April 23, 2014
April 22, 2014
April 21, 2014
Questions From a Newly Deconverted Person
I'm new to agnosticism. And I'm positive of my outlook. However, the emotional aspects of my former Christian faith are still present, i.e. the guilt and the shame. What's the best way to get beyond this. I can see the positivity in a life without religious barriers. I'm just struggling to get there.My reply:
Realize no one is to blame for your religious indoctrination. Turn the negative into positive action. Use what you've learned and make it your goal to help others out of it.
Thank you so much! I've been depressed for the last two weeks.My reply:
I know the feeling. In time it will pass. Realize not many people have been freed to live the happy life free of brainwashing like you have.
April 20, 2014
April 18, 2014
What’s So Good About “Good Friday”?
It has been
a few years, since I left Christianity, so when I look at it now, I can see it
more through the eyes of an outsider, rather than through the god-glasses given
to me through childhood indoctrination.
One thing about human nature is that we can be in situations in which things
which are quite strange can appear normal, simply because they are part of our
everyday experience, and because we are surrounded by people who treat these
things as normal. Such was the case
with the core beliefs of Christianity.
Now, when I think about the Christian teachings about and commemoration of
the death of Jesus, I can’t believe that I didn’t see how weird it all was at
the time.
Since today
is Good Friday, and churches everywhere are gearing up for their Easter celebrations
this weekend, I thought I’d take a look at some of the things which are strange
and don’t add up, with this particular set of beliefs.
April 17, 2014
A Postscript on My Post about Evidence for Dinosaurs and Jesus
What scholars like Bart Ehrman don’t tell you (likely because
they don’t fully comprehend it themselves) is that the Jewish-Christian world
was totally awash with forged stories of divine divine men of miracles. Ancient Biblical figures from Israel’s mythic
past had either written new books about themselves or were written about by unnamed
Jewish authorities who were in the know.
Although I did my under graduate work in Bible and graduate work in Christianity
while having been an active Church member most of my life, I had never realized, nor was I told,
that there were more than 295 divine histories and sacred texts about miracle
workers sent from God. (I discussed these HERE
)
Leave No Stone Unturned - An Easter Challenge For Christians (from Dan Barker)
"I HAVE AN EASTER challenge for
Christians. My challenge is simply this: tell me what happened on
Easter. I am not asking for proof. My straightforward request is merely
that Christians tell me exactly what happened on the day that their most
important doctrine was born.."
If you know any believer up to the challenge, send them the link:
An Easter Challenge for Christians
If you know any believer up to the challenge, send them the link:
An Easter Challenge for Christians
April 16, 2014
We Know From Hard Evidence Dinosaurs Existed 66 Million Years Ago Yet We Have No Objective Evidence Jesus Existed Just 2 Thousands Years Ago
A. We have no firsthand testimony from anyone who knew Jesus or wrote anything about him during his life time. (All the Gospels are late and anonymous). No person living in Roman Palestine neither saw, knew of, nor heard of either Jesus or his followers.
Coming Tonight on DC: 16 Simple Reasons Why the Gospel Jesus Never Existed
According to Tim O’Neill :
“The arguments of the Jesus Mythicists, on the other hand, require contortions and suppositions that simply do not stand up to Occam's Razor and continually rest on positions that are not accepted by the majority of even non-Christian and Jewish scholars. The proponents of the Jesus Myth hypothesis are almost exclusively amateurs with an ideological axe to grind and their position is and will almost certainly remain on the outer fringe of theories about the origins of Christianity.”
Tonight I’ll list theses and let you decide who has really upheld Occam Razor followed by a response to O’Neill.
“The arguments of the Jesus Mythicists, on the other hand, require contortions and suppositions that simply do not stand up to Occam's Razor and continually rest on positions that are not accepted by the majority of even non-Christian and Jewish scholars. The proponents of the Jesus Myth hypothesis are almost exclusively amateurs with an ideological axe to grind and their position is and will almost certainly remain on the outer fringe of theories about the origins of Christianity.”
