07 January 2013

Some of the Weirdest Least Known News Stories of 2012

South Korean Man Kills Himself by Crucifixion


Shortly after Easter weekend, a middle-aged South Korean killed himself. This isn’t outright shocking, as suicide is fairly common, but the method through which he shuffled off this mortal coil is one for the books.

South Korea Crucifixion 500x288 South Korean Man Kills Self by Crucifixion picture

After an investigation, police in South Korea say the man, whose last name has been identified as Kim, killed himself by crucifixion. Found in an abandoned quarry in Mungyeong on May 1st, Kim had apparently gone to great lengths to ensure his death emulated the death of Jesus Christ. In addition to being nailed to a wooden cross, he was wearing only a pair of underwear and a crown of thorns atop his head. He had also apparently self-flagellated his torso, as well as stabbed his side to emulate the wound delivered by Longinus while Christ was on the cross.

The date of death was determined to be during Easter weekend, though the body was not discovered until over a week later. Police were able to determine the sequence of events through notes that were found that matched the handwriting of Kim. The notes detailed how to properly carry out a crucifixion.

According to police, the man’s religious faith helped him endure the pain he likely endured. An autopsy revealed that Kim died from a mix of bleeding from the stab wounds and suffocation, the latter of which likely due to the stabbing.

One thing that remains unclear, however, is whether or not he was given assistance.
It is thought that after whipping and stabbing himself, he drilled holes in hands and slipped them through the already driven in nails. According to one source, police reenacted the scenario and determined that it was entirely possible that a man could do what Kim did without assistance.
1 2)

Atheist Chaplain


One of the best-known research universities in America is now using the services of an atheist chaplain to counsel unbelieving students on campus, writes Heather Clark for Christian News.

Stanford University has added 28-year-old John Figdor to its Office of Religious Life. He joins 17 other chaplains and individuals who reach out to students of various faiths. According to reports, Figdor’s responsibility is to meet with students and to visit the sick. “Atheist, agnostic and humanist students suffer the same problems as religious students – deaths or illnesses in the family, questions about the meaning of life etcetera, and would like a sympathetic nontheist to talk to,” he told the San Francisco Chronicle.

Figdor, who has a seminary degree from Harvard School of Divinity, first served as a chaplain at Harvard before moving west to work with students.
Full report on the Christian News site

Breast Milk… By The Carton

For some new mothers, getting their newborn child to suck out the moo juice of mankind from their breast for sustenance is a daunting task. Either it hurts too much, or the baby simply refuses to latch on, resulting in one frustrated mother who firmly believes that breast milk is necessary for a healthy, growing baby.
 Breast Milk... By The Carton picture
Thanks to those fine folks in the land of the rising sun, breast milk is now available in a carton! No need to worry about your baby latching, or dealing with an overzealous child with the sucking power of a Hoover. Now you can save your breast the hassle all while giving your baby the nutrition he or she needs!

Naturally, the company that manufactures this “breast milk” has employed the image of a baby suckling on his or her mother’s breast. One can only surmise this is for easy identification purposes, as I imagine it would be absolutely hilarious to discover the moo juice you’ve been drinking has come from your own species.

1 comment:

  1. Insane and yuck, #1 and 3. As for #2, though, why not? (Though is he atheist and administering to a broader non-religious community, or is atheism being defined too broadly here? Either way, I support!)
    (P.S. Happy New Year, Bill!)

    ReplyDelete