DID the disciples die for a lie? (Part 1) Profmth Mitch 2009-02-27 | This is part one of a series examining an argument many Christians regard as among the most convincing proofs that Jesus was raised from the dead, namely, that Jesus' disciples willingly died as martyrs for preaching that Jesus had been raised from the dead. No one, it is claimed, would willingly die for a lie. In this series, the argument is examined and three refutations of it are offered. Links: Christian apologist Josh McDowell setting forth the "wouldn't die for a lie" argument— http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0rhST6Q_gE Christian apologist Lee Strobel setting forth the "wouldn't die for a lie" argument— http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIfhy0ug7kM Dr. Lorne L. Dawson's "When Prophecy Fails and Faith Persists: A Theoretical Overview"— http://caliber.ucpress.net/doi/pdf/10.1525/nr.1999.3.1.60 PLAYLIST FOR THE SERIES: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=8D71CEDB225E5AE0
License to Bully? Profmth Mitch 2011-11-07 | A response to Decojuicer regarding a religious exemption in an anti-bullying bill that recently passed the Michigan State Senate. Links: 1. Decojuicer's video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRfEOTXYOTA 2. The text of "Matt's Safe School Law" as passed by Michigan's State Senate: http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2011-2012/billengrossed/Senate/htm/2011-SEBS-0137.htm 3. State Senator Gretchen Whitmer's statement against the bill as passed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDK-ja8PLgg 4. One organization's look at anti-bullying statutes and policies across the United States: http://www.bullypolice.org 5. For 1st Amendment purposes, 'religion' is not limited to the beliefs and practices of believers. The United States Supreme Court and lower courts have said that atheism comes within the scope of the amendment's religion guarantees. See, e.g., Welsh v. United States http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?navby=case&court=us&vol=398&page=333 and Kaufman v. McCaughtry http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-7th-circuit/1467028.html 6. On the question that keeps coming up in comments about whether public schools may restrict speech, see, e.g., the United States Supreme Court's decision in Tinker v. Des Moines School District: http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/comm/free_speech/tinker.html As the Court said in that case, schools may limit free speech in various ways, but public schools are not "enclaves of totalitarianism" where school officials "possess absolute authority." Students "are 'persons' under our Constitution" and, as such, "are possessed of fundamental rights which the State must respect."
A Deeper Meaning? Profmth Mitch 2011-08-27 | This video follows up on my "O Necessary Sin of Adam (Does Christian Theology Need Adam & Eve?)" video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXOvYn1OAL0 I am pressing my Christian respondents to be more specific in their replies (whether text or video). ADDED 11.16.11: A piece by evangelical pastor Mark Driscoll in which he argues that "[t]he very basis of Christianity is effectively undermined" by denying the historicity of Adam and Eve. He asserts, "What one cannot do ... is deny the existence of Adam and Eve and remain faithful to the Scriptures and their account." http://pastormark.tv/2011/11/16/the-biblical-necessity-of-adam-and-eve
O Necessary Sin of Adam (Does Christian Theology Need Adam & Eve?) Profmth Mitch 2011-08-24 | How important, if at all, are a historical Adam and Eve to Christianity? Does the Gospel make sense without them? If the Bible is wrong about Adam and Eve, how, if at all, can one be sure that it's not wrong about Jesus Christ? Recently, National Public Radio's "Morning Edition" did a story about a controversy brewing among Evangelical Christians with respect to Adam and Eve's historicity. This is not a uniquely Evangelical controversy. And some Christians across the denominational spectrum have offered alternative, science-friendly positions (e.g., evolutionary theology) that eschew Adam and Eve's historicity. Links: 1. The "Morning Edition" story "Evangelicals Question