Q or Not Q
When we look at the gospels, we see that Mark was written first and Matthew and Luke used Mark as a source. However, there is also material common to Matthew and Luke that does not come from Mark, and so scholars usually suppose there was another now lost source "Q" that Matthew and Luke both used. A minority of scholars reject the Q hypothesis, like Goodacre and Carrier, and think instead Luke used Matthew as a source. This latter interpretation has difficulties. For example, Philosopher John Watson notes: Matthew isn't comfortable with the disciples being like "what a silly question" and so removes that part. Luke also seems uncomfortable with the disciples asking jesus why he would ask who is touching him since he is being pressed by a crowd but he deals with this differently than matthew if luke is using matthew then why would he avoid matthew's solution? It is interpretive reasoning such as this that has led the majority of scholars to think Matthew and Luke used a now lost "Q" ... Read Article
Robyn Faith Walsh’s SBL Paper
Robyn Faith Walsh's proposal of the dependance of Mark on Paul and the Pauline origin of the Last Supper: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjRUy4TncYo&t For more on Mark's use of Paul, see: https://www.richardcarrier.info/archives/15934 ... Read Article
Do You Have Religious Friends Who Still Don’t Believe In Evolution?
The Hidden Brain Connections Between Our Hands and Tongues: Sticking out your tongue while doing delicate work with your hands reveals a history of evolutionary relationships. From the article: Where did this coordination come from? It likely originated in our ancient ancestors’ hand-to-mouth feeding movements and their development of language, because spoken language is typically accompanied by automatic hand movements. Presumably, hand gestures were the first type of communication to evolve, and they gradually blended with appropriate syllabic utterances — mouth sounds — that allowed for language. Indeed, functional brain imaging studies show that specific tongue and hand movements activate the same region of the brain in the premotor cortex (the F5 region). Furthermore, the same neurons in the premotor area fire when a monkey grasps an object with its mouth or its hand. Electrical stimulation of this same area triggers a monkey’s hand to make a grip motion while its mouth opens, and its ... Read Article
Does John 1:1 say Jesus was God?
Maybe not. Dan McClellan @maklelan is a PhD in theology & religion (University of Exeter), honorary fellow, University of Birmingham's Cadbury Centre for the Public Understanding of Religion. He posted this helpful Tik Tok video on the question: https://www.tiktok.com/@maklelan/video/7303190283917856031?_r=1&_t=8hUhbvMwqsB ... Read Article
Kreeft’s Case Against the Swoon Theory – Part 14: A Careful Analysis of Objection #5
OBJECTION #5: THE SICKLY JESUS OBJECTION Here is the fifth objection by Peter Kreeft and Ronald Tacelli against the Swoon Theory: The post-resurrection appearances convinced the disciples, even “doubting Thomas,” that Jesus was gloriously alive (Jn 20:19-29). It is psychologically impossible for the disciples to have been so transformed and confident if Jesus had merely struggled out of a swoon, badly in need of a doctor. A half-dead, staggering sick man who has just had a narrow escape is not worshiped fearlessly as divine lord and conqueror of death.            (HCA, p. 183) Kreeft and Tacelli say more about the alleged transformation of Jesus' disciples when they discuss the Conspiracy Theory: ...Their [Jesus' disciples'] sincerity is proved by their words and deeds.  They preached a resurrected Christ and they lived a resurrected Christ.  They willingly died for their "conspiracy." Nothing proves sincerity like martyrdom. ... Read Article
The Economist On A Second Trump Victory
A second Trump term would be a watershed in a way the first was not. Victory would confirm his most destructive instincts about power. His plans would encounter less resistance. And because America will have voted him in while knowing the worst, its moral authority would decline. The election will be decided by tens of thousands of voters in just a handful of states. In 2024 the fate of the world will depend on their ballots. Read the article here. ... Read Article
Kreeft’s Case Against the Swoon Theory – Part 13: An Attempt to Repair Objection #4
In Part 12 of this series, I concluded that Peter Kreeft's Objection #4 against the Swoon Theory FAILS, because the core argument for Objection #4 consists of two DUBIOUS premises and one FALSE premise. Before I move on to Objection #5, I would like to consider a possible way to repair Objection #4 which attempts to get around some of the serious problems that I have pointed out with the core argument for that objection. REPAIRING THE CORE ARGUMENT One obvious way to attempt to repair Objection #4 is to add various historical assumptions to the core argument, crucial assumptions that are needed for the argument to work: 1g. On Friday evening, after Jesus’ body was removed from the cross, it was totally encased in winding sheets (that included between 11 pounds and 90 pounds of spices and a gummy substance). 2a. On Friday evening, after Jesus’ body was removed from the cross, it was placed into a stone tomb. 10. The air in Jesus' tomb was cold on that Friday evening. 11. The air ... Read Article
“I Am Jesus Christ” Video Game
The trailer for the new "I Am Jesus Christ" video game is out! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfbz1KuLXTc&t ... Read Article
Richard Dawkins Responds To Ayaan Hirsi Ali
See Dawkins' letter here ... Read Article
Super Excellent News!
