tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19960381370199155532024-03-21T05:27:41.865-05:00reverend e’s totally righteous church of reasontoward a clearer understanding of realityjohn evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001962226613542403noreply@blogger.comBlogger483125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1996038137019915553.post-56738466112892739392011-10-17T15:19:00.002-05:002011-10-17T15:19:41.444-05:00thought of the day.474The Tea Party’s general thrust is complaints against the Federal government; the 99% folks seem to be focusing on corporations, particularly the financial sector. In some regards, I think they are both right. But it is not because they are people’s enemies; if so then Pogo’s line is true: “We have met the enemy and he is us.” Corporations and government are not aliens; they are lines of work we are all involved in. However, because we are fallible beings with positive and negative traits, they can become dysfunctional cultures and, I think, they are more dysfunctional than in times past.<br />
<br />
We are indeed individuals with individual consciousnesses who make individual decisions, but we also congregate into social groupings and each one develops a culture to which we contribute and which also shapes us. The family is a culture, the place you work and what you do is a culture, your place of worship is a culture, your neighborhood is a culture, if you do a hobby that you do with others – well, that is a culture. Cultures have rules and beliefs and ways of doing things. Each city, each rural area, each state, has a culture right up to our national culture. You can pick out general traits of each culture. We hardly give them a second thought.<br />
<br />
We have become quite aware of dysfunctional family cultures: the ones plagued by substance abuse, the ones plagued by physical and/or psychological abuse, the broken homes, the stressed out close to the breaking point. Any individual culture can become dysfunctional, from the smallest to the largest. Blaming does a lot more harm than good; blaming itself, I think, is dysfunctional. But probably we all do it from time to time. I know I do. The thing is to not attack the institution; the thing is to find and attack the dysfunction.<br />
<br />
Franklin Budd Sieglejohn evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001962226613542403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1996038137019915553.post-73473135394187219342011-10-05T16:57:00.003-05:002011-10-05T16:58:20.871-05:00thought of the day.473“The Bible claims that Jesus Christ was his own father, his own son, and a metaphysically nondescript substance called the Holy Spirit, all at the same time and in the same respect. This is like saying I'm a human being, a school bus, and a mango all at the same time and in the same respect. This is metaphysically impossible.”<br />
<br />
_Michael Disunequality Joneas (internet forum post)john evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001962226613542403noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1996038137019915553.post-28323018140113750452011-09-04T16:11:00.000-05:002011-09-04T16:11:03.122-05:00thought of the day.472Would you want to spend your weekend hanging out with someone who tortured animals in his basement? Spend a year living with a guy who tortured women in his basement? Yet Christians look forward to spending eternity with someone who promises to torture countless humans in his basement—forever.john evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001962226613542403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1996038137019915553.post-58145284056402588172011-04-15T15:52:00.000-05:002011-04-15T15:52:14.097-05:00thought of th day.471What can we atheists offer to the world in joyful appreciation? A huge question, an important question.<br />
<br />
We cannot offer Santa Claus for adults; we can’t compete with supernatural grace that freely promises heaven. But we can offer…<br />
<br />
* Clear, clean, logical minds uncorrupted by promises of the improbable and impossible; we embrace facts.<br />
* Logical consistency of our thinking makes us skeptics of snake oil salesmen (natural and supernatural).<br />
* Without fear of a supernatural punisher, we go wherever the microscope and telescope lead us.<br />
* Scientific advances far beyond outdated popular beliefs and prejudices result.<br />
* So we have cars, microwaves, computers, hybrid foods to feed the hungry, condoms to limit their number, etc.<br />
* We recognize that quality of life is more valuable than mere quantity of life.<br />
* We care for others compassionately, because our logical minds tell us this improves this planetary life for us all.<br />
* We support individual freedom and personal responsibility for everyone.<br />
* Believers in fairy tales don’t need to fear us; we respect fellow humans above ideology.<br />
* We enjoy reasonable amounts of learning, sex, love, eating, etc., etc. without guilt or fear.<br />
* We offer a wisely selfish morality that uses anything from tradition or science to improve our planet.<br />
* So we help our neighbors get more out of life even when the press is not looking; this helps our planet.<br />
* We atheists guarantee that anyone embracing atheism will never suffer for a moment after death.<br />
* After death atheists get exactly the same amount of happiness as any believer; we guarantee it!<br />
<br />
~Jim gressingerjohn evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001962226613542403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1996038137019915553.post-51780576233766748732011-04-14T13:52:00.000-05:002011-04-14T13:52:13.563-05:00thought of the day.470“First of all, what the fuck is objective morality? Second, if it comes from SOMEONE else (god) it is still subjective. We just do what the subject commands: Cant see much objectivity there.<br />
