What’s New Archive

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What's New Archive ● 2000 ● April

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April 30, 2000

Added feature article "Self-Anointed Saints" (2000) by T. J. McLaughlin

Some pandering presidential candidates would do well to reacquaint themselves with basic civics. In a society which values freedom of religion the last thing we need is intentional blurring of the lines between church and state.

April 25, 2000

Added "A Critique of Fundamentalism" (2000) [ 31K ] by Steven Conifer

A philosophical critique of Christian fundamentalism.

Added "The Argument from Logic for the Nonexistence of God" (2000) [ 145K ] by Steven J. Conifer

The following essay is derived from the rough draft for a book entitled (tentatively) The Argument from Logic for the Nonexistence of God, which I have recently completed and begun to revise for publication. Although the treatment presented here is far less detailed than that contained in the book, I have attempted to retain its essential elements and provide the reader with an overview of the AL, the various theistic defenses thereto, and the objections to those defenses (each of which, I believe, is refuted by at least one of the objections). In addition, while the AL as presented in the book is applied to many different concepts of God, within this essay (chiefly for space considerations) it shall be applied only to the sort of deity who desires that humans believe in him (i.e., the sort in which most theists profess a belief).

Added an author page for Steven J. Conifer

April 24, 2000

Added the January/February 2000 issue of The Skeptical Review [ Index ]

April 23, 2000

Added "David Noebel on Atheism and Biological Evolution" (2000) [ 87K ] by Jeffery Jay Lowder

A critical notice of David Noebel's book, Understanding the Times. I assess in detail Noebel's objections to atheism and biological evolution. Along the way I discuss such diverse topics as the argument from reasonable nonbelief, cosmic vs. personal meaning, methodological naturalism, abiogenesis and the origin of life, whether natural selection is a tautology, beneficial mutations, the fossil record, and punctuated equilibrium.

Posted a slightly revised version of "Josh McDowell's "Evidence" for Jesus: Is It Reliable?" (2000) [ 107K ] by Jeffery Jay Lowder

Keep the feedback coming! Added a brief discussion of the Arabic text of the controversial Testimonium Flavianum.

April 22, 2000

Posted a slightly revised version of "Josh McDowell's "Evidence" for Jesus: Is It Reliable?" (2000) [ 102K ] by Jeffery Jay Lowder

Completely revised discussion of Josh McDowell's appeal to Josephus as a witness to the historicity of Jesus.

April 20, 2000

Added a debate on the existence of God to the Events Page. On April 24th, Jeffery Jay Lowder (former President of Internet Infidels, Inc.) representing atheism, Rev. Will Gipson (University of Pennsylvania Chaplain) and an unspecified Deist will debate the existence of God at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Visit the Events Page for more information on this and other events.

Posted a slightly revised version of "Josh McDowell's "Evidence" for Jesus: Is It Reliable?" (2000) [ 102K ] by Jeffery Jay Lowder

Added a hyperlinked overview; a sidebar with links to related resources; a clarification of Lowder's view on Suetonius; and footnotes defending Lowder's position on the Talmud and Tacitus as witnesses to the historicity of Jesus.

April 19, 2000

Posted a slightly revised version of "Josh McDowell's "Evidence" for Jesus: Is It Reliable?" (2000) [ 93K ] by Jeffery Jay Lowder

Added footnotes defending Lowder's position on Pliny, Mara Bar-Serapion, Thallus, and Mara Bar-Serapion as witnesses to the historicity of Jesus.

April 18

Posted Is There A Secular Case Against Abortion?

Most, if not all, arguments leveled against abortion are based heavily on religious belief. More often than not, it is assumed that pro-life advocates consider the procedure immoral and campaign for abortion to be prohibited by law because of a commitment to religious doctrine.
Is there secular justification for the pro-life stance?
Jennifer Roth argues yes. Richard Carrier argues no.
Please join us as the debate over whether there is a Secular Case Against Abortion unfolds.

Published feature article "From Where Comes Inspiration?" by Kyle Kirkland.

There's a bunch of stuff going on in your brain about which you know nothing. In times of need or at some critical moment, sudden knowledge and inspiration often seem to come from the spark of the divine. Kirkland explores the question, "from where comes inspiration?"

April 17

Posted a slightly revised version of "A Reply to J. P. Holding's 'Shattering' of My Views on Jesus and an Examination of the Early Pagan and Jewish References to Jesus" (2000) [ 57K ] by G.A. Wells

Added two footnotes and two minor sidenotes pertaining to Thallus which support or slightly expand Wells' argument, and one qualifying footnote on the difference between procurators and prefects.

April 5

Added new feature article entitled "The Rationality of an Illusion" by Taner Edis

April 1

Added Impotent Churches by William Edelen to the Freethought section of the Modern library.

Any Christian church, or Jewish Temple, closing its doors, mind and spirit, to "outside" speakers is not only impotent, but spiritually bankrupt.