The Witch's Hammer Revisited: Children in Africa Accused of Witch Craft

1692, Massachusetts: A series of hearings were held before local magistrates, followed by county court trials in Essex, Suffolk and Middlesex Counties, led to 150 people being tried, arrested and imprisoned for crimes related to witch craft. The lynchings, which lasted more than a year, led to the deaths of 14 men and five men, all hanged, as well as one convicted felon being crushed to death by heavy stones.

The series of supposedly supernatural claims, and the subsequent hearings, are what has been referred to historically as the Salem Witch Trials. These charges, however, would seem innocuous today, given the fact that rational thinking has largely taken precedence over superstition. As much as witch craft is concerned, the idea that witches are responsible for causing malicious events has as much validity as Jesus flying through the clouds on board an UFO.

That said, Christianity has had a long and unbroken history of hysterical fear and hatred towards practitioners of witchcraft, especially those of the female variety, i.e the witches.

The Holy Bible on Witchcraft

Interestingly, the holy bible does have something to say about witches, and like the homosexuals, there is but one punishment for devious women who practice the dark arts: Death.
"Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live." -Exodus 22:18 (KJV)

Such a clear, unambiguous statement of authority, as issued by the holy bible, is highly indicative of Judaism's intolerance and hatred towards witchcraft, and this intolerance and hatred was later passed on to the pious leaders of Christendom, who wasted little effort in meting out violence towards people who were suspected of practicing what was thought to be the devil's little act.

The Hammer of Witches



What is seldom mentioned in Churches all over the world is the presence of this little book, "The Hammer of Witches", or "Malleus Maleficarum" in latin.

This obnoxious book spells out, amongst other things, the susceptibility of women to the devil, as they are more inclined to learn the dark arts (In the world of Judaism and Christianity, women are often referred to, implicitly or explicitly, as the harbinger of temptation and great evil, beginning with the Fall from Paradise and Eve), methods to discern real witches, and punishments to be meted out against witches.

Whether or not real witches exist is highly subjective; what is real is that many women, particularly of the elderly, wrinkled-face variety, were often singled out and accused of practicing witchcraft and wrecking havoc on the masses. These unfortunate women invariably became the primary victims of witch hunts, and suffered ignominious, and often very painful deaths for their accused crimes (Accused victims of witchcraft are often burned and barbecued at the stake).

This wretched book from the Dark Ages was to sit in every courtroom in Europe for at least 3 centuries: By most accounts, 40,000 to 100,000 people, mostly women, were condemned to ignominious deaths based on the ludicrous doctrines of this erstwhile book by European courts.

Modern Day Witchcraft?

In the 21st century, accusations and lynchings against the practice of witchcraft in most parts of the world are sporadic at best: People are less susceptible to hysterics when faced with disasters, say, an outbreak of SARS, and the advent and success of modern day medicine means that people are less likely to fall for malevolent beliefs of the witch craft variety and blame the supernatural for such ill tidings.

That said, superstition and myths are still rife in third world countries, where people still believe that a sprinkle of holy water can dispel all manner of diseases, and children and adults alike drop dead like flies from the atrocious living conditions brought about by a succession of wars, natural disasters and petty politics.

In Africa, Churches have seized upon the gullibility of ignorant folks to spread their devious lies of witchcraft and heap blame upon kids as witches. It is as if these pious Christians are somehow attempting to throw Africa back to the Dark Ages.

Nigerian children branded as witches in deadly purge

"EKET, Nigeria (AFP) — Jeremiah, 10, stares blankly at a window, tears rolling down his burn-scarred cheeks recounting how his father doused him with petrol and set him ablaze accusing him of witchcraft.

He is just one of hundreds of children in southern Nigeria's Niger Delta oil region thrown out of their homes, tortured or even killed after they are branded witches by a new crop of self-styled religious leaders.

Around a dozen phony pastors have been arrested -- one on murder charges after he confessed in a documentary film to having killed 110 child witches. He now says he killed only the witches inside the children, not the children themselves.

At a centre in Eket, Akwa Ibom's oil town, Jeremiah and over 170 other children -- aged between 18 months and 16 years -- have sought or been brought to emergency shelter. Many bear scars of physical torture -- machete cuts, burns or a nail drilled into the head.

It has been more than a year since Jeremiah fled from his home, but he suffered months of abuse at the hands of his parents after he was accused of sorcery.

"We were having a revival at church one night when from nowhere, the pastor's wife stood up to say I was a witch," recounts Jeremiah.

He was immediately locked up at the pastor's house, starved and assaulted with clubs as part of the exorcism exercise.

When he moved back home his father tied a noose around his neck and led him to a nearby school grounds, but apparently developed cold feet.

In minute detail he recounts how over several weeks, his parents locked him up in a room and starved and flogged him. That was before the father torched him, accusing him of being behind his losing a job with an oil firm."

While the crimes of the father cannot be exonerated in this case, the churches which propagate such accusations are largely to blame: By playing on the insecurities of the masses, the churches have become mass abusers and murderers of children who are innocent victims of unnecessary, superstitious fear.

It is very difficult for rational-minded folks to understand the absurdity of such accusations, let alone understand the atrocity of dousing a child with petrol and lighting him up for a grisly barbecue session. This, however, is what will happen in a nation where people are steeped in the beliefs of the supernatural: They can be easily manipulated by hucksters who will not hesitate to cause the death of innocent children simply to make a quick buck or two.

Is Christianity the Scourge of Africa?

It has been argued that Christian missions have done Africa a whole lot of good by feeding the masses, setting up schools to educate children, and so on and so forth.

I don't wish to belittle the charitable work of Christians: Clearly they have done good works, and yes, most of them are carried out with good intentions.

Unfortunately, Christianity has also managed to cook up quite a slew of problems for Africa too. Accusations of witch craft aside, Christianity's vehemence against the usage of condoms and its own brand of sex education has also inhibited secular institutions who are facing an uphill task in their quest to stem the spread of STDs, particularly the HIV virus.

It is quite clear, at least to me, that Africa does not need Christianity to be involved in already a complex potpourri of religions. What Africa needs is clean water, food, sanitation, education and jobs, not more superstition and unnecessary fear.

