Sara Pascoe reads a hilarious letter asking for clarity on God's Law

At the turn of the century, the following letter was sent to Dr. Laura, a US radio personality who regularly and publicly deemed homosexuality to be a “mistake of nature.” A copy of the letter soon reached the masses, and now we bring it to you.
Comedian and writer Sara Pascoe joined us to read it at Letters Live at London's Royal Albert Hall in March 2023.
© J Kent Ashcroft

[@julietwochholz9755]

Humor is such a sharp weapon.

[@PYDPIPER]

Especially when certain people see the source as fact :P

[@Ronnie-us8du]

@@PYDPIPER What?

[@sjs9698]

​@@Ronnie-us8duunless I have severely mistaken events, the meaning is that many people reguard the bible (or some other 'holy' book) as being absolute truth & that pointing out some of the wild shit they proudly proclaim to believe - often while having no idea about it - is fun.

[@HarryNicNicholas]

@@sjs9698 i don't think ezekiel 23:14 gets enough air time, the bible ought to have a parental guidance sticker, here's a taster: 14 But she carried her whoring further. She saw men portrayed on the wall, the images of the Chaldeans portrayed in vermilion, 15 wearing belts on their waists, with flowing turbans on their heads, all of them having the appearance of officers, a likeness of Babylonians whose native land was Chaldea. 16 When she saw them, she lusted after them and sent messengers to them in Chaldea. 17 And the Babylonians came to her into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their whoring lust. it gets better. soemthing about hung romans and emissions. that youtube won't approve of.

[@OublietteTight]

Perfect. The letter, the delivery and the comical twists. But, I need these answers ASAP, because apparently the world is about to end... again. Please announce the answers so we can all get our ritual killings finished before the Apocalypse?

[@saschamayer4050]

Do you think the apocalypse will be worse than normal if we're not finished in time? 🤔

[@trudycolborne2371]

​@@saschamayer4050Oh yes. At least twice as bad as usual.

[@saschamayer4050]

@@trudycolborne2371 Oh no! What now? 😱 Let's put on the golden hat and pray!

[@Ariel1S]

Get a Mishana and study it, it has the answers to the questions, with discussions on specifics. You'll probably need an annotated version, otherwise it will be a bit hard for a beginner to understand.

[@bipolarrambling242]

Fun game: each time it shows the audience, pause and find the angry Christian.

[@boomslangCA]

I was thinking the same thing. It reminds me of the old story by Hilaire Belloc that ends 'And outside the fire we are watched by large and awful faces from beyond, and on those faces, there is no smile.' Quite terrifying especially the women.

[@michaelfourie345]

Nothing makes Christians more upset than when their own holy book is quoted to them :)

[@TukikoTroy]

Interesting to remember that everything the infamous Westboro Baptist Church said came directly from The Bible. Love 'em or hate 'em the Westboro Baptist Church absolutely nailed The Bible... If ever there were a question about who are the true Christians, you have to give that accolade to the Westboro Baptist Church.

[@michaelfourie345]

@@TukikoTroy I absolutely agree! You really can't argue with it - not rationally anyway. It shows Christianity in it's raw, unbridled - and utterly obscene form. (Not a popular opinion😄)

[@englishsteve1465]

@@michaelfourie345 Indeed it does. It is my sad lament that mankind is not long past these ridiculous inventions. It baffles and annoys me in equal measure that some people still cling to these preposterous notions, that the unscrupulous use to take advantage and that surely cause more suffering than good by a very large margin. (Saints preserve us !)

[@carrotcake9408]

Some folk in the audience are raging 😂

[@georgiahogue8588]

Yes. I saw that too. Why did they even go?

[@catnaplappdx5001]

Lot of stone faces for a British audience out for a laugh. And why don't they make a fuss about blended fabrics?

[@georgiahogue8588]

@@catnaplappdx5001 Right?

[@Epicurus341]

@@catnaplappdx5001 Kind of weird because in the UK it's not uncommon for the craziest aspects of Christianity to be mocked regularly on mainstream TV. Still, I take heart that most of the audience were laughing. FWIW, the UK 2021 census showed less Christians (down to 46%) and more atheists (up to 37%).

[@timdowney6721]

@@catnaplappdx5001 Because, of course, their hair-shirts are from different beasts.

[@jensjensen2306]

This letter was sent to Dr. Laura in May 2000. Writers for "The West Wing" courageously borrowed lines from it for an episode titled "The Midterms," which aired in October of that year. Now, in 2024, it still bears repeating. Kudos to Sarah Pascoe and "Letters Live"! Here is the story. According to Shaun Usher, "In May of 2000, a musician from Maryland named Kent Ashcraft wrote the...letter and sent it, anonymously, to Dr. Laura Schlessinger, a radio host who, whilst offering listeners advice on her show, had regularly and publicly deemed homosexuality to be a 'mistake of nature' according to Leviticus 18:22. No reply was forthcoming. However, a copy was also sent to a friend of Ashcraft, who shared it online, and before long the letter was everywhere. It even reached the inbox of Aaron Sorkin, who used some of it on an episode of The West Wing, for which Ashcraft eventually received payment."

