Daylight Atheism » Textual Criticism

Little-Known Bible Verses: The Holy Kiss

Ebonmuse — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 10:39:32 +0000

Fred Clark of Slacktivist has been on a tear lately, posting some outstanding articles about the theological roots of dominionism and its influence in American politics. And today, ... [visit site to read more]

The Biblical Cruelty of Child Beating

Ebonmuse — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 10:42:17 +0000

In 1877, the great freethinker Robert Green Ingersoll wrote these words about the then-common practice of corporal punishment:

I tell you the children have the same rights that we have, and we ought to treat them as though they were human beings. They should be reared with love, with kindness, with tenderness, and not with brutality. That is my idea of children.

...I do not believe ... [visit site to read more]

The Financial Ignorance of Religious Texts

Ebonmuse — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 11:52:55 +0000

Among the many other prohibitions in the Old Testament, there are several verses that prohibit charging interest on loans (at least to one's fellow Israelites - foreigners are apparently OK to gouge). Some of them are:

"You shall not lend upon interest to your brother, interest on money, interest on victuals, interest on anything that is lent for interest. To a foreigner you may lend upon interest, but to your brother you shall not lend upon interest..."

—Deuteronomy ... [visit site to read more]

Yes, Virginia, The Bible Does Teach Hell

Ebonmuse — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 11:42:16 +0000

Slacktivist, my favorite progressive Christian blog, has been reporting on how the religious right has been in a tizzy over the news that prominent evangelical pastor Rob Bell may no longer believe in eternal damnation. (I know, I know - he doesn't believe that God will torture billions of people in a lake of fire for all eternity? Horrors!)

This is a view Slacktivist himself holds, and to defend ... [visit site to read more]

Book Review: Trusting Doubt

Ebonmuse — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 02:58:24 +0000

(Author's Note: The following review was solicited and is written in accordance with this site's policy for such reviews.)

Summary: An outstanding analysis of the flaws of evangelical Christianity, written from an insider's perspective by a former believer. My only complaint is that I wish she'd provided more information about what the next step is!

Although there are lots of atheist books that present a compelling case for ... [visit site to read more]

The Language of God: Intellectual Dishonesty

Ebonmuse — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 12:30:07 +0000

The Language of God, Chapter 6

By B.J. Marshall

Collins begins Part III of his book, entitled "Faith in Science, Faith in God," by trying to wrap his mind around why evolution is so difficult for some religious people to get. He recalls an experience where he was at a men's dinner at a Protestant church discussing how faith and science can mesh. All was well until the senior pastor was asked whether he believed in the literal story of Genesis. The priest carefully chose his ... [visit site to read more]

New on Ebon Musings: The Origins of Orthodoxy

Ebonmuse — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 16:27:30 +0000

Over the past several months, I've been writing a lengthy new essay for Ebon Musings. I've finally put the finishing touches on it, and I'm quite proud of the result: go check out "The Origins of Orthodoxy".

This essay covers a topic I've been interested in for a long time: the origins of the Christian New Testament canon. It's the story of which books made it into the Bible - and which ones didn't - and why, and all ... [visit site to read more]

Book Review: The Heathen's Guide to World Religions

Ebonmuse — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 10:49:22 +0000

(Editor's Note: This review was solicited and is written in accordance with this site's policy for such reviews.)

Summary: Entertaining but plagued with inaccuracy.

William Hopper's The Heathen's Guide to World Religions is intended as a satirical survey of the world's major faiths, written from an atheist perspective with sarcasm, humor and irreverence aplenty. I hadn't heard of the ... [visit site to read more]

A Not-So-Complicated Moral

Ebonmuse — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 00:56:20 +0000

This week in the New York Times, Nicholas Kristof has a column titled Test Your Savvy on Religion, discussing the American religious knowledge survey which found that atheists were better informed about faith than believers. Kristof has a pop quiz of his own, and I'm guessing that regular readers of this blog will ... [visit site to read more]

Book Review: The Naked Bible

Ebonmuse — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 10:55:26 +0000

(Editor's Note: This review was solicited and is written in accordance with this site's policy for such reviews.)

Summary: Entertainingly irreverent, but with a sharp point under the silliness - though I still haven't figured out why the Bible on the cover is wearing a bra.

It's always good to see fellow atheist bloggers breaking into the publishing world, and it's in that vein that I'm pleased to ... [visit site to read more]

The Bible's Failed Covenant

Ebonmuse — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 10:58:04 +0000

In the entire Old Testament, there are no verses more significant than the ones in which Yahweh establishes his covenant with the Jewish people. He pledges to make the Israelites his chosen, to show special favor to them above all other nations and races, and to grant them a peaceful and prosperous home in the promised land. Even today, after several millennia, these passages still play a pivotal role in shaping Jewish identity, consciousness, and culture, as well as exerting a major influence ... [visit site to read more]

God Kills A Baby

RitchieAdmin — Tue, 18 May 2010 18:44:04 +0000

By Richard Hollis (aka Ritchie)

I'm sure that this title is neither new information nor in the slightest bit shocking to those familiar with the atrocities found within the so-called Good Book (of which, Ebonmuse, this site's author, has amply documented). After all, this is the God who cheerfully devastates armies, obliterates nations and once even drowned every living thing on Earth bar a boatful of humans and ... [visit site to read more]