Witch Hunts: A Barbaric, Misogynistic Act

"During many ages there were witches. The Bible said so. The Bible commanded that they should not be allowed to live. Therefore the Church, after doing its duty in but a lazy and indolent way for 800 years, gathered up its halters, thumbscrews, and firebrands, and set about its holy work in earnest. She worked hard at it night and day during nine centuries and imprisoned, tortured, hanged, and burned whole hordes and armies of witches, and washed the Christian world clean with their foul blood. Then it was discovered that there was no such thing as witches, and never had been. One does not know whether to laugh or to cry."

-Mark Twain

Honor Killings: Murder in the Name of God

In the warped, convoluted world of Islam, women are, strictly speaking, creatures who rank low amongst the hierarchy of male patriarchs: Allah is deemed the solitary and supreme deity, below which, Prophet Muhammad is reserved a special place beside the deity as a sort of right hand man and proselytizer, followed by the average Arab male, and then his assortment of property, including women.

Like Christianity, Islam is the offshoot of Judaism, and like its predecessor, Islam shares a set of sectarian, desert-fakir beliefs, chief amongst which is the lowly status of women.

In the OT of the bible, the standard, virtuous woman is a submissive woman: She is to be humble and complying to her husband at all times, and is treated as no better than a mule and an average oxen, stuff which in times of war, are classified as "war spoils":

"They must be dividing the spoils they took: there must be a damsel or two for each man, Spoils of dyed cloth as Sisera's spoil, an ornate shawl or two for me in the spoil."

-Judges 5:30

The Koran has this pearls of wisdom as well:

"Men are in charge of women, because Allah made men to be better than women. Refuse to have sex with women from whom you fear rebellion, and scourge them. " -4:34

In a way, Islam is a continuation of old Jewish traditions: Women are little more than properties, subjugated and manipulated by male patriarchs who are free to treat them as they so choose to.

Islam & Women

The Oppressed Women of Islam

In predominantly Islamic countries administrated under the auspices of Syariah law, women have little say in their own private lives: They are obligated to wear stifling, ugly-looking outfits known as burkas when they have to appear in public venues, are denied even the most basic of education, married off when they are in their pre-teens (that is, if they are lucky) or in their childhood (Prophet Muhammad famously married a 9 yr old girl) so as to ensure that the bridegroom is guaranteed to a spot of virginity on the day of the wedding.

So stifling is religion and culture in such religiously-dominated environments that the repercussions of disobedience can be deadly, as these 5 Pakistani women found out, to their own detriment.

Life Burial of Women: Activists Demand Action
By Zofeen Ebrahim

KARACHI, Sep 15 (IPS) - Prominent civil rights activists are demanding that the government act against those responsible for the burial alive of five women in Balochistan, in July, that politicians from the province have defended as an age-old custom.

On Jul. 14, in the remote village of Babakot, 80 km from Usta Mohammad town in Jafferabad district, three teenage girls and two older women were buried alive, allegedly on the orders of Abdul Sattar Umrani, brother of Sadiq Umrani, a provincial minister belonging to the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).
According to the version released by the Hong-Kong-based Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), the victims were taken to Nau Abadi, in the vicinity of Babakot, where Umrani and his six companions dragged the three younger women out of his jeep and beat them up before shooting and seriously injuring them. The girls were reported still alive when Umrani and his accomplices hurled them into a wide ditch and covered them with earth and stones.
AHRC said the two older women were an aunt and the mother of one of the girls. When they protested at the treatment meted out to the girls, they were also pushed into the ditch and buried alive.

Apparently the teenagers were being punished for asking to be allowed to marry men of their choice.

When the matter was raised in on Aug. 30 in parliament by opposition senator Yasmin Shah - who accused the government of turning a blind eye to the killings - a senator from Balochistan, Israrullah Zehri, retorted: "It is part of our custom". Zehri was supported by Senator Jan Mohammad Jamali who said the incident was being ‘’unnecessarily politicised.’’

Honor Killings

In Pakistan and other Islamic states run under the statute of the Shariah law, violence is usually meted out in outmoded, barbaric and crude manners, usually with the sort of brutality one usually associates with the Dark Ages: Stoning, decapitating, and other archaic practices are meted out accordingly in accordance to the infringement of religious laws.

This adherence to Islam also has a significant influence amongst tribal clans in Pakistan and Afghanistan, which, chief amongst other appalling acts of barbarity, includes the act of "honor killing": Women who do not abide by the rules of their male patriarchs are deemed to have sullied the honor of the family, and hence become liable for murder by their own family members.

In normal, secular circumstances, the abhorrent idea of murder is so repulsive, that it is often very difficult for anyone or the general public to vindicate such acts of violence, let alone the idea of death by live burial!

Imagine the sheer terror of being buried alive, literally, as your murderers and their accomplices shove earth and stones onto your face, slowly asphyxiating and choking the life out of you. Fuck, most people would find it difficult to mete out such treatments to animals, let alone human beings.

According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, in 2007 alone, as many as 636 deaths were attributable to honor killings, possibly more as many cases do go unreported every year.

Why Religion is Dangerous

If anything else, religious laws are terrible abusers of human rights: Enforcers who enforce theocratic laws do not concern themselves with trivialities, such as the individual right of a person to fair trial, nor do they concern themselves with the sufferings of others.

And when it comes to women, the maltreatment goes way beyond the pale: Deemed as little more than human reproductive vessels with little inherent value, they are oppressed, ill-treated, and face real dangers of being abused by their very own family members.

This kind of misogynistic abuse against women should never be tolerated; unfortunately, religion condones and even mandates such atrocities. This is religion at its worst.

Abusing Women in the Name of God



-"When I began to study the Koran, the holy book of Islam, I found many unreasonable ideas. The women in the Koran were treated as slaves. They are nothing but sexual objects. Naturally I set aside the Koran and looked around me. I found religion equally oppressive in real life. And I realized that religious oppression and injustices are only increasing, especially in Muslim countries. The religious terrorists are everywhere. But if I criticized Muslim fundamentalists and mullahs in particular, it is because I saw them from close quarters. They took advantage of people's ignorance and oppressed them. They considered women as chattel slaves and treated them no better than the slaves of the ancient world."