[@RS8XB]

I remember the episode and the lady who didn't stand for the president

[@GillyWhitfootHaysend]

That's where I recall some of the phrasing! Cool

[@JamesBannon-fz6qo]

I was wondering why it sounded so familiar.

[@lilbirdztube3698]

She who claims to stand for her principles has since changed her mind and accepted that homosexuality is not a choice. It's the way God made people. She now admits she uses her "choose wisely, treat kindly" from something a gay person wrote. Hypocrisy or enlightened self-interest?

[@Raz.C]

Even if it IS a mistake of nature, wouldn't that be concrete evidence that her "God" is incompetent? He couldn''t even create a non-faulty "nature?" How badly is "He" going to fuck up the complex biochemistry of living beings in the Animal kingdom??

[@SweetCarolineBAMBAMBAM]

She has the perfect voice for Letters Live😊❤

[@Detrumpificator4377]

I loved this so much I had to listen to it twice and will share with my fellow Pastafarians in the church of the flying spaghetti monster.

[@lancer525]

R'Amen, my noodly friend...

[@sansovino4124]

See this is where you Pastafarians go wrong.The flying spaghetti monster is just a demon in disguise. All bow down to the voracious (but forgiving) vermicelli and his 12 meatballs.

[@Detrumpificator4377]

@@sansovino4124 I'm concluding that this video upset you, based on who you're subscribed to. May The Church of the flying spaghetti monster expand your curiosity which is what you need to break out of the fallacious thinking you're experiencing.

[@timdowney6721]

⁠@@sansovino4124 No, Saints Cous and Cous are the Chosen Grains.

[@krashd]

We slaptised our youngest recently, I was so nervous about missing him with the slice of cheese but the lord guided it through the air from my hand to his face. He is of the faith now.

[@ConstanzeWeber]

I'm doing English Literature dissertation at the moment, you've no idea how serendipitously helpful this was!! Who says procrastination doesn't pay!?

[@dennisstrahm4309]

Who knew the Bible was such a comedic gold mine 😂

[@douglasburnside]

Any number of people who became atheists after reading it.

[@MomIrregardless]

most of us! LOL

[@barryscott6222]

But... like a gold mine, you have to move a mountain of dross to get to the good bits. I don't have the patience.

[@palaceofwisdom9448]

There's a reason why the church only teaches about 20% of it.

[@SlimThrull]

Pretty much anyone that's ever read it.

[@lisaboban]

This channel continues to be the best!

[@57thorns]

Realising that "turn of the century" is not 1899/1900 but 2000 makes me feel old.

[@JiveDadson]

2000/2001. (There was no year zero.)

[@ApproximatelyCee]

Awesome. Very well read. And funny as all get-out.

[@boshmow3600]

I would paddle from Texas to England if I could meet Sara Pascoe. 😊

[@mictache]

Do it and you will!

[@jackielinde7568]

QUESTION: WHO would you PADDLE on your journey from Texas to England. And are we talking about a direct red-eye flight from DFW to London-Heathrow or are you going by cruse ship? (Please don't say Southwest Airlines.) And will the paddling be constant, or will there be breaks for snacks and bathrooms? I'd imagine your hand and their bum would need a rest periodically. And finally, would this be someone who has consented to being paddled or are we talking about some court ordered corporal punishment? (And shouldn't we ask those on the plane and/or ship if they consent to be riding in the same vehicle as you and the potential paddled?

[@groMMit1981]

Nurse! Nurse! ​ @jacklinde7568 is on the loose again

[@EthelbertCoyote]

That right there is a lot of optimism about the people who like be spanked between those 2 locations. I am not saying you are wrong, but rather "Hands across America" is already legally trademarked and I wonder how you would get the marketing done with that. Never the less good luck with your trip and mind the skincare of your hands as chaffing may be an issue.

[@cartoonraccoon2078]

@@jackielinde7568 Wow. Such effort for a weak dad joke.

[@neilwilson5785]

Half the people I know in England are stoned regularly, but are still alive.

[@user-pw6ei2mn7x]

👏👏👏🍀🍀🍀

[@TampaDave]

I have stoned a lot of people personally. I feel certain they all were probably Sinners. But I have gotten stoned many more times. Does that move me ahead in the queue for Glory? Excuse me, I have stoned more sinners than you have, I'm moving in front of you.