<br />
Third of all, what's wrong with subjective morals? We all have them. Atheists can affirm that they do at least, and they are moral people.”<br />
<br />
~Someone’s response to a debate on YouTubejohn evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001962226613542403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1996038137019915553.post-25019398658885286922011-04-14T09:37:00.002-05:002011-04-14T12:49:04.310-05:00thought of the day.469I wonder how many Christians pray to their God to douse the flames of hell and how many are just glad they’re not going to burn?john evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001962226613542403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1996038137019915553.post-12993990786193929332011-04-12T15:05:00.000-05:002011-04-12T15:05:01.228-05:00thought of the day.468On the virgin birth of Jesus, in Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah used the word almah to describe the mother of a child Christianity says was the messiah. But almah means "young woman" in Hebrew, not virgin. (The word for virgin in Hebrew is betulah.) Although some biblical scholars have made note of this, they fail to go on and develop the enormous implications of the matter. The notion of a virgin birth first appears in Matthew 1:18, 22-23, where Matthew says the virgin birth was a fulfillment of a prophecy by Isaiah in 7:14. But not only didn't Isaiah, as we have seen, use the word virgin, which all by itself refutes Matthew's virgin birth of Jesus, but the very context in which Isaiah was speaking absolutely precludes the notion of such a prophecy by Isaiah. I elaborate in my book, Isaiah told Ahaz, the king of Judea, that by the time the child of the young woman, a boy, was old enough to know right from wrong, Ahaz's enemies, the kings of Israel and Syria (Pekah and Rezin) would be dead. And the two kings died around 731-732 B.C. So the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy in 7:14 took place close to 800 years before Jesus was even born, conclusively negating Matthew's averment that Isaiah's prophecy pertained to the virgin birth of Jesus.<br />
<br />
~Vincent Bugliosijohn evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001962226613542403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1996038137019915553.post-5419433094681118652011-04-12T14:47:00.000-05:002011-04-12T14:47:19.457-05:00thought of the day.467In my many conversations with Christians the notion that “humanity is wicked” has been asserted on numerous occasions. This of course jives with the biblical account of the Fall of Man and the reason we are all sinners worthy of eternal torture in Hell. <br />
<br />
To be human is to be kind and cruel, open-minded and closed, full of love and hate, goodwill and ill and countless other things. To say humans are wicked and leave it at that is absurd, devalues humanity and is one of the many reasons I despise Christianity.john evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001962226613542403noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1996038137019915553.post-45556424915440967202011-03-18T23:03:00.002-05:002011-03-18T23:03:36.636-05:00thought of the day"Which passages of Scripture should guide our public policy? Should we go with Leviticus, which suggests slavery is OK and that eating shellfish is an abomination? How about Deuteronomy, which suggests stoning your child if he strays from the faith? Or should we just stick to the Sermon on the Mount - a passage that is so radical that it's doubtful that our own Defense Department would survive its application." <br />
<br />
~ Barack Obamajohn evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001962226613542403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1996038137019915553.post-89198300565653150262011-03-15T09:39:00.000-05:002011-03-15T09:39:42.482-05:00From the GOSPEL OF THOMAS<br />
“Jesus at five years clears pools of water. On the Sabbath makes 12 clay sparrows. Jesus claps his hands and the sparrows fly away. Annas's son disturbs the pool and Jesus causes him to wither up. A child bumps into Jesus--angers him---and drops dead. The complaining parents are blinded. First day at school Jesus knows his letters from Alpha to Omega. Teacher asks Joseph to take Jesus away--saying: I sought a disciple and found a master. " Jesus curses associates and then heals them, Playing with children on housetop) one falls off and dies. Jesus makes him come alive. Young man cuts foot with axe. Jesus restores foot. Sows grain and at once reaps one hundred measures. Father cuts a beam too short. Jesus lengthens it. Another takes him to school he preaches a sermon. James is gathering twigs--viper bites him. Jesus breathes on wound--James is cured--the viper bursts. Raises dead workman. Story of teaching in the temple at twelve. Flee with Jesus to Egypt. Ate grain from a field--which perpetually yielded miraculous harvest. Lived one year with a widow. Cast dead fish in water--they became alive. They return to Palestine---Jesus was seven. Puts many garments in black dye. Pulls out each a different color. Changes children into pigs. Children enter a furnace---come out goats--Jesus changes them back into children. Jesus slides on a sunbeam. Hangs a pitcher on a sunbeam. Makes a lion bring back a boy. Cures man who swallowed a viper.”<br />
<br />