the Existence of Adam and Eve" http://www.npr.org/2011/08/09/138957812/evangelicals-question-the-existence-of-adam-and-eve 2. Dr. John Schneider's article "Recent Genetic Science and Christian Theology of Human Origins" http://www.asa3.org/ASA/PSCF/2010/PSCF9-10Schneider.pdf 3. Sister Joan Acker's article "Creationism and the Catechism" http://www.americamagazine.org/content/article.cfm?article_id=2404 4. Dr. Daryl Domning's article "Evolution, Evil, and Original Sin" http://www.americamagazine.org/content/article.cfm?article_id=1205 5. Dr. Daniel C. Harlow's article "After Adam: Genesis in an Age of Evolutionary Science" http://www.asa3.org/ASA/PSCF/2010/PSCF9-10Harlow.pdf 6. My "Jesus Was Not the Messiah" series http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=2529F79EEAF4B995 ADDED 11.16.11: A piece by evangelical pastor Mark Driscoll in which he argues that "[t]he very basis of Christianity is effectively undermined" by denying the historicity of Adam and Eve. He asserts, "What one cannot do ... is deny the existence of Adam and Eve and remain faithful to the Scriptures and their account." http://pastormark.tv/2011/11/16/the-biblical-necessity-of-adam-and-eve Music (intro): selection from "The Exsultet"
It Is Finished! (ProfMTH Gets Married) Profmth Mitch 2011-08-09 | A quick summary of my getting married today (August 9, 2011). Pardon the sound quality at points. It's my first time primarily using a web cam to make a video. Thanks for all of your well wishes and support. Music: "Rainbow Demon" sung by Vintersorg
The World Trade Center Cross Profmth Mitch 2011-07-30 | UPDATE: Jon Stewart's piece from "The Daily Show" on the World Trade Center "cross" http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-august-4-2011/culture-war-update---the-dividening-of-america---american-atheists-vs--the-ground-zero-cross Susan Jacoby's piece "Atheist group's frivolous lawsuit aims to bar 'cross' from 9/11 museum": http://richarddawkins.net/articles/642466-atheist-group-s-frivolous-lawsuit-aims-to-bar-cross-from-9-11-museum ======================================================== I have been doing some blogging over on Tumblr: http://profmth.tumblr.com This is a video version of one of my blog entries, addressing the American Atheists' recently filed lawsuit to have the so-called World Trade Center "Cross" removed from the National September 11 Memorial and Museum in New York City. The blog entry on which the video is based (which has links to all the sources and other material): http://profmth.tumblr.com/post/8238304488/sometimes-a-cross-beam-is-just-a-cross-beam Music (outro): "The Old Rugged Cross" sung by Mahalia Jackson If you're on Twitter, be sure to say "Hey!" to me there: http://twitter.com/profmth If you're on Tumblr, be sure to say "Hey!" to me there: http://profmth.tumblr.com And if you're on Google+, say "Hey!" there, too: +ProfMTH Mitch
Jesus: A Know-It-All? (How Jesus Is Not God by the Standards of Christian Apologetics) Profmth Mitch 2011-06-06 | A quick look at an example of how Christian apologetics ignores and even undermines the scriptures upon which Christianity is purported to be based. The New Testament plainly and unqualifiedly says--in the voice of Jesus, no less--that God the Father has unique knowledge vis-a-vis precisely when Jesus will return, that this knowledge is available to no one else. "The Father ALONE" knows; no one else knows (Mt 24:36, cf Mk 13:32). If, as the New Testament plainly and unqualifiedly claims, God the Father's knowledge is unique here, then necessarily as a biblical matter Jesus cannot be omniscient (nor can the Holy Spirit be omniscient, for that matter), which, by the apologists' own standards, means Jesus is not God. My "Camping Out for the Rapture" video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mro-Q-D3qq0 TheologyFromTheXSide's video response to "Camping Out for the Rapture" (to which I'll be directly responding in the near future): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeiKCqeZXwk Music (outro): "My Jesus Knows" If you're on Twitter, say "Hey!": http://twitter.com/ProfMTH If you're on Tumblr, say "Hey!" too: http://profmth.tumblr.com