[@sarahcourtney8066]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 unable to sleep at four o’clock in the morning, your comment made me laugh and cheered me up !

[@saschamayer4050]

Is that what the bible was talking about? I'm a bit confused know. Will I be persecuted by god if I did the stonings wrong, but with good intentions?

[@TampaDave]

@@saschamayer4050 Jesus said what matters is what was in your heart, so as long as you were lovingly stoning other people ("sinners") it is all towards glory in the Forever After. No less of a man than the Great Prophet Dylan said "Everybody must get stoned."

[@bostonpops33]

Oh my GOD. This is my favorite one yet.

[@deborahgordon897]

Takes me back, I remember when this first made the rounds. Still funny, and pointed, since homophobia is rearing its ugly head in NZ at the moment. We didn't have Sara Pascoe though, gold!

[@tinaperez7393]

New Zealand?! You're all supposed to be much more logical and progressive over there! 😩

[@craigmore3433]

Dear Sarah Pascoe. Should I post a link to this Letters Live in my conservative families WhatsApp group?

[@bearo8]

That depends: are you dependent on any of them (financial or other aid) or wish to come to future family functions (weddings, birthdays) if not then yes, you should absolutely post this in the family group chat

[@margaretcaine4219]

Yes definitely! It will do them a world of good. I just love those "But the gospels say" types.......

[@deborahcombs1631]

Sure, what could it hurt? ;)

[@jeanhawken4482]

The irony of it is so hilarious. Wonderful presentation

[@christophercooper6731]

Ironically, the word irony has been misused for so long and so often it is indeed now a synonym of sarcasm.

[@timtruett5184]

The word you were looking for is not irony.

[@pineapplepenumbra]

@@timtruett5184 You can't just leave it at that, you've got to say what the correct word is.

[@Ronnie-us8du]

@@pineapplepenumbra ridiculousness is a more appropriate word there.

[@pineapplepenumbra]

@@Ronnie-us8du I'm not sure which angle you're coming from. Are you saying that the biblical nonsense is ridiculous, or that the criticism of it is ridiculous?

[@migratory.114]

sara knocked it out the park with this reading!

[@terryhayward7905]

This letter is just so brilliant. It is something that I have to find a copy of when the next religious person asks why I am an atheist.

[@JZsBFF]

There's a button in the "show more" section that guides you to the transcript. That's a good start?

[@HALLish-jl5mo]

It's not really an argument against religion though is it? Nothing in this letter is evidence for or against God. It's evidence that God is extremely immoral, and it's a good reason to be terrified of anyone who believes, but it isn't reason to believe or not believe.

[@themortician3186]

​@HALLish-jl5mo Well there's no evidence for his existence, and the evidence against is indirect. This letter serves more as a "The reason I'm an atheists is because you invite me into your "loving" religion, which is actually a cult worshipping a divine dictator.

[@HALLish-jl5mo]

@@themortician3186 But that WOULD NOT make you an atheist. Nobody doesn’t believe in infectious disease just because they wish it wasn’t real. Everything in the letter makes god out to be evil, which would make a Christian into someone who believes but does not worship god, and an atheist into an atheist who’s scared for Christians.

[@Ariel1S]

As someone who can answer those questions, trust me, it's not brilliant. The questions are easily answered by a grade school Jewish student. It was clearly written by someone very ignorant of Jewish law, who thinks they understand what they read, but is missing all the background knowledge.

[@butchbinion1560]

Thanks, great job. ✌🏻👊🏼

[@Reason1717]

I made a copy of this letter many years back, I often look back upon it for guidance. As I am determined to own a Canada! There just so nice, everyone will want one soon.

[@Canuckmom128]

As soon as she started that Question I knew where we were heading. That’s why we are often referred to as “the nice people who live in the apartment above the Crack House”. And sorry, but you can’t own us, however, being the nice folks that we are, some of us MAY be available for a short-term rental 😂✌️🇨🇦 I have to admit, while she was reading I kept thinking…”A MAGA Cultist would hear this and think: “ Ya…what’s your point?”. 🤦🏻‍♀️🤯😱

[@Reason1717]

@@Canuckmom128 , As a guy who lives near Canada and travels there often. I always brag about two things: 1- Canada is way cleaner (street wise, walk ways) than U.S. and 2- The people are just way kinder and friendlier. Sure not in all ways. But to me Canada is doing something right :) And sure if I was a Christian I want to "own" the libs. But alas my days of believing in Hebrew Fairy tales is long past.

[@HarryNicNicholas]

@@Canuckmom128 i don't see either of you making any sense.

[@TampaDave]

@@Reason1717 Maybe you should settle for a Puerto Rican, since their country doesn't actually abut ours. But to everyone who has a Mexican in virtual wage slavery, this is a warning: the Bible will be coming to get you!

