William Thomas Thompson: Unorthodox Convictions by Raw Vision

Recent Paintings of William Thomas Thompson including Toxic Chemtrails, paintings of Heaven and Hell and History of the Protestant Christian Church

5G Apocalypse 5G, acrylic on canvas Revelation 6 and 17 painting describing 5G Apocalypse 5G, [no virus] radiation, population reduction. Scroll down to page 9 for the full description of the above painting

thompsonart99@hotmail.com www.arthompson.com article from Raw Vision #104

www.thecolorfulapocalypse.com 1

WILLIAM THOMAS THOMPSON’S UNORTHODOX CONVICTIONS The American painter occupies a strong position in today’s religious and political thinking, and his viewpoints shape his art MICHAEL BONESTEEL

Thompson, who lives in Greenville, South Carolina, began his career in 1961 as a wholesaler of artificial flowers, built up a million-dollar business in the United States, and then expanded his enterprise to Hong Kong. However, through a series of financial downturns, his business collapsed in the 1980s. As a result, he believes his psychological well-being suffered and led to his developing Guillan-Barré syndrome, a rare autoimmune disorder. While attending a Sunday church service in Hawaii, 1989, he recalled, “I saw a

In an age of extremism, the art of William Thomas Thompson (b. 1935) extends above and beyond the merely unconventional. His political and religious beliefs are neither on the extreme right nor the extreme left. While the messages of other apocalyptic artists of a fundamentalist-Christian orientation may appear to be coming from a similar place, none have spelled themselves out as explicitly as those within the texts that appear in Thompson’s paintings, particularly his seven most recently created works. 2

above: The Great Deception of the Church and State, 2018, acrylic on canvas, 15 x 12 ft / 4.6 x 3.7 m previous page: The Toxic Dollar, A Weapon of Mass Destruction, 2018, acrylic on canvas, 15 x 12 ft / 4.6 x 3.7 m All quotes are taken from e-mail interviews conducted by the author between July and October, 2019

vision of the coming of the Lord and the world on fire on July 6, 1989.” Thompson regards his epiphany, he said, “as an unmistakable command to paint what I saw”. Since then, he has produced thousands of paintings. He noted, “I feel spiritually motivated to paint the truth condemning the world system as the spirit enlightens me to the pitfalls laid down by the Antichrist.” Not one to be swept up in the voluptuous materialism of painterly realism, he never attempted to practise a formal technique. Instead, his work offers the raw realism of spontaneous expression – rough images by an artist whose brushstrokes reflect the tremors caused by a neurological condition that causes pain and weakness in his hands, and has paralysed Thompson below the knees. “I do all [of my] painting flat down, either on my table or on the floor”, he explained. My table is 10 by 16 feet long. […] [With] my large canvases, I […] either sit on the table on top of the

canvas to paint or lie down on the canvas to steady my right arm to paint. I never sketch out any art [or] fill in the spaces. [...] I would like to say in all this that I am the servant, not the artist, in terms of spiritual inspiration that I cannot fully explain. Thompson’s resulting images may be less refined than those of Sister Gertrude Morgan (1900–1980), the New Orleans-based painter of biblical-themed pictures, but their composition has greater range and rhythm than the paintings of the Mississippi-based Mary T Smith (1904–1995), two other American self-taught artists who were inspired by Christian themes. Thompson usually makes up for what he lacks in formal technique with dramatic arrangements of figures and other elements within his compositions, as well as with his lavish use of vivid colours. As in the paintings of Hilma af Klint (1862–1944), the writings of the Christian mystic Jacob Böhme (1575–1624) illustrated by Dionysius Andreas Freher

False Flag, Changing Colors of America, 2018, acrylic on canvas, 15 x 12 ft / 4.6 x 3.7 m

