Next Up, The Mayan Apocalypse, December 21st 2012
But first we should be sure it hasn't already occurred and we missed it. Missed it!? Yep.
Where Oh Where is Harold Camping?
News Flash: Harold Camping deserts his flock after his failed Rapture prediction. Someone ought to press criminal charges against him for fraud.
They're Still Here? I Had Hoped Harold Camping Was Right After All!
Then all of the deluded people would be gone and we could have a sane decent society unencumbered with the likes of so many of them. Oh well, maybe next time.
My Predictions of the Excuses Harold Camping May Make
1) I miscalculated. The Rapture will be a month, a year, or several years from now.
2) Jesus appeared to me and said there was too much media attention so he's postponed the Rapture indefinitely. After all, Jesus said no one will know the day and the hour. Too many people knew!
3) Jesus did come back and found no one worthy. We need to repent of our sins.
4) Jesus came back spiritually, just like the Jehovah's Witnesses before him said.
5) Jesus actually entered into the heavenly sanctuary, just like the Seventh Day Adventists before him said.
6) Whether it happened or not it was a good thing in the end, because many people got saved (utilitarianism at its best).
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Or, he could say, "I'm a deluded buffoon." But what are the chances of that? 0%
2) Jesus appeared to me and said there was too much media attention so he's postponed the Rapture indefinitely. After all, Jesus said no one will know the day and the hour. Too many people knew!
3) Jesus did come back and found no one worthy. We need to repent of our sins.
4) Jesus came back spiritually, just like the Jehovah's Witnesses before him said.
5) Jesus actually entered into the heavenly sanctuary, just like the Seventh Day Adventists before him said.
6) Whether it happened or not it was a good thing in the end, because many people got saved (utilitarianism at its best).
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Or, he could say, "I'm a deluded buffoon." But what are the chances of that? 0%
Rapture Madness, Over and Over and Over Again
I've written about Rapture Madness before.
Christians who believe they will be raptured should be concerned about their pets. Enter an organization called Eternal Earth-Bound Pets, USA. For the mere sum of $110.00 these committed atheists will sign a contract promising to personally take care of your pet when you are raptured. The contract is good for 10 years. Apparently they now have 100 clients in 22 states. Something like this could only happen in America--Christian America that is.
Dr. Avalos: There will be "No Judgment Day on May 21."
There are 21 Things You Should Know About Harold Camping.
However, the weather will be perfect for it!
Finally, from one false prophet to another: "The problem with false prophets like Harold Camping is he brings discredit on true prophets of the end times."
Christians who believe they will be raptured should be concerned about their pets. Enter an organization called Eternal Earth-Bound Pets, USA. For the mere sum of $110.00 these committed atheists will sign a contract promising to personally take care of your pet when you are raptured. The contract is good for 10 years. Apparently they now have 100 clients in 22 states. Something like this could only happen in America--Christian America that is.
Dr. Avalos: There will be "No Judgment Day on May 21."
There are 21 Things You Should Know About Harold Camping.
However, the weather will be perfect for it!
Finally, from one false prophet to another: "The problem with false prophets like Harold Camping is he brings discredit on true prophets of the end times."
Harold Camping is a Buffoon Who Says the End of the World Will be May 21, 2011: Christian, Police Your Own Ranks
Listen to this duffas. He's a buffoon, a brainwashed person.
“Retroactive Prayer: Lots of History, Not Much Mystery, No Science”
By Jeffrey Bishop and Victor Stenger. Link.
The Rest of the Story About Me
I ran into an acquaintance friend today who said to me, "Are you still a crusader John?" So I asked him why it's crusading to share what I know. I don't force people to visit my blog. I write for people interested enough to read what I write. When I travel to speak for groups, they are the ones who invite me. I don't force my books on anyone either. In fact, I don't personally care if any particular Christian who reads what I write remains in the fold. I have bigger goals than any one person. So in the interests of dispelling other potential myths about me, here goes...
Did Paul Conceive of a Resurrected Body and if So Does this Change Anything?
We need to take seriously what Paul said about himself in Galatians. He said that he met with the “esteemed leaders” of the Jerusalem church, and “presented to them the gospel” that he preached “among the Gentiles,” since he “wanted to be sure” he was not running his race in vain (2:2). To which “James, Cephas and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me” (2:9, also Acts 23:6-7). Paul’s only complaint was with Peter’s hypocritical treatment of the Gentiles.” (2:6-14). If they had disagreed over something so important as the bodily resurrection of Jesus it would have been important enough for Paul to mention and argue against. Since he didn’t do so, it must be assumed they shared the same view unless shown otherwise.
