for you before I am snatched away from you?"

"Elisha answered, "Let me inherit a double share of your spirit.

"Your request is difficult," Elijah said. "If you see me while I am being snatched away from you, it will be as you ask; if not, it will not be so."

II KINGS 2:8,10

There were no witnesses at this point. The gap in the Jordan had closed up. The followers from the Brotherhood could no longer follow the two of them. From here on out we're just expected to take Elisha's word on what really went down.

Now as they walked on, talking as they went, a chariot of fire appeared and horses of fire coming between the 2 of them; and Elijah went up to heaven in the whirlwind.

Elisha saw it, and shouted, "My father! My father! Chariot of Israel and its chargers!" Then he lost sightof him, and taking hold of his own clothes he tore them in half.
II KINGS 2:11,12

If Elisha was telling the truth then this was an early X File, predating Ezekiel by centuries. If he was lying then this would be a job for CSI. What do you think? The X Files, or CSI?

He picked up Elijah's cloak which had fallen, and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. He took Elijah's cloak and he struck the water. "Where is Yahweh, the God of Elijah?" he cried. As he struck the water it divided to right and left, and Elisha crossed over.
II KINGS 2:13,14

All Elisha had to do now was sell his wild tale of alien abduction to the Brotherhood.

The brotherhood of prophets saw him in the distance, and said, "The spirit of Elijah has come to rest on Elisha"; they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.
II KINGS 2:15

Elisha was now the top dog, yet the followers from the Brotherhood still insisted upon conducting a search for Elijah, and they don't sound as if the expected to find him alive. Why look on the ground and under rocks for a man who was alive and well in Heaven above? They weren't buying it. Who would?

"Look," they said, "your servants have fifty strong men with them, let them go and look for your master; the Spirit of Yahweh may have taken him up and thrown him down on a mountain or into a valley."

"Send no one," he replied. But they so shamed him with their insistence that he consented. So they sent fifty men who searched for three days without finding him. They then came back to Elisha who had stayed in Jericho; he said, "Didn't I tell you not to go?"
II KINGS 2:16-18

Elisha didn't take part in the search, but remained in Jericho.

The Brotherhood spent 3 days searching for Elijah's corpse, but couldn't find where Elisha had hidden it. They couldn't prove foul play without Elijah's corpse. They had little choice but to accept Elisha's specious extraterrestrial encounter into the official record without so much as a crop circle to back it up. That's where faith comes into the picture. Believe it or not.

Elisha was free to go on his way. And along the way he found an opportunity to test out his newly won powers.

From there he went up to Bethel, and while he was on the road, some small boys came out of the town and jeered at him. "Hurry up, baldy!" they shouted. "Come on up, baldy!" He turned round and looked at them; and he cursed them in the name of Yahweh. And two bears came out of the forest and savaged forty-two of the boys.
II KINGS 2:23,24

It's too bad he couldn't have just used his miraculous powers to grow more hair instead of putting a death curse on a group of children with poor manners. Let that be a lesson to all of you. Never tease a bald man. He might be a pissed-off prophet!

Extreme Bible Stories - Don't Dis Elisha!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWkhtcGfdWs

The Bent Bough -- by Richard C. Speaks

2009-02-13T20:06:00.000-08:00

The ageless wonders of the heavens
as seen from dingy, drafty caves
All the wisdom of the wise men
didn't save them from their graves

Confounded by the dance of shadows
From thunder storms they cringed in fear
Through nature's ills they saw the proof
of greater powers lurking near

They sought out signs in constellations
and found dark omens to feed their dread
They passed down fables by the campfires
and groveled for their daily bread

They marveled at the solar eye
and at its changing lunar twin
Connecting good to godly favor
they linked all bad to moral sin

Some wise men dug through entrails
Others read the scattered runes
Many dreamt prophetic visions
They all forecast impending doom

They set up many laws of conduct
as their tribes began to grow
Governed by an unseen presence
whose whims the wise men only know

Each tribe had their own deities
that must be bribed through sacrifice
Through faith they knew their gods were real
and that the rest were Man's device

THE END

Here's one of my late Grandma's rhymes as a counter-point.

Evolution -- by Ruth E. Towle

The wonders of the universe
From ice to summer heat
Were all created by our God
His works are all complete

But some believe that things evolved
By whirling round in space
Or wiggling in a distant pond
Until they found their place

To those that want to think that way
I know it is their due
But how it fills my heart with joy
To know the Bible's really true

How can the wiggles from a pond
Bring joy and peace and love?
How can evolving things in space
Prepare a home above?

How I would miss the joy and peace
that filled my heart that day
When first I heard salvation's gift
That washed my sins away

The End?