Camping Out for the Rapture (Jesus is a false prophet too.) Profmth Mitch 2011-05-20 | The most interesting thing about the controversy surrounding Harold Camping's prediction that Jesus will return on May 21, 2011, is that Christians who are criticizing and denouncing the prediction seem to miss the fact that their own beliefs are plagued by problems quite similar to the problems that plague Mr. Camping's prediction. Links: I. The 4 Christian videos which I quote in this video: A. DefendTheFaithOrg's video "Harold Camping & His End-Times Fictions" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZppWmoMxRQ (Apologia Christian Ministries website: http://defendthefaith.org ) BTW, DefendTheFaithOrg has comments on approval restriction, so good luck on trying to get through to them via comments. B. TheologyFromTheXSide's video "It's the End of the World as We Know It (On May 21st!)" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hzDN_NaRtQ C. QuestionChrist's video "Is Judgment Day REALLY May 21st" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEJvBFl1dmg (I had to cut the clip of this video from my video because it was giving me problems, but the video is well worth checking out for a Christian critique of Camping's prediction.) D. ThePursuitBlog's video "May 21, 2011, Judgment Day!!!" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgbMHSk75xw II. My "Jesus Was Wrong and Should Be Ignored" video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3tZI2o7gv0 MUSIC: Intro-- "I'll Fly Away" Outro-- "Up, Up, and Away" If you're on Twitter, say "Hey!": http://twitter.com/ProfMTH If you're on Tumblr, say "Hey!" too: http://profmth.tumblr.com
Westboro Baptist Church: Are They Christians? Profmth Mitch 2011-03-05 | A response to the user TheologyFromTheXSide's video in which he asserts that the Westboro Baptist Church is not a Christian movement. What, if anything, is the in-kind difference between what the WBC says and does and what the Bible and many other Christians say and do vis-à-vis the same issues? I contend there is no in-kind difference. Links: TheologyFromTheXSide's video "A Christian Response to Westboro Baptist Church": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8zycriRE_I "Homosexuality" (from the Southern Baptist Convention's website): http://erlc.com/article/homosexuality "Redemption, Not Approval" (from the Southern Baptist Convention's website): http://www.sbclife.net/Articles/1999/09/sla1.asp Music: "Faith of Our Fathers" If you're on Twitter, be sure to stop by and say "Hey!": http://twitter.com/ProfMTH
Danger, you say? Profmth Mitch 2011-03-02 | Some Christians are fond of saying that atheists have no morality and homosexuals present various threats to society--especially to children. Let's have a look at how some Christians did in the morality and threat-to-society departments in February 2011. N.B.: This video is intended to be a sarcastic poke at moralizing, self-righteous Christians and their claims. It is *not* (and was not intended to be) a scientifically valid study with statistically significant results pertaining to the relative morals of Christians and nontheists. If the sarcasm gets by you, please read this again. Music: "Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones" (AKA: "All Creatures of our God and King") If you're on Twitter, say "Hey!": http://twitter.com/ProfMTH If you're on Tumblr, say "Hey!" too: http://profmth.tumblr.com Cenk Uygur on Pastor Grant Storms, the anti-gay Christian pastor arrested for allegedly masturbating in public near a playground: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHsYQA67IJ8 and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNMXaVaYS6I Interesting blog entry by Christian Kenneth Sheppard entitled "Immoral Atheism?": http://www.patrolmag.com/2011/03/03/kenneth-sheppard/immoral-atheism