[@benjones4365]

What I like best about this video is the stern facies in the crowd. I think they would have walked out but did not want to cause a scene.

[@tremaincheerful4189]

They are "being good". But it always comes out later.

[@kristenrosales2919]

Absolutely brilliant!!

[@mystuff9999]

Imagine we didn’t have Leviticus to teach us right from wrong!

[@HarryNicNicholas]

and there would be no jeans either.

[@markorollo.]

you can spot the bible bashers in the audience, theyre the ones surrounded by steam....

[@doedecaheedron]

Too many straight faces in that crowd 😮... the laughter at the end was reassuring 😊

[@SiqueScarface]

@@doedecaheedronStraight faces? You should never perform in front of a German audience then. They might not even flash a smile during the whole act, but after the show someone might come to you and tell you, you were hilarious, and they had to put all effort in not to laugh out loudly during the show.

[@MisterItchy]

Sulphur and brimstone, more like.

[@michaeleberly7351]

Can you believe that some people think that we get our moral values from our religion rather than from thoughtful contemplation about the concepts of fairness and equity while guided by our reasoning as it is influenced by our conscience and to a lesser degree the prevailing mores of the society we inhabit?

[@krashd]

Yeah, that has to be the most ignorant thing Christians can say to someone, "If you don't believe in God how can you know right from wrong?" I tend to just walk away if I get hit with that question.

[@michaeleberly7351]

@@krashd The very worst thing is the lie regarding the idea of hell, which they cruelly tell to children in order to psychologically control them. Those of us lucky enough to have the moral courage to recognize this as a lie and to see the world more like it really is feel like the character who escapes the cave from Plato’s allegory of the cave.

[@LlywellynOBrien]

I think you are wildly over optimistic about human moral reasoning. Your notion of fairness and equality isn't even shared by most people today, let alone most humans throughout time. Denying the influence of Christianity on the default ethics of the West is just bad intellectual history apart from anything else. Read some Greek ethics (for all its brilliance) to find how foreign their ethical sensibilities now seem to us.

[@michaeleberly7351]

@@LlywellynOBrien We are aware that the world is filled with sociopaths, religion does NOTHING to obviate that reality, in fact, it allows these sociopaths to manipulate others. (I.e. televangelist’s who extort money out of fearful old women, priests who sexually predate on vulnerable children, etc)

[@maryallan453]

Yes.

[@pencilpauli9442]

Brilliant.

[@Tyke63360]

Excellent!

[@friedsoybean]

Thank you for bringing this letter to wider public. I am proud to live among such witty, sarcastic, and compassionate human like the letter writer. The power of written words, can cut sharp while still being polite 😂

[@ERJones-fd6oh]

Serious questions deserve serious answers,and then there's this.

[@johnrowland3105]

Interesting. Pretty sure i saw almost exactly this skit on an episode of the West Wing where President Bartlet schooled a right-wing Christian evangelical at the Whit House.

[@neilwilson5785]

Not much whit in that house.

[@klc4023]

That scene was based on this letter.

[@lancer525]

@@klc4023 Indeed it was. And now there's some moron going around Twitter (It will *always* be Twitter) making what he claims to be legit rebuttals to this, from the New Testament. They're roasting him... LOL

[@evertheless369]

Can anyone remember which episode this might be in?

[@catherinelindsay7437]

​@evertheless369 it's S2E3 - The Midterms

[@athanatic]

I made a wallet card of most of this years ago just in case a jesus person is getting really annoying.

[@magesalmanac6424]

You can get them to leave you alone faster by saying “hail Satan”

[@1midnightfish]

What a good idea

[@jeraldbaxter3532]

My favorite tactic is to ask, "So, human sacrifice - the Aztecs and Maya did it, the worshipers of Baal did it - what do you think?" Let them get really worked up and then casually mention Abraham and Isaac, then go in for the coup de gras and say, "So, what was the crucifixion of Jesus, then?" Sometimes they explode from the mental overload...😉

[@pineapplepenumbra]

@@jeraldbaxter3532 Don't forget Japhtha's daughter (I'd have to check on the spelling of his name). He made a vow to god that if he was successful in battle, he would sacrifice whoever came out of the door to greet him first, when he got home.

[@pauldavis3791]

True believers in Jesus would agree with you. None of this stuff comes from the New Testament.

[@irenemak1302]

Just the irony of it. When I was still a believer, the book of Leviticus I read more than once. Thank you, Sara, the backwardness of faith was revealed again. Wonderful. Thanks to the writer. Hilarious and all credits. Faithful or not.