Isn’t the Apocrypha clear evidence (to Protestants and unbelievers anyway) how easy it was to deceive people with utter nonsense?john evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001962226613542403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1996038137019915553.post-73971728994251322552011-03-07T09:51:00.001-06:002011-03-07T09:51:35.615-06:00thought of the day.464"The list of things about which we strictly have to be agnostic doesn't stop at tooth fairies and celestial teapots. It is infinite. If you want to believe in a particular one of them -- teapots, unicorns, or tooth fairies, Thor or Yahweh -- the onus is on you to say why you believe in it. The onus is not on the rest of us to say why we do not. We who are atheists are also a-fairyists, a-teapotists, and a-unicornists, but we don't have to bother saying so."<br />
<br />
~ Richard Dawkinsjohn evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001962226613542403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1996038137019915553.post-53448662838175627812011-02-23T06:25:00.001-06:002011-02-23T06:31:37.619-06:00thought of the day.463“Where knowledge ends, religion begins.”<br />
<br />
~Benjamin Disraelijohn evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001962226613542403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1996038137019915553.post-54731181345654617672011-02-17T12:32:00.000-06:002011-02-17T12:32:25.191-06:00thought of the day.462Faith is a virtue in religion, a vice in science.john evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001962226613542403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1996038137019915553.post-40342132826586985342011-02-09T07:11:00.001-06:002011-02-23T06:30:18.124-06:00thought of the day.461Science helps us assess which answers are better than others — at least for now.john evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001962226613542403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1996038137019915553.post-70405825309626742492011-02-03T08:51:00.002-06:002011-02-03T08:51:30.877-06:00thought of the day.460PZ's food for thought<br />
<br />
Category: Culture Wars • Policy and Politics<br />
Posted on: February 1, 2011 3:04 PM, by Josh Rosenau<br />
<br />
PZ has decided he hasn't peeved enough people, and made a list of atheist arguments he dislikes. And he's right. For instance, he's down on:<br />
<br />
Dictionary Atheists. Boy, I really do hate these guys. You've got a discussion going, talking about why you're an atheist, or what atheism should mean to the community, or some such topic that is dealing with our ideas and society, and some smug wanker comes along and announces that "Atheism means you lack a belief in gods. Nothing more. Quit trying to add meaning to the term." As if atheism can only be some platonic ideal floating in virtual space with no connections to anything else; as if atheists are people who have attained a zen-like ideal, their minds a void, containing nothing but atheism, which itself is nothing. Dumbasses.<br />
<br />
…there is more to my atheism than simple denial of one claim; it's actually based on a scientific attitude that values evidence and reason, that rejects claims resting solely on authority, and that encourages deeper exploration of the world. My atheism is not solely a negative claim about gods, but on a whole set of positive values that I will emphasize when talking about atheism. That denial of god thing? It's a consequence, not a cause.<br />
<br />
Now I don't claim that my values are part of the definition of atheism … nor do I consider them universal to atheism. …<br />
<br />
nobody becomes an atheist because of an absence of values, and no one becomes an atheist because the dictionary tells them they are. I think we also do a disservice to the movement when we pretend it's solely a mob of individuals who lack a belief, rather than an organization with positive goals and values.<br />
<br />
I don't disagree. Where this could get problematic is if atheism became a label for a movement uncoupled from the dictionary definition. Or if an atheist movement driven by a set of additional values excluded other people who share those additional values just because those other people didn't agree about the god thing. To me, this raises questions about whether we need an atheist movement per se (beyond a movement to defend the rights and concerns specific to dictionary atheists, naturally), or atheists would be better served by joining or forming coalitions with non-atheists who share the same values and goals. But that's a different discussion.<br />
<br />
PZ's other pet peeve arguments:<br />
<br />
Babies are all atheists or I'm an atheist by default, because I was raised without religion. Nope. Uh-uh. Same problem as the Dictionary Atheist — it implies atheism is simply an intellectual vacuum. … If babies are atheists, then so are trees and rocks — which is true by the dictionary definition, but also illustrates how ridiculously useless that definition is.<br />
<br />
Babies might also have an in-built predisposition to accept the existence of caring intelligences greater than themselves, so they might all lean towards generic theism, anyway. Mommy is God, after all. …<br />
<br />
The "I believe in no gods/I lack belief in gods" debate. I have heard this so often, the hair-splitting grammatical distinctions some atheists think so seriously important in defining themselves. All you're doing is defining yourselves as anal retentive freaks, people! Get over it. …<br />
<br />
I don't care. Tell me what virtues you bring, what experiences brought you here, why your values matter to society. The fine-grained shuffling about to define yourself so precisely is simply narcissistic masturbation.<br />
<br />
Science flies you to the moon. Religion flies you into buildings. The second sentence is false. Religion does not turn you into a terrorist. The overwhelming majority of religious people have similar values to yours; my church-going grandmother would have been just as horrified at people using their faith to justify murdering people as the most hardened atheist, and there have been atheist individuals who also think they are justified in killing people for the cause. So stop saying this!…<br />
<br />
