God’s Hit List
Abominations and Death Penalties in the Bible

[Front Matter]

[Title Page]

God’s Hit List

Abominations and Death
Penalties in the Bible

Chaz Bufe

Editor

[Copyright]

Copyright © 2006 by Chaz Bufe. All rights reserved.

This copyright notice is primarily for the benefit of commercial publishers. We’ll gladly give reprint permission to atheist and antiauthoritarian web sites and to not-for-profit publishers.

For information contact:

See Sharp Press

P.O. Box 1731

Tucson, AZ 85702–1731

www.seesharppress.com

Introduction

“Why do you preach hate? Because the Bible preaches hale. For every one verse about God’s mercy, love, compassion, etc., there are two verses about His vengeance, hatred, wrath ..

—Rev. Fred Phelps, pastor, Westboro Baptist Church

For once, Fred Phelps{1} is right: the Bible does preach hate. So do most priests and preachers. What sets Phelps apart is his honesty and outspokenness about the hatefulness of the Bible. Rather than hypocritically proclaim it a book of “love” as he attacks those he hates — in this case, homosexuals — Phelps is open about the Bible’s cruelty.

Unfortunately, his focus — and that of his money-grubbing fellow travellers, such as Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, and James Dodson — on sexual “sin,” and especially on homosexuality, can and does give the impression that the Bible also focuses on sexual sin and, especially, on “sodomy” as singularly abominable.

In fact, Jesus has remarkably little to say about, sex, and almost the only places in the Bible where you’ll find the sick obsession with sex that one encounters in Phelps et al. are in the Pentateuch (first five chapters of the Old Testament — especially in Leviticus) and to a lesser extent in the Pauline texts of the New Testament. That contemporary preachers choose io focus on the cruel, hateful Old Testament and Pauline texts (plus the self-glorifying text of Revelations — which allows the to-be-raptured to feel so special) — rather than the words of Jesus advocating forgiveness and tolerance, says far more about the psycho-sexual obsessions of Phelps et al. than about Christianity per se. (Neglecting, or course, that Christians consider even the grossest, most vicious parts of the Old Testament as divinely inspired.)

Having lost (at least for now) the battles to deny individuals their rights to birth control, abortion, sexually explicit materials, and sex between consenting adults without government interference, religious authoritarians have lately turned their attention to denying civil rights to gay people.

Significantly, in their attempts to suppress civil rights, rcligious rightists portray themselves and society as being the victims of “organized homosexuals” and “the homosexual agenda.” In their current, highly politicized campaign against gay marriage, the religious right portrays marriage as being “under attack” from homosexuals (seeking to marry!). This is utter and obvious crap.

When they speak of the “harm” of gay marriage, fundamentalists and other religious rightists invariably speak in generalities, in abstractions. Why? Because no one is “attacking” marriage, and because they cannot point to any concrete harm that gay marriage would do to either society or to their own marriages. So, they portray themselves as victims and point ad nauseam to frightening-sounding-but-empty abstract “threats” — while at the same time they attempt to utilize the coercive apparatus of the state to deny others their civil rights.{2}

In their current anti-gay campaign, the religious right’s biblical basis is nearly as empty as its rhetoric: Jesus does not mention homosexuality at all in the Gospels; the Old Testament pays far more attention to heterosexual than homosexual “sin”; and the long biblical list of things and acts considered “abominations” and/or worthy of death anathematizes every bit as many nonsexual as sexual things and acts.

Phelps, Dodson, et al. know this, but choose to ignore it. This allows them to easily manipulate their sexually repressed followers, many of whom are shockingly ignorant of the Bible’s contents. This ignorance is quite useful to them in stirring up hatred against gay people and gay rights (and, indeed, against anyone enjoying a healthy sex life). If fundamentalists are ignorant of the dozens of other Bible verses listing “abominations” and other things deemed worthy of death, Leviticus 18:22 (which labels homosexual acts as an “abomination”) and Leviticus 20:13 (which prescribes death for homosexual acts) serve as especially powerful spurs to hate, prejudice, and acts of violence.

Hence this pamphlet. Its purpose is to give ammunition to those fighting fundamentalist bigotry and authoritarianism. It provides the most important verses featuring the Bible’s “abominations” and death-commands, many of which might well cause at least some fundamentalists to recoil in horror — if they were aware of them. For example, it’s difficult to imagine even the most benighted American fundamentalist hanging a rebellious child (Deuteronomy 21:18–23) or executing a doctor or fireman for working on Sunday (Leviticus 24:30, Numbers 15:32–36, Exodus 31:14–15, Exodus 35:2).

