Man Uses Bible Defense for Domestic Abuse Charges

[aduidarnenye]

I thought this was a funny story, for a couple of pretty funny lines, and not just the ridiculousness of his defense.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/Metro/1257377.html

A Halifax man who thinks he’s Jesus and tried to use the Bible to defend himself on charges of assaulting his wife and child was found guilty on nine charges Monday in Halifax provincial court.

"Freedom of religion does not trump obligations to comply with the criminal law. This is so obvious that it goes without saying," Judge Anne Derrick said in convicting Dalton Cornelius Jones of five counts of assault and single charges of uttering threats, assault with a weapon, resisting arrest and failing to appear in court.

In his closing arguments on the charge of assaulting his wife, Jones cited Bible passages that read: "Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord," and "Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything."

Of the assaults on his three-year-old daughter, he quoted: "Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod he shall not die" and "Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell."

Jones had said he was disciplining the girl out of love. He wanted her to follow the right path in life.

Testimony at his trial, though, showed that on one occasion he hit the girl because she called him dada and not D-Jones, as he wanted. Other testimony indicated that he thought he was Jesus Christ.

He did not refer to himself as that during the trial, although the name popped up when Derrick was suggesting he get a lawyer for his sentencing hearing. He has steadfastly maintained that he wants to represent himself.

"I think the point has come when you very well should reconsider," the judge said. "I’m very much emphasizing the benefits you could have from legal representation at this stage of the proceedings."

He replied that he was still going to represent himself, and said he didn’t refer to himself as Jesus during his closing arguments because Derrick didn’t want him to.

"May I say something impertinent? If Jesus Christ was here I would be recommending that he have a lawyer," the judge replied.

Jones will be sentenced Sept. 23.

Trial evidence was that the girl’s face was purple after the last assault, with marks that resembled a handprint. That led his wife, Shealynn Jones, to call police and go to the IWK Health Centre.

Shealynn Jones had testified that her husband struck her during an argument because she told him he wasn’t Jesus.

After the judge delivered her decision, Jones’ brother, Desmond Jones, asked to address the court. He told the judge that the family has serious concerns about his brother’s "delusions that (he) has and has expressed, and his misconceptions of who he is and his inability to know what is going on."

He said the family "strongly believes it is a very difficult mental issue that clouds his judgment."

After court, Desmond Jones said the delusions "allude to him having a mental illness that is not being addressed right now. . . . What is happening is that he is sick and needs mental help."

He said his brother is avoiding all attempts to help him, including from his family: "He’s on a path of self-destruction. He has refused to accept help from family, from the legal system, the medical system, from everyone. He is in a denial phase."

We've got crazy religious people in Canada too!

[Egon]

Guess I'll bite. You do know that there are crazy atheists right? So maybe the problem isn't being a believer or not, maybe some people are just crazy.

[Pirian]

He woulda got away with it too if he only lived in Texas

[Hank]

I thought he literally defended himself with a bible.

[Stumblingdrunk]

Guess I'll bite. You do know that there are crazy atheists right? So maybe the problem isn't being a believer or not, maybe some people are just crazy.

The issue here is not that the man is crazy, it is that he has an actual defense when we decide that believing that idiocy written by primitive cultures is an acceptable way to define morality (or anything).

[Tyche]

maybe some people are just crazy.

Luke 19, Anyone who does not recognize me, bring them before me and slaughter them
Matthew 21, Jesus condemns a fig tree to death for not producing a fig
Luke 14, Anyone who comes before me and does not hate father and mother, brothers and sisters, wife and children cannot be my disciple

Batshit crazy

[Dalek]

Guess I'll bite. You do know that there are crazy atheists right? So maybe the problem isn't being a believer or not, maybe some people are just crazy.

By the same token you don't see atheists committing violence in the name of atheism. "rawr there is no god therefore I can beat the shit out of you"

The scary part about this is I think Pirian is right. D:

[hey]

By the same token you don't see atheists committing violence in the name of atheism. "rawr there is no god therefore I can beat the shit out of you"

The scary part about this is I think Pirian is right. D:

sort of related, kind of. Not really, you just reminded me of it, but whatever. It's funny anyway.

