I was reflecting on James Comey’s perjuries, which he has gotten away with because of the statute of limitations. Then it struck me that no statute of limitations hinders God’s judgment. Comey swore to God that he was truthful in his testimony before Congress. I knew every false statement because I read the FBI’s 1,000+ page report, and I saw all of Comey’s testimonies before Congress, as well as, I read the transcripts of his behind-closed-doors testimonies. To appear fair, I asked Grok about two falsehoods.
James Comey’s statement (July 7, 2016, House Oversight Committee testimony): When asked: “Did Hillary Clinton lie?” Comey replied:
“To the FBI? We have no basis to conclude she lied to the FBI.”
“To the FBI? We have no basis to conclude she lied to the FBI.”
1. Aides claimed they were unaware of the private server, but emails show they discussed its maintenance.
This is well-documented in the released FBI files.
- Multiple senior aides (including Cheryl Mills, Huma Abedin, and others) told FBI agents they were largely unaware of the technical details of the private server or didn’t know it existed as a dedicated server until after Clinton left office. Mills reportedly said she wasn’t even sure she knew what a “server” was during her time as chief of staff.
- Clinton herself told the FBI she “had no knowledge of the hardware, software, or security protocols” used for the servers.
- However, there is email traffic among aides, IT personnel (Bryan Pagliano, Justin Cooper, Paul Combetta/Platte River Networks), and others discussing server setup, transitions (e.g., from the Apple server to the new system), maintenance, BlackBerry issues, and related technical matters. These emails contradict blanket claims of complete unawareness.
2. SCIF security issues (doors propped open with chairs / not always closed)
This relates to physical security lapses at Clinton’s homes (particularly the Chappaqua residence SCIF where classified work was done and the server was located).
- State Department installed SCIFs (Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities) in her homes for handling classified material. Clinton publicly and in statements to FBI agents emphasized following proper security protocols.
- FBI investigation and released documents noted physical security problems. Reports (including from House Oversight) documented that Clinton and her detail regularly violated SCIF rules — for example, by bringing her BlackBerry into the secure area or having protective agents hold phones inside the SCIF (which itself violated protocols).
- There are references in investigative materials and oversight findings to doors in secure areas not always being properly secured or closed (including instances where doors were propped open, sometimes with everyday objects like chairs, to allow access or for convenience). Aides’ statements to the FBI about SCIF procedures sometimes downplayed or contradicted these lapses.
Trials by Ordeal: Divine Judgment in Human Courts
Trial by ordeal was an ancient judicial practice in which the guilt or innocence of an accused person (the “proband”) was determined by subjecting them to a painful, dangerous, or unpleasant physical test. The underlying belief was that a higher power—typically God—would intervene to protect the innocent through a miracle, while the guilty would suffer or fail. This method, known as iudicium Dei (judgment of God) in medieval Europe, served as a last resort when evidence was lacking or conflicting.
Ancient Roots
The concept dates back thousands of years. The Code of Hammurabi (c. 1750 BCE) in ancient Babylon described ordeals, such as throwing the accused into a river: those who sank were deemed innocent (accepted by the water), while those who floated were guilty. Similar practices appear in the Code of Ur-Nammu. In the Old Testament (Book of Numbers), a suspected adulterous woman drank “bitter water” to reveal her guilt. Ancient India featured agnipariksha (trial by fire), famously referenced in the Ramayana, where figures like Sita proved purity by enduring flames. These early forms spread across cultures, reflecting a worldview where divine forces actively participated in human justice, especially in societies without advanced forensics or reliable witness systems.
Medieval Europe: The Height of Ordeals
Ordeals became formalized in early medieval Europe, particularly among Germanic tribes and under Frankish kings like Charlemagne (who sanctioned them in the late 8th–early 9th centuries). The Catholic Church often oversaw the rituals, blessing the elements (water, iron, etc.) and interpreting results, lending them religious authority. They were most common from the 9th to 13th centuries for serious crimes like theft, murder, heresy, or witchcraft when oaths or compurgation (swearing innocence with supporters) proved insufficient.
Common methods included:
- Ordeal by Fire (Hot Iron or Plowshares): The accused carried a red-hot iron bar (or walked barefoot over heated plowshares) for a set distance, usually nine feet or three paces. The wound was bandaged and examined after three days. A clean, healing wound indicated innocence (divine intervention); festering showed guilt.
- Ordeal by Hot Water (Cauldron): The proband reached into boiling water (sometimes oil or lead) to retrieve a stone or ring. The hand was then inspected after three days in the same manner as fire ordeals. This was one of the earliest recorded in Salic law (6th century).
- Ordeal by Cold Water: The accused, bound and sometimes weighted, was lowered into a body of “holy” water. Sinking meant innocence (water accepted the pure); floating indicated guilt (water rejecting sin). This was risky, as the innocent might drown if not rescued quickly. It later became associated with witch trials.
- Ordeal by Combat (Trial by Battle): Primarily for nobles or freemen, the accused fought the accuser or a champion. Victory proved innocence. This persisted longer than unilateral ordeals in some regions.
- Other Variants:
- Ordeal by Cross: Two parties stood with arms outstretched like a cross; the first to lower them lost.
- Ordeal by Ingestion: Swallowing consecrated bread/cheese (guilty would choke) or poison (e.g., in African or Indian variants).
- Cruentation (Bier-Right): The accused touched a murder victim’s corpse; bleeding indicated guilt.
- Ordeal by Turf (Icelandic): Walking under a suspended turf; if it fell, guilty.
Success rates were surprisingly high for the innocent in surviving records, possibly because communities (and clergy) knew the accused’s reputation and administered ordeals leniently for those believed innocent, or because psychological pressure led the guilty to confess beforehand.
Global Variations: Practices existed worldwide. In ancient Persia and India, fire ordeals were common. West African communities used boiling oil or poison ingestion. In parts of Asia, rice chewing (dry mouth indicated guilt due to fear) or balance scales were employed. Liberia and other regions retained versions into modern times, drawing human rights concerns.
Published by Editor, Sammy Campbell.