Making Bible-ignorant fundamentalists aware of the absurdities and idiotic, murderous commands in their “holy” book can only serve a salutary purpose. Calling more knowledgeable fundamentalists on their bigotry and hypocrisy can only serve an equally salutary end.

—Chaz Bufe, Tucson, Arizona, June 2006

God’s Hit List

Abominations

Please note that we arc reproducing the text of the following verses from the King James Version with the original idiosyncratic punctuation, but without the nonsensical italicization. Instead, in three relatively lengthy passages we’ve italicized “abomination” and the things it refers to for the purpose of clarification. In some cases we’ve quoted more material than is strictly necessary in order to show that none of the following biblical quotations are taken out of context.

Adultery

The Lord said moreover unto me; Son of man, wilt though judge Aholah and Aholibah? yea, declare unto them their abominations; That they have committed adultery, and blood is in their hands, and with their idols have the committed adultery, and have also caused their sons, whom they bare unto me, to pass for them through the fire, to devour them.

—Ezekiel 23:36–37

Moreover thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbour’s wife, to defile thyself with her.... (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;)

—Leviticus 18:20, 27

Bestiality

Neither shah thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.... (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before yon, and the land is defiled;)

—Ixviticus 18:23, 27

Cross Dressing

The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so arc abomination unto the Lord they God.

—Deuteronomy 22:5

Diet

Shellfish

And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you: They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not cat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination. Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.

—Leviticus 11:10–12

Birds

And these arc they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they arc an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray, And the vulture, and the kite after his kind; Every raven after his kind; And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind, And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl, And the swan, and the pelican, and the gicr eagle, And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat. All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto you.

—Leviticus 11:13–20

Flying Creeping Things

Yet these may ye cal of every Hying creeping thing that goelh upon all four, which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth; Even these of them ye may cat; the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind. But all other Hying creeping things, which have four feet, shall be an abomination unto you.

—Leviticus 11:21–23

Graven Images/Idol Worship

The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shall not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the Lord thy God.

—Deuteronomy 7:25

Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say Amen.

—Deuteronomy 27:15

If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth the like to any one of these things, And that doeth not any of those duties, but even hath eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbour’s wife, Hath oppressed the poor and needy, hath spoiled by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination, Hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him. —Ezekiel 18:10–13

Homosexuality

Thou shall not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.

—Leviticus 18:22

And if a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

—Leviticus 20:13

Incest

None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the Lord. The nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother, shall thou not uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. The nakedness of thy father’s wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father’s nakedness. The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother, whether she be born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover. The nakedness of thy son’s daughter, or of thy daughter’s daughter, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover: for theirs is thine own nakedness. The nakedness of thy father’s wife’s daughter, begotten of thy father, she is thy sister, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s sister: she is thy father’s near kinswoman. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother’s sister: for she is thy mother’s near kinswoman. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s brother, thou shalt not approach to his wife: she is thine aunt. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy daughter in law: she is thy son’s wife; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother’s wife: it is thy brother’s nakedness.... (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;) —Leviticus 18:6–16, 27

(Note: The King James Version uses the euphemism “uncovering nakedness” for what the New International Version refers to as “sexual relations.” Thus, the above passage refers, in detail, to incestuous relationships. The meaning of “uncovering nakedness” is the same in the passage regarding an “unclean woman” on the following page.)

Lying

Lying lips are abomination to the Lord: but they that deal truly arc his delight.

—Proverbs 12:22

These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. —Proverbs 6:16–19

Remarriage

Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the Lord: and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

—Deuteronomy 24:4

Sacrificing a Blemished Ox

Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the Lord thy God any bullock, or sheep, wherein is blemish, or any evil favouredness: for that is an abomination unto the Lord thy God.

—Deuteronomy 17:1

Sex with an “Unclean” Woman

Also thou shall not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is put apart for her uncleanness.... (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;) —Leviticus 18:19,27

Short-Weighting

Thou shall not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small. Thou shall not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small. But thou shall have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shah thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the Lord thy God.

