May I also add how and why John the Baptist was
beheaded?... Whatever, I will anyway.
John had been in
prison for quite a while before he was beheaded. This due, in part, to the fact that he had openly criticized
Herod for taking for himself
Herodias, the
wife of his
half brother, and also his
niece.
Herodias wasn't very happy with him for saying this and influenced Herod's decision to
imprison him.
On his
birthday, after John had been imprisoned, Herod threw a
party at which Herodias' daughter
Salome,
fathered by her rightful
husband,
danced. This
entertainment pleased Herod and his guests so much that he offered her anything that was in his power to give.
The silly girl, of course, couldn't decide what she wanted so she asked her
mother to decide for her. Hence, John the
Baptist was beheaded by orders of Herod,
tetrarch of
Galilee, after it was requested by his wife's daughter at his wife's urging.
For more information on this and other stories, try reading the
Bible. It's got some
interesting stuff.
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Disclaimer: even though the tone of this node may sound
irreverent to some people, I have much respect for John the Baptist and think that the happenings described above were disturbing and quite unfortunate.