Jesus Said It #05 and Atheist Starter Kit #04

Here's Ray Comfort's fourth item on his list of hints for the new atheist.

4. You can also deal with the "whoever looks on a woman to lust for her, has committed adultery with her already in his heart," by saying that there is no evidence that Jesus existed. None.

I think it's interesting that Ray didn't provide "Book Chapter:Verse" when quoting Jesus. I'm really suprized that he didn't. Here's the pertinent scripture reference.

Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. Matthew 5:27-28

Well Ray, There are several ways I deal with this verse, but denying that Jesus ever existed is not one of them.

Ray also posted this verse as an atheist memory verse on his blog. The 14th comment in the thread is mine.

It's one of my favorite verses. No longer are you guilty for actually commiting a sin, you're guilty for having a passing thought about sinning.

Consider how harsh this statement is. When Jesus said this, people were being stoned to death for commiting adultery. IOW, he may have been implying that just by thinking about a bueatiful [sic (my bad)] woman, you could be worthy of death.

Of course, Jesus may not have been implying this. The scripture does not say. What is important is that with this statement, Jesus introduced a "thought crime." IMO, Thought crimes are against your personal freedoms and are impossible to enforce.

Better to just repeal any thought crime and just concentrate on the things that people actually do. It's much easier to prove that something was done than to prove that something was thought about.

Of course, I had a few replies to that. Mostly claiming that God has the right to judge you for your thoughts because he knows your thoughts. (sigh)

Thought crimes are victimless crimes. Nobody is actually hurt. If you don't act upon your thought, why should it matter?

I'll close this post with some more absurdity from the Bible. The next two verses from Matthew.

And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. Matthew 5:29-30

I'll talk about these verses in a later post.