[@TheKosstImogen]

I don't think my parents will ever find their way out like you did, but I just wanted to say that I'm happy for you at least and so gratified to see that it is possible. OK, enjoy your life! :)

[@the1khronohs40]

This was utterly brilliant and hilarious! 🤣🤣🤣

[@jonnawyatt]

It's easy to see the Christian apologists in the audience.

[@chazwyman]

I think we are all fed up with smiting. 12000 children dead, and the rest of the children being starved.

[@ef2718]

980,000 tons over 10 month for 2M people is 980,000,000kg /10months/30 days/2 million people=1.63kg per person daily. And it is not that the stores were empty in October, Gaza strip used to export agricultural products. Ask Hamas why in the years the spent preparing for the massacre and while building 500km of tunnels why they did not prepare shelters and food stores. My guess is that Hamas and cronies are storing the food donations in tunnels for future sale in the markets. FYI hundreds of truckloads are waiting at the border crossing, passed security and customs just waiting for pickup and delivery.

[@christhesmith]

Love me some Pascoe!!!!!🙂

[@mjurai]

Can’t emphasize just how much I love this lol 😂 love all her work

[@alistairboyd5770]

wow wow wow! I think that is enough wow for now. 😊 I won' t beat about the bush here, Simon. Another stunning offering from you, yet again.

[@wolf-bass]

Gray-haired woman with glasses is trying to figure out how to smite everyone else in the audience…

[@daemonhat]

lol there are some very unamused people in the audience and it makes me laugh.

[@raystaar]

Sara Pascoe is an international treasure. Why have you Brits sequestered her and why aren't you finding her more work?

[@matszz]

Love that you can spot the christians in the audicence from their sour looks. All of them want to scream "it's a new covenant!".

[@pineapplepenumbra]

But their screaming would be pointless, and "fulfilling the law" is a meaningless phrase, and Matthew 5:18 says that they should be following that mosaic nonsense, anyway (never mind thatMatthew 5:17 contradicts the following verse). Seriously, how carefully do these drongos read that sick book?

[@Jerhyn7]

Seven words to make the algorithms love you.

[@catherinegreen8440]

Brilliant!

[@janetbayford133]

Brilliant- sums up the hypocrisy and lunacy at the heart of organised religion

[@dwho3]

true but but we only seem to talk about one and not the other

[@howarddavies3744]

The people who aren't laughing, perhaps they are realising their faith may have a few holes being poked in it?

[@JoesWebPresence]

Not very well, or very honestly though Howard. That's not the law of God, it's the law of Leviticus, and not in any way applicable to our living faith. It's easy to poke fun at religion. A dead, corrupt man made thing, used for maintaining power and social conrtrol, and then conflate that sorry mess with God himself, or faith in God, as if those were the same things. It's a cheap shot we see every day, and we see people laugh and agree, as if their dismissal of insanely harsh religious edicts from three thousand years ago excuses their dismissal of God Himself and morality itself. If you had said "their RELIGION may have a few holes poked in it" you'd be right, and so it should be, but this wasn't aimed at any particular religion, it was aimed at God, and those with faith in God, as if Leviticus was still in effect. You know it isn't. You know that God's ten commandments are the central foundation of western civilisation. All our laws, rights and freedoms are based upon them. Those are God's law, not the 613 other edicts the Levites came up with.We live by these ten laws, and expect everyone to do the same. It's what all UK law is based on. Over tens of thousands of years, through the Vedas, the Buddha, Lao Tsu, Confucious, they all tried and failed to codify right action in society, and didn't come up with anything near them. If you disagree with any of God's laws, or have an alternative set of principles to propose then please do so. I'm assuming you don't, because nobody does. Oddly enough, the harsh edicts of Leviticus had a purpose in God's plan which you don't get, because you haven't read or understood it, but it's clearly laid out. They were supposed to teach a lesson. One we learned, but you'll never get, because you don't understand it and reject the teacher. Holding up this absurd out of place strawman, and trying to equate it with God's perfect unsurpassed law, is just what licentious people WOULD do, in order to avoid the rightful shame of being unrepentant sexual deviants. Yet God's law protects them too, even as they misrepresent it as ancient levitical law, and spit upon it while trying to make light of their fallen, sinful state.

[@howarddavies3744]

@@JoesWebPresence Why do you equate God with morality, you also say god but mean the judeo-christian one, what about all the thousands of other gods that have been proclaimed over the years? As well as assuming that morality cannot exist without their being some greater entity to threaten us if we don't do x,y,or z, you have also assumed I have no experience with religion which on the contrary I have. You also call your god a teacher, would that include genocide of all creatures not on the ark because they didn't do what god wanted, because that is a very human and petulant thing to do. The strawmen you claim are all in the bible as laws that must be obeyed but you seem to gloss over this but claim others have a sinful state, sin is a construct just like every scripture ever written, they are all works of man to control others.