Sex and Secularism
- Sex improves dramatically after leaving religion.
- Sexual guilt has little staying power after leaving religion.
- Those raised most religious show no difference from those raised least religious in their sexual behavior.
- Those raised most religious experience far more guilt but have just as much sex.
- Religious parents are far worse at educating their children on matters of sex.
- Religious guilt differs in measurable amounts according to denomination. Link.
Dr. James McGrath is Blogging Through Earl Doherty's Book
Dr. James McGrath is reviewing Earl Doherty's book Jesus: Neither God Nor Man - The Case for a Mythical Jesus
in reverse chronological order which can be read by clicking here.
in reverse chronological order which can be read by clicking here.I'll be Speaking in Chicago May 12th, and In Minnesota May 15th
If you're close at hand come out and see me.
Chicago here I come.
Minnesota Atheists Public Meeting - Southdale Library
When: Sunday May 15, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM.
Where: 7001 York Ave. S., Edina, 55435
Chicago here I come.
Minnesota Atheists Public Meeting - Southdale Library
When: Sunday May 15, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM.
Where: 7001 York Ave. S., Edina, 55435
The Pastor Dave Schmelzer Interview
Dave is a Pastor of the Vineyard Christian Fellowship Church in Boston.
He interviewed me for his podcast. Check it out.
There Is a Lot of Evidence Concerning the Resurrection of Jesus We Don't Have But Would Like To Have
When it comes to the evidence that Jesus was raised from the dead consider what we don’t have, but would like to, things that Christian apologist Michael Licona admits. We do not have anything written directly by Jesus himself or any of his original disciples, nor do we have anything written by the Apostle Paul before he converted telling us about the church he was persecuting, nor anything written by the Jewish leaders of that time about Jesus or the early preaching of Paul, nor any Roman documents that mention Jesus, the content of his preaching, why he was killed, or what they thought about the claims he had resurrected. [Note: Michael R. Licona, The Resurrection of Jesus: A New Historiographical Approach, 2010), p. 275.] There are other things Licona does not have, but would like to. We do not have any legitimate Old Testament prophecies that specifically refer to Jesus’ resurrection. We also do not have present day confirmations that God does these kinds of miracles in today’s world. Basically then, we lack a great deal of needed independent collaborative evidence. What else would we like to have but don't?
Derek K. Miller Has Died
Another atheist goes out in dignity. He wrote this last post before he died and requested his family to publish it after he did. It's very touching. I would say the same things about my loved ones. I too wonder what the future will be like. The most any of us can hope for is that we made the world a better place. Hat Tip: PZ Myers.
Osama Bin Laden Was Probably a Good Man
The Elves of Iceland: "Hidden People" and "Nature Spirits"
What's interesting about the belief in Elves is that it comes from a country in Western society, not a third world country nor a primitive pre-industrial one. Many Icelanders really believe in "hidden people" such that it would be "political suicide" if a politician denied their existence. And what's more I doubt very much I could ever persuade these believers they are deluded. They would scoff at me and claim I'm an "enemy of the common good." They know they're right because of the stories told to them or because they had some kind of strange experience which they claim could only have come because they exist. Their children are brainwashed to believe in them in their homes. But I have no doubt at all that these Icelander believers are just like other people around the world, intelligent people. They just see the world through a different set of glasses using the lens they were brought up to believe.
Harry McCall: Mosaic Authorship of the Pentateuch is Unfounded
The belief that either Moses wrote the Pentateuch or that it predates the Deuteronomistic History (Deuteronomy – II Kings) is unfounded by the Biblical facts themselves:
Answering Some Questions Christians Ask
Lady Atheist send me this link to post. What do you think? How would you answer these questions?
Imagine by John Lennon on a CD to Help the Japanese People
We all know about the devastating tsunami that hit Japan and the ensuing loss of life, right? Here is a benefit CD to help raise funds for the people. To see what the first song is, click on the image to enlarge it. Yep. Imagine by John Lennon. It isn't hard to do in this midst of this kind of suffering.
Did You Know? Odds on the Resurrection of Jesus Are 100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 to 1
Yep. Convert sinner. With odds like these what are the odds that Timothy McGrew and Lydia McGrew are standing on solid ground? Sheesh. Idiots.
DC Keeps on Growing in Readership!
