Three Keys To Understand What I'm Doing

Recently on another blog I was sort of dismissed because I don’t have a PhD nor any scholarly articles published. Does this matter? I think not, not when you understand what I’m doing.

I don’t want to write scholarly stuff to get patted on the back by other scholars. While doing so is very important, that’s what they get in return. My goal is to change the religious landscape and you don’t do that by writing for the scholars. You do that by writing for university students and the average intelligent reader.

Three things then are key to understand what I’m doing.

One) As a scholar I understand the scholars. I can effectively engage them. But I “translate” what they’re saying to the intelligent reader. Someone has to do this and I think that’s where my time is best spent if I want to change the religious landscape.

Two) My specialty is in being a generalist. I know that sounds like a possible contraction, but I don’t see this at all. Most scholars specialize in a small little area of expertise in the woods, on some particular tree, and/or a leaf of a tree. My specialty is in being able to see and describe the whole forest. I specialize in the Big Picture. Someone has to do this and it's just as difficult to do as to focus on a leaf on a tree in the forest. But I do this because it's the best way to change the religious landscape.

Three) I focus on Christian theism, not theism in general. The defense of theism in general is a long way from the God of Christianity. To get to the God of Christianity one must defend a whole host of things that cannot reasonably be defended. Christian philosophers delude themselves and others into thinking that by defending theism they can conclude Christian theism is the case. That is one big non-sequitur.

Many people think I’m doing something that few if any atheists are doing. My passion is great about this.

Update: The London Times Literary Supplement will be reviewing my book soon. It’s just a little more influential than a New York Times Book Review. I have also been asked to speak on a panel for the prestigious Society of Biblical Literature's annual meeting in New Orleans this November. [Unlike others who must travel there I must pay my own way]. People see my scholarship; it’s just a different kind.

I'm in the final stages of sending a new work to Prometheus Books for publication. It’s already accepted and due August 1st. I see it as a further extension of my book, WIBA. I wrote four chapters for it and the other 12 are written by Drs. David Eller, Valerie Tarico, Jason Long, Jim Linville, Hector Avalos, Richard Carrier, and Robert M. Price, along with Ed Babinski, Joe E. Holman, Matthew J. Green, and Jeffery Mark. From what I can see as the chapters are being sent my way this will be a very good book. It’s tentatively titled: “Critics Confront Christianity.”

I need your financial help at this time to keep on keeping on, to maintain this Blog, buy important books to review, and attract the kind of firepower we have here. I’m not kidding. Please read this. If you believe in what I’m doing please help. Just about $285 has been contributed with this weekend's push so far. Every bit helps. I'm hoping to raise $500 right now. Thanks for your help!

Let me give a couple of examples of book prices. “The End of Philosophy of Religion” by Nick Trakakis goes for $120 (with 172 pages!). I think some publishers want to rape us. I’m sure it’s a good book though and in a few years I’ll get it. It’s a shame that cutting edge libraries must fork over these costs. It stretches their budget beyond imagining. I have William Hasker’s “Providence, Evil and the Openness of God,” at a pricey $150, (for 236 pages), and Michael Murray’s “Nature Red in Tooth and Claw” for $62 (204 pages), which does represent my speciality, the problem of evil. I also have Edward Adams's "The Stars Will Fall From Heaven," which cost me $109, Just look at the prices of books and you'll know why I need your finacial help (BTW, I spend it frugally).

12 comments:

Luke said...

John,

Do you really think you were "dismissed"? Goodness, I didn't see it that way at all.

Anonymous said...

"sort of dismissed" not by you Luke, but cartesian who admitted he was "harsh."

Charles said...

Cartesian dismisses just about everything everyone says. You're in good company.

James B said...

John,
I’m sure you realize how important your work is to those of us who have escaped the madness of fundamentalism…a voice crying in the wilderness. Example, I listened to a podcast from Luke Prog (spelling, sorry Luke), Conversations from a Pale Blue Dot, interview with PhD candidate Mike Licona, resurrection as topic. Mike boasts of 200K plus words in dissertation, where the consensus of “scholars” is basically proof of resurrection, oh yeah, also what is stated in the bible, of course. Sad, Mike spent entire interview rabbit trailing into discussing other religions referring to his 3 facts of resurrection as “bedrock” historical evidence (Good interview Luke, Mike is a pro). That said, without the efforts of men like you, the average listener will find it hard to untangle the psychobabble of question evasion, and see how clearly Christianity is an intellectual house of cards. PhD or without, your books and articles provide common sense for the layman, a debriefing after authoritarian trauma. If Mike Licona is an example of Doctoral level work, the free thinking community need not worry.
Thanks

Corky said...

The gospel story didn't come from an actual living human being named Jesus. It came from out of context quotes from the Jewish scriptures.

It doesn't take a scholar to know that. All it takes is to be able to read and use common sense.

Jesus' resurrection and ascension into heaven actually rules out a literal, historical man. Common sense tells you that that did not happen.