Tonight I’ll list theses and let you decide who has really upheld Occam Razor followed by a response to O’Neill.
God: JUST create heaven, for crying out loud
Hello good DC people, it's been a long time...
OK, so I posted this originally elsewhere (on SIN). But this is such an important and simple argument that it needs to get bandied about more. The nonsense that is heaven, given from the Christian point of view that it exists, has many ramifications. This is one particular argument which I think has a lot of force in dismantling the logical coherence of Christianity and its entailed beliefs.
April 11, 2014
Kerry Shirts, A Former Mormon Apologist, Reviews Several Atheist Books
Earlier I posted a review by Kerry Shirts of my book The Outsider Test for Faith: How to Know Which Religion Is True.
I was told he was a former Mormon apologist and maker of Mormon apologist videos. So I clicked on his name and found he has reviewed several atheist books in the last two weeks. Check them all out.
April 10, 2014
Are Books Themselves a Thing of the Past?
I know hard copies of books are on their way out. I also know that percentage-wise not that many people are reading books. With almost anything you want to know can be found online, will even ebooks be on their way out? Will we soon turn into an online society of people who simply read Facebook, blogs and online sites for our information? I fear this might be happening gradually. And with the public not reading books that much to begin with, it seems less of them will be doing so in the future. I wonder what this will do for authors and publishers? It'll be interesting. Publishers exist to make money. With fewer readers there will be fewer books published. There are good things about this since anyone can participate. But how do we know what information to trust without the editors who were known as the gatekeepers in the past. Thoughts?
April 09, 2014
Two More Reviews of My Book, The Outsider Test for Faith
This one was published in The Skeptic, Winter 2013, pp. 35–36. Here's another one below. Do you get the impression that this guy is really excited about it? ;-)
April 08, 2014
Answering Believers: "If I believe in God why does that bother you?"
On my personal Facebook
page, I tend to do my direct critiquing of religion mainly through what I call my
“Freethinker Friday post”. The rest of
the week, I post funny stuff, health tips, and inspiring and insightful quotes. For some of my Christian friends however,
even once a week is way too often for me to be challenging their beliefs. On
April 4th, I did a post called “A Twisted ‘Love.’ In which I talked
about how the Christian god’s brand of love is actually coercion because it is
accompanied by the threat of violence for those who don’t ‘choose to accept' it. An acquaintance from high school, which I
never even interact with on Facebook seemed to take my post a bit personally.
Here is the response I
posted for her, and others who might share her annoyance with questioning of
religion:
If Jesus Never Called Himself God, How Did He Become One? Bart Ehrman Discusses his New Book
“When Bart Ehrman was a young Evangelical Christian, he wanted to know how God became a man, but now, as an agnostic and historian of early Christianity, he wants to know how a man became God.
When and why did Jesus' followers start saying "Jesus as God" and what did they mean by that? His new book is called How Jesus Became God: The Exaltation of a Jewish Preacher from Galilee. "In this book I actually do not take a stand on either the question of whether Jesus was God, or whether he was actually raised from the dead," Ehrman tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross. "I leave open both questions because those are theological questions based on religious beliefs and I'm writing the book as a historian.’” (From NPR's Fresh Air)
You can either listen to or read the entire interview HERE
When and why did Jesus' followers start saying "Jesus as God" and what did they mean by that? His new book is called How Jesus Became God: The Exaltation of a Jewish Preacher from Galilee. "In this book I actually do not take a stand on either the question of whether Jesus was God, or whether he was actually raised from the dead," Ehrman tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross. "I leave open both questions because those are theological questions based on religious beliefs and I'm writing the book as a historian.’” (From NPR's Fresh Air)
You can either listen to or read the entire interview HERE
April 07, 2014
God Fearing, Christ Honoring, Bible Believing Christianity is the Best Truth for Atheism
Faith is a side show of Christianity; it’s a cheap no cost entry level into a religion that promises miracles for true believers, but only if they are totally obedient to true doctrine founded on the absolute truth from the Word of God.