RAW VISION 104

above: The Mail, acrylic on canvas, 2 x 3 ft

above: Toxic Chemtrails, 2017, acrylic on canvas, 15 x 12 ft / 4.6 x 3.7 m

opposite, above: The Gate of Hell, 2019, acrylic on canvas, 15 x 12 ft / 4.6 x 3.7 m

(1649–1728), or the images produced by artists to accompany compilations of occult philosophy assembled by the English physician Robert Fludd (1574–1637), there appears to be a kind of sacred geometry in the structures of Thompson’s diagrammatic paintings. However, unlike the geometry related to af Klint, Böhme and Fludd, Thompson undermines his spiritual and political symbols by adding texts that show them to be corrupted by dark meanings. Just as his good friend and fellow apocalyptic visionary, the late Norbert Kox (1945–2018), painted portraits of a faux Jesus Christ, Thompson takes such sacrosanct symbols as the American flag and the Star of David and reveals what he claims are their deceptive and misleading meanings. In two recent works, Toxic Chemtrails (2016) and False Flag, Changing the Colors of America (2017), Thompson reimagines the flag of the United States as a graphic structure containing elements loaded with sinister connotations. Toxic Chemtrails practically decomposes before a viewer’s eyes as its flag’s white

stripes seem to dissolve into horizontal columns of white smoke, or “chemtrails”. Some of these stripes pointing words, more blue end in airplanes arrows pointing to to thethe words, “No“No more blue skies. The end is near.” In Thompson’s version, replacing the usual cluster of five-pointed stars in the upper corner of the US flag is a single, six-pointed Star of David, which he identifies as the “Star of Remphan”. This is mentioned in the Bible, in Acts 7:43, where the scripture states, “Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon.” Describing the “chemtrails”, Thompson observed, We are being bombarded with terrible clouds and thunderstorms with high winds and heavy rain from [a] government [that is] spraying chemtrails in the atmosphere, poisonous chemicals [that are] known [to be] covering the Earth daily. We could see the jumbo jets spraying the atmosphere in all directions.

William Thomas Thompson painting in his studio, on the 10- by 16-foot table on which he works, photo: Kelly Ludwig, 2019

above: Gates of Hell, acrylic on canvas, 12 x 15 ft

Celebrating 500 Years of Martin Luther’s Protestant Church of 1517, 2019, 15 x 12 ft / 4.6 x 3.7 m

Thompson’s painting False Flag, Changing the Colors of America contains a great amount of text. It, too, contains a Star of David or Star of Remphan instead of Old Glory’s usual five-pointed stars. Here, each of its red and white stripes is marked by a text that runs right across it; together, these text-bearing stripes appear to transform into a rainbow-hued cascade of colour. Their inscriptions list the names of American politicians associated with both conservative and progressive factions, including Bush, Roosevelt, Truman, Johnson, Clinton, Obama, Woodrow Wilson, Cheney, Kissinger, Trump, Lincoln and Nixon, as well as a litany of conspiracy theory watchwords: Illuminati, Rothschild, Freemasons, Antichrist, flu shots, insecticides. Two other recent Thompson paintings, The Great Deception of Church and State (2018) and The Toxic Dollar, A Weapon of Mass Destruction (2018), also feature Stars of David as their primary motifs. In the former work, Thompson includes a text that states: Identifying the deceivers of Church and State, the Antichrist, the fake Israelis, Zionism-Communism, in

collusion with the Masonic Temple Lodge, military ind. [industrial] complex, the worship of money of the pagan god Osiris. The Catholic Church. The Baptist Church? Kids [sic] vaccinations. Fluoride in the water and toothpaste. Monsanto altering of our food supply. Public Education. Charismatic Church. The banking system. Plus opioids. Fake global warming and spraying of chemtrails in our atmosphere. Thompson is critical of Zionism (the Jewish national movement) and the Roman Catholic Church, but he also condemns most Protestant denominations, believing that, “Almost all organized religions are deceptive at the top.” Yet Thompson insists, “I am not a conspiracy theorist; I deal in facts.” Regardless of his opinions, Thompson feels it is right to question authority because events of the past several years have provoked unprecedented public awareness of corruption among not only politicians but also business leaders, religious figures and mediawatched celebrities.

