What's New Archive ● 2001 ● August
August 31, 2001
Added Sorry to Disappoint, but I'm Still an Atheist! by Antony Flew to the Features section of the Kiosk.Richard C. Carrier, current Editor in Chief of the Secular Web, tells me that "the internet has now become awash with rumors" that I "have converted to Christianity, or am at least no longer an atheist." Perhaps because I was born too soon to be involved in the internet world I had heard nothing of this rumour. So Mr. Carrier asks me to explain myself in cyberspace. This, with the help of the Internet Infidels, I now attempt.August 30, 2001
Added My God Can Beat Up Your God by Richard Bamford to the Agora section of the Kiosk.Here is a poem, of sorts, that extols the virtues of the one god I believe in.August 27, 2001
Added Dr. Younis Shaikh Has Been Sentenced to Death for Blasphemy to the KioskWe are shocked by the conviction for blasphemy, and the award of the death penalty, to noted rationalist Dr. Yunis Shaikh on 18 August 2001 in Pakistan. Read about it and take action now!Added Inside Summit Ministries to the KioskJende Huang attended a two-week Christian Apologetics training session at Summit Ministries, under Doc Noebel, and gives a very revealing report on what went on. See what's brewing in the trenches of the culture war.Added "On A New Argument for Agnosticism" (2001) by Michael MartinMartin responds to Bill Schultz's essay A Formal Justification of Agnosticism (2001).Edited The Date of the Nativity in Luke (3rd ed.) (2001) by Richard CarrierThese sentences and related material reflect new discoveries: "yet the best mss. are in France and Italy--one of which is the oldest, Codex Ambrosianae F 128, inscribed in the 11th century (the oldest mss. Beyer examined was 12th century); and another is the most reliable: Codex Vaticanus Graecus 984, transcribed in 1354; both confirming a reading of twentieth" ... "This tax may have existed in Syria, but alongside a different capitation tax on women that began at age 12" ... "Tertullian does not in fact link Sentius Saturninus with the census in Luke 2:1, as is commonly supposed by those who ignore the context of this passage."August 26, 2001
Added Real Religious Freedom by J. E. Hill to the Agora section of the Kiosk.How would the religious community react if Congress was to pass legislation requiring churches and other houses of worship to comply with the same laws that they want to apply to the public?August 19, 2001
Added The Power of Hatred (2001) by Jan Brazill to the Agora section of the Kiosk.The ability to hate is an undeniable trait of humankind. Although we often hear that Christian "love" can overcome all the failings we possess, in 2000 years it hasn't happened. Instead, the Bible seems to intensify a believer's own proclivities.Added The Moon and Resurrection (2001) by William Edelen to the Agora section of the Kiosk.At the next resurrection of the new moon, stop and look up at that cosmic phenomenon with a new eye, and a new appreciation for all that moon-glow has contributed to your religious beliefs.Added Abortion (2001) by William Edelen to the Agora section of the Kiosk.I would suggest that those mindlessly waving banners in the streets read some church history, and take time to reflect on the hypocrisy of their position. If they want to say simply, "I am against abortion" and let it go at that, fine. But in the name of all that is truth, and all that is sacred, let them stop using the bloody hands of Moses and the Church for their justification.Added Humanism 101 (2001) by William Edelen to the Agora section of the Kiosk.How individual members of Christian fundamentalism define "Humanism" depends on where they are on a scale of 1 to10 of brain malfunction.Added Mark Twain and Religion (2001) by William Edelen to the Agora section of the Kiosk.I guess that everybody has read Huckleberry Finn , but I find few who have read Twain's Letters From the Earth , a book that is filled with his observations on something that we call "religion." That book made my summer a few years back.Added "Noebel" Intentions (2001) by Steven Mahone to the Agora section of the Kiosk.How do you respond to a philosophy that seems to be based on the premise of "the truth can't possibly be found with those that disagree with me"? Well, in May 2001, Dr. David Noebel, of Summit Ministries and co-author of a new book with Tim LaHaye (of "Left Behind" fame), appeared on a local Colorado Springs Christian radio program and gave all of the indications that he utilizes just such reasoning.Added No Miracles Required (2001) by Bruce Monson to the Agora section of the Kiosk.What disturbs me most about this event is not what the girl said about me, but what she said about herself -- that she "used to be a bad person," but now that she accepts Jesus, she's suddenly "good."Added The Ten Commandments are Moral Fossils (2001) by Charles W. Webb, M.D. to the Agora section of the Kiosk.Nobody really believes in the Ten Commandments of Moses. Most of us can't even remember them, let alone name the punishments for breaking them. If we did know, we would all turn away in disgust and look for a more civilized guide for morality.August 17, 2001
Edited The Date of the Nativity in Luke (3rd ed.) (2001) by Richard CarrierAfter the latest additions, Carrier subsequently found David Beyer's mysterious speech, another book by Vardaman containing his claims, and the coup de gras: he actually found a photograph of the Vardaman coin discussed in the text (and now provides that in a footnote). He has also reconsidered his position on Mark Smith's argument that Luke's "Herod king of Judaea" is actually Herod Archelaus: that is far more plausible than Carrier had first thought.August 16, 2001
Added White House Report Promotes Illegal Aid to Religion (2001) to the Opinions section of the Kiosk.Bush Administration Scheme Could Prompt Lawsuit, Church-State Watchdog Group Says.August 11, 2001
Added A Formal Justification of Agnosticism (2001) by Bill SchultzAgnosticism is not only a valid choice for those of us who see insufficient evidence to decide the matter as to the truth or falsity of some particular God concept. Agnosticism is, in fact, the only valid choice in such circumstances under the rules of inference applicable to discourse based upon the evaluation of hypothetical (unexperienced) data.August 10, 2001
Added Electing Atheists to Political Office (2001) by Edward TabashIt is long overdue that people who do not believe in any god are elected to significant political office. Atheists must start electing some of their own, and Eddie Tabash, the only admitted atheist to run for political office in 2000, describes what is necessary for this to happen, and how we need to overcome crippling assumptions and prejudices and start getting politically savvy, just as the Christian Right has done.Removed link to Creaturesfrom Primordial Silicon (1997) (Off Site) by Clive DavidsonThis essay is no longer available on the web.Added The Infidel Guy, Freethought Radio, and Atheism, Freedom, Liberation, all Off Site, to the Online Radio section.Added Jewish Law, the Burial of Jesus, and the Third Day (2001) by Richard Carrier
Several Jewish laws are examined that relate to the burial stories in the Gospels.Added Cosmology and the Koran: A Response to Muslim Fundamentalists (2001) by Richard CarrierMuslim Fundamentalists are fond of claiming that the Koran miraculously predicted the findings of modern science, and that all of its factual scientific claims are flawless. There are two important objections to this claim that I will make, one pointing to a general problem, the other a specific example of the failure of the claim.Added Was Herod Alive in 2 B.C.? to The Date of the Nativity in Luke (3rd ed.) (2001) by Richard CarrierThe claims of Jack Finegan are examined and thoroughly refuted.
See "What's New? " for past months.