-Bangladeshi Writer, Taslima Nasrin

Religion & Terrorism

Crimes of a more mundane nature are often inspired by desperation: The need to vent one's hatred, hence murder, or the overpowering scent of greed, hence robbery or thievery.

More often than not, humans are frail, mortal creatures; we give in to our inane desires, commit crimes against the very society that we hang on desperately to for our livelihoods, and indeed we can all explain away and condemn such crimes as weaknesses of our own mortal selves.

How then, can we explain the impulsion of deranged, angry young men hell-bent on murder in the name of God?

Murder in the Name of God

Consider the lives of these three young men in question:

1. Eric Rudolph was a professional soldier with the 101st Airborne Division in the United States Army before he was discharged in 1989.

2.Mohamed Atta was a Technical University of Hamburg-Harburg student who was destined to have a bright future as an architect; in fact, his thesis professor was quite inclined to praise him, saying that "he has a bright future".

3.Ajmar Amir: A young man who desperately wanted to earn enough money so that his family can establish a decent business.

Three different men, all united by a common goal: Terrorism.

Rudolph's Mug Shot

Eric Rudolph is a Christian terrorist who is currently serving five consecutive life sentences for a series of murders and acts of terror: The Infamous Atlanta Olympics Bombings, the bombing of and abortion clinic and a gay and lesbian bar, killing and maiming hundreds in his bombing spree.

Mohamed Atta: The Leader of the Infamous 911 Attacks

Mohamed Atta was the infamous leader of the terrorist jihad group which hijacked four aircrafts and plowed then straight into the World Trade Towers and the Pentagon (the forth aircraft was successfully intercepted by passengers and took a lethal plunge to earth in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, before it could reach its designated target, the White House). He did not survive the mission (None of those who participated survived. Same goes to all the passengers on board the ill-fated flights).

Caught in the Act by Security Camera: Amir in Action in Mumbai

Ajmar Amir is the sole survival of the latest Islamic terrorist attack in Mumbai.

Which leads to the inevitable question: What motivates the average Joe on the street to possess such strong will power to overcome the fear of death and the natural revulsion towards murder, to commit such large-scale, grandiose acts of murder and self-destruction?

The 2008 Mumbai Attacks

The Siege of Mumbai: Religious Terror in Action

On Nov 26, 2008, a series of coordinated attacks in Mumbai marked a siege by Islamic insurgents which lasted all of three days, before Indian commandos and security forces managed to flush them out. The result of the carnage was chilling indeed: Approximately 200 innocent civilians were cut down by AK-47 gun fire, or blown into smithereens by grenades.

As the series of events, from the training of these Pakistani terrorists in their jihad camps right up to the execution of their operations began to unravel in the press, the ultimate question that faces modern civilization or the global community in general is this: Is Islam a religion of peace? Or, to put it more succinctly: Is religion the cause of extremism and the unbridled violence that has been wrought forth by religious folks hell-bent on the extermination of infidels and heretics?

Tracing the Source: Religious Holy Books

Holy Books, or Holy Nonsense???

What is not mentioned, or not mentioned frequently in mainstream media is the extremist, dark side of Religion's holy books: All too often, moderates who thump their holy books and attempt to sell their religions as the elixir to the woes of the world are apt to trumpet the kind, virtuous teachings of their religions: Thou shalt not kill, Be kind to thy neighbours and so on. Most of us are so hardwired to this kind of lame pandering to the religious right that we don't really take notice of the dark, sinister sides of religious texts that when something heinous is being carried out in the name of religion, folks begin to question and explain away the underlying issues behind such deeds: Lack of education, wrong religious interpretations of religious texts by errant mullahs and other religious leaders, poverty, etc.... Anything and everything is blamed except God, the Prophet and yes, the religious text in question. Secular folks are reticent when it comes to criticizing Islam, which comes as no surprise, considering that the general reaction towards criticism comes in the form of violence riots and mass assassination sprees.

Consider these unsavory verses from the Koran:

1. "Slay them wherever you find them. Drive them out of the places from which they drove you. Idolatry is worse than carnage. . . . [I]f they attack you put them to the sword. Thus shall the unbelievers be rewarded: but if they desist, God is forgiving and merciful. Fight against them until idolatry is no more and God's religion reigns supreme. But if they desist, fight none except the evil-doers"(2:190–93).

2. "Fighting is obligatory for you, much as you dislike it. But you may hate a thing although it is good for you, and love a thing although it is bad for you. God knows, but you know not" (2:216).

While moderates will no doubt accuse me of cherry-picking and taking verses completely out of context, in the minds of a indoctrinated Muslim fundamentalist who believes that every word in the Koran is all but divinely inspired by God and granted to men via Muhammad, such fiery words of carnage, slaying and fighting against the bad eggs or infidels who refuse to submit to Islam, plus a couple of virgins with self-repairing hymens to maintain an eternity of virgin sex, are sufficient divine inspiration for the religious man to strap a couple of bombs and eviscerate himself (or sometimes, herself) in the name of Allah.

In the book, “The 9/11 Verses: Terrorist Teachings in the Koran”, by author Karl J. Trautwein, Islam is primarily based on the Koran (The equivalent of the Bible) and the Hadith ( A collection of stories about the life of Prophet Muhammad); both teachings are a bi-polar, often contradictory teachings of Prophet Muhammad.

According to Trautwein, these teachings can be classified under two categories: A milder, more tolerant collection of verses designed to preach tolerance and forbearance towards non-Muslims, and a more antagonistic set which calls for the fire and brimstone variety: "Passages teaching peace and tolerance are believed to come from the early days when Muhammad lived in Mecca. Verses calling for hate and violence are believed to have been revealed in Medina, which was later in his life.”

Such a dichotomy is hardly surprising: Unlike Jesus, Muhammad was a conqueror, and like Genghis Khan before him, he was the final arbitrator to many who cling upon his every word in deciding many of their actions, failing which, they were quite possibly inclined to lose their lives. And like the great Khan before him, Muhammad's behavior and demeanor would have coincided closely with the degree of hostility of his conquered tribes: If they were submissive to his rule, fair enough. Live and let live, provided, of course, you pay your taxes. Failing which, a blood path inevitably ensues. And it is due to such disparities and glaring contradictions that separates the fundamentalists and the moderates: The former wants to wield power and exercise terror in the name of Religion, while the latter preaches tolerance and moderation.