above: Heaven, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 12 x 9 ft / 3.7 x 2.7 m right: William Thomas Thompson (right) stands with Norbert Kox by their collaborative work, Salvation, 2004

The last of his seven new paintings is decidedly upbeat. Titled simply Heaven (2011), it depicts a glorious vision of the New Testament’s Book of Revelation, introduced by 21:4 of that volume: “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away.” “As things continue to cave in”, Thompson remarked, “fulfilling the biblical prophecies of the Apocalypse and Armageddon, the Church will come out again in repentance, I do believe.”

Based in Chicago, Michael Bonesteel has written frequently about outsider art and is especially known for his research on the life and work of Henry Darger.

My paintings of Heaven and Hell and others were included in the 2012 “Heaven and Hell” show in Chicago at Intuit Art Institute and Loyola University on Michigan Ave. The painting is 9 by 12 feet and matches the one of Heaven. The show ran from February through June 2012. Revelation 6 and 17 painting describing 5G Apocalypse 5G, [no virus] radiation, population reduction.

they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. The lord has sent them a strong delusion the whole world by the end to include the Mark of the Beast in events leading up to the toxic vaccine to be mandated in all the world. This is my heart & soul, my message to the world. The 4 Horsemen, the beast and the global 5G grid, in our time all represent the Antichrist, World Wars, rationing and Hunger, Gray-Death and Hell. Revelation is given in imagery symbols and by issues we knew if I could illustrate from the original today. The Masonic 85 percent depopulation agenda of de universe is manifest on the Guide Stones of Georgia. Telling people of the dangers of it is to no avail. Art paintings makes it a much more powerful statement. This virus is a False Flag as a decoy to cover for the dangerous new 5G microwave radiation global grid. It is called by many names, it has been patented by insiders laughing all way to bank at how stupid we are. Until we turn off 5G, people are going to be getting sicker more so in the Fall when school starts back up with the newly installed 5G, even on school buses. We see babies with red skin infections now from 5G. The question is, why would people want to destroy themselves, the answer is, now we’re encaged under a global kill grid and they can turn up the power on one person or city and turn it down where they live. The ships of the sea all have 5G satellite transmitters installed on top as the passengers are sick & dying. Where is the woman riding the scarlet colored Beast? All the characters of the 7 heads are drunk on the blood of the Saints of God and are drinking from the same golden cup of abominations and worldly lust. The 4 Horsemen of Revelation chapter 6, covers the whole world beginning with the first white horse as the antichrist. Antichrist comes riding on a White Horse, preceding the real Christ later in the Revelation. The antichrist on the first white horse represents the economic system of the current world. The Red Horse represents war and the Military Industrial Complex, that have instigated death and destruction for hundreds of years taking peace from earth. The black horse represents hunger and famine and millions that work in the food industry in feeding the world. The Grey Horse represent Sickness, Death and Hell for all unbelievers. Most religions of the world worship the sun. Religion is not really a Biblical word. James 1:27 ‘’Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspoiled from the

Do you recognize these 7 top talking heads lying us into death and destruction as agents of the virus and vaccine industries, the beasts of Mystery Babylon has come alive as indicated by gravestones on border. ‘’And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the 4 beasts saying, Come and see. 2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. 3 And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. 4 And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. 5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the 4 beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and 3 measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine. 7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. 8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth’’. [That’s Bill Gates and his vaccines] Revelation 12 and 13. About my painting of # 8 entitled 5G Apocalypse 5G. It is my intention to make a statement about the great deception of the world treating it as a virus while it is actually the new super microwave radiation known as 5G, fifth generation of Internet, that is making people sick and dying. This is my final vision to warn the world of the dangers of the antichrist deceptions and of Christian heresy in the world today. The Scripture in 2 Thessalonians 2-8 [King James Version] ‘’And then shall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, he shall destroy with the bright-ness of his coming: 9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they had received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this Cause, God shall send them a strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That