"I just believe in one less god than you do".<br />
<br />
The theist you're arguing with did not go through a process where he analyzed his beliefs logically, and excluded 99% of all gods by reason and their lack of evidence; in fact, he probably never in his life seriously considered any of those other faiths (he is 99% Dictionary Atheist, in other words). He came to his personal faith by way of a series of personal, positive (to him!) predispositions, not by progressive exclusion of other ideas, and he's simply not going to see the relevance of your argument. Would you be swayed if someone pointed out that you disbelieve astrology, homeopathy, tarot, witchcraft, and palmistry, and he has simply gone one step further than you, and also disbelieves in evolution?<br />
<br />
Similarly, you did not go through a list of religions, analysing each one, and ticking them off as unbelievable. I certainly didn't. Instead, you come to the table with an implicit set of criteria, like evidence and plausibility and experimental support, and also a mistrust of unfounded authority or claims that are too good to be true, and they incline you to accept naturalism, for instance, as a better explanation of the world. Turning it into a quantitative debate about how many gods we accept, instead of a substantial debate about the actual philosophical underpinnings of our ideas, is kind of lame, I think.<br />
<br />
This all makes sense to me, and it's nice to see atheists critiquing their own bad arguments.john evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001962226613542403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1996038137019915553.post-24668167624799701072011-01-26T07:05:00.001-06:002011-01-26T07:06:07.013-06:00thought of the day. 459“Discovery and invention are often greeted as unwelcome intruders because they inaugurate new truth through new explanations of causality. A new truth may be seen as a new threat. Those threatened by new truth may ignore the truth, hide the truth, distort the truth, destroy the truth, or reject the truth to gain some perceived or real advantage. Those who attack, however, the most confirmed and verified truths, may not always do so out of fear. Their assault upon truth may be motivated by high ideals and a zeal for the preservation of some — as they perceive it — greater truth.”<br />
<br />
~ Jay Stuart Snelsonjohn evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001962226613542403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1996038137019915553.post-51964459850050245682011-01-22T07:52:00.002-06:002011-01-22T07:52:44.514-06:00thought of the day.458“The fundamental defect of Christian ethics consists in the fact that it labels certain classes of acts 'sins' and others 'virtue' on grounds that have nothing to do with their social consequences.”<br />
<br />
~ Bertrand Russelljohn evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001962226613542403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1996038137019915553.post-16793070010611187912010-12-24T11:58:00.002-06:002010-12-24T17:03:35.233-06:00thought of the day.457Before Jesus was given precious gifts, was hunted by a wicked king, received the Holy Spirit at the Jordan River, spent 40 days in the wilderness, traveled from town to town, had a group of followers, could see the future, knew the thoughts of others, healed a leper, made the blind see, raised the dead, helped an army officer, fed a multitude with only a few loaves of bread (and had left overs), spoke to an audience of thousands, was bowed down to and called “master”, walked across water, controlled the weather, spoke to God on top of a mountain, did as God commanded, was considered the “worst trouble maker in Israel”, was made fun of, was wanted dead by the Jewish people, went off by himself to pray and was strengthened by an angel, had a follower repeatedly promise he would not abandon him, said “go in peace”, and was seen going up to heaven, someone else did these things. And that someone (or ones) were the Old Testament characters, Elijah and Elisha, which were the mythical characters that the New Testament Jesus was built upon.john evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001962226613542403noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1996038137019915553.post-7225021413843949032010-12-15T20:52:00.000-06:002010-12-15T20:52:24.543-06:00thought of the day.456Santa is God to children as God is Santa to adults.<br />
<br />
We communicate with both Santa and God, sending Santa literal letters and God mental ones. We visit Santa at the mall and God at the church and present offerings of milk and cookies to Santa and cold hard cash to God. We sing songs and read stories about their supernatural powers, both seeing our each and every deed. They both sit as cosmic judges, showering the good with toys and blessings, while punishing the bad with a lump of coal — or burning them like one. Both hail from faraway places, Santa residing in a secret place atop the world and God above the clouds. Santa writes people’s names in his big book as does God. Both have seemingly existed forever and though both are ancient, will likely never die. Both Santa and God are creators and distributors of gifts, Santa employing elves to assist him and God, angels. Hell, they even both have white beards!john evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001962226613542403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1996038137019915553.post-78708420623696610262010-11-26T13:48:00.000-06:002010-11-26T13:48:32.151-06:00thought of the day.Geiger: Does a moral hierarchy exist on religions today? Are some a greater force for good in the world than others or are they essentially moral equivalents? As your book subtitle read, 'God poisions everything.'<br />
<br />