The stark reality is this: Like the Old testaments and the Torah, these holy texts were scribed in a time when tribal mentality, segregation and theocracy is the rule of the day. As such, these texts are rigidly segmented and confined within a compartmental mentality that enforces the "us-vs-them" mentality. In order to read this texts without taking them "out of context" (an accusation I am apt to suffer from the hands of the Christian brethren who couldn't even quote their beloved bibles right), one has to take them in the historical context of the era they were written (a tall order, especially for the Christians, since most scholars are still wrangling over the precise authors of these holy texts).

In short, holy texts from some forgotten era cannot be held as a standard barometer for modern, social behavior; holding a siege mentality based on nothing else but clan kinship and religious affiliation in a globalized setting is akin to a sexy model wearing a bikini and sauntering straight into a board of directors meeting: It is out of place, and is terribly embarrassing.

Religion As the Source of Violence and Discord

As pious folks of the fundamentalist kind will have you know, they yearn for a utopian society based on non-secular values, rigid religious codes and horribly eschewed priorities: A woman flashing half a tit is the criminal equivalent of a murderer: Both are criminal equivalents worthy of death (Beheading for the murderer, stoning to death for the adulterer/tit flasher).

It is time the mainstream secular media and common folks realize that if we continue to turn a blind eye to the real source of terrorism and other forms of religiously-incited violence, we are ignoring the full extent and scale of the true nature of Religion, and this, I am afraid to say, will continue to egg the egos of terrorists who conspire these acts of terror against the masses.

Joyous Murder in the Name of God



"Men never commit evil so fully and joyfully as when they do it for religious convictions"
-- Blaise Pascal

The Business of Killing God

A Gross Mismatch At First Glance, But Size & Might Don't Necessarily Win The Fight

In the natural world, size and power does not necessarily manifest itself as a overwhelming advantage, and this is something that all biologists and most laymen can attest to: After all, who hasn't been laid low by the influenza, a disease caused by viruses that can only be measured in nano or micrometers? Or the feisty little wolverine, no larger than a poodle, fending off and chasing away a bear many times its size?

Such disparities in terms of attributes can sometimes be skewered against the odds: For all the bravado about strength, size and other positive, physical traits, the Davids & the underdogs of the natural world can deal the giants a punishing blow, so much so that one begins to wonder:

Can God be fair game in the macabre game of life and death?

The God Conundrum

The God of Abraham is a strange contradiction: While he is claimed to be a loving deity, he is prone to the odd jealous pang:

".....for you shall not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God” - Exodus Chapter 32:14

While the theists never fail to remind our infidelic brains that God is the supreme Creator of Earth and the Cosmos with his omnipotent powers, he is not above wrestling with mere mortals: God, in his rather mysterious mien, chose to engage in a bout of wrestling (God, a sumo wrestler?) with Jacob and, surprise, surprise, Jacob got away with nothing more than a dislocated thigh! A minor injury, indeed, considering that Jacob is actually having a one-on-one duel with an omniscient deity!

Wrestling With God: An Ancient Sport?

"Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak.

When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of his thigh; so the socket of Jacob's thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him.

Then he said, 'Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.' But he said, 'I will not let you go unless you bless me.'

So he said to him, 'What is your name?' And he said, 'Jacob.'

He said, 'Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed.'"

Genesis 32:24-28

While some Christians may think that such allegories are merely "out of context" drivel sprouted by atheists in a bid to undermine their deity, it is precisely this very visceral description of God as a deeply flawed, humanoid-like asshole that gave rise to the next evolution of the Abrahamic religion: The long-suffering, gay loving, pretty looking Son of God.

Murdering The Son of God

Revolutionizing the God-Murdering Enterprise: Nailing Jebus to the Cross.......

While atheists and infidels alike have long been accused of blasphemy and an assortment of deity-defiling acts, none of them are as vicious & violent as the acts of gruesome murder and cannibalism inflicted (at least on the imaginary plane) upon their deity as the Jews and subsequently, the Jebus lovers of the Catholic Church.

While the God of the OT was prone to having a fling or two with his minions, he was, at least on a mythical perspective, undefeated by his dimunitive underlings. Unfortunately, the NT scribes added a small chink in God's supposedly impervious armor: Along comes Jebus, long hair, white robe, gay-loving and all, walking amongst the masses, preaching his wishy-washy, love-embracing, sinner-loving tirades to the masses. Like his OT predecessor, he occasionally flares up, casting demons into swines (Those filthy swines.....they deserve it! Oink!), & not to mention that damn fig tree which had the temerity not to bear fruit in the off season!

& so the mad hatter story goes, Jebus riled up a few Pharisees, who plotted and forced Pontius Pilate, the Roman official, to nail Jebus' ass on the cross.

Followed by Two Thousand Years of Cannibalism & Vampirism!

A neat start indeed to two millennial of God-killing ethics: The Catholic Church, with all its pompous and blood-letting ethics, decided to carry on with this tradition of God killing one step further: The act of transubstantiation requires, horror of all horrors, the desecration of Jebus' body via the breaking of the bread, and the drinking of Bloody Mary a gross representation of his blood!

Herein lies the supreme irony: The God of the Jews was instigated by the Jewish priests themselves to die at the hands of the Romans, & subsequently mutilated, butchered, eaten and sucked dry by the Catholic Church.

Atheists: Not In The Business of Godly Murder

While the figure of Jebus has been butchered and defiled, at least in a metaphorical sense, for more than a thousand years, Christians all over have now accused atheists of plotting to "murder" a deity that seems amusingly prone to murder by his own beloved followers!


And the very root of such ridiculous claims? Apparently, the anti-cinematic Church has pickled the recent controversial movie, the "Golden Compass", a brain child of the incorrigible atheistic author, Philip Pullman.

The gist of the story, it seems has all the elements of blasphemy in it: A child, fighting against the forces of the Catholic-like Magisterium, and ultimately killing God himself (A new low in the apparent tradition of God killing).

Yes, he of the "God-killing" confessions, expressing it in fiction.........aw........that is perverted, disgusting, repulsive...........& so Christian-like!