DC Ranked 61st in a List of the Top 300 Christian Blogs!
It's confusing to me how these blogs were ranked but some traffic is coming our way because of it. Woooo Hoooo! I'll take all the hits I can get! LINK. I'm happy to beat out "Apologetics 315" (#63) James McGrath (#85) Ben Worthington (#95) Michael Patton (#96) Jim West (#116) Think Christian (#124) The Biologos Forum (#132) Frank Schaeffer (#193) Joel Watts (#230) Matthew Flannagan (#234) and Marcus Borg (#246).
The Power of A Serendipity
Serendipity is a word for a "fortuitous happening" or a "pleasant unexpected surprise." A couple of days ago I was asked which Rock bands I liked when I was a teenager. I mentioned a few albums and a few of my favorite songs. One of them was Aerosmith's song, "Dream On." I have it on a CD and thought about playing it afterward but didn't do so. Then out of the blue I heard it on the radio from the very beginning of the song. It caused even me to wonder whether there was some sort of supernatural force out there. Since I knew the odds, I rejected such a notion, but not before feeling the power of a serendipity. If I was a believer it would be very hard to overcome this feeling by thinking rationally about it. No wonder so many people believe. They do not think scientifically or exclusively based on the probabilities. Hint: I had mentioned several albums and top chart songs. I listen to an oldies radio station quite a lot. Bingo! Here is a live version of that song:
Ever Hear of Solomon Northup and His Book, "12 Years a Slave"?
I just now got around to watching this very powerful movie. It is a "must see" one if you can handle the horrors of slavery and the emotions of sadness and anger. I wrote a very hard-hitting chapter on slavery for my anthology Christianity Is Not Great: How Faith Fails.
After watching this movie I'm glad I did. [Below is a re-dated post from October 23rd].
Northup's story has been made into a wonderful movie you should watch. From Wikipedia:
Northup's story has been made into a wonderful movie you should watch. From Wikipedia:
Solomon Northup (July 1808 – after 1857) was a free-born African American from Saratoga Springs, New York. He is noted for having been kidnapped in 1841 when enticed with a job offer. When he accompanied his supposed employers to Washington, DC, they drugged him and sold him into slavery. From Washington, DC, he was transported to New Orleans where he was sold to a plantation owner from Rapides Parish, Louisiana. After 12 years in bondage, he regained his freedom in January 1853; he was one of very few to do so in such cases. Held in the Red River region of Louisiana by several different owners, he got news to his family, who contacted friends and enlisted the Governor of New York in his cause. New York state had passed a law in 1840 to recover African-American residents who had been kidnapped and sold into slavery...Returning to his family in New York, Northup became active in abolitionism. He published an account of his experiences in 12 Years a Slave (1853) in his first year of freedom.LINK
WIBA: A Unique One-Of-A-Kind Book
I was re-reading my book, Why I Became an Atheist: A Former Preacher Rejects Christianity, yesterday.
As I was doing so I was very impressed with it. I know this sounds egotistical but that's exactly what I thought. Maybe I shouldn't say what I think, right? If you're considering whether to get and read it, let me tell a few things to help you decide. I'll tell you about its strengths and weaknesses. Ready. Set. Go.
April 05, 2014
Kris Komarnitsky's Excellent Book is Available for Free On Saturday!
You should get the Kindle version of his book on April 5th! I don't know what time zone this applies to, so check back if at first you don't succeed. Follow this link: Doubting Jesus' Resurrection: What Happened in the Black Box?
April 04, 2014
DC Ranked 5th Place For the First Quarter Among SBL's Biblioblogs
Looks like Peter Kirby is reporting the rankings now. The Biblioblogger list is associated with the prestigious Society of Biblical Literature. There are atheists, liberals, moderates and conservatives on it. For the first quarter of 2014 DC was ranked 5th among the top 50 Bibliobloggers. They have gone back to using Alexa to rank our sites. When we were required to place a badge on our blogs to get true results DC blew them all away. I guess they weren't too happy about it, although they also had some technical problems with doing so. Go there and check out the other sites. Initially a few of them didn't want me on the list so Hector Avalos defended my right to be on it. Skip Jim West's site though, the guy in first place. To see why, read Hector Avalos's smack down of him.