Taking the Defense Out of DOMA Profmth Mitch 2011-02-28 | The Obama administration recently announced that it will no longer defend section 3 of the federal Defense of Marriage Act ("DOMA") against court challenges because, the administration has come to conclude, it is unconstitutional. This video briefly examines the basis for the administration's decision and sets out to correct the record about the history of presidents deciding not to defend duly enacted federal laws against court challenges. N.B.: 13 times in the past six years alone the Department of Justice told Congress it would not defend a law. Many of those decisions came in cases in which the solicitor general determined the government was bound to lose in court. http://legaltimes.typepad.com/blt/2011/03/attorney-general-eric-holder-confronts-fallout-from-doma-decision.html Footnotes: 1. Attorney General Holder's letter to Speaker of the House John Boehner: http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2011/February/11-ag-223.html 2. The text of DOMA: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=104_cong_public_laws&docid=f:publ199.104 3. Frank H. Easterbrook, "Presidential Review", 75 Case W. Res. 905, 921 (1990). 4. Freytag v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue: http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/90-762.ZS.html 5. Easterbrook at 906; Lear Siegler, Inc. v. Lehman, 842 F.2d 1102 (9th Cir. 1988). 6. Neal Devins, "The Law: Defending Congress's Interests in Court: How Lawmakers and the President Bargain over Department of Justice Representation", Presidential Studies Quarterly 32 (1) (March 2002), pp. 157-168. 7. The Office of Legal Counsel in the United States Department of Justice: http://www.justice.gov/olc 8. Easterbrook at 919-920. 9. My video on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVzwCWRTCD8 10. Information about Windsor v. United States: http://www.aclu.org/lgbt-rights/windsor-v-united-states-thea-edie-doma 11. Seth Waxman, "Defending Congress", 79 N. C. L. Rev 1073, 1083 (2001). Good article by Tony Mauro of The National Law Journal entitled "Government's 'Duty to Defend' Not a Given": http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202473959808&slreturn=1&hbxlogin=1 An opinion piece by Professor Aziz Huq of the University of Chicago Law School arguing that in addition to not defending Section 3 of DOMA, the Obama administration should refuse to enforce it: http://www.slate.com/id/2286737 It appears that the Republican leadership in the House of Representatives is going to seek to have the House intervene in court to defend Section 3 of DOMA: http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2011/03/speaker-boehner-moves-to-begin-doma-defense.html
Failure by Divine Design (A Christian Construction of Unbelief) Profmth Mitch 2011-01-23 | A look at one of the main ways Christians construct unbelief and the rejection of their religion's claims--a method that is, it seems to me, far more about reaffirming Christian identity and faith than responding to nonbelievers. Among other things, as a number of the comments have noted, this establishes what Ricky Gervais said at the Golden Globes, i.e., "Thank God for making me an atheist." :-) Links: 1. My series "The Shifting Sands of Evidence and Argument (Why Religious Arguments Fail to Persuade)" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9L9c7rG6Urs 2. Donald E. Hartley's article "2 Corinthians 4:4: A Case for Yahweh as the 'God of this Age'" http://rdtwot.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/2cor-44.pdf 3. Lorne L. Dawon's article "When Prophecy Fails and Faith Persists: A Theoretical Overview" http://commonsenseatheism.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Dawson-When-Prophecy-Fails-and-Faith-Persists.pdf 4. David Snow and Richard Machalek's article "On the Presumed Fragility of Unconventional Beliefs" http://centauro.cmq.edu.mx/dav/libela/paginas/infoEspecial/pdfArticulosLaicidad/100101213.pdf 5. Some people have asked for a source for the story about William Lane Craig and Jesus' tomb. Here ya go: http://commonsenseatheism.com/?p=2931 By the way, Craig has said the same sort of thing in his writings and in talks. I discuss this in my "The Shifting Sands of Evidence and Argument" series--a title I borrowed from something Craig wrote here: http://www.reasonablefaith.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=6489 6. Excellent lecture by Paula Fredriksen of Boston University entitled "Paul and Augustine on the Redemption of the Jews" (lots of related stuff in the lecture and it's just very interesting): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9NBIhdFkpU 7. A video I did a couple of years ago about the notion of unconditional reprobation in "Reformed" or Calvinist Christianity (title "The Doctrine of Unconditional Reprobation"): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sScMTOleVxs If you're on Twitter, be sure to say "hi": http://twitter.com/ProfMTH