You be the judge.

RACER -- by Richard C. Speaks

2008-12-31T19:54:00.000-08:00

You are metal
I am meat
I'm in control
from the driver's seat

I push you hard
You growl protest
We search the streets
for the thrill of conquest

The road is long
A serpent cloaked by night
Eagerly I rev you
So I can feel your might

Then a challenger nods
And we begin the contest
At the signal we wait
to prove who's the best

Two engines straining
On the green they explode
Steel demons roaring
down a desolate road

I'm in the lead
and feeling fine
I'll bet I'm beating
my best time

Your right front blows
I lose control
I hold on tight
as we start to roll

Now you're a wreck
But I'll survive
They say it's a miracle
that I'm alive

I live for speed
More danger to face
I'll get another car
This isn't my last race

THE END

OVER DONE -- by Richard C. Speaks

2008-12-14T20:24:00.000-08:00

Stewed brains
Life drained
Kill yourself
to kill your pain

Over use
Self abuse
A sad life
is no excuse

Speed kills
Toxic thrills
Numb and dumb
on happy pills

Expensive taste
No problems faced
It's your life
to save or waste

FIN

LUST (Rated Sex) -- by Richard C. Speaks

2008-11-08T10:22:00.001-08:00

We're all alone
Just you and me
The night is young
And so are we

The phone's unplugged
You bolt the door
We both know
what we're here for

The room is cold
Yet we are hot
This stolen moment
is all we've got

Intertwined
We interact
We explore
and we react

I taste your tang
A carnal feast
You suck me dry
I feel your heat

Your knees are bent
above your head
A chain-reaction
in your bed

The headboard bangs
against the wall
I hear your voice
You heed my call

The room is reeling
We share this dream
You rake my back
and start to scream

I lose my hold
You lose your mind
A lust like ours
is hard to find

Respiration
in slow descent
We hold each other
We are content

Drenched in sweat
The smell of love
That's how it goes
when push comes to shove

FINIS

HATE -- by Richard C. Speaks

2008-10-14T18:41:00.000-07:00

HATE
The fear-eating beast
HATE
Always turns on its master
HATE
Demanding blood for its feast
HATE
Excreting pointless disaster

HATE
The insideous lie
HATE
That dements the mind
HATE
Craves an eye for an eye
HATE
Makes everyone blind

HATE
A malignant delusion
HATE
Making wrong seem so right
HATE
Spawn of rage and confusion
HATE
Burns with rabid delight

HATE
The roots of all war
HATE
That grows like a cancer
HATE
Corrupts rich and poor
HATE
Is never the answer

THE END

(Not really)

Muslims being deceptive (Islam exposed).http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNZQ5D8IwfI

A Friendly Wager -- by Richard C. Speaks

2008-10-11T16:27:00.000-07:00

God greeted Satan one day
He said, "Where have you been?"
"Why, I've been haunting the earth
"Researching sin"

And then God touted Job
The most pious, upstanding man
Who was humble, yet strong
The richest of the Eastern lands

"My servant shuns all evil"
Satan was unimpressed
"Skin for skin! You pamper him!
"I say we put him to the test!"

God took Satan's bet
And sent down fiery death
Caved in the home of Job's kin
with his furious breath

Job's children were crushed
Then his servants were slain
To bring Job this tale
only one slave remained

"Master! A brutal gust
"has blown down from the east!
"It killed all your children
"while at their feast!

"Your servants were slain
"Defending your keep!
"Then God's fire came down
"Consuming your sheep!"

Job tore his robe with a wail
when he heard the news
He shaved and wallowed in ash
with nothing left to lose

All Job had was his faith
Though he doubted its worth
He turned his anger within
and cursed the day of his birth

God said, "I've severed Job's line
"And I've wiped out his wealth"
Satan said, "Test him further, Lord!
"Ruin Job's health!

"On that day he will hate You!
"From Your grace he shall fall!"
God said, "I'll see your bet, Satan!
"Winner take all!"

Oozing cankers and boils
covered Job's sagging skin
Followed by the reproach
of his three dearest friends

They said, "Surely you've sinned
"to suffer God's righteous wrath"
Job cried, "This just isn't fair!
"I never strayed from the path!

"Naked I came
"And naked I'll go
"God's mysterious whims
"are not for me to know

"I serve the one true god
"And do my best not to sin
"Please, Lord! Hear my prayers!
"And shine upon me again!"

God was moved by Job's love
Satan conceded his loss
God said, "To hell with the Devil!
"The Lord Almighty's the Boss!"

THE END

Suicidal Leaves-Monty Python-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vp1HVg_J7QA&NR=1