[@JoesWebPresence]

That's religion you are describing@@howarddavies3744 I'm talking about Almighty God. The giver of the law, and that's not just a Judeo/Christian concept. The vedas were similarly concerned with deriving the will of the divine. They've all had a go. Buddha, Lao Tsu, Confucious. The ten commandments is the central foundation of western civilisation, for a VERY good reason, and neither of us could imagine or survive a world without it. As an exaple, people in China don't usually stop to help if they see a car crash because the story of the good Samaritain is not a part of their culture. Westerners find it horrific, but it's just absent of one parable. Can you seriously imagine a world where the ten commandments were never given? It's tragic to me that so many otherwise well educated people choose to remain willfully ignorant on these matters, especially the crucial difference between religion and faith. Religion is a dead thing. A man made artifice, used for cultural warfare and maintaining societal order, full of ritual observance and unquestioned dogma. On the other hand, faith is not mere blind faith as many assume, but a living, moment by moment faith relationship. Contrary to popular belief and religious dogma, the matter of God's existence is not some ultimately unknowable matter of conjecture. In Romans 8:16 it says His spirit will witness with yours. That's an open invitation for a direct experience of God. Deeper than any personal encounter and beyond any doubting. The maker of your soul offers to touch your soul in an unmistakable way to confirm what we dismiss as impossible. How many ever take that offer up? The instructions on how to achieve that can be found throughout the bible, seek and ye shall find, enter through the narrow gate, etc, and they are different for each of us, but I believe they are best summed up in Hebrews 11:6. He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. By all means be skeptical about religion. The religions you listed are all man made, corrupt and inherently evil, and Jesus Himself was fiercely anti-religious, but faith in God is not at all the same, and not, as many presume, some ultimately unknowable mystery. Sure, there's an initial leap of faith required, but if it is sincere, then that faith is rewarded, which encourages us to deliberately step out in faith, and again we are miraculously upheld, so we take another step, and another, and soon we are walking in faith in a relationship of love and trust with our creator. That's how faith in God grows, and it is very different to putting blind unquestioning faith in dead religious rituals and conforming to dogma for the sake of conforming to societal norms. Faith, like trust, builds when it is rewarded, and intimacy grows when we are guided into and out of situations that we had no way of arranging or addressing. Soon there is no room for doubt, and those hollow religious sounding words all come to life. Seek and ye shall find. The truth will set you free. The last shall be first and the first shall be last. The Lord is my shepherd. Fear not. Taking Christ at His word, we can be more than conquerors. We can rightly divide the word of Truth, and be discerners of the thoughts and intents of the heart. We can act boldly in doing the will of the Father, defeating wickedness in high places and conducting ourselves as true sons and daughters of the most high, instead of just meekly following priests and pastors in their hollow chants and rituals, trusting in a vicarious second hand relationship. God is a God of reason, and several passages make this point, but one that comes to mind is 1Peter3:15 "be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you." which is what I am doing here. If you don't believe this is so, then you, or anyone else could debunk this idea once and for all in the space of an afternoon, simply by reading these verses (and maybe a few others as you may feel led ) and then sincerely putting it to the test. Try approaching God on HIS terms for once, according to HIS instructions, humbly and in faith, and see what happens, rather than pointing at an obviously corrupt religion and dismissing Him out of hand as if He and it were the same thing. It's way too easy to dismiss the straw man (hypocritical religious observance) and ignore the clear instructions that are there for those who have ears to hear. Instructions these religions do NOT teach or follow. He will meet us in His word! Rather than the bible being dry religious words, they can come alive in our personal experience, and He can communicate with us THROUGH His word, witnessing to us directly, spirit to spirit, with no priestly intermediaries and no room left for any doubt . . . if only we will humble ourselves, and approach Him in sincerity and faith. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain, and if what I say is untrue, then it would be so easy to prove it to yourself here and now, one way or the other. I genuinely hope that answered your question. "The proud say. 'I'll believe it when I see it' but that was not how it was offered. The humble say 'I believed, and THEN I saw' for that is exactly what is written for all to see, if they have eyes to see, and a heart to understand

[@kennyn1992]

Nonsense about the 10 commandments. 2.5 of our laws overlap. Murder, theft and lying (in certain circumstances). And those are almost universal regardless of what faith a country followed. Adultery? Legal. No other god? Actually illegal as we have freedom of religion to worship whatever deity we want. Honour parents? The state sometimes takes children away from their parents. Etc.