Hitchens: Well, should I start with the ‘poisons everything?’ Perhaps I should. Ok, I’ll ask for trouble if I put on a provocative subtitle, but I mean by it, not of course it poisons Chinese food or tantric sex or Niagara falls or something but it does attack us in our deepest integrity. It says we wouldn’t know right from wrong if it wasn’t for divine permission. It immediately makes us, essentially, slaves. And it has to be opposed for that reason. And such a radical frontal attack on human dignity, it seems to me, that it does leach into everything. And it has the effect of making good people say and do wicked things. For example, a morally normal person when presented with a new baby would not set about its genitals with a sharp stone or a knife. He would have to think God needed that. No, it wouldn’t occur to him otherwise. It make intelligent people say stupid things, commits them to saying stupid things such as they are objects of a divine design. As well as being stupid, very conceited by the way. They claim believers to be so modest. That’s what I mean by the poison. And because of that, I do tend to think it applies in general. My younger daughter goes to a Quaker school in Washington, the same one as the president’s children. ... There was a time when the Quakers ran the most sadistic prisons in North America and were fond of excommunicating people for the smallest things such as supporting the American Revolution, for example. If they’d been more powerful, they might have been worse. ... any surrender of reason in favour of faith contains the same danger it seems to me. Fluctuates over time. Before, I’ve been asked in the 1930s what I thought was the most dangerous religion I almost certainly would have said Roman Catholicism because of its then pretty much undisguised alliance with the Fascist parties in Europe, for which it has not yet succeeded in apologizing enough, in my opinion. But has, least admitted it was true. It was very dangerous then. I now think obviously, or rather self-evidently, Wahabbi fundamentalist Islam and its equivalents in messianic Shiism , the Shia equivalent of that Sunni theory, practice, are as dangerous especially because they could get a hold of weapons, or a weapon of mass destruction. So we would find out, with a little speculation, we used to have after lights out when we were young, what would really happen if a really wicked person got a hold of a nuclear bomb and now we’re going to find out. When the messianic meets the apocalyptic, watch out.john evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001962226613542403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1996038137019915553.post-29455765887125317692010-11-24T21:02:00.003-06:002010-11-24T21:52:04.744-06:00thought of the day.454Two thousand years ago, people worshiped Osiris, Glycon, Simon, Apollonius of Tyana, Pythagoras, Orpheus, Dionysus, Zalmoxis, Kore, Samothrace, Attis, Adonis, Horus, Mithras and others. Just like Jesus, these gods’ claims to fame included being born of a virgin, walking on water, healing lepers, raising the dead, turning water into wine, and dying and rising again. However, my argument is not that Jesus was copied from “pagan” religions (though these certainly had an influence) but was a character created largely from the Old Testament itself and in particular, the escapades of the god-like characters, Elijah and Elisha.<br />
<br />
<br />
Elijah is such an important character that he is mentioned 75 times in the Old Testament and 29 times in the New. God promises to send Elijah as a savior (Ml 4:5), an angel says that John the Baptist would have “Elijah’s spirit and power” (Luke 1:17) while Jesus suggests John the Baptist “is Elijah” (Mt 11:14). Jesus says Elijah (as John the Baptist) was mistreated just as he would be mistreated (Mt 17:11-12), speaks about Elijah coming to get everything ready for him (Mt 17:11-12) and compares himself to Elijah and Elisha (Lk 4:25-27). Elijah even makes an appearance and converses with Jesus (Lk 9:30-31). Some people think Jesus is actually Elijah (Mt 16:14) and as Jesus dies, others think he is calling Elijah and that Elijah may come take him down from the cross (Mk 15:35-36). Even the names mean the same thing — Elisha being “God (Jehovah) is salvation” and Jesus, “Jehovah saves” while Elijah is “my God is Jehovah.”<br />
<br />
<br />
The New Testament accounts are obviously not word for word copies of these earlier stories, but there are over 60 themes common to both Elijah/Elisha and Jesus. When considered collectively, the following comparisons along with parts 2, 3 and 4, are convincing evidence that the Jesus of the bible was not a historical person, but a literary Frankenstein, cobbled together from dozens of pre-existing myths.<br />
<br />
<br />
1. MIRACLE BABY<br />
<br />
Old story: A woman with an old husband was miraculously impregnated with a son by Elisha (2K 4:8-17)<br />
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New story.1: A woman with an old husband was miraculously impregnated with a son (John the Baptist) promised to be “like the prophet Elijah” (Lk 1:5-17)<br />
<br />
New story.2: A virgin was miraculously impregnated with a son (Jesus) (Lk 1:26-31)<br />
<br />
<br />
2. FASHIONISTA<br />
<br />
Old story: Elisha’s predecessor, Elijah, wore animal skins tied with a leather belt (2K 1:8)<br />
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New story: Jesus’ predecessor, John the Baptist, wore animal skins tied with a leather belt (Mk 1:6)<br />
<br />
<br />
3. PASSING THE MANTEL<br />
<br />
Old story: Elijah passed the mantel to Elisha to carry on God’s work (2K 2:9-16)<br />
<br />
New story: John the Baptist* passed the mantel to Jesus to carry on God’s work (Lk 3:1-22)<br />
<br />
*Elijah (Mt 11:14)<br />
<br />
<br />
4. BEHEADING<br />
<br />
Old story: The king wanted to behead Elisha (2K 6:31)<br />
