Jesus was at the temple. A crowd gathered. Jesus spoke to them. As he was speaking the Jewish leaders and Pharisees brought a man to him. They said to Jesus “Teacher, this man has committed rape. The Law of Moses says to kill him. What do you say?”
Jesus replied “Let the rape victim cast the first stone.”
People were surprised. Peter asked “Master, you allowed a woman caught in adultery to live by saying let him who has not sinned cast the first stone. Now you want the rape victim to cast the first stone and the rapist to die.”
Jesus replied “Adultery is a sin. Rape is a crime.”
The Jewish leaders and Pharisees took away the rapist to be stoned. The rape victim came and said to Jesus “Teacher, I am very happy at what you said. Many said you will allow the rapist to go. They were wrong. Moses said an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. For rape proper punishment is cutting off the penis of the rapist.”
Thomas asked the woman “What is your name?”
She replied “Dinah.”
After the woman left James, Son of Zebedee, asked Jesus “Master, you once said you have heard an eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth. But I say to you if anyone slaps you on right cheek show him left cheek. You did not say anything to Dinah. Why?”
Jesus replied “You forgot something else I said.”
“What was that?”
“If your right eye causes you to lust gouge it out and throw it away. Better for part of you to be destroyed than for all of you to be cast into hell. If your right hand causes it to sin cut it off and throw it away. Better for part of you to be destroyed than for all of you to be cast into hell.”
The above imaginary incident shows what would have been Jesus Christ’s response to a question on punishment for rape. I have chosen the name Dinah because that is the name of Jacob’s daughter who was raped. That is the first instance of rape in the Bible. Second instance is of Tamar, daughter of David, by her half-brother Amnon.
As per Leviticus 20/10 both man and woman should have been put to death for committing adultery. The Jewish leaders and Pharisees did not bring the man who committed adultery. The reason is not given. May be he escaped. Jesus saved the woman.
When Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights he was hungry. We have the instance of devil quoting scripture. The devil took Jesus to roof of the Temple of Jerusalem and said “If you are the Son of Man jump off. For the Scriptures declare, God will send his angels to keep you from harm. They will prevent you from smashing on the rocks below.” Jesus replied “It is also written in the Scriptures, Thou shall not test the Lord your God.”
Today there are many who quote Scripture to oppose suitable punishment for rape. They say we are civilized people; we cannot have an eye for an eye. They oppose death penalty, castration, life imprisonment for rape. Some even say 20 years imprisonment is too harsh punishment for rape. These people should know what Jesus said about gouging the right eye and cutting off the right hand. They should stop selective quoting of Scripture.
Death penalty or castration for rape is in accordance with the teaching of Christ. He had said if anyone causes little ones to sin a millstone should be hung around his neck and he should be thrown into the sea.
Jesus condemned scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy. Journalists are known as scribes. There are journalists and activists who are on the side of rapists and find excuses and justifications for rape. There are lawyers who have defended rapists and judges who have been lenient to rapists. What would have Jesus said to them? He would have said something as below:
“Woe to you scribes and activists, hypocrites. You pretend to be on the side of rape victims but you are on the side of rapists. Your discussions are a sham meant to hoodwink people and exonerate rapists.
Woe to you scribes and activists, hypocrites. You blame patriarchy for rape. Patriarchy is a system in which man is the head of the family. What has patriarchy to do with rape?
Woe to you scribes and activists, hypocrites. You talk of changing mindsets in cases of rape. You do not talk of changing mindsets when other crimes are committed.
Woe to you scribes and activists, hypocrites. You say people who demand death penalty for rape and murder are bloodthirsty. Hypocrites, it is you who are bloodthirsty. You are not satisfied with the number of murders that have taken place. You want more murders. You lie that death penalty is not a deterrent. Every death penalty deters three to eighteen murders depending on how soon or late the murderer is put to death.
Woe to you self-styled human rights activists and women’s rights activists, hypocrites. You are on the side of murderers, rapists, abductors, hijackers, kidnappers and all sorts of criminals. You are not on the side of victims. You plead for mercy for criminals. You do not help victims.
Woe to you lawyers, hypocrites. You defend rapists. You say one is presumed innocent till proved guilty. It is for courts to decide on guilt or innocence. Hypocrites, would you have said the same if the rape victim had been your mother, wife, sister, daughter, or a family member? The curses and tears of rape victims will destroy you.
Woe to you judges, hypocrites. You acquit rapists on flimsy grounds or are lenient to them and give light punishment. Hypocrites, would you have done the same if the rape victim had been your mother, wife, sister, daughter, or a family member? The curses and tears of rape victims will destroy you.
Woe to you judges, hypocrites. You reduce death sentences to life sentences. You admit petitions of murderers whose mercy petitions President has rejected. You have reduced death penalty to rarest of rare cases and even in those cases you stop carrying out death penalty. The curses and tears of family members of victims will destroy you.
Woe to you who call yourselves liberal and tolerant, hypocrites. You are most illiberal and intolerant. You defend books, films and paintings that hurt religious sentiments in the name of freedom of speech and expression but want a ban on item numbers. You express surprise that mothers dance with their children to item numbers. Hypocrites, have your heads examined.”
Those who think Jesus would not have used such words should read Chapter 23 of the Gospel according to Matthew. They should also remember that he drove out merchants and overturned the tables of money changers at the Temple.
after reading part of this, I would ask only one question.. “Are not the text and words imagined to have been spoken the Christ, just imagined after all?” I haven’t read the text, else I would have found out by myself.