The Catholic League, it seems, is hell-bent on reserving this proud tradition of God lynching for the Catholic Church, and is against the idea that Pullman is trying to wrestle the right of murder from the opulent church.

According to the Catholic League President, Bill Donohue, pious folks should give this movie a miss: "Eighty-five per cent of the people in this country are Catholic or Protestant and I'd like them to stay at home, or go see some other movie."

Much as us atheists may try to wrestle the "honor" of murdering God, ye Christian folks have beaten us to it for two millennial. This "ban the atheist movie" propaganda is just another ploy to stop atheists from making our presence felt in a Scientology-dominated Hollywood.

Sure, give this "murderous" movie a miss, and spend the next Sabbath drinking a deity's blood and eating his broken body, if that gives you a more euphoric high.



"If Jesus had been killed 20 years ago, Catholic school children would be wearing little Electric Chairs around their necks instead of crosses"
-Lenny Bruce

All Those Murderous Darwinists & Atheists

In light of the Finnish shootings by Pekka-Erik Auvinen, an atheist friend of mine, Raj, predicted that Christians would definitely descent upon this event, like vultures encircling a dead corpse, and feed upon this dramatic, albeit disastrous shooting to expound on their hate-spewing propaganda against Science and of course, those dastardly, murderous atheists. & how right he was: On the exact day he made his prophesy, I encountered just one such article, which, for all it is worth, attempted a cheap swipe against (what else?) the purported evils of Darwinism and Atheism.

Reports of The Finnish Shootout

As 7 students and a teacher laid dead in the aftermath of the carnage, and including Pekka himself, who committed suicide, some theists seem adamant that atheism and social Darwinism were two very strong recurring themes in the mind of the teenage killer. Apparently, Pekka had, amongst other pre-suicide moves, uploaded a video of himself threatening to carry out the shootings, plus some notes on Youtube.

According to CNN:

In rambling text posted on the site two weeks before the shooting, Auvinen called himself "a cynical existentialist, anti-human humanist, anti-social social-Darwinist, realistic idealist and god-like atheist."

"I am prepared to fight and die for my cause," he wrote. "I, as a natural selector, will eliminate all who I see unfit, disgraces of human race and failures of natural selection."

At first glance, it seems quite fitting that the shooter seems to be killing for a just, albeit misguided cause: It is as if the killer was actually assuming the mentality of a terrorist: Committing mass murder in the name of Darwinism, which some Christians have eschewed it to be a form of a dogmatic Scripture. & who else, but the immoral Atheist, would have been stupid enough to believe in the falsehoods of Darwinism?

The Truth Behind The Smokescreen

Before we begin to unravel a more rational and balanced view of the tragedy, it is imperative to note that, the teenager was a emotionally and mentally distraught kid:

According Tuomas Hulkkonen, who claimed to know the student well: "He withdrew into his shell. I had noticed a change in him just recently, and I thought that perhaps he was a bit depressed or something, but I couldn't imagine that in reality he would do anything like this."

If anything else, his writings suggests a confused mind which does not correspond to the reality of the real world:

"Cynical existentialist, anti-human humanist, anti-social social-Darwinist, realistic idealist and god-like atheist."

These were the exact words he had sprouted in an apparent bid to vent his frustrations, although I cannot imagine how one can call himself an "anti-human humanist", or a "realistic idealist" for the matter. These are oxy-morons in the class of square circles, and it is hard to fathom how anyone sane can take his words seriously.

Unfortunately, in the minds of moronic Christians, the words "Social Darwinist" and "Atheist" are adequate proof that heathens of these class of sub-humans are a danger to society.

And to sum it all up, Darwin's theory of natural selection has even been cited as a major reason behind the shooting: Perhaps Creationists might want to grasp this opportunity to denounce the teaching of Evolution?

To even consider blaming natural selection as the basis of this shooting is laughable: Natural selection is a natural, observable phenomenon which weeds out species or individual creatures which do not meet Nature's survivability criteria. If anything else, Natural Selection is part and parcel of Biology, not Theology. To blame Natural Selection for the massacre is akin to blaming the murder on a documentary depicting the scene of a carnivorous lion immolating a Thomson's gazelle on National Geographic.


Atheism: Not a Valid Creed for Murder

While atheists are not incapable of the most dastardly of crimes (of all those harbingers of evil, Stalin, unfortunately, is still the only prominent mass murderer in modern history who happens to be an atheist), Atheism is not a valid reason for anyone to commit murder.

The reason is fairly straightforward, and one which theists conveniently miss out, either through sheer ignorance or deliberation: There is no codified scripture or law which atheists can conveniently turn to for a moral lesson.

Unlike our theist brethren, we do not have books instructing us to stone disobedient children, put homosexuals to death, stone people for picking up sticks on a Sabbath, kill infidels/kafirs, harboring slaves or treating women the equivalent of oxen and donkeys. Atheism, if anything else, is an affirmation to be godless, and I personally doubt the validity of even considering Atheism a philosophy. After all, we are all atheists with regards to Zeus, Bumba and all the other conceivably implausible deities, but yet no one in his or her right mind will even consider such a non-belief as a philosophy.

Because of its non-dogmatic nature, it is quite absurd and ludicrous to even consider Atheism as a valid tool for murder: One would hardly expect a person to kill another on behalf of atheism than a person to kill on behalf of quantum physics. They just don't add up.

Religious Propaganda: Putting the Blame On Science and Unbelief

Like murderous hordes of hyenas in a Savannah plain, theists are constantly lying in the bushes, waiting eagerly to pounce on any horrendous news that even remotely connects to Science and atheism. While the infidel may consider this as an act of treachery, this is apparently a knee-jerk reaction against the numerous victories won by the Scientific community against attempts to kick-start Creationism and its cheap tuxedo, Intelligent Design, in government schools, and the increasing skepticism across the board has made religious beliefs an unsatisfying way of understanding even the basic realities of life.


(For a more detailed read of religious bigotry, visit here. Be warned: The blog owner, Tim, is a somewhat inept writer, so reading his writing for long stretches of time will give you a tumultuous headache.)