<br />
New story: The king beheaded John the Baptist (Mt 14:10)<br />
<br />
<br />
5. SENT SAVIOR<br />
<br />
Old story: Elijah is to be “sent” to save people from God’s wrath (Ml 4:5-6)<br />
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New story: Jesus was “sent” to save people from God’s wrath (Mk 9:37, 16:16)<br />
<br />
<br />
6. PRECIOUS GIFTS<br />
<br />
Old story: Elisha was given precious gifts because of his remarkable power (2K 8:8-9)<br />
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New story: Jesus was given precious gifts because of his remarkable power (Mt 2:9-11)<br />
<br />
<br />
7. HUNTED<br />
<br />
Old story: A wicked king ordered an extensive search for Elijah to kill him (1K 18:1-10)<br />
<br />
New story: A wicked king ordered an extensive search for Jesus to kill him (Mt 2:3-20)<br />
<br />
<br />
8. SENT INTO HIDING<br />
<br />
Old story: Elijah was commanded by God to travel afar and hide (1K 17:2-3)<br />
<br />
New story: Joseph was commanded by God to travel afar and hide Jesus (Mk 1:1)<br />
<br />
<br />
9. HOLY RIVER<br />
<br />
Old story: Elisha received the spirit at the Jordan (2K 2:9)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus received the spirit at the Jordan (Mk 1:1)<br />
<br />
<br />
10. FORTY DAYS & FORTY NIGHTS<br />
<br />
Old story: Elijah went 40 days and nights in the wilderness without food (1K 19:4)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus went 40 days and nights in the wilderness without food (Mt 4)<br />
<br />
<br />
11. MINISTERING ANGELS<br />
<br />
Old story: An angel helped Elijah before his wilderness trip (1K 19:5-9)<br />
<br />
New story: Angels helped Jesus after his wilderness trip (Mk 1:12-13)<br />
<br />
<br />
12. GROUPIES<br />
<br />
Old story: Elisha had a group of followers (2K 6)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus had a group of followers (Mk 13)<br />
<br />
<br />
13. THE CALLING<br />
<br />
Old story: Elisha was busy working when called to stop and follow Elijah (1K 19:19-21)<br />
<br />
New story: Several men were busy working when called to stop and follow Jesus (Mk 1:16-20)<br />
<br />
<br />
14. GOODBYES<br />
<br />
Old story: Elisha said he would follow Elijah after saying goodbye to his parents (plow in story) (1K 19:20)<br />
<br />
New story: A man said he would follow Jesus after saying goodbye to his family (plow in story) (Lk 9:61-62)<br />
<br />
<br />
15. PROPHET<br />
<br />
Old story: Elijah was called a “prophet” (1K 17:1)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus was called a “prophet” (Lk 7:16)<br />
<br />
<br />
16. MASTER<br />
<br />
Old story: A group of men called Elijah, Elisha’s “master” (2K 2:3-5)<br />
<br />
New story: A group of men called Jesus, “master” (Mk 13)<br />
<br />
<br />
17. SERVANT<br />
<br />
Old story: Elijah is called God’s “servant” (2K 9:36)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus is called God’s “Servant” (Acts 3:26)<br />
<br />
<br />
18. YES MAN<br />
<br />
Old story: Elijah did as God commanded (2K 1:4)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus did as God commanded (Jn 4:34)<br />
<br />
<br />
19. GOD’S SPOKESMAN<br />
<br />
Old story: Elijah spoke for God (1K 17:1)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus spoke for God (Mt 7:21-23)<br />
<br />
<br />
20. TRAVELING MAN<br />
<br />
Old story: Elijah traveled town to town doing God’s work (1K, 2K)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus traveled town to town doing God’s work (Lk, Mk, Mt, Jn)<br />
<br />
<br />
21. DRINK OF WATER<br />
<br />
Old story: Upon entering a distant town, Elijah asked a woman to “bring me a drink of water”, worked a miracle of abundance and the woman called him a prophet (1K 17:10)<br />
<br />
New story: Upon entering a distant town, Jesus told a woman to “give me a drink of water”, promised a miracle of abundance and the woman called him a prophet (Jn 4:5)<br />
<br />
<br />
22. CROSSING THE WATER<br />
<br />
Old story.1: Elijah walked across divided water (2K 2:8)<br />
<br />
Old story.2: Elisha walked across divided water (2K 2:14)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus walked across the top of water (Mk 6:45)<br />
<br />
<br />
23. SEEING IS BELIEVING<br />
<br />
Old story: Elisha made the blind see (2K 6:20)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus made the blind see (Mk 8: 21-26)<br />
<br />
<br />
24. HEALING THE LEPER<br />
<br />
Old story: Elisha healed a man with leprosy (2K 5)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus healed a man with leprosy (Mk 1:41)<br />
<br />
<br />
25. FEEDING THE MULTITUDE<br />
<br />
Old story: Elisha used loaves of barley bread (brought to him by another) to feed a multitude and had left overs (2K 4:42-44)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus used loaves of barley bread (brought to him by another) to feed a multitude and had left overs (Jn 6:1-13)<br />
<br />
<br />
26. VINEYARD MAYHEM<br />
<br />
Old story: Elisha says a king will be killed as punishment for wanting to take over a vineyard after the owner was murdered (1K 21:1-19)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus says tenants will be killed as punishment for wanting to take over a vineyard and murdering the owner’s son (Lk 20:9-18)<br />
<br />
Note: The words in the new story, “come let us kill him” echo the words of Joseph’s brothers as they plot to kill Joseph: “Come, let us kill him”.<br />
<br />
<br />
27. ARMY OFFICER<br />
<br />
Old story: An army officer approached Elisha for a supernatural healing (2K 5:1-15)<br />
<br />
New story: An army officer approached Jesus for a supernatural healing (Mt 8:5-13)<br />
<br />
<br />
28. SUPERNATURAL KNOWLEDGE<br />
<br />
