Both the anime and manga of Hajime Isayama's Attack on Titan have been absurdly popular and widely praised. Last year, five of the books in the series were in the Top 20 graphic novels in the U.S., beating even The Walking Dead; 8.3 million copies sold in just the first half of 2014 to boost its total sales close to 22 million copies in just under five years. To give you an … [Read more...]
Is the Message of the New Testament Lost?
Lost the Plot? Have we somehow lost the message of the New Testament? That's what some people wonder when the conversation turns to the issue of textual variants---differences in the biblical manuscripts we've discovered over the years. Maybe you've got a friend or a co-worker who tends to be pretty skeptical of the Bible right from the get-go. For many like them, the issues … [Read more...]
Is the Weight of Scholarship on Bart Ehrman's Side? (Tolle Lege)
Critics of the Bible will often claim that the majority of biblical scholars are on their side when it comes to doubting Christian beliefs about Scripture. I recently heard atheist activist John Loftus claim, in a debate with apologist David Marshall, that most biblical scholars don't believe any prophecies in the Old Testament refer to Jesus. New Testament scholar Bart … [Read more...]
Open Letter to a Televangelist
Perhaps televangelist is not the correct term. I am not writing to any pastor who has services that appear on television. It may be because of my generation that I call television preachers who preach what is called "the prosperity gospel" televangelists. First of all, I respect the fact that you preach a message where your audience does not just listen but seeks a … [Read more...]
Answering Jewish Objections: “Jewish People Don’t Believe in a Suffering/Atoning Messiah”: Part Four
This is our final post in our series on Answering Jewish Objections: “Jewish People Don’t Believe in a Suffering/Atoning Messiah." See Part One, Two, and Three. Here are some more rabbinical sources: Messiah of Justice [Meshiah Tsidenu], though we are Thy forebears. Thou are greater than we because Thou didst bear the burden of our children’s sins and our great opresssions … [Read more...]
The Mysterious Magi of Matthew 2, Part One.
In chapter two of the gospel according to Matthew, we read that magi (Zoroastrian priests of the ancient Medes and Persians1) studied the stars, and upon seeing a particular astrological phenomenon, left their homeland and set off for Israel to worship the “new born king of the Jews.” The story has been derided as legend by Bible critics as a fanciful birth legend, invented … [Read more...]
Handling a Rabbi’s Objection About The Resurrection of Jesus
Dan Cohn-Sherbock, a well-known rabbi of Reform Judaism, and Jewish theologian has given some of his reasons for rejecting the resurrection of Jesus. He says: “As a Jew and a rabbi, I could be convinced of Jesus’ resurrection, but I would set very high standards of what is required. It would not be enough to have a subjective experience of Jesus. If I heard voices or had a … [Read more...]
How To Witness To Mormon Missionaries
By far the most common way people come into contact with members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, or Mormons, is through speaking with two young well dressed men, wearing a little badge with Elder on it. These guys spend two years of their lives, usually when they are 18-19, in an allocated area by the LDS Church, working 6 and a half days a week, either … [Read more...]
Wars of Early Islam
Muslims often project Islam as the religion of peace. But can this be true in the light of the historical evidence in the form of wars during the early Islamic history? Let's evaluate. Mohammed migrated to Medina from Mecca in the year 622 A.D. This migration is called Hijra, and 622 is the first year of the Islamic calender. The first year of the Islamic calender does not … [Read more...]
What Is the Value of Freethought?
What is a freethinker? By definition, a freethinker is a person who forms his or her ideas and opinions independently of authority or accepted views. The assumption is a freethinker is one who thinks critically about everything. This should include thinking critically about more than theology and dogma, but about naturalistic and atheist ideas as well. If a freethinker is … [Read more...]