Scalia, the Constitution, & Controversy Profmth Mitch 2011-01-08 | Some thoughts on Justice Antonin Scalia's claim that the United States Constitution does not protect against discrimination on the basis of gender or sexual orientation. BTW, I'm thrilled to see that this video was posted on Ed Brayton's "Dispatches from the Culture Wars": http://scienceblogs.com/dispatches/2011/01/scalia_and_the_14th_amendment.php (Thanks to HecticSkeptic for giving me the heads-up on that.) LINKS: Video of Justice Scalia's interview at the University of California's Hastings College of the Law: http://tinyurl.com/37s7m8k Transcript of a portion of the interview: http://tinyurl.com/269oafd Justice Scalia speaking at a Federalist Society event in 2006: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRKgOjNPxIM Justice Scalia characterizing the application of the Bill of Rights to the states as a mistake: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zE9biZT_z1k Text of Justice Scalia's 1995 lecture at Princeton University: http://web.archive.org/web/20060911103004/http://www.tannerlectures.utah.edu/lectures/scalia97.pdf A video I did on Scalia's textual originalism: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPYExu_uFy8 If you're on Twitter, be sure to say "hi": http://twitter.com/profmth
When WAS Jesus Born? Profmth Mitch 2010-12-23 | The New Testament's infancy narratives—the only biblical records of Jesus' birth and the events surrounding it—differ from and contradict one another. This video looks at a few of the differences and contradictions. Apologies for the reupload. I had to correct something in the video. Merry Christmas! Links: Paul L. Maier's "The Date of the Nativity and the Chronology of Jesus' Life" http://www.biblicalfoundations.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/maier-date-of-the-nativity.pdf My two-part series "Quirinius, where art thou?" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmRd6OKwcR4 and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMTLaCIakrw A playlist of Christmas-related videos http://www.youtube.com/user/ProfMTH#g/c/08C9FA17CCD89681 Music (intro): "When Was Jesus Born" (by Sons of Heaven)
Brief Bible Blunders Episode #17 Profmth Mitch 2010-11-23 | Happy Thanksgiving! The 17th in a series of looks at biblical oddities. "Brief Bible Blunders" playlist: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=6F8036F680C1DBEB Playlist in Spanish: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=E8D251DB458C1191 If you're on Twitter, be sure to say "hi": http://twitter.com/profmth
God Appointed Hitler? (The New Testament, Government, & Morality) Profmth Mitch 2010-11-20 | While some Christian apologists are fond of asserting that but for the existence of their god, humankind would lack any real basis to criticize (must less do something about) Hitler and his Nazi regime, they all seem to forget that their holy book, the New Testament, unqualifiedly commands subjection and obedience to government as an instrument established by their god. Christians who would criticize or overthrow the Nazi government (or ANY government) would have to violate their god's unqualified commandment in order to do so. Therefore believers are on the horns of a dilemma here: act on their god's purported "objective morality" and in the process violate their god's commands as set forth in Romans, 1 Peter, and Titus OR obey their god's commands and be forced to stand by watching a horrible regime persecute and kill people. My "God-given rights? Nonsense!" video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYf1SGQEYF4 If you're on Twitter, be sure to say "hi": http://twitter.com/profmth Footnotes: #1: William Lane Craig debating John Shook at the University of British Columbia: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKQMh7EZDWM #2" Carter, T.L., "The Irony of Romans 13", Novum Testamentum 46(3) (July 2004): 209-228. #3: Tiefel, Han, "The German Lutheran Church and the Rise of National Socialism", Church History 41(3) (Sept 1972): 326-336.