Not too bad. Debunking Christianity keeps on growing and growing and growing. The key is how many times I post, what I have to say, and how many posts are in the archives. If you're interested I've written on how to increase traffic to your blog or website, so check that out. Thanks to all my peeps. ;-) It makes what I do worthwhile.
The Christian Faith Makes a Person Stupid
How many people have claimed to have finally debunked God? Way too many, This has been going on for centuries and someone is always popping up claiming to “Finally debunk God,The reason dimwit, is because Christianity is like a chameleon, ever changing in response to its culture, our criticisms, and science. The Christianities of yesteryear have been debunked. That's why you hold to the one you do today. And your type of Christianity will be replaced slowly into the future as well.
If God wasn’t real then why did it take over 2000 years to “Finally Debunk” Christianity? I call this “The Finally Debunk Crew”
Link
Dr. Avalos Predicts No Rapture On May 21: Why An Atheist Biblical Scholar Will Be Proven Right.
Link.
"Cutting Jesus Down to Size" by G. A. Wells is Wonderful!
I've written and edited several books against the Christian faith. So when I bought G.A. Wells' book Cutting Jesus Down to Size
I was only expecting to learn a few things. What I didn't expect was how much I would learn, which was quite a lot. Most of the book simply compares and contrasts the gospels and lets them debunk themselves. It's densely packed with scholarly references and fairly easy to read. His book brings the reader up to speed regarding higher criticism, and deconstructs the gospels like no other book I've read. It's too bad many Christians won't get it and read it. Many of them will simply dismiss it because Wells had been the leading Jesus mythicist of our generation. But he has "repudiated" (p. 334) his former view and now thinks there was a Galilean Jew who did in fact exist, whose sayings are found in Q, the lost document that most scholars conjecture formed the basis for the synoptic gospels. Very highly recommended! It's very impressive. To wannabe Christian apologists I challenge you to read and argue against it. On the gospels you won't find anything better.
I was only expecting to learn a few things. What I didn't expect was how much I would learn, which was quite a lot. Most of the book simply compares and contrasts the gospels and lets them debunk themselves. It's densely packed with scholarly references and fairly easy to read. His book brings the reader up to speed regarding higher criticism, and deconstructs the gospels like no other book I've read. It's too bad many Christians won't get it and read it. Many of them will simply dismiss it because Wells had been the leading Jesus mythicist of our generation. But he has "repudiated" (p. 334) his former view and now thinks there was a Galilean Jew who did in fact exist, whose sayings are found in Q, the lost document that most scholars conjecture formed the basis for the synoptic gospels. Very highly recommended! It's very impressive. To wannabe Christian apologists I challenge you to read and argue against it. On the gospels you won't find anything better.Is God to Blame for Weather that Kills People?
If you are a Christian and you believe the Bible is truth then the answer is an emphatic YES. The people recently killed by tornadoes? God’s doing. The people killed by Hurricane Katrina? God’s doing. The Bible is clear.
Tatarize: "I'm Only On the Fifth Chapter."
A guy named Tatarize on the Atheism About.com forum wrote this:
I'm part way through the book and already amazed. I thought the coolest thing in my copy would be Richard Carrier's signature. But, it's actually teaching me a lot about religion. It's the weirdest feeling. It's been years since one piece of media has seriously enlightened me on more than one or two topics. It's a rare gem to find something that dispels a misconception or suddenly clears up some issue, or corrects a mistake, or changes one's mind... but this book has already done all of those things and I'm only on the fifth chapter.What book is he talking about? This one. That's very gratifying to know, thanks.
What Do We Mean by Our Book Title, The End of Christianity?
Great looking bookI'll be saying the same thing that Hector Avalos does in his book, The End of Biblical Studies!
Hey-- can you answer this question -- what will you be saying, to make a quick response to the inevitable question to you, "What do you think will be the End of Christianity -- it just fades away into secularism, or mutates into something else, or gets absorbed into some other religion?" -- From John S.
. It's time that biblical studies as we know them should end. It's time to treat all ancient documents the same way, favoring none of them in the interests of learning how people in the ancient world thought, but not treating any of them as inspired. Avalos has a chapter in this book that sums up what he wrote. In it he calls for secularism. That's the goal anyway. Whether it takes place or not is the question.I think all three of your suggestions will take place depending on person and time, something which has been happening since the Enlightenment. There will probably always be pockets of people who embrace some of the Christianities that have previously existed. It's just that those groups will put themselves into the cultural backwaters. That is, so long as there is still something called a "Western Culture." If that becomes mutated into a global identity then Yahweh may even fade out of existence altogether, like Zeus, Thor and Odin have.
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