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Opinions of Sunday, 14 June 2020

Columnist: www.mynigeria.com

The punishment the Bible prescribes for rape

The number one trending topic in Nigeria today is rape, and it is due to the rape and murder of Uwaila Omozuwa, Barakat Bello and Shomuyiwa Azeezat.

This has led to calls from many who say the best way to prevent rape is to make castration the punishment. While this seems like a good idea, it is not what the law of God issues as punishment for rapists. Is the Bible silent on rape? No. The Bible protects victims and encourages them to speak up and not be shamed.

The Bible gave different scenarios which rape can be said to have occurred or not.

1.) Consensual sex but the lady is betrothed to someone else. Punishment is death for the lady and guy.

2.) Sex that is not consensual which is RAPE. Punishment is death for the guy, blamelessness for the lady.

3.) Consensual sex with a lady that is NOT betrothed to someone else. Punishment is marriage with no divorce.

The first involves the lady not crying out when she knew she could get help.

Deutoronomy 22:23-24 23 If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her; 24 Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbour's wife: so thou shalt put away evil from among you.

The first instance can't be classified as rape because it happened in a place where the woman could have easily gotten help if she had cried. Her failure to do so shows she consented to the act. You must ask "why did God say they should be stoned to death if it was consensual?". They are to be stoned to death because the lady has been betrothed to another man and is considered is wife. So, guys be careful how you go about sleeping with people's fiancee. The judgement is death. Luckily for you, Nigeria doesn't regard God's laws. Sadly for you, God could kill you himself.

Deutoronomy 22:25-27 25 But if a man find a betrothed damsel in the field, and the man force her, and lie with her: then the man only that lay with her shall die. 26 But unto the damsel thou shalt do nothing; there is in the damsel no sin worthy of death: for as when a man riseth against his neighbour, and slayeth him, even so is this matter: 27 For he found her in the field, and the betrothed damsel cried, and there was none to save her.

This second scenario is a clear sign of rape. The man finds her in the field where no one could hear the lady cry for help. The Bible says he forced her, which shows she didn't consent to it. This is rape and the Bible equates the sin to murder. The punishment is death, not castration. As for the lady, she won't face any punishment.

Deutoronomy 22:28-29 28 If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found; 29 Then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel's father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days.

This third case is consensual sex because they were found, not that she cried out for help. It is similar to a guy and a lady dating and having sex in secret to avoid the judgement of a sane society. If they are found, the man must married the lady whom he met a virgin. He must pay her bride price and must never divorce her. What if she wasn't a virgin? That case is fornication.

So, guys stays away from the bandwagon calling for the castration of rapists. That is against God's law which says rapists should be killed after thorough investigation is done.

Many who scream for castration of rapists are also guilty of death, for they cheat on their fiance, wife, husband which in God's eyes is punishable by death. That's being a hypocritical judge.

Matthew 7:2 “For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.”

One more thing.

Many today will say the clothes a lady wears have nothing to do with her getting raped. I can already sense a good sum of them already slamming me a rapists for what I'm about to say.

The truth is, everything we do has a consequence, whether we agree or not. When ladies are told to avoid dressing seductively, it is actually for their own protection. Dressing decently and avoiding getting caught in dark, lonely or dangerous places are ways to avoid rape. It is only a fool that will say clothes or dress code should never lead to rape. That is similar to saying there are no longer evil people in this world.

There are evil people who are demon possessed. They don't reason like the many sane guys who can control themselves. A little show of the thighs by a lady can trigger that demon in them towards rape. Guess what? It is not only demon possessed people that rape. Even guys who think they are sane do fall into temptation. So why as a lady do you go about tempting guys and expecting a different result?

Why don't go buy a 65 inch 4K Smart TV and put it at a junction like Oshodi in Lagos. Leave it there and see if you will meet it there the following morning. Guess what? It might not be stolen by confirmed thieves. It could be stolen by someone that has never stolen before but got tempted by the package. So, why do ladies think leaving themselves in the open doesn't have consequence? Oh, you want to live however you want with no consequence?

A bank with armed security guards and cyber security still gets robbed by cyber and armed robbers. Do you think it is only cyber and armed robbers that will rob a bank with its vault at its car park with no security? People that have never stolen before will join in when they see money flying in the air.

When people tell you to dress recently which the Bible also says, it is actually for your own good and others. Don't listen to those celebrities saying otherwise. They are part of the problem. Their business promotes indecency, so they are angry that people are speaking against indecency.

The diva singer who dances unclad in her movies and music videos goes home with millions and under the protection of bodyguards. The females that get influenced by her actions live in notorious neighborhoods where the guys wake up to smoke weed and drink adulterated alcohol which they did before going to bed under the bridge where they sleep. How safe do you think you will be walking pass that quite bridge at night especially when dressed seductively? You might be dressed like a masquerade and still get rape right there. That's why the Bible says to avoid fields i.e lonely places.

Give wisdom a chance and the foolishness that comes with emotions will flee.

by Albhagdadi