—Deuteronomy 25: 13–16

Sun, Moon, and Other-God Worship

If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the Lord thy God, in transgressing his covenant, And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded; And it be told thee, and thou hast heard of it, and enquired diligently, and, behold, it be true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in Israel:

—Deuteronomy 17:2–4

Usury

If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth the like to any one of these things, And that doeth not any of those duties, but even hath eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbour’s wife, Hath oppressed the poor and needy, hath spoiled by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination, Hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.

—Ezekiel 18:10–13

Witchcraft

There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord they God doth drive them out from before thee.

—Deuteronomy 18: 10–12

Death Penalties

Adultery

And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committed! adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.

—Leviticus 20:10

If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman; so shall thou put away evil from Israel.

—Deuteronomy 22:22

And the righteous men, they shall judge them after the manner of adulteresses, and after the manner of women that shed blood; because they arc adulteresses, and blood is in their hands. For thus saith the Lord God; I will bring up a company upon them, and will give them to be removed and spoiled. And the company shall stone them with stones, and dispatch them with their swords; they shall slay their sons and their daughters and burn up their houses with fire.

—Ezekiel 23:45–47

Bestiality

Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death.

—Exodus 22:19

And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast.

—Leviticus 20:15

And if a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down thereto, thou shah kill the woman, and the beast: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

—.1 Arvitictis 20:16

Blasphemy

Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him. And thou shall speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin. And he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the Lord, shall be put to death.

—Leviticus 24:14–16

Cursing thy Father or Mother

For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath curse his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him.

—Leviticus 20:9

Fornication

And the daughter of any priest, if she profane herself by playing the whore, she profaneth her father: she shall be burnt with fire.

—Leviticus 21:9

Group Sex

(three-way with wife and mother-in-law)

And if a man take wife and her mother, it is wickedness; they shall he burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no wickedness among you.

—Leviticus 20:14

Harlotry

(fornication and/or adultery)

Wherefore, O harlot, hear the word of the Lord: Thus saith the Lord God; Because thy filthiness was poured out, and thy nakedness discovered through thy whoredom with thy lovers, and with all the idols of thy abominations, and by the blood of thy children, which thou didst give unto them; Behold, therefore I will gather all thy lovers, with whom thou has taken pleasure, and all them that thou hast loved, with all them that thou hast hated; I will even gather them round against thee, and will discover thy nakedness unto them, that they may see all thy nakedness. And I will judge thee, as women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will give thee blood in fury and jealousy. And I will also give thee into their hand, and they shall throw down thine eminent place, and shall break down thy high places: they shall strip thee also of thy clothes, and shall take thy fair jewels, and leave thee naked and bare. They shall also bring up a company against thee, and they shall stone thee with stones, and thrust thee through with their swords.

—Ezekiel 16:35–40

Homosexual Acts

And if a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

—Leviticus 20:13

Incest

And the man that lieth with his father’s wife hath uncovered his father’s nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

—Leviticus 20:11

And if a man lie with his daughter in law, both of them shall surely be put to death: they have wrought confusion; their blood shall be upon them.

—Leviticus 20:12

Murder

He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.

—Exodus 21:12

And he that killeth a beast, he shall restore it: and he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death.

—Leviticus 24:21

And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. And if he smite him with throwing a stone, wherewith he may die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. Or if he smite him with an hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.

—Numbers 35:16–18

But if he thrust him of hatred, or hurl at him by laying of wait, that he may die; Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die: he that smote him shall surely be put to death; for he is a murderer: the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he meeteth him.

—Numbers 35:20–21

Other Gods

If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let ns go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers; Namely, of the gods of the people which are round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth; Thou shall not consent unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him; But thou shall surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people.

—Deuteronomy 13:6–9

If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the Lord thy God, in transgressing his covenant, And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, cither the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded; And it be told thee, and thou hast heard of it, and enquired diligently, and, behold, it be true, and the thing certain, that such an abomination is wrought in Israel: Then shall thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gales, even that man or that woman, and shall stone them with stones, till they die.

—Deuteronomy 17:2–5

Rape Victim

(being one, but not crying out)

If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her; Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and yc 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.

—Deuteronomy 22:23–24

But God is more lenient when a woman is raped in a place where her screams can’t be heard. In such cases, God generously orders that she marry her rapist:

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; Then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel’s father lift)’ shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days.

—Deuteronomy 22:28–29

Rebelliousness

If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; And they shall say unto the ciders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die; so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear and fear.