What did happen? The gnosis from Alexadria, Egypt is what happened. The personification of the "perfect Man".

Jesus was actually only a personification of the principles of truth, justice and mercy made literal by the proto-Catholic church.

Yes, that's what is called in the epistles of John "the spirit of antichrist". People were leaving the ecclesias because of the bishops making Jesus into a literal person - the reason they were leaving was because they knew better.

What does this have to do with scholars with PhDs? It has to do with people of common sense who figured this out for themselves.

It doesn't take a master's degree to do some historical research and a lot of reading.

When considering sources - if it's a religious one, it's biased and deceptive - and you can take that to the bank. This is especially true of creationists and fundamentalists. They will lie to you for Jesus.

Jason Long said...

John, Like I said in my intro, it doesn't take a Ph.D. in the history of the Ancient Near East to realize that donkeys don't talk.

Bart said...

Getting a PHD is hard work, and it should command respect. In the field that the earned the PHD.

But every PHD should remember that they are just as ignorant as the average layperson on every other topic in the world. Far too many people holding this honor consider it license to be overbearing on all topics.

But beyond that, having a PHD does not equate absolute knowledge in any field. Any determined person can acquire equal or greater knowledge in any field of study without ever earning a Doctorate of Philosophy.

That is the root of the Ad Hominim fallacy. A argument should stand on its own validity, independent of the credentials of its author.

Feel free to attack my person. I'm a college drop out, and currently work as a house painter.

Anonymous said...

John,
I know a lot of PHD's. That doesn't give them immunity from fallacious reasoning. It just means they've been privileged enough to be able to commit the time and money to achieving it.

If I had the time, I'd have a PHD too, but that type of commitment doesn't fit into my circumstances. Unfortunately, I have to earn a living and that takes up about 50 hours a week, and my family, sleeping the sport of debunking christianity takes up the rest.
;-)

but I'm studying for my phd on my own and using it as ammunition here!
;-)

Anonymous said...

oh yea,
the book thing,
Douglas Walton's expensive books are leaving a gap in my library.
I bought one on ambiguity for $150.00.
A lot of the books I own are creeping up in price.

Anthony said...

Lee Randolph: Douglas Walton's expensive books are leaving a gap in my library.
I bought one on ambiguity for $150.00


Lee, shut me an email (click on my Profile, my email address is posted there) and I'll give you a link that will allow you to download 4 of Douglas Walton's books.

Gandolf said...

John to be quite honest i suggest you maybe try to relax a little about maybe still feeling you have some type of "need to" go proving yourself to somebody.

(Maybe)its you worry just a little to much about what others might think about such things.

I might be very wrong about this!.But if im not completely wrong in what im saying let me say i wouldnt find it so so strange or hard to understand at all.

Why?

Well because after all the very nature of faith and religion etc, i suggest is very well known to make people tend to be rather harsh and over judgmental even of themselves installing extra high expectations and even stupid disgrace for those who might be considered by some bigots to not come up to their own personally perceived standards etc.

You know yes ive seen a blog or two slinging off at you in the manner of personal attacks etc,often stupidly enough! about matters that you yourself had already admitted.Think it was by some self appointed wonderful fellow called J.P.Holding or something.And his wise band of merry men which happens to also include our local well known village clown called Andrew who the other day even happened to have trouble with what the proper spelling of Atheist was.

:) Hell he posts often enough here with his worthless crap about the subject,often suggesting to be calling you out to come "debate him".For somebody supposedly such a force to be so afraid of,it somehow still seems rather strange that he even still seems to have such trouble even with just spelling the subject.

And its even more hilarious that this J.P Holding dude and co all actually feel so proud of themselves sitting there simply just bagging you,along with the company of such a obvious idiot :)

In fact it was so stupid and completely pitiful that i just couldnt be bothered even wasting time on posting.

Why?....Well there was absolutely no need to...Their type of "mere personal attacks" spoke more than "loud enough" on its own for itself.

L.o.L....In one thread they were havin a personal gripe about you when you stopped the comments.

L.o.L...At the same time they were all at it flat out bitchin away to each other....feeling all sorry for themselves etc....They were also havin trouble with some of the comments getting a bit out of hand themselves too as well.

And the guy who was busy tryin to control matters a bit,was busy sayin something comparable to "What ever happens we wont go controlling what people post, just so we can take the high ground and say we are not like that bad guy John Loftus.

I maybe could have bothered posting and tried to point out that just maybe they had happened to prove a point to themselves,in that their own personal bitch post all about somebody elses supposed imperfections had maybe given some evidence of just why some people might sometimes happen to feel they have had more than enough for awhile.

But i thought it was more funny to just leave them steaming away amongst themselves,and maybe pop back quietly from time to time to see if they have been able to get a little more understanding .

So John why bother so much about what everyone thinks.You have no need at all to try or even pretend to be perfect.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Gandolf, I appreciate honest constructive advice. I'll try to take it to heart.