[@JoesWebPresence]

As stated above@@kennyn1992 The laws of God are perfect. The laws you abide by are based on them. That they don't allign perfectly with the laws of your country doesn't mean THEY are wrong, it means the laws of your COUNTRY are imperfect! That people can commit crimes that overlap is completely irrelevant. You seem to worship the state, and put them in the place of law giver. Whether you think those laws are better or not, they ARE derived from the ten commandments and you haven't put forward any better laws, you've just pointed out most nations don't follow them to the letter thanks to secular intervention. Well how's that going for them? Adultery for example. The breakdown of the family unit. The lack of parenting. Single moms with five baby daddys. The state of education and the level of youth crime. The social security bill, How is that going for society? You might approve of ignoring this law of God for your own selfish reasons, but we can all see what the results of it are. If you have a better set of laws, or a better way of wording them please share that here. If you disagree with any of them, please explain why. If you are unable to do either of these, then the ten commandments win, and western civilisation was right to build their entire society and its laws upon them.

[@57thorns]

Leviticus is really an insane collection of old barbarian customs.

[@ef2718]

Sharia would be much better.

[@susanr5546]

This is hysterical! It reminds me of a West Wing episode where President Bartlett proposes the same kind of thing, selling his daughter into slavery, gloves to touch a football, etc.

[@aprilatherton739]

Leviticus, the book that just keeps on giving.

[@j.thomasgough4284]

“Dr.” Laura Schlessinger was such a horrid fundamentalist scold, but I remember when The West Wing incorporated much of this letter in a monologue challenging a character based on her flagrant cherrypicking of scripture. It was such beautiful pushback to her hateful rhetoric.

[@robertvermaat2124]

They made it famous. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aXSzm4qaabKIjtU

[@gengis737]

Cherrypicking ? You mean, we can disregard part of the scripture?

[@j.thomasgough4284]

@@gengis737 according to nearly everyone, yes! 😃

[@robertvermaat8949]

@@gengis737 are you keeping slaves? Did you even understand ONE sentence from this letter? Read your Bible. Are Christians actually observing Jewish food laws? Acts 10:9-16 would give you an answer. Yes, we can.

[@pineapplepenumbra]

@@gengis737 As some of it contradicts other bits, and some contradicts observable reality, one would have to be literally insane to believe, let alone try to follow, all of it.

[@OneAndOnlyMe]

God love her... I mean I love her!

[@MilesThorne]

Very good. Looking forward to seeing this done with the Quran......

[@markfisher7962]

How wonderful that this series is sponsored by Montblanc.

[@linesydclb8845]

A very satirical letter. The Christians in the audience are not amused.

[@jespervalgreen6461]

Nah, I'm a Christian, and I think it's hilarious.

[@robertvermaat2124]

You mean extremists. mainstream know not to cherrypick from the OT.

[@pineapplepenumbra]

Except, of course, there are no christians in the world. christianity, if it ever existed, died out about 2000 years ago, to be superseded by fan fiction and the words of blatant plagiarists, liars and at least one nutter, none of who had ever met Jesus , some of whom didn't know the area, or Jewish ways at the time, and who didn't write anything until decades after his alleged life and death. What do you mean, I'm too pedantic and must be no fun at parties?

[@robertvermaat2124]

@@pineapplepenumbra That, plus you don't know shit about history LOL ⛔

[@jespervalgreen6461]

@@pineapplepenumbra I think you've got that completely backwards. No one was Christian while he lived, and Christianity only emerged as a religion 50 to 80 years after his death. And it's still going.

[@peterhladky5481]

Brilliant :-)

[@Heothbremel]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@johannesnicolaas]

God would be so incredible happy with someone so determined to relive the rules in Leviticus...

[@colpidium]

This holds my favorite law, the mixing of fabrics. (Just keep in mind that mixing cotton and polyester is an abomination. A nasty combo.)

[@user-sv9nb8ky2t]

a being creates an infinitely vast universe, with oddities and wonders beyond our imagination... so why would it care what a primitive race eats on a specific day, wears on its head, or how it makes its clothing?

[@MichaelLee-g8n]

Wonderfully funny

[@JackClayton123]

Hilarious! Makes me want to memorize Leviticus.

[@georgerichardson964]

Sara is absolutely stunning, and yes I am in love

[@rojavida]

I know this is a light-hearted skit, but there are those who still believe a “holy book” is our only source of objective morality.

[@ChasRayner-hf4gh]

Loved the letter and also the episode of the West Wing (possibly the same year - Season 2 Episode 3) when Jed Bartlett uses similar arguments.

[@Epicurus341]

Careful with the mocking now. ;) God once set a couple of bears on some kids who called a man "baldy" ! 🐻 Kings 2:23-25 23 From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some boys came out of the town and jeered at him. “Get out of here, baldy!” they said. “Get out of here, baldy!” 24 He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys. 25 And he went on to Mount Carmel and from there returned to Samaria.

