Musings on biblical studies, politics, religion, ethics, human nature, tidbits from science
PZ Myers has responded to some points by Tim O’Neill about the question of the historicity of Jesus and historical methods — Uh-oh. I get the Tim O’Neill treatment — and I cannot help but adding my own sideline remarks here. Perhaps it’s because I have only just a few hours ago completed a fascinating book … Continue reading “PZ Myers on “the Tim O’Neill Treatment”: Jesus Mythicism and Historical Methods”
Tim O’Neill has given up much of his time to write a detailed post (over 8,700 words) as a guide for non-historians to find their way through the mass of nonsense on the web about Jesus never having existed. Tim is responding to posts by biologist PZ Myers who is asking questions of a “professional … Continue reading “A constructive exchange with Tim O’Neill on the question of the historicity of Jesus”
Previous posts: PZ Myers interviews a historian about Jesus mythicism (2018-09-05) How do historians decide who was historical, who fictional? (2018-09-06) How do we approach the question of Jesus being historical or mythical? (2018-09-07) I have as a rule paraphrased main points that each person spoke in their exchange. –o– PZ: You (Eddie) say it is unlikely … Continue reading “How a historian approaches the question of the historical Jesus: concluding the PZ and Eddie Marcus discussion”
PZ Myers of Pharyngula has posted an interview with a historian in order to discuss The ontology of historical figures — with a particular view to the question of this historicity of Jesus. I intend to post a critical commentary on the remarks by the historian, Eddie Marcus (I think that was the name but correct … Continue reading “PZ Myers interviews a historian about Jesus mythicism”
In a single Easter weekend (that still has a day or two to go) . . . . From happy slaps on the back for the most solemn day of the Christian calendar . . . . . to understanding the “real” reason he has critics . . . . to catching up with ten-day-old … Continue reading “The Dumbing of America”
Questioning the historical existence of Jesus attracts something other than mere curiosity or intellectual debate among many biblical scholars and some of the public who don’t even have any personal interest in religion. I can understand people with a personal faith in Jesus either simply ignoring the question with disdain or amusement or responding with … Continue reading “Understanding the Hostility to the Christ Myth Theory”
PZ Myers: A consensus doesn’t necessarily mean anything. 200 years ago there was a consensus phlogiston existed. The key thing is: show me the chain of evidence and the logic that you use to derive this. (From video discussion with Eddie Marcus; see also transcript/paraphrase.) …. Tim O’Neill: If we look at relevant non-Christian scholars, … Continue reading “The Phlogiston Jesus”
Someone asked me who among atheists were critical of Jesus mythicism when I posted Atheist Hostility to Jesus Mythicism … making sense of it and a number have questioned my own view of why they do, or at least have offered alternative viewpoints. All fair enough. Meanwhile, someone on Facebook chided me for not having read … Continue reading “On mythicism, creationism and the wrath of ancient kings”
I’ve been thinking through how best to complete the second part of my post, Atheists Do Not Understand Religion, trying to figure out the clearest way to present the results of the anthropological research which means trying to get them ever more clear in my own mind first. At the same time I have found myself … Continue reading “Atheist Hostility to Jesus Mythicism … making sense of it”
This morning I was slightly surprised by a criticism of my posts, in particular with reference to PZ Myers on “the Tim O’Neill Treatment”: Jesus Mythicism and Historical Methods, that I make sophistic distinctions and nuances, or that I quibble over precise meanings for the sake attacking an otherwise very evidently sound and sensible argument. I … Continue reading “Neil the Pettifogger?”
Not long ago PZ Myers responded positively to certain arguments in the post by Tim O’Neill, Jesus Mythicism 3: “No Contemporary References to Jesus”. PZ was not to know of the presumably inadvertent misrepresentations Tim O’Neill made of David Fitgerald’s arguments in that post. In a followup post by PZ, Tim reminded readers that he had, … Continue reading “Fake History for Atheists”
I was following up PZ Myers’ interest in a particular claim by Tim O’Neill in a larger criticism of Jesus mythicists — ….. in particular his rebuttal to the “argument from silence”, which claims that Jesus should have been mentioned in many historical sources if he had existed, but he isn’t, so he didn’t. Most … Continue reading “Miscellaneous point — Mount Vesuvius and the argument from silence”
… Continuing from PZ Myers interviews a historian about Jesus mythicism and How do historians decide who was historical, who fictional? –o– PZ Myers asks: How do we approach this kind of topic? Eddie Marcus, introduced as a professional historian, responds: Eddie Marcus informs listeners that his expertise is in Australian culture and history, not … Continue reading “How do we approach the question of Jesus being historical or mythical?”
PZ Myers is a biologist with a curiosity about how historians determine whether a person appearing in ancient records is considered historical or otherwise. He asks: How does one assess people and events that are contradictory, vague or preserved only in stories passed on by word of mouth? As for figures about whom we have … Continue reading “How do historians decide who was historical, who fictional?”