—Deuteronomy 21:18–21

Virginity

(inability to prove, female)

If any man lake a wife, and go in unto her, and hate her, And give occasions of speech against her, and bring up an evil name upon her, and say, I look this woman, and when I came to her, I found her not a maid: Then shall the father of the damsel, and her mother, take and bring forth the tokens of the damsel’s virginity unto the ciders of the city in the gate: And the damsel’s father shall say unto the elders, I gave my daughter unto this man to wife, and he hateth her; And, lo, he hath given occasions of speech against her, saying, I found not thy daughter a maid; and yet these arc the tokens of my daughter’s virginity.

And they shall spread the cloth before the ciders of the city. And (he elders of that city shall take that man and chastise him; And they shall amerce him in an hundred shekels of silver, and give them unto the father of the damsel, because he hat brought up an evil name upon a virgin of Israel: and she shall be his wife; he may not put her away all his days. But if this thing be true, and the tokens of virginity be not found for the damsel: Then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die: because she hath wrought folly in israel, to play the whore in her father’s house: so shah thou put evil away from among you.

—Deuteronomy 22:13–21

Witchcraft

Thou shah not suffer a witch to live.

—Exodus 22:18

A man or a woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them.

—Leviticus 20:27

Working on the Sabbath

And Moses gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel together, and said unto them, These are the words which the Lord hath commanded, that ye should do them. Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the Lord: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death.

—Exodus 35:1–2

Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work there in, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy lo the Lord: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.

—Exodus 31:14–15

And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered slicks upon the sabbath day. And they found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation. And they put him ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him. And the Lord said unto Moses, The man shall surely be put to death; and all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp. And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the Lord commanded Moses..

—Numbers 15:32–36

Afterword

There you have it. Not a word of condemnation for torture or slavery. But adultery? An abomination. And so are those oysters on your plate. Homosexuality? An abomination. As is sacrificing a blemished ox. Bestiality? An abomination. Likewise your butcher’s inaccurate scale.

You say that your brother smashed his thumb with a hammer and muttered the magic words, “God fucking damn UH Jesus Festering Christ!!!”? Waste him.

And why is that EMT driving an ambulance on Sunday? Waste him, too.

You just happened, purely by accident, to glance in your neighbor’s bedroom window and caught him having a three-way with his wife and mother-in-law? Fire up the gas grill, don your chef’s garb, slather ‘cm with BBQ sauce, and barbecue all three of ‘em—to a crisp.

And you say your rebellious teenager got drunk, ate three cheese pizzas, and then cussed you out? Snuff the ingrate.

It’s what the Lord thy God wants. In fact, it’s what He commands.

That’s well worth remembering — and pointing out — the next time some religious wackjob starts whingeing on about sexual “sin” and the divinely ordained “need” to punish such “abominations.” —C.B.

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[Back Cover]

This pamphlet gives ammunition to those fighting fundamentalist bigotry and authoritarianism. It provides the most important verses featuring the Bible’s “abominations” and death commands, many of which would cause any sane person to recoil in horror.

Adultery? An abomination. But so are those oysters on your plate. Homosexuality? An abomination. As is sacrificing a blemished ox. Bestiality? An abomination. Likewise your butcher’s inaccurate scale.

And why is that EMT driving an ambulance on Sunday? Waste him.

You say your rebellious teenager got drunk, ate three cheese pizzas, and then cussed you out? Snuff the ingrate.

It’s what the Lord thy God wants. In fact, it’s what He commands.

That’s well worth remembering — and pointing out — the next time some religious wackjob starts whingeing on about sexual “sin” and the divinely ordained “need” to punish such “abominations.”

{1} Fred Phelps is a former civil rights attorney turned preacher , and is currently the pastor of the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) of Topeka, Kansas. Its small congregation is composed primarily of Phelps’ offspring and other relations. Phelps and his followers arc best known for picketing the funerals of AIDS victims and soldiers killed in Iraq, and for the WBC web site: www.godhatcsfags.com.

{2} There is nothing new in invasive authoritarians painting themselves (or their countrymen) as the victims of those they persecute. The most obvious example of this in recent history is the Nazi portrayal of the jews as victimizers of the German people.

In any given case, if you’re in doubt about who’s the victim and who’s the victimizer, simply look at who wants to use the coercive apparatus of the state to deny civil rights to others, to regulate the private conduct of others, and/or to jail or kill others.