Using the Internet Can Destroy Your Faith!
Who says our efforts are useless?
Using the Internet can destroy your faith. That’s the conclusion of a study showing that the dramatic drop in religious affiliation in the U.S. since 1990 is closely mirrored by the increase in Internet use. LINK.
Soooo, Tell Us Once Again Why Yours is the One True Faith?
...and tell us once again why you believe what you do if it isn't because of the accidents of birth? Please face the demographics head on. Don't skirt them. No more excuses. Tell us you would still believe what you do if you were born elsewhere. Tell us you would not be condemned to hell by the god you now believe in if you were born elsewhere. Tell us once again why your religion does not need to pass The Outsider Test for Faith?
Wouldn't you want it to if you were born somewhere else, especially if hell was at stake if you didn't believe? Wouldn't you? Yes or no? LINK.
My Facebook News Feed, Plus The Weirdest Story I've Probably Ever Seen!
Okay, I'm approaching 3000 Facebook friends. I'm don't think I can have more than 5000. One of the pleasures of having so many friends is the news feed. I scroll down through it from time to time. I see personal stories (some from real friends) along with breaking news stories, and everything else people post, including some amazing pictures of the world. What I like are the atheist posters with sayings. Some of them are really good, others not so good. Then today I saw something weird that never would have occurred to me. Here are a few of them below. First let me wet your appetite:
April 03, 2014
Does Methodological Naturalism Presuppose Its Own Conclusion?
Methodological naturalism (MN) is a method whereby all scientific endeavors—-all hypotheses and events—-are to be explained and tested by reference to natural causes alone. Believers criticize the use of MN when it comes to the science of origins and their faith as a whole. The charge is that MN in science logically requires the a priori adoption of a naturalistic metaphysics. I've been struggling with how to answer this objection. Here is my latest attempt.
March 29, 2014
Quote of the Day, By Dr. James D. Strauss
I had previously written a tribute to Doc Strauss, my mentor and friend, who passed away recently. So I was listening to a few of his lectures and found a really interesting quote I never heard him acknowledge until now.
The chart I gave you didn't show how many times the church has taken a stand against the scientific enterprise. Up to the 18th-19th century the church has historically taken a stand against every development in the sciences.You can hear him say it starting about 1:55 in this recording of one of his class lectures:
Ernest Angley’s Personal 747SP Jet: “100% of Your Money Goes to Spread the Gospel.”
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Ernest Angley's 747SP (formerly owned by the Saudi Royal Family) has a luxury custom interior that has been totally upgraded for the 93 year old Rev. Angley's personal needs. For tax purposes, the plane is registered in Aruba.
March 27, 2014
Pastor Uses God’s Tithes and Offerings Trying to Buy Sex Then Blames The Devil
"A Rutherford County, NC pastor has been arrested and charged with sexual battery. Police say Robert Harris knocked on the door of a woman staying at a motel in Gaston County and asked her for sex. He then allegedly tossed a $20 bill at her. Harris is listed as the pastor of Harriett's Memorial Freewill Baptist Church in Forest City. He later said he allowed the devil to motivate his mind."
Watch News Video Here
Watch News Video Here
Why Evolutionists Should Debate Creationists, One More Time
In my college ethics class I would offer a challenge to students who were against the legalization of Marijuana. I said that as the illegal use of it increased and with it the overcrowding of prisons and the deaths due to gang wars over who controlled the market in America, along with the drug wars in countries like Mexico, at what point would the harms of keeping it illegal outweigh any harms of legalizing its use? Now granted, I didn't think it caused much harm, if any to adult users, but this was after all, an ethics class. I asked a pragmatic utilitarian question, not a principled one. It got them thinking.