I just found out that an important  religious studies scholar is publishing a major work on the notion of sacrifice in ancient Judaism and Christianity.  In it he is arguing against the penal substitution interpretation of sacrifice.  Penal Substitution is basically the idea that because of sin we deserve to die, but what luck Christ paid the penalty!  This new study is exactly the sort of thing I look at in my 2 penal substitution critique essays:  (1) https://infidels.org/library/modern/a-critique-of-the-penal-substitution-interpretation-of-the-cross-of-christ/ (2) https://infidels.org/library/modern/jesus-mythicism/ The new book will be available in Canada on November 23, so I'm very excited: That I May Dwell among Them: Incarnation and Atonement in the Tabernacle Narrative by Gary A. Anderson (Author) DESCRIPTION: What does Israel’s tabernacle mean for Christians today?  The Tabernacle Narrative comprises passages in Exodus and Leviticus that detail the co ... Read Article
Kreeft’s Case Against the Swoon Theory – Part 12: Evaluation of Premise (C)
WHERE WE ARE In Part 8 of this series, I presented a careful analysis of Peter Kreeft's Objection #4 against the Swoon Theory. In Part 9 of this series, I argued that the key premise (1b) in Objection #4 is supported by an argument consisting of two FALSE premises: premise (B) and premise (3b). Thus, the key premise (1b) is DUBIOUS and might well be FALSE. In Part 10 of this series, I argued that even if we assume the burial account in the Gospel of John to be historical and accurate, the strongest claim it can support is this: 1g. On Friday evening, after Jesus’ body was removed from the cross, it was totally encased in winding sheets (that included between 11 pounds and 90 pounds of spices and a gummy substance). This historical claim is too weak to provide a strong objection against the Swoon Theory. Thus, the argument given by Kreeft and Tacelli for the key premise (1b) FAILS, and in order to repair the argument by replacing one of the false premises of the argument, p ... Read Article
Jack Chick’s “This Was Your Life!”
A believer left a Jack Chick "This Was Your Life" tract in my mailbox. If you ever need proof that we are dealing with the intellectual and emotional level of a child: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQQ-fFdUd34&t ... Read Article
Former Secular Activist AYAAN HIRSI ALI Is Now A Christian
"Yet I would not be truthful if I attributed my embrace of Christianity solely to the realisation that atheism is too weak and divisive a doctrine to fortify us against our menacing foes. I have also turned to Christianity because I ultimately found life without any spiritual solace unendurable — indeed very nearly self-destructive. Atheism failed to answer a simple question: what is the meaning and purpose of life?" See full article here Of course, if you like the Christian worldview but don't believe the supernatural stuff, it's not necessarily an either/or. A secular activist may follow Nietzsche's vision of "Caesar with the soul of Christ." Jesus did not find meaning but bestowed it, transfiguring widow, orphan, stranger and enemy to be lovable. This is the opposite of the Greek ideal of questing for purpose ... Read Article
The Difficulty In Determining How Many People Are Non Religious
One role that I take very seriously is the “numbers guy.” Reporters will email or set up a call with me and ask a lot of factual questions about the share of Americans who are evangelical or non-religious or attend services weekly and they expect that I have the answer. And, I do have AN answer. I don’t have THE answer. Because this is not hard science. We know that when water gets below 32 degrees, it freezes. We just don’t have objective metrics like that in my world. See the article here ... Read Article
Ed’s New Interview with Robert M Price
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4OcLuPR-qU ... Read Article