[aduidarnenye]

Guess I'll bite. You do know that there are crazy atheists right? So maybe the problem isn't being a believer or not, maybe some people are just crazy.

I'm aware there are crazy people of all makes and models. This, however, is particular dude is crazy person with a definite religious bent. A Bible-thumping crazy religious dude is not something you see very much of here in Halifax, or even Eastern Canada (one generally associates such things with the American South or Bible Belt). Also, I just thought the story was hilarious.

[Kerberoz]

We've got crazy religious people in Canada too!

Yeah, but you folks put them in jail, not in office.

[solanis]

wait... he wanted to be called D-Jones? that's out of left field lol

[Antithesis]

I thought people would have learned by now not to take Egon's bait.

[Acevalefor]

Luke 19;26 “He replied, ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 27 But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.’”

Mathew 21;18 Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.

Luke 14;25 Now [m]large crowds were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to Me, and does not [n]hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. 27 Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

These are all passages taken out of context so that you can point and laugh at believers. Luke 19:26 was a noble man talking of his subjects that did not do what he thought was right. He's ranting and he's angry.

Mathew 21:18 is a parable about faith. His disciples ask how he did that and he tells them it was done with the faith that he could do it so he did it.

Luke 14:25 draws a comparison between conviction to follow Jesus and desire to stay with loved ones. He is saying that if they are not willing to leave their families and take up the burden of the cross, he does not want them to be disciples.

Really guys, no matter what the book or the religious belief, it's not that hard to read and understand the context so you can understand the meaning. Picking and choosing individual passages as if it is a scientific book and ridiculing based on those passages just makes you look ignorant. The bible, book of Mormon, Koran, or any other religious guide book are not infallible in that they are written and translated by man. The key is in the guidance that these books provide to those that choose to believe.

In other words, don't make fun of religions that you don't understand and let people believe what they want.

[bechyni]

Well this was funny...sort of

[Kerberoz]

You forgot Ezekiel 23:20.

[kuronosan]

"And There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of horses."

Wat

[bechyni]

Ok that was worth it lol

[Tyche]

Luke 19;26 “He replied, ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 27 But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.’”

Mathew 21;18 Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.

Luke 14;25 Now [m]large crowds were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to Me, and does not [n]hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. 27 Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

These are all passages taken out of context so that you can point and laugh at believers. Luke 19:26 was a noble man talking of his subjects that did not do what he thought was right. He's ranting and he's angry.

Mathew 21:18 is a parable about faith. His disciples ask how he did that and he tells them it was done with the faith that he could do it so he did it.

Luke 14:25 draws a comparison between conviction to follow Jesus and desire to stay with loved ones. He is saying that if they are not willing to leave their families and take up the burden of the cross, he does not want them to be disciples.

Really guys, no matter what the book or the religious belief, it's not that hard to read and understand the context so you can understand the meaning. Picking and choosing individual passages as if it is a scientific book and ridiculing based on those passages just makes you look ignorant. The bible, book of Mormon, Koran, or any other religious guide book are not infallible in that they are written and translated by man. The key is in the guidance that these books provide to those that choose to believe.

In other words, don't make fun of religions that you don't understand and let people believe what they want.

It's no less crazy.

[Day]

Really guys, no matter what the book or the religious belief, it's not that hard to read and understand the context so you can understand the meaning. Picking and choosing individual passages as if it is a scientific book and ridiculing based on those passages just makes you look ignorant. The bible, book of Mormon, Koran, or any other religious guide book are not infallible in that they are written and translated by man. The key is in the guidance that these books provide to those that choose to believe.

First of all I'll make fun of whatever the fuck I want to make fun of. Especially stupid religions.

And don't fucking act like bible thumping christians don't do the exact same thing with taking verses out of context or taking things literally vs figuratively as they see fit throughout the whole bible.

[Guyverarmor]

First of all I'll make fun of whatever the fuck I want to make fun of. Especially stupid religions.

And don't fucking act like bible thumping christians don't do the exact same thing with taking verses out of context or taking things literally vs figuratively as they see fit throughout the whole bible.

As much I as I do not like Day, I agree with this. Also the reason why I do not go to church.