Hell, acrylic on canvas, 9 x 12 ft

world. King James Version (KJV) The Revelation of Christ is given in symbols and I have applied the modern version of the Antichrist for the world we face happenings today. The beast world today could be included as the Harlot of Babylon. Something about Bill Gates. Why would a person spending so much to make viruses to kill people, want to make a vaccine to save people. It is both bad. Almighty God who knows the past, present and future, he knows the minds of the people. SATAN is all bad, no good, never has created anything, and he always destroys, is opposite from Yahweh God/Christ Yesu. God sent the great flood to destroy the wickedness on earth 4,000 years ago, then the 2 cities, where Lot lived, sometime thereafter. Man is destroying this wicked modern world by himself. The Bible says to know his number and his name. His number is 666. IF MY PEOPLE WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME KJV 2 Chronicles 7:14 King James Version (KJV) 14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my

face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. This painting is dedicated to the enlightenment of the 7 billion people living on the earth, as to the life danger of 5G radiation that is threatening even to the birds and bees as it is to livestock and to wildlife. We The People have endured 60 years of fluoride poison in our water, years and years of chemotherapy deaths, chemtrails poisoning our skies, Monsanto GMO’in of our food supply, and now the ultimate kill. This is the last of my 12 x15 feet series plus Heaven and Hell 9 x12 feet. I did for the Chicago show of 2012. Roundup [agent orange] is another Monsanto poison product we are consuming plus diet coke, power drinks, alcohol and drugs and tobacco. Our children are being taught the theory of evolution in our God-less schools. All aspects of Revelation prophecy is fulfilled in today’s world. Prepare ye to meet the Lord. Revelation 12 and 13 describe the Sea Beast and fictitious Dragon Beast, each with 7 heads & 10 horns. Revelation ‘’And 10

there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having 7 heads and ten horns, and 7 crowns upon his heads.’’ Our destruction confirms the 7th. Millennium. Revelation 13-1 ‘’And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having 7 heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.’’ 17-1 And there came one of the 7 angels which had the 7 vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: 2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. 3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the [USA] wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: 5 And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon The Great, The Mother Of Harlots And Abominations Of The Earth. 6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.’’[ONE IN 5 BRITAINS THINK CORONOVIRUS IS A HOAX ACCORDING TO OXFORD STUDY] The 5G lavender coloured electrical system was developed by Israel for crowd control but not used by them. 18-1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. 2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. 3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. 4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. [God sees all of us.] 6 Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled, fill to her double. 7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. 8

Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. 9 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, 10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. 11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: 12 The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, 13 And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men. 14 And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all. 15 The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, 16 And saying, Alas, alas that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! 17 For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, 18 And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! 19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate. 20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her. 21 And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. 22 And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; 23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. 24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.’’ The coronavirus is a hoax, but, deadly 5G is for real. 11