Old story: Elijah knew details of a person’s private life (2K 6:12)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus knew details of a person’s private life (Jn 4:17-18)<br />
<br />
<br />
29. SUPERNATURAL SIGHT<br />
<br />
Old story: Elisha could see a man in another place (2K 5:26)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus could see a man in another place (Jn 1:48-49)<br />
<br />
<br />
30. IMMINENT SEIZURE<br />
<br />
Old story: Elisha knew he was about to be seized (2K 6:30-32)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus knew he was about to be seized (Jn 6:15)<br />
<br />
<br />
31. COMMANDER OF THE ELEMENTS<br />
<br />
Old story: Elijah controlled the weather (1K 17:1)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus controlled the weather (Mk 4:39)<br />
<br />
<br />
32. AUDIENCE OF THOUSANDS<br />
<br />
Old story: All of Israel gathered to hear Elijah (1K 18:19-21)<br />
<br />
New story: 5,000 gathered to hear Jesus (Mk 6:30-44)<br />
<br />
<br />
33. JARS OF WATER<br />
<br />
Old story: Elijah instructed people to fill 4 jars with water as part of a miracle (1K 18:33)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus instructed people to fill 6 jars with water as part of a miracle (Jn 2:7)<br />
<br />
<br />
34. MAGIC NUMBER<br />
<br />
Old story.1: Elijah used 12 stones to rebuild the altar (1K 18:32)<br />
<br />
Old story.2: Elisha used 12 teams of oxen to plow (1K 19:19)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus used 12 disciples to build the Church (Mt 10:1)<br />
<br />
<br />
35. FAMILY MATTERS<br />
<br />
Old story: Elijah will be sent to unite the family (Ml 4:5-6)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus was sent to divide the family (Mt 7:36)<br />
<br />
<br />
36. AT THE FOOT OF THE MASTER<br />
<br />
Old story: A distraught woman held Elisha’s feet (2K 4:27)<br />
<br />
New story: A distraught woman held Jesus’ feet (Lk 7:36)<br />
<br />
<br />
37. SIGN OF SUBJECTION<br />
<br />
Old story.1: A man bowed down before Elijah (1K 18:7)<br />
<br />
Old story.2: 50 men bowed down before Elisha (2K 2:15)<br />
<br />
New story: A man knelt down before Jesus (Jn 9:38)<br />
<br />
<br />
38. HEARTLESS DISCIPLES<br />
<br />
Old story: Elisha’s servant wanted to push away a mother distraught over her dead child but Elisha worked a miracle (2K 4:27)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus’ disciples wanted to send away a mother distraught over her suffering child but Jesus worked a miracle (Mt 15:21-28)<br />
<br />
<br />
39. MAGIC MOUNTAIN<br />
<br />
Old story: Elijah experienced a supernatural change after he and a servant climbed a mountain (cloud in story) (1K 18:42-46)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus experienced a supernatural change after he and 3 disciples climbed a mountain (cloud in story and Elijah appears) (Mt 17:1-13)<br />
<br />
<br />
40. WORDS FROM ON HIGH<br />
<br />
Old story: Elijah climbed a mountain where God spoke (1K 19:9)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus climbed a mountain where God spoke (Mt 17:5)<br />
<br />
<br />
41. FINANCIAL WIZARD<br />
<br />
Old story: Elisha worked a financial miracle (2K 4:1-5)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus worked a financial miracle (Mt 17: 24)<br />
<br />
<br />
42. SAVIOR OF THE PARTY<br />
<br />
Old story: Elisha transformed food for a group of people (2K 4:38-41)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus transformed water for a group of people (Jn 2:6)<br />
<br />
<br />
43. GO IN PEACE<br />
<br />
Old story: Elisha said “Go in peace.” (2K 5:19)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus said “Go in peace.” (Lk 7:50)<br />
<br />
<br />
44. PROPHET OF DOOM<br />
<br />
Old story: Elijah saw the future and told of coming horrors (2K 8:12)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus saw the future and told of coming horrors (Lk 21:10-33)<br />
<br />
<br />
45. CURSE OF DEATH<br />
<br />
Old story: Elisha’s curse caused death (2K 2:24)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus’ curse caused death (Mk 11:21)<br />
<br />
<br />
46. RAISING THE DEAD I (The Widow’s Son)<br />
<br />
Old story: Elijah raised the dead son of a widow (who meets him at the city gate), gave him to his mother & was called a prophet (1K 17:21)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus raised the dead son of a widow (who meets him at the city gate), gave him to his mother & was called a prophet (Lk 7:11-16)<br />
<br />
The Greek for "and he gave him to his mother" is exactly the same in both accounts "kai edoken auton te metri autou".<br />
<br />
<br />
48. RAISING THE DEAD II (The Child)<br />
<br />
Old story: Elisha raised a dead child in a home (2K 4:27-37)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus raised a dead child in a home (Mk 5:22-43)<br />
<br />
Note: Jairus means "he awakens" which indicates the name of the father was chosen by the author to fit the story’s theme.<br />
<br />
<br />
49. RAISING THE DEAD III (The Man in the Tomb)<br />
<br />
Old story: Elisha’s bones raised a dead man in a tomb (2 K:21)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus raised a dead man in a tomb (Jn 11)<br />
<br />
<br />
50. FIRE FROM HEAVEN<br />
<br />
Old story: Elijah called down fire from heaven to kill people (2K 1:10)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus’ disciples asked to call down fire from heaven to kill people (Lk 9:54)<br />
<br />
<br />
51. DUPLICITOUS UNDERLING<br />
<br />
Old story: Elisha’s duplicitous servant asked for 3,000 silver coins & suffering followed (2K 5)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus’ duplicitous disciple accepted 30 silver coins & suffering followed (Mt 26:14)<br />
<br />
<br />
52. TROUBLEMAKER<br />
<br />