I think the same type of question can be asked of those who have a principled objection against evolutionists debating creationists. It does harm to science they say, by giving creationists credibility. Let's take what PZ Myers said as an example, although Richard Dawkins and Jerry Coyne would agree with him against an upcoming evolutionist vs creationist debate that is to take place this Saturday. [It will be streamed live!] PZ said:
I think the same type of question can be asked of those who have a principled objection against evolutionists debating creationists. It does harm to science they say, by giving creationists credibility. Let's take what PZ Myers said as an example, although Richard Dawkins and Jerry Coyne would agree with him against an upcoming evolutionist vs creationist debate that is to take place this Saturday. [It will be streamed live!] PZ said:
More Sexist Misogynist Bullshit From the Pulpit!
Christians police your own ranks!
“I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do, because I notice it always coincides with their own desires.” ~Susan B. Anthony
“No man is good enough to govern any woman without her consent.” ~Susan B. Anthony
“I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do, because I notice it always coincides with their own desires.” ~Susan B. Anthony
“No man is good enough to govern any woman without her consent.” ~Susan B. Anthony
March 26, 2014
My Amazon Review of Bart Ehrman's Latest Book, "How Jesus Became God"
I spent yesterday and today reading Ehrman's book and then writing my brief review of it. Rather than criticize it I wanted to tell readers what to expect in it, so they can judge for themselves whether to buy it. Enjoy. Any up-votes would be appreciated if you think the review helps you decide.
Is the Outsider Test for Faith Circular?
I have defended the OTF extensively in my book, The Outsider Test for Faith: How to Know Which Religion Is True.
I claim it's the only reasonable non-double standard for testing whether a particular religion is true. If you think your religion is true you should read it.
It's not the fault of a reasonable test if it shows us that something is false. No reasonable test is de facto circular just because it shows a truth claim to be false. So, it's not the fault of the OTF if no religion passes the test either. My critics cannot say the OTF presupposes its own conclusion just because it appears to show all religious truth claims to be false (whether it does is left up for debate). It just might be the case that all religions are false. People who reject the OTF as circular are therefore rejecting the OTF simply because it appears to show their religious faith is false. They must show the OTF to be faulty in some other way.
It's not the fault of a reasonable test if it shows us that something is false. No reasonable test is de facto circular just because it shows a truth claim to be false. So, it's not the fault of the OTF if no religion passes the test either. My critics cannot say the OTF presupposes its own conclusion just because it appears to show all religious truth claims to be false (whether it does is left up for debate). It just might be the case that all religions are false. People who reject the OTF as circular are therefore rejecting the OTF simply because it appears to show their religious faith is false. They must show the OTF to be faulty in some other way.
March 25, 2014
Quote of the Day, By sir_russ
If you are a Christian, why do you settle for less than the proof positive which must exist if Christianity is, in fact, true? Why embrace the smoke-and-mirrors Christians scholars keep producing, when they owe you the truth, the whole truth, and, nothing but the empirically demonstrable truth?
Newly Released, Bart Ehrman's Latest Book, "How Jesus Became God"
Bart Ehrman's book, How Jesus Became God: The Exaltation of a Jewish Preacher from Galilee, just arrived in the mail. I'll be reviewing it soon.
March 24, 2014
World Vision Change, Now Hiring Gay Christians in Same-Sex Marriages
World Vision's American branch will no longer require its more than 1,100 employees to restrict their sexual activity to marriage between one man and one woman. Abstinence outside of marriage remains a rule. But a policy change announced Monday [March 24] will now permit gay Christians in legal same-sex marriages to be employed at one of America's largest Christian charities. LINK.
Jerry Coyne: Poverty and Social Dysfunctional Societies Breed Religion
Based on the results of a recent poll by the Pew Global Research Project, Jerry Coyne writes:
Clearly, those who live in richer countries see a weaker connection between religion and morality....While I see no necessary relationship between atheism and belief in social reform—the kind of reform that makes people more economically and socially secure, and provides government-sponsored healthcare—it’s obvious that if we want to eliminate religion’s hold on the world, we must also eliminate the conditions that breed religion...Providing universal healthcare and reducing income inequality are good places to start. LINK.