[@pineapplepenumbra]

Yeah, but those kids were asking for it...

[@TampaDave]

They were probably Jewish boys. That is because this "god" guy seemed to love smiting and tricking them. He smote way more Jewish people than anyone else, not to mention tricking them into wandering around in circles for decades. A pretty persistent joker, this guy. Hey, better kill your own son now, God, he's Jewish. Oh, wait....

[@dougtsax]

42 boys against one old man. No wonder he needed some help.

[@pineapplepenumbra]

@@dougtsax He could have been the bigger man, and just walked away, but no, he wouldn't let it lie, would he? He wouldn't let it lie...

[@violetsapphire952]

"Now we see the violence inherent in the system!" Book of the Holy Grail 11:45-47

[@elizacooke8180]

Take home message: Leviticus is unhinged

[@sfperalta]

Religion is both frighteningly scary.. and simultaneously hilarious!

[@vikj1255]

See all the Christians in the crowd seething and not amused at all.

[@SincereMessages]

Very reminiscent of a scene from The West Wing. Which came first?

[@johnsteiner3417]

Likely the real letter. The scene you're talking about has a Dr Laura in proxy by naming the character differently.

[@ModelsExInferis]

I'd have thought "turn of the century" would have been a dead giveaway.

[@robertvermaat2124]

WW altered it a bit kzbin.info/www/bejne/aXSzm4qaabKIjtU

[@arieswar4770]

Brilliant!! lol ;-)

[@lilbirdztube3698]

The same biblical passage about selling a daughter into slavery was used in an episode of "The West Wing".

[@FernLovebond]

In atheist circles, it's one of many used to demonstrate the falsity of the claim that the texts are a useful foundation for morals.

[@kaywilliams5673]

West Wing episode "Midterms" Season 2.

[@flabarre9776]

Doesn't the West Wing use this letter in one of their episodes?

[@surfk9836]

Good comedians are today's philosophers.

[@jahenders]

When in doubt, smite!

[@rogersimmons8788]

AN hilarious letter!

[@johanerasmus9720]

Chronological snobbery mixed with a bit of category errors… will be hilarious to read Shakespeare and the contributions he made to modern day plumbing.

[@HandyMan657]

The absurdity of it all. I'm so tired of cultists and all this crap.

[@ModelsExInferis]

Yeah, but don't tell them they're in a cult (despite it literally being the very definition of one!) because they will not see the irony!

[@EvanSamuel-j5h]

... as done by Aaron Sorkin for The West Wing in 2000 ...

[@mythal0620]

I love this letter so much! It's super funny to hear the absurd punishments that, according to the books of Moses, are to be imposed for various "offences". Super funny when they don't actually apply. 🏳‍🌈

[@LesCish]

Brilliant missive and brilliant delivery by Ms Pascoe. The style reminds me of The Screwtape Letters. And the only person who might do a better reading is John Cleese.

[@vincentjansson9167]

Did she buy Seinfelds puffy shirt?

[@karenjaquish2086]

Love how you can tell the people who believe the hypocrisy of the bible…they looked mad and don’t laugh. 😂😂😂

[@garymcsullea7330]

The hypocrisy of all religon.

[@77heraclitus]

Funny!

[@rickpratchett6758]

Godslaw- just like coleslaw but much more powerful!

[@Raison_d-etre]

Morality is relative with respect to time for Christians.

[@KlausBeckEwerhardy]

The sad thing is that there are actually people out there believing stuff like this.

[@MichaelGrubeMiGru]

Anyone remember the scene in "West Wing" that makes use of these bible quotes?

[@annleach7908]

Leviticus is a tough book to follow.

[@mybachhertzbaud3074]

Leviticus sounds like a likely candidate for the original DNA of the Karen gene?🤔

[@capitalb5889]

This is all the evidence we need to demonstrate that the West is based on “Judeo Christian values”.

[@StevenKHarrison]

Straight from "The West Wing", Allen Sorkis. Just sayin'.

[@eudaenomic]

Ah there! Platonic relationships are an abomination.

[@polka23dot70]

I have always been hardline atheist, and I was making similar jokes for many years.

[@dougtsax]

Why did you stop making jokes?

[@polka23dot70]

@@dougtsax Islam is more extreme and more funny than Christianity, but we cannot make jokes about Islam because our neo-Marxist overlords do not tolerate such jokes.

[@dougtsax]

The Old Testament sacrifices are all replaced by Jesus' sacrifice on the cross.

[@SuperTreemendus]

Jesus loves you 🤔

[@vicki8042]

Grandma didn't think this was funny!

[@JiveDadson]

A fair price for a daughter is 50 shekels of silver, or roughly $467 (£372). For the Bible says it's so.