Old story: Elijah was considered “the worst troublemaker in Israel” (1K 18:17)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus was considered the worst troublemaker in Israel (implied) (Jn 2:13-18, 19:6)<br />
<br />
<br />
53. WANTED MAN<br />
<br />
Old story: The Jewish people wanted Elijah killed (1K 19:10)<br />
<br />
New story: The Jewish people wanted Jesus killed (Mt 27:20)<br />
<br />
<br />
54. HEAVEN BOUND<br />
<br />
Old story: It was revealed Elijah would soon ascend to heaven (2K 2: 1-12)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus revealed he would soon ascend to heaven (Jn 20:17)<br />
<br />
<br />
55. ANGUISHED PRAYER<br />
<br />
Old story: Afraid for his life, Elijah went off by himself, sat and prayed for God to take his life and was strengthened by an angel (1K 19:3-6)<br />
<br />
New story: Afraid for his life, Jesus went off by himself, knelt and prayed for God not to take his life (but that his will be done) and was strengthened by an angel (Lk 22:39-43)<br />
<br />
<br />
56. DOUBLE PLEDGE OF LOYALTY<br />
<br />
Old story: As Elijah’s “death” approached, Elisha swore (twice) he wouldn’t leave him (2K 2:4-6)<br />
<br />
New story: As Jesus’ death approached, Peter swore (twice) he wouldn’t leave him (Mk 14:4-29-31)<br />
<br />
<br />
57. MOCKED<br />
<br />
Old story: Elisha was made fun of (2K 2:23)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus was made fun of (Mk 15:20)<br />
<br />
<br />
58. DEATH CRY<br />
<br />
Old story.1: As Elijah “died,” Elisha cried out, “My father, my father!” (2K:2:12)<br />
<br />
Old story.2: As Elisha died, the king cried out “My father, my father!” (2K 13:14)<br />
<br />
New story: As Jesus died, he cried out, “My God, my God...” (Mt 27:46)<br />
<br />
<br />
59. TORN CLOTH<br />
<br />
Old story: Upon Elijah’s death, Elisha tore his cloak in two (2K 12)<br />
<br />
New story: Upon Jesus’ death, the Temple’s curtain tore in two (Mt 27:51)<br />
<br />
<br />
60. UP, UP AND AWAY!<br />
<br />
Old story: Elijah was visibly taken up to heaven (2K 2:11)<br />
<br />
New story: Jesus was visibly taken up to heaven (Lk 24:51)<br />
<br />
<br />
more to come...<br />
<br />
<br />
IN CONCLUSION<br />
<br />
The True Believer may rationalize all of this away, but there’s no disputing that there is clearly little about Jesus that is unique. Further study of comparative religions reveals Christianity took all of its ideas—from the virgin birth to Jesus’ prophesied thousand year reign—from “pagan” religions. In fact, Christianity IS a pagan religion. It simply has outlasted most of its competition, aided by two millennia of persecuting them.<br />
<br />
<br />
Further evidences that Jesus is a myth can be found in Part 2: Likely OT Sources, Part 3: Indisputable OT Sources and Part 4: Extra-Biblical Sources.john evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001962226613542403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1996038137019915553.post-20140667385295839072010-11-20T20:05:00.001-06:002010-11-24T15:14:12.250-06:00thought of the day.453Did a teacher named Jesus walk the streets of Jerusalem 2,000 years ago? Almost certainly. There were countless roaming teachers/healers/religious leaders and the odds are that at least a few of these were named Jesus.<br />
<br />
But did the Jesus revealed in the bible exist? Certainly not. The Jesus of the bible who was born of a virgin, worked miracles, threatened unbelievers with lakes of fire, rose from the dead and floated into the sky toward a throne waiting in some heavenly realm beyond the last planet on the left was a mythological character created almost entirely from stories found throughout the Old Testament.john evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001962226613542403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1996038137019915553.post-12978706453191982952010-11-19T15:55:00.000-06:002010-11-19T15:55:26.597-06:00thought of the day.452Religion won’t die until our fear of death does.john evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001962226613542403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1996038137019915553.post-45629940408258238762010-11-17T21:24:00.002-06:002010-11-17T22:28:25.710-06:00thought of the day.451Quick thoughts on Atheism, Agnosticism and Theism<br />
<br />
These observations presuppose the idea that for a proposition to be reasonable, it must be supported by evidence.<br />
<br />
ATHEISM<br />
To me, there are two main types of atheism — Reasonable and Unreasonable. <br />
An Unreasonable Atheist would state there is — without doubt — no god. This is an unreasonable position because no evidence can support it.<br />
A Reasonable Atheist does not claim to know there are no gods, but believes there are none due to the lack of evidence for one.<br />
<br />
AGNOSTICISM<br />
The Agnostic says she cannot know whether or not there is a god. Of course no one can. But agnosticism seems to be an intellectual cop-out. This person would likely not claim to be “agnostic” about countless other unknowable things like the idea that invisible pink monkeys orbit the Earth and yet makes an exception for the idea of god.<br />
<br />
THEISM<br />
The Theist believes there is a god based on evidence not strong enough to transform “believing” into “knowing” rendering the Theist position inherently unreasonable; and the theist who claims to know there is a god is as unreasonable as the atheist who, with the same certainty, claims there is none.john evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001962226613542403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1996038137019915553.post-38694032377939803292010-11-13T08:09:00.002-06:002010-11-17T16:32:32.357-06:00thought of the day.450If prayer worked, we wouldn’t need doctors.john evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001962226613542403noreply@blogger.com0