Identifying Barriers to Unbelief
I was
recently reading an interesting article called “How Not to Lose an Argument” and came across this:
“First, what does it mean to win or lose an argument? There is an unspoken belief in some quarters that the point of an argument is to gain social status by utterly demolishing your opponent's position, thus proving yourself the better thinker. That can be fun sometimes, and if it's really all you want, go for it. But the most important reason to argue with someone is to change his mind. If you want a world without fundamentalist religion, you're never going to get there just by making cutting and incisive critiques of fundamentalism that all your friends agree sound really smart. You've got to deconvert some actual fundamentalists. In the absence of changing someone's mind, you can at least get them to see your point of view. Getting fundamentalists to understand the real reasons people find atheism attractive is a nice consolation prize.”
This is
really what we want – right? Changing
minds when possible, and at least clearing up misconceptions about atheists.
Later in the
article, the author says:
“If you believe morality is impossible without God, you have a strong disincentive to become an atheist. Even after you've realized which way the evidence points, you'll activate every possible defense mechanism for your religious beliefs. If all the defense mechanisms fail, you'll take God on utter faith or just believe in belief, rather than surrender to the unbearable position of an immoral universe.
There are No Monotheistic Religions: Educating Monotheists to Their Polytheist Beliefs, By Darrel W. Ray
This is sure to be a controversial post but it's worth considering.
In everyday life, we non-theists may find ourselves in discussions with theists. Have you noticed that these discussions often go around in circles and achieve nothing? Why is that? Let me suggest that one reason is because we are using their framework in which to discuss and argue. In this article, I will explore some practical ways to stay out of their framework. Who says they have the sole right to define the terms of engagement? For this discussion, we will focus on monotheism, but other areas might be just as interesting.
Many modern-day theists seem to consider the so-called monotheistic nature of their religions as a sign of legitimacy, at least when compared to other openly polytheistic religions. The gods of ancient Greece and Rome were many, each with their own unique powers and niches in the nether world. It is no problem to see these as polytheistic religions but interestingly it is almost as easy to identify so-called monotheistic religions as polytheistic. If we expose the propaganda of these religions by challenging this key concept, we shift the frame, and open the door for a different kind of discussion. We don’t have to acquiesce to their definitions of their invisible friends.
March 23, 2014
Can God Do Perpetual Miracles?
When I argue that an omnipotent God should be able to do perpetual miracles, Christians ask how I can know what is metaphysically possible for an omnipotent God to do. Now it might be the case that the attribute of omnipotence is incoherent, but if we take our examples from what Christians interpret in the Bible, then we read of miracles like creation ex nihilo (out of nothing), a world-wide flood, a virgin birth and a resurrection from the dead. If such a God did those kinds of miracles then I see no problem for him doing a host of other things when it comes to naturally caused suffering. Take creation for example. Christians argue that a sustainer God is necessary for the continued existence of the universe, per Thomas Aquinas. This then, is an example of a perpetual miracle. If he can do this I see no reason he should not be able to avert all earthquakes, hurricanes and volcanic eruptions permanently.
March 22, 2014
W. L. Craig as a Pick-and-Choose Supernaturalist: A Response to Travis James Campbell
About a year ago, I began a series of responses to Dr. Travis Campbell, who wrote a critique (“Avalos contra Craig” = ACC) of my chapter on the historical Jesus in The End of Biblical Studies. See abbreviated Google version of the book.
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| W. L. Craig |
“A. Craig has misused C. Behan McCullagh’s criteria [for the resurrection];
B. a case can be made for the apparitions of Mary using McCullagh’s criteria (thus, we have a disproof by counterexample); and
C. Craig is a selective supernaturalist.”
The debate between myself and W. L. Craig is found here.
This post discusses how Craig is a selective supernaturalist insofar as his attack on methodological naturalism betrays an appeal to supernaturalism only for events he favors and not because of the application of some consistent criterion.
