Man called 911 after microwaving his hand

An Idaho man who believed he bore the "mark of the beast" used a circular saw to cut off one hand, then he cooked it in his microwave oven and used his remaining hand to dial 911 for help.

The man, in his mid-20s, was calm when Kootenai County sheriff's deputies arrived at his home in January. He was held in protective custody in the mental health unit of Kootenai Medical Center.

"It had been somewhat cooked by the time the deputy arrived," sheriff's Capt. Ben Wolfinger said. "He put a tourniquet on his arm before, so he didn't bleed to death. It was not immediately clear whether the man has a history of mental illness.

The Book of Revelation in the New Testament contains a passage in which an angel is quoted as saying: "If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink the wine of God's fury." The book of Matthew says: "And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell." (info from The Associated Press)