Why context doesn’t matter for holy book atrocities

Keep this one at hand for the next time some apologist goober tries to excuse some of the horrendous material in a given holy book by claiming that it was taken out of context:

‘Kittens In A Barrel’ [by Jonathan Rosenberg @ 03/13/12] | Scenes From A Multiverse [full size (720×732)]

My transcript: (click the [+/-] to open/close →)

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CHARACTER 1: How can you call your religion moral? Puppy murder, right there, page one.

CHARACTER 2: You have to read it in context.

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CHAR. 1: The context states that puppy murder is more spiritually rewarding than kitten rape but you need not practice one at the exclusion of the other.

CHAR. 2: Maybe there’s a wider context.

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CHAR. 1: The wider context is a detailed discussion of best practices for proper training and storage of the kittens to maintain maximum durability.

CHAR. 2: Let’s go narrower this time.

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CHAR. 1: Do you want to give me a list of select words we should focus on?

CHAR. 2: Just scan the page until you hit something about virgins or exchanging gifts.

It doesn’t matter that Yahweh told X people to lay waste to Y people’s babies in the context of a thousands-years-old war or whatever. The point is that Yahweh ordered someone to commit atrocious acts. Context simply doesn’t matter when your supposed supreme being is shown either to be breathlessly evil, or to have no interest in anyone’s well-being either way.

(via Friendly Atheist)

Tags: Scenes From A Multiverse • God • holy books