"Every nut who kills people has a Bible lying around. If you're looking for violent rape imagery, the Bible's right there in your hotel room. If you just want to look up ways to screw people up, there it is, and you're justified because God told you to"

Penn Jillette’s provocative statement challenges the popular perception of the Bible as a definitive source of moral virtue. He highlights the unsettling historical and contemporary reality that individuals who commit horrific acts, sometimes even murder, frequently possess or reference religious texts such as the Bible. Rather than being a shield against violence, the Bible, according to Jillette, can be appropriated to justify it.

He points to the prevalence of disturbing and violent stories within the biblical text itself. References to rape, murder, and retribution are not uncommon in the Old Testament, and even in the New Testament, passages exist that have been interpreted as condoning violence or exclusion. By noting that "violent rape imagery" is as close as the hotel nightstand, Jillette underscores the easy accessibility of these narratives in a culture that routinely places Bibles in public accommodations as markers of morality.

Furthermore, Jillette takes aim at the tendency of people to seek justification for destructive behavior in religious texts. For individuals seeking a rationale or even a divine mandate for their actions, the extensive stories and commandments within the Bible provide numerous examples that can be selectively interpreted. History is replete with instances of religious wars, persecutions, and practices like slavery and subjugation being justified through scripture.

The comment is not just an indictment of the text alone, but of human nature’s propensity to use revered or authoritative sources as validation for personal or collective violence. By stating, "you're justified because God told you to", Jillette invokes the psychological phenomenon wherein divine command is invoked to silence internal or societal moral doubts. The effect is a powerful skepticism regarding the inherent goodness of holy books, and a caution that blind reverence for scripture can be dangerously misapplied with tragic consequences. This confronts readers and listeners with the responsibility to critically evaluate the use and interpretation of religious authority, rather than accept it unquestioningly.