Larry Hooper: Danger of Coming Out of the Atheist Closet

On October 18, 2004, Arthur Shelton, a self described Christian and Eagle Scout, murdered his friend and roommate, Larry Hooper, because Hooper didn't believe in God.

On December 18, 2005, after many months of postponements, Arthur Shelton, with his defense attorney, Seymour Swartz, appeared at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice in Detroit, Michigan, before Judge Gregory D. Bill to face charges of murder in the first degree brought by Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Christina Guiruis.

The trial began with the taped phone call Arthur Shelton placed to the Taylor police department in Taylor, Michigan, October 18, 2004, at precisely 12:44 AM. Shelton sounded calm and pridefull when he told the dispatcher he had just shot "the devil himself" with a revolver and a shotgun because "he (Hooper) didn't believe in God." Shelton told the dispatcher he was "still armed and ready to shoot again in case he moves. I want to make sure he's gone." When the dispatcher asked how many times he shot the victim Shelton replied, "hopefully enough."

Source: Parallel Politics and Comment

Now, I know (and hope) most Christians wouldn't take it upon themselves to "take out" their atheists friends like Arthur saw fit to do. Yet, there is an underlying message writ here: Arthur felt and "knew" that his action was justified. What brought about this rationale to justify murder? After all, doesn't it say in the bible "Thou shalt not kill"? Do those words have any meaning to Christians like Arthur? Apparently not. What else? Take this example a bit further in what I have argued in past posts (here and there); the bible is left for interpretation and cannot be relied upon for "rules to live by". The moral code of the bible is a mish-mash of contradictions in this regard.
So, if Arthur is an avowed Christian; Why did he see fit to ignore the sixth commandment of (G)od? Plainly, I could say that being an atheist forfeits your protection afforded in the sixth commandment. Or, any other infidel (yes, infidel is not exclusive to Islam).

Also, I see this coming a mile away, most Christians will say that he wasn't a "true" Christian. Why wasn't he? This argument is complete bullshit. After all, we've got plenty of denominational churches in this country (and world wide), some declaring that this/that/and the other and not a true church. Would Anglicans see fit to compromise theirs to attend and become members of a Pentecostal church? I wouldn't think so, because it's the "wrong" church. If Anglicans don't go to that church then it's obvious they don't think Pentecostals are "true" Christians (Shit! We are seeing the schism of the Anglican Church right as I type this). Otherwise we wouldn't see all these spin-offs of Christianity. Martin Luther comes to mind. Yeah, you know, the guy who hated Jews. I wonder where Hitler got his "final solution" from.

No matter how it's spun, religion is the "final solution" for all of us.

Google Search: "Larry Hooper" atheist
Atheist Blogroll Search: "Larry Hooper"

>EDIT<

Interesting discussion at digg.com: Digg - Murdered for being an atheist.

"This is so disgusting and disheartening. I myself am an eagle scout and describe myself only as agnostic, but the actions here are only more evidence that religion can bring out the most evil anyone has ever seen. After reading the article I am convinced that this was a product of upbringing, as it seems the boy's entire family behaves the same way and probably thought he did the right thing! I'm definitely siding with Richard Dawkins on this one..."

- njackson

>EDIT<

For those thinking this may be a hoax: Offender Tracking Information System (OTIS) - Offender Profile

The Tragic Death of Hypatia: Revealing The Murderous Trait of Christianity & Religion

All too often, a potent mix of murderous intent & overzealous religious fervor can be a catalyst for disaster: From the disastrous Crusades (Raging from 1095 - 1291 A.D), launched by the erstwhile Vatican, to the disastrous writings and execution of the religiously-influenced book, The Hammer of the Witches (Malleus Maleficarum), history has shown us that whenever religion is at the threshold of power, it never ceases to inculcate its doctrines and destructive teachings to the masses, who will then unwittingly execute the will of the powers-that-be.

Unfortunately, the unquestioning trait which the Church has advocated for much of two millennial works wonderfully like a charm: Faith, in its most unadulterated form, involves an unthinking belief and obedience to doctrine and whoever is in charge, and it is this terrible, deceitful trait, over-glorified by the powers that be, that caused the death of one of the most enlightened, enigmatic scholar in Alexandria, Egypt.

Hypatia of Alexandria

Hypatia of Alexandria (350A.D? - 415 A.D)

One of the most enchanting and enlightened philosophers of her time, Hypatia was born around the time of A.D 350. Hypatia was also the daughter of Theon, who was her teacher and the last fellow of the Museum of Alexandria. As a Neoplatonist philosopher, Hypatia became head of the Platonist school at Alexandria in about 400.

Patriarch Cyril of Alexandria: Christian Mafia Leader

A Egyptian-born Greek, she was, quite unfortunately, born in a time where a complex brew of religious wrangling and secular learning were waging an underground war. The murderous hordes of pious Christians, under the leadership of the thug-like Patriarch Cyril of Alexandria, were plotting to drive the likes of Hypatia and her "heretic" lot out of the Roman Empire. Cyril's aim was to ultimately create a puritan society with Christianity as the sole, official religion of Alexandria, and ultimately the Roman Empire.

One of the earliest recorded woman in the field of mathematics, astrology and astronomy, Hypatia's extensive background in education, plus her connections with the Library of Alexandria, meant that she was always the subject of controversy.

In addition, Hypatia's somewhat open and vocal support for the Prefect Orestes further earned her the ire of Cyril. A secular man who scoffed at Cyril's tyrannic ways, Orestes did not take a liking to Christianity's encroachment of secular affairs and governance (Sounds familiar???).

& so it was, that events took a turn for the worst, and in tandem with the nature of Christianity, opposition is always dealt with the most barbaric, treacherous manner: Death.

Death of Hypatia, Decline of Alexandria

Cyril's disdain for Hypatia and her "pagan" teachings reached boiling point: In A.D 415, as Hypatia was taking a ride on her carriage from lecture hall to her home, she was waylaid, dragged to a nearby church, where mob-rule took control. She was stripped, beaten and hacked into pieces by a pious, loving crowd of Christians, who, in spite of their overzealousness, did not forget to burn all remains and traces of her dismembered body.

