The Pittsburgh Gunman's Religious Views & Goat Sacrifices

Pittsburgh Gunman: "Maybe soon, I will see God and Jesus"

In Pittsburgh, the crazed gunman who opened fire in a gym and murdered three women before killing himself on Tuesday believed in Jesus and read the Bible. In the final entry of his online journal the day before the shootings, George Sodini, 48, wrote that "maybe soon, I will see God and Jesus". He also possibly rationalized his killing spree with this bit of twisted logic: "Christ paid for EVERY sin, so how can I or you be judged BY GOD for a sin when the penalty was ALREADY paid."

Below is Sodini's final journal entry in its entirety. For more excerpts, visit here.

"August 3, 2009:
I took off today, Monday, and tomorrow to practice my routine and make sure it is well polished. I need to work out every detail, there is only one shot. Also I need to be completely immersed into something before I can be successful. I haven't had a drink since Friday at about 2:30. Total effort needed. Tomorrow is the big day.

Unfortunately I talked to my neighbor today, who is very positive and upbeat. I need to remain focused and absorbed COMPLETELY. Last time I tried this, in January, I chickened out. Lets see how this new approach works.

Maybe soon, I will see God and Jesus. At least that is what I was told. Eternal life does NOT depend on works. If it did, we will all be in hell. Christ paid for EVERY sin, so how can I or you be judged BY GOD for a sin when the penalty was ALREADY paid. People judge but that does not matter. I was reading the Bible and The Integrity of God beginning yesterday, because soon I will see them."

While I'm certainly not implying that Sodini was motivated by his religious beliefs, his actions debunk the commonly-held notion that faith and religion is always a positive force that keeps people in line and provides a source of great comfort. After reading some of Sodini's journal entries, it's clear he was a disturbed and lonely man in need of serious psychological help. It's a shame he didn't have a friend or loved one to turn to instead of a Bible.

Kiddie-Porn Pastor aka The Oldest Emma Watson Fan In the World

In Waco, TX, the 65-year-old former pastor who is on trial for nine counts of possession of child pornography insists it was all research for his 10-month personal crusade to cleanse the Internet of child pornography. Investigators found 63 images of kiddie-porn on Henry Elbert Edgington’s work computer and more than 100 images of Emma Watson (!) in a padlocked black box in his bathroom and car. According to Edgington, his ingenious plan involved gathering a bunch of illegal images depicting children in sex acts and then handing them over to his local congressman. Unfortunately, Edgington had a harder time explaining e-mail messages he sent to young girls depicted on some of the Web sites, including one that said: “You are so beautiful. It makes me smile to see your face.” The unflappable Edgington said he sent those to be “sneaky” so they would send him more photos (for his research). And what about those Emma Watson photos? They were for his granddaughter...duh!

Arrests In Murder of Teacher Accused of Proselytizing
In Nouakchott, Mauritania, three men have been charged with murder in the slaying of an American teacher and aiding al-Qaida. The men were arrested last month and could face the death penalty if convicted. The teacher, Christopher Ervin Leggett (l.), 39, was accused by the North Africa branch of al-Qaida of trying to convert Muslims to Christianity.

Seattle Archdiocese, Man Settle for $350,000 Over Sex Abuse Claims

No wonder the church is always broke! In Seattle, a man reached a $350,000 settlement with the Seattle Roman Catholic Archdiocese over claims he was abused decades ago by former priest James Knelleken. The man said he was abused as a 16-year-old in 1959 by Knelleken, who was serving as pastor at a local church. Another man who had said he also was abused by Knelleken settled his case in October 2007. The amount of that settlement was not known. Knelleken was removed from ministry in 1988 and defrocked before his well-timed death in 2003.

2 Die While Conducting Muslim Ritual
In Mumbai, two young men (ages 22 and 20) who were conducting a Muslim ritual on a beach on Sunday are presumed dead after they were swept into the sea by powerful tidal waves. The ritual that the young men were engaging in involved immersing flowers and food in the water. Police and rescuers are still searching the bodies.


And finally...Goat Sacrifice Now Legal In Texas
It's a shitty day to be a goat in Dallas as a federal appeals court ruled in favor of allowing a Santeria priest to sacrifice the animals in his home, saying a city's decision to prohibit the ritual violated the man's religious rights. Jose Merced, 46, accuses the city of Euless, Texas, of trampling on his constitutional right to religious exercise. The city claims the sacrifices jeopardize public health and violate its slaughterhouse and animal cruelty ordinances. Fortunately, the Euless city attorney said he plans to file a motion for a rehearing. Santeria, by the way, is an Afro-Cuban religion where members get to chat with dead relatives and deities, kill animals and play a drum.