March 21, 2014
Faith in God and Jesus Now Superseded in Independent Baptist Churches by the King James Bible
In 1974 I was Licensed to Preach (one step
below Ordination) at an Independent Baptist Church (not associated with the
Southern Baptist Convention) near Salem, SC.
There I filled the pulpit, taught Sunday school, lead the youth, and
served as a guest evangelist at other Baptist churches. That same year I was a junior Bible Major at Southern
Wesleyan University heading for seminary and spiritually on top of my Independent Baptist
world considering myself “Ordained by God, but not yet by man.” until I
committed the unpardonable sin; I criticized the King James Bible (Yes it’s
true . . .God forbid).
It all started with
an article in the local news paper 37 years ago and posted last year here at DC: Remembering My First Article on Debunking the Bible: Sept. 14, 1977
March 20, 2014
My Tribute to Dr. James D. Strauss, 1929-2014.
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| James Strauss with William Lane Craig at my 1985 graduation from TEDS |
When I studied with Doc Strauss people called me a "Straussite," along with some others who started the Chi-Lambda apologetical studies group. I wear that badge with honor. I had an education that was next to none when I studied with Doc. He didn't do much writing, except for producing numerous syllabi with long lists of books to read, interspersed with comments. It was a challenge to find a new book he hadn't heard about yet. He was a teacher par excellence without peer though. There is no other intellectual that has made such a big impact on me. His wit also exceeded anything I have ever known. Any truck driver down HWY 10 could be stopped and he would tell us that, Doc would say! How could so much wit, wisdom and love be put together in that one package is quite the mystery to me. But I'm so glad to have crossed his path. He was the most unique and amazing man I'll ever meet! He inspired a generation to dream big. He will be missed greatly.
Strauss motivated me to become a Christian apologist in the first place. The irony is that it eventually led me away from faith and I now use what he taught me in my books. So to the degree I am effective in my attempts to disabuse people of faith, his towering influence casts a shadow over me. My life would be much different had I not met or studied or laughed with him. I am very grateful. Here's why:
Bart Ehrman Writes About Atheist Critics of His Book "Did Jesus Exist?"
I should say that one of the things that struck me, quite forcefully, in the aftermath of the publication of the book, was just how virulent, mean-spirited, and militant some atheists can be. The hate-mail and hate-response that I received for this book from the far left was absolutely as vehement as the hate-mail and hate-response that I have received for other books from the far right. It’s not easy being a historian, wanting simply to know what happened in the past, when so many have so many vested interests in having things their own way. Many of the mythicists are simply fundamentalists of a different stripe. Or so I’ve experienced! LINK.What I don't understand at all is this phenomenon. Why do atheists get so worked up about the question of the existence of Jesus? Isn't it merely a historical question to be settled in a reasonable dispassionate manner? Don't we have other arguments, plenty of them, showing that the Jesus in the gospels did not exist? I've written about this before in my post Did Jesus Exist? An All Out War is Going On. On this question I do not find Christian scholars attacking atheists but rather calmly trying to explain why they think Jesus existed. What's the problem here folks?
March 19, 2014
In His Apologetic Book Did Jesus Exist?: The Historical Argument for Jesus of Nazareth, Bart Ehrman Shares His Faith in Jesus With Atheists
Topic for discussion: Bart Ehrman’s faith in Jesus
Bart Ehrman (in this YouTube debates, lectures
and especially in his 2013 book) clearly states that he
believes in Jesus . . . that Jesus existed (getting his “facts” from textual
evidence of faith: The Bible, Patristic sources (along two short paragraphs from
Josephus)), but mostly by using the New Testament to prove the New Testament.
Christianity Considered: Today's Thought
Church and Sunday school are nothing more than weekly one - two hour info commercials where people are mentally hyped up by motivational speakers ("Preachers") who usually make a good living convincing folks to accept an unproven theory (the product) known as Theology which is totally unregulated by the Department of Consumer Affairs.
March 18, 2014
John's Interview With The Thinking Atheist
Discover Education Internet Radio with TheThinkingAtheist on BlogTalkRadio
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