January 10, 2010
SURPRISE!! Khirbet Qeiyafa Inscription Already Being Used to Support the Historicity of David
The following is a response to recent reports of an inscription found at Khirbet Qeiyafa, by Dr. Hector Avalos, Iowa State University:
January 09, 2010
January 08, 2010
Richard Carrier on the Formation of the NT Canon (2000)
Contrary to common belief, there was never a one-time, truly universal decision as to which books should be included in the Bible. It took over a century of the proliferation of numerous writings before anyone even bothered to start picking and choosing, and then it was largely a cumulative, individual and happenstance event, guided by chance and prejudice more than objective and scholarly research, until priests and academics began pronouncing what was authoritative and holy, and even they were not unanimous. Every church had its favored books, and since there was nothing like a clearly-defined orthodoxy until the 4th century, there were in fact many simultaneous literary traditions. The illusion that it was otherwise is created by the fact that the church that came out on top simply preserved texts in its favor and destroyed or let vanish opposing documents. Hence what we call "orthodoxy" is simply "the church that won." Link.
Professor Matt McCormick on "Vetting Supernatural Knowledge Claims"
Check it out. This is excellent and non-refutable.
Christians, You Have It All Wrong, This Christian Has The Answers!
That's right, or so he claims. What is missing from his credal statement? What is different from the historic creeds of the faith? Convert I say.
January 07, 2010
Christopher Hitchens Answers Some Questions
If you haven't already watched this it's worth looking at to understand what he thinks:
A More Insightful Critique of a Recent Post and My Response
A recent post, titled Based on This Argument Alone The Best Any Believer Can Claim is Agnosticism, has gained a lot of attention and been sidetracked by Christians who seek to defend their beliefs rather than think through it. To these Christians let me show you a much better way to argue your case, coming from a gay guy named Gaylord Martha Focker on Facebook, whose beliefs I can't say for sure, even if his his response is dead wrong:
Helen Fisher on Why We Love and Cheat
The provocatively titled blog by Leah Elliott Hauge called The Whore of All the Earth first linked to this brief but incredible TED talk. Fisher tells us of the science of lust, romantic love, and attachment, and it blows away the ancient Biblical understandings in several ways. View it and then let's count the number of ways this science destroys Biblical understandings, shall we? Once again it's Science vs Religion and once again believers will denigrate science. Go figure. How many times must they do this to believe?
Christian THINK: What About Your Friends and Family Who Will Be In Hell?
On Facebook I became a fan of the group "I may be going to hell but at least all my friends will be there." It's just a fun group and I can do fun. But then a Christian friend of mine and I got into a brief conversation about it:
January 06, 2010
Sam Harris Answers The Liberal Complaint Against the New Atheists
I really liked how Sam Harris answered Karen Armstrong's Foreign Policy article right here, although she got the last word. What's wrong with the liberals? Why don't they get it? Sam's sarcastic answer is a much better response than trying to reason with people like her, so it's better than my review of her book, The Case For God. But they just don't get it.
No Movement in Today's World Can Make a Difference Without Women, So Here's to Them ALL
Jen McCreight has complied a large list of awesome female atheists. Kudos to them and many thanks for all their efforts in our fight against superstition, pseudoscience, and ignorance. We need them! Let me rather say it this way: I'm glad to join with them in this common cause. So far her list includes:
Even PZ Myers Power Cannot Win All Atheist Polls
PZ Myers has topped every atheist poll so far and isn't doing too bad as a write-in on the most influential female atheist of 2009. ;-) He creamed all challengers on my own most vocal atheist poll, and right now he's beating out everyone in the universe combined. Since he wins all polls here's one in the sidebar where he cannot win in every category! We've got him this time. So which will it be?
Austin Cline on "Why Don't Theists Believe What Atheists Tell Them About Atheism?"
Question: When atheists explain why they became atheists, what atheism is, and what atheism is not, religious theists (and especially Christians) often refuse to accept what they hear. This happens even when atheists just answer a specific question which they were asked. Why do theists behave this way? What can I do about it?
January 05, 2010
Christian THINK: That's All You Have to Do
Check out this video of "Noah's Ark and the Great Flood":
Christopher Hitchens Takes on the Liberals
Hear Christopher Hitchens interviewed by Unitarian minister Marilyn Sewell. He's defending the fundamentalist critique of liberalism. You see, I agree with the fundamentalist critique of liberalism, as well as the liberal critique of fundamentalism. I agree with the Catholic critique of Protestantism as well as the Protestant critique of Catholicism. They debunk themselves leaving us no reason to accept Christianity in any form. HT: Hemant Mehta.
One Last Biblioblogger List Done (W)Right for December
And lookee here. I bested all but two of them. Now that Jim West is off the market I only need to overtake J.L. Watts for the number one slot. Can it be done? I wonder how I could convince him that he is boring too. ;-)
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