Artwork of William Thomas Thompson from July 6, 1989 until today, art shows, past and present. My showplace has been more with universities and art museums from beginning. My first art was shown at the Greenville County Art Museum in a local artist’s annual show. Furman University gave me a one-man art show in 1994 of 30 of my paintings, cable TV did a 30 minute documentary of my art, Dr. Sorensen of Furman art department spoke in the film. I was selected for the annual Spoleto show in Charleston that went to the Very Special Arts in Washington, an affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Arts Center and with reasonably good results. In 1994 I began painting on a 300 foot long canvas, Revelation Revealed that showed in the Atlanta Folk Fest art show, No. Atlanta Trade Center., at which time it was booked for the show, “The End is Near”, Baltimore, Maryland beginning in 1997 for one year then it went to the Las Vegas Art Museum for one year, along with 100 of my paintings filling 3 galleries in 1998. In 1999 My 300 foot painting of the Book of Revelation went to the City Museum, St. Louis, Mo. From there it went to Union University in Jackson Tennessee, they kept it for studies 3 years. My art has been filmed by the South Carolina ETV and Kansas City ETV shows it nationally. In 1999 I painted Revelation Revealed II 150 feet long in 6 sections of 25 feet each by 8 feet tall for the Campus Crusade for Christ in Lausanne, Switzerland, for their Expo 2000. I went over to help in erecting it for display. The painting has since gone to London and was shown at Raw Vision. It has since shown in Paris for one year at the Halle St. Pierre Museum of art in 2014, and it is now back in London, it was shown in the Town Hall in the town of Raw Vision Magazine during the “Raw Vision Magazine seminar on Outsider Art” at the Tate Modern Museum. I was there with Norbert when we did our fourth collaboration entitled Towers of Power’. I have had 3 shows with Norbert H. Kox at the University of Wisconsin of our collaborations. My 6 collaborations with Norbert H. Kox are on my website as thecolorfulapocalypse.com. University of

Memphis 3-year travelling show, New York Bible Society, University of Florida. Winthrop University, South Carolina. Saltfish Art Museum, Iceland. Gallery One Asheville. In 2005 I was commissioned by the American Visionary Art Museum to paint the 7 Days of Creation that hangs in their sculpture barn permanently in Baltimore, Maryland. Each day is 12 x 16 feet, with day 7, the Sabbath Day of Rest, is 12 x 18ft. Painted on 12 ounce canvas. My art was shown in the “Heaven and Hell Art” show in Chicago at the Intuit Art Institute and Loyola University Art Museum on Michigan Avenue from February through June in the year of 2012. I have 8 paintings in the South Carolina State Museum Permanent collection. Six are from the Book of Revelation especially ordered by the museum and one is 10 by 12 feet a painting of the state listing the 25 Indian tribes that occupied before we came over and even the Royal Navy firing on Charleston 1776. In 1999/2000 I was chosen as one of the 100 artists of the State of South Carolina of the 20th century. This led to my art being shown at Spoleto in Charleston, then it goes to Washington. My art showed in the new Spartanburg Art Museum when it opened in the Chapman Center on St. John’s Street, 30 paintings entitled Genesis to Revelation. It was applauded by the Art Museum staff as a membership builder by schoolchildren seeing and bringing in their parents. My latest art show was at de University of Edinboro in Edinboro, Pennsylvania was very good. I have been published in Raw Vision issue 33, the Greenville News, the S.C. State newspaper, Las Vegas News Paper, Milan newspaper in Italy, the Baltimore Sun, Washington Post, others. Art is my mission and my ministry of creation, salvation, and the Revelation for all of eternity. Now 30 years of painting Christian art. www.arthompson.com email: thompsonart99@hotmail.com My art is again published in Raw Vision Art Magazine of London, issue 104 January 2020.

What must one do to be saved? Will a prayer of repentance save a soul or does it take living a holy life fully sanctified from this world and feeling of the joy of the Lord in your heart and faith in the Almighty creator God with a divine calling from the 4 gospels of the New Testament Bible, manifesting Salvation, through the blood of Christ our Redeemer. The Gospel of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all manifest eternal Salvation with the Apostle John writing in chapter 3 verse 16 ‘’For God so loved the world, he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believe in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved.’’ Even the thief on the cross was saved at the last minute because he believed. The 4 gospels all manifest the need for our faith in Christ the Lord our Redeemer. Then we are commanded to pray The Lords Prayer from scripture. ‘’Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day Our Daily Bread, forgive our sin debt, as we forgive those who sin against us, lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory forever. Amen.’’ Salvation is free of charge, no need to pay a priest, because only God through Christ can forgive sin. The scriptures are Inspired by The Holy Spirit of God.