This terrible tragedy was chronicled by church historian Socrates Scholasticus, who wrote in his Ecclessiatical History:

Yet even she fell a victim to the political jealousy which at that time prevailed. For as she had frequent interviews with Orestes, it was calumniously reported among the Christian populace, that it was she who prevented Orestes from being reconciled to the bishop. Some of them therefore, hurried away by a fierce and bigoted zeal, whose ringleader was a reader named Peter, waylaid her returning home, and dragging her from her carriage, they took her to the church called Caesareum, where they completely stripped her, and then murdered her with tiles. After tearing her body in pieces, they took her mangled limbs to a place called Cinaron, and there burnt them. This affair brought not the least opprobrium, not only upon Cyril, but also upon the whole Alexandrian church. And surely nothing can be farther from the spirit of Christianity than the allowance of massacres, fights, and transactions of that sort. This happened in the month of March during Lent, in the fourth year of Cyril's episcopate, under the tenth consulate of Honorius, and the sixth of Theodosius [AD 415].

With the murder of Hypatia, Alexandria began to fall into a precipitous decline, as waves of scholars, fearful for themselves after witnessing the ignominious death of one of Alexandria's brightest, left Alexandria for fear of their own safety. Alexandria had, with the actions and jealous whims of one religion and a crazy cleric, lost her place as the chief center of learning.

For his part in the murder, Cyril was venerated by latter generations of pious Christians: He was declared a doctor of the Universal Church in 1882.

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Religion: A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy???

With its rich history of book burning and murder, Christianity, like Islam, has an incredibly huge amount of unspeakable deeds to answer for: Unfortunately, the Church's victims are long dead, and they are allowed to run roughshod, scott free for much of two millennial.

As Jebus prophesies accurately, without ambiguity:


"Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword." (Matthew 10:34)

Christianity and murder: Blood-brothers in arms. A chilling thought indeed.

Walking the Tight Rope: Apostate Muslims Fighting For their Right To Non-Belief

Ehsan Jami, founder of "Committee for Ex-Muslims"

For ex-Christians such as myself, the idea of apostasy has never been a life-threatening issue. While fence-sitting, backsliding Christians do have a tight time struggling between the choice of dogma and free thought, Christianity, in sum, has become secularized by four centuries of the Renaissance and The Enlightenment Age: The Catholic Church, once indispensable in European politics, is now a pale shadow of its former self, expending much of its resources resolving lawsuits filed by paedophile victims against their wayward priests. When the Church isn't having its hands full with these lawsuits, its head honcho, the indomitable Darth Vader Pope pops out of his shell from time to time making next-to-useless comments against abortions, Science and other devilishly secular issues.

That cannot be said of Islam, however: Harsh, rigid religious quotes, adhered by fundamentalists and religiously indoctrinated mullahs, apply the Syariah strictly to the letter, and are not inclined to indulge in mere religious moderation.

Apostasy, a rather blameless brand labeled for people who have decided to abandon their religion, is the religious equivalent of treason, and like all monotheistic religions, Islam imposes extremely harsh penalties upon apostates:

Sura 4: 88-89 reads: "Whosoever turns back from his belief, openly or secretly, take him and kill him wheresoever ye find him, like any other infidel. Separate yourself from him altogether. Do not accept intercession in his regard."

Cold-blooded murder is the penultimate punishment for infidels, and in the eyes of Islam, the deed of apostasy warrants the punishment. Being a Muslim is a brand that sticks for life: If you are born into a Muslim, you do not get to choose your identity. You must adhere to Islam and its tenets till your very last breath.

And that is exactly what a bunch of Muslim apostates in Holland is trying to defy, which, in my opinion, requires bucket loads of almost knightly bravery:


Sep 10 2007: Young Muslims begin dangerous fight for the right to abandon faith
by Times Online, David Charter

A group of young Muslim apostates launches a campaign today, the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on America, to make it easier to renounce Islam. The provocative move reflects a growing rift between traditionalists and a younger generation raised on a diet of Dutch tolerance. The Committee for Ex-Muslims promises to campaign for freedom of religion but has already upset the Islamic and political Establishments for stirring tensions among the million-strong Muslim community in the Netherlands. Ehsan Jami, the committee's founder, who rejected Islam after the attack on the twin towers in 2001, has become the most talked-about public figure in the Netherlands. He has been forced into hiding after a series of death threats and a recent attack. The threats are taken seriously after the murder in 2002 of Pim Fortuyn, an antiimmigration politician, and in 2004 of Theo Van Gogh, an antiIslam film-maker. Speaking to The Times at a secret location before the committee's launch today, the Labour Party councillor said that the movement would declare war on radical Islam. Similar organisations campaigning for reform of the religion have sprung up across Europe and representatives from Britain and Germany will join the launch in The Hague today. "Sharia schools say that they will kill the ones who leave Islam. In the West people get threatened, thrown out of their family, beaten up," Mr Jami said. "In Islam you are born Muslim. You do not even choose to be Muslim. We want that to change, so that people are free to choose who they want to be and what they want to believe in.

Apparently, rapid secularization has begun to dawn upon the next generation of Muslim youths, that theology and theocracy are viruses of both the mind and politics respectively. A commendable deed, for the threat against apostates is definitely not mere lip service.

On the anniversary of 911, I feel that it is time for us, as secular citizens, to reflect upon the disastrous consequences of religion and its devastating effect it has, both in our minds and our physical well-being. Instead of dwelling in stupid piety and joining the Bush Administration's wacky "Remembrance Prayer" bullshit, perhaps it is time for us, especially atheists, to stand up and scream in unison: "Enough is enough". No more kowtowing to fundamentalists. No more whitewashing of Islam with the"Islam is a religion of peace" bullshit and start staring into the eye of the problem: Religion is a primary source of terror and unsolicited violence.

And who better than these Dutch apostates to start the ball rolling?

Murder With The Stamp of God: Alleged Homosexual Killed In Cold Blood - Who's Next?

Very often, our Christian brethren, buoyed somewhat by the slew of barbaric, atrocious spat of beheading foreign workers and soldiers by their more "stoic" Taliban and Al-Qaeda counterparts, have found cause to heap Islam as a "religion of evil", without realizing or acknowledging the fact that Christianity is just as blood-thirsty and deluded as the religion of the Arabs.

The spate of anti-homosexual campaigns, based largely on some ominous, blood-curdling verses in the obnoxious bible, makes it crystal clear as with regards to the state and final solution to the ignominious fate of homosexuals:

"If a man lies with a male as with a women, both of them shall be put to death for their abominable deed; they have forfeited their lives." -Leviticus 20:13

"For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet." - Romans 1:26-27

Naturally, one assumes that, as pious, godly Christians, it is their supreme duty to "do away" with such reprobates, evil doers of the most obnoxious kind. And that was exactly what this godly, divinely-inspired man-of-god did, in the good old-fashioned way: Murder.

Excerpts (In Blue):
July 15, 2007, 12:34AM
Murder suspect says he was doing God's work
By PAIGE HEWITT
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle

Cypress man is being held in the June death of flight attendant

A Cypress man charged in the death of a Southwest Airlines flight attendant said Saturday that he was doing God's work when he went to a Montrose-area bar last month, hunting for a gay man to kill.

"I believe I'm Elijah, called by God to be a prophet," said 26-year-old Terry Mark Mangum, charged with murder June 11. " ... I believe with all my heart that I was doing the right thing."

Interviewed in the Brazoria County Jail Saturday morning, Mangum said he feels no remorse for killing 46-year-old Kenneth Cummings Jr., whom relatives described as a "loving" son who never forgot a holiday and a devoted uncle who had set up college funds for his niece and nephew. He worked at Southwest for 24 years.

Mangum, who described himself as "definitely not a homosexual," said God called on him to "carry out a code of retribution" by killing a gay man because "sexual perversion" is the "worst sin."

Mangum believed Cummings to be gay.

"I planned on sending him to hell," he said.

It is all god-damned sickening, my dear readers. Here is a man who is a veritable contributor to society, holds a pretty decent job as a flight attendant, an extremely charitable man who even manages to set up education funds for a niece and a nephew, and for all the world of good he did, he was, in the eyes of this fucking stupid son-of-a-bitch Christian killer (For ye Christian folks who are going to use your "oh he is not a true Christian" pretense, I am not about to let you fuckers get away with this: fuck you!), a man who deserved to be knifed to death with a 6-inch blade and dumped in a shallow grave. Not even a marking on his grave! Nothing deserving for a great, loving guy who has committed a crime of.........er.....let's see.........nothing!

Oh yes, it was a great job this Mangum did. He certainly didn't feel remorseful, that's for sure. Ironically, but surely, he felt love: deep, passionate love, but pity it wasn't really for the flight attendant he had so cold-heartedly murdered and dumped carelessly in a shallow grave (he felt so cool about it, he didn't even bother to dig a deeper grave, for fucking Jesus' sake!!!).

"It's not that I'm a bad dude," he said, expressing concern that people might view him as "strange." Pausing briefly, he said, "I love God."

What an extremely loving and passionate God! Obviously, Mangum's been reading too much of the psychotically-inspired "Word of Gawd". Otherwise, how could he have impersonated Elijah, with his fire-brand hatred and all against gays? And the best thing yet: The bible justifies his actions by explaining very explicitly that those vile creatures who gave in to their lust had to be justified with only one outcome: Death.

How inspiring. I wonder what those bible-thumping fools of the Lord who preach their anti-gay antics teach their folks these days. Sure, they can even "moderate" their preachings to suit secular opinion, but hey, the bible is very succinct with its stand on gays: Their lives are automatically "forfeited".

Who's Next on The List???

One of the genuinely sublime features of the good old Word of Gawd is that, when blood and murder are on the cards, very few stones are usually left unturned.

If you belong to these categories of folks, you might just want to watch your back: You might be next on the religious hit list:

Top Ten List of Must-Kills, as Mandated by the Good Book:

1. Witches
You should not let a sorceress live. (Exodus 22:17)

2. Homosexuals
"If a man lies with a male as with a women, both of them shall be put to death for their abominable deed; they have forfeited their lives." (Leviticus 20:13 )

3. Fortunetellers
A man or a woman who acts as a medium or fortuneteller shall be put to death by stoning; they have no one but themselves to blame for their death. (Leviticus 20:27)

4. Adulterers
If a man commits adultery with another man's wife, both the man and the woman must be put to death. (Leviticus 20:10)

5. Fornicators
A priest's daughter who loses her honor by committing fornication and thereby dishonors her father also, shall be burned to death. (Leviticus 21:9 )

6. Nonbelievers (Inclusive of those who do not believe in Christianity)
They entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and soul; and everyone who would not seek the Lord, the God of Israel, was to be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman. (2 Chronicles 15:12-13 )

7. False Prophets
If a man still prophesies, his parents, father and mother, shall say to him, "You shall not live, because you have spoken a lie in the name of the Lord." When he prophesies, his parents, father and mother, shall thrust him through. (Zechariah 13:3 )

8. Female non-Virgins on Wedding Nights (I think that includes virgin asses too.)
But if this charge is true (that she wasn't a virgin on her wedding night), and evidence of the girls virginity is not found, they shall bring the girl to the entrance of her fathers house and there her townsman shall stone her to death, because she committed a crime against Israel by her unchasteness in her father's house. Thus shall you purge the evil from your midst. (Deuteronomy 22:20-21 )

9. Death for Blasphemy
One day a man who had an Israelite mother and an Egyptian father got into a fight with one of the Israelite men. During the fight, this son of an Israelite woman blasphemed the LORD's name. So the man was brought to Moses for judgment. His mother's name was Shelomith. She was the daughter of Dibri of the tribe of Dan. They put the man in custody until the LORD's will in the matter should become clear. Then the LORD said to Moses, "Take the blasphemer outside the camp, and tell all those who heard him to lay their hands on his head. Then let the entire community stone him to death. Say to the people of Israel: Those who blaspheme God will suffer the consequences of their guilt and be punished. Anyone who blasphemes the LORD's name must be stoned to death by the whole community of Israel. Any Israelite or foreigner among you who blasphemes the LORD's name will surely die. (Leviticus 24:10-16)

10. Sons of Sinners
Make ready to slaughter his sons for the guilt of their fathers; Lest they rise and posses the earth, and fill the breadth of the world with tyrants. (Isaiah 14:21)

Makes one feel warm and fuzzy all over, doesn't it?