The Source of Liberty? Profmth Mitch 2010-10-23 | TheAtheistAntidote inadvertently identifies one of the pitfalls of calling the biblical god "the only true source" of liberty. TheAtheistAntidote's video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwGoT2lXLCE My video explaining why the notion of god-given rights is nonsense: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYf1SGQEYF4 Music: "Free Fallin'" (String Tribute Players)
Jesus Cannot Be the Atonement Profmth Mitch 2010-09-19 | The New Testament is full of applications of Passover imagery to the execution of Jesus. However, Passover had nothing to do with atonement for sins. In this video, we'll see how Jesus' death failed to fulfill the actual Jewish ritual for atonement on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)--this despite all the claims that Jesus perfectly fulfilled the Law. The "Jesus Was Not the Messiah" series: http://www.youtube.com/user/ProfMTH#grid/user/2529F79EEAF4B995 P.S.: Pardon my voice. I'm getting over a nasty cold. Music (outro): "It's All Made Up" by Scout
Brief Bible Blunders Episode #16 Profmth Mitch 2010-09-12 | The 16th in a series of quick looks at biblical oddities. (Edited on my laptop, so fingers crossed that it comes out OK.) "Brief Bible Blunders" playlist: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=6F8036F680C1DBEB Playlist in Spanish: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=E8D251DB458C1191
How Proposition 8 Went Down (Part 2 of 2) Profmth Mitch 2010-08-15 | Continuing my look at the recent ruling in Perry v. Schwarzenegger, which struck down California's Proposition 8 as violative of the due process and equal protection clauses of the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution. FOOTNOTES: 14. Eisenstadt v. Baird http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/cgi-bin/getcase.pl?court=us&vol=405&invol=438 15. Griswold v. Connecticut http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=us&vol=381&invol=479 16. Romer v. Evans http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/cgi-bin/getcase.pl?court=us&vol=000&invol=u10179 17. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpNscbfFI-I 18. Judge Walker's order on the motion to stay enforcement of Perry v. Schwarzenegger ecf.cand.uscourts.gov/cand/09cv2292/files/Final_stay_order.pdf Part 1 of this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bV3fkpR74Ak
How Proposition 8 Went Down (Part 1 of 2) Profmth Mitch 2010-08-15 | Part 1 of a look at the recent ruling in Perry v. Schwarzenegger, which struck down California's Proposition 8 as violative of the due process and equal protection clauses of the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution. Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZNUo62N_mY FOOTNOTES: 1. Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services http://docfiles.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/massachusetts/madce/1:2009cv11156/123233/58/0.pdf ; Gill v. Office of Personnel Management http://docfiles.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/massachusetts/madce/1:2009cv10309/120672/70/0.pdf 2. Perry v. Schwarzenegger ecf.cand.uscourts.gov/cand/09cv2292/files/09cv2292-ORDER.pdf 3. "Conservative Jurist, With Independent Streak" (New York Times, 8/5/2010) http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/06/us/06walker.html?_r=1 4. "Judging Marriage" http://www.breakpoint.org/bpcommentaries/entry/13/14998 5. http://nomblog.com 6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpNscbfFI-I 7. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZnVlD5y7_Y 8. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8e762litek 9. From William Lane Craig's website http://www.reasonablefaith.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5887 10. "Challenging Judge Walker" by Sherrilyn A. Ifill http://www.theroot.com/views/challenging-judge-walker?page=0,0 11. West Virginia School Board v. Barnette http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=us&vol=319&invol=624 12. Donald P. Haider-Markel, Alana Querze, & Kara Lindaman, "Lose, Win, or Draw?: A Reexamination of Direct Democracy and Minority Rights", 60 (2) Political Research Quarterly 304 (June 2007). 13. "It's all about children (or at least the anatomical possibility thereof)." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzUFYNjUTcM
Unnatural? Profmth Mitch 2010-07-31 | What exactly does it mean to say that homosexuality is unnatural? FOOTNOTES: 1. Fivepointbaptist's video "Answers to Stupid Objections #5" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3vpOR_dZ8k 2. Professor John Corvino's lecture "What's Morally Wrong with Homosexuality?" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPzso1OOTPM 3. ThatGayBloke's video "Homosexuality Is Unnatural" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oT-xosWRdkM and Depfox's video "Bryan Unplugged, Homosexuality Unnatural" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jRcpK_b5-E 4. Igor Primoratz, "Sexual Perversion", 34 (2) American Philosophical Quarterly 245, 247 (1997). 5. Id. at 245. 6. Richard B. Hays, "Relations Natural and Unnatural: A Response to John Boswell's Exegesis of Romans 1", 14 (1) The Journal of Religious Ethics 184, 194-195 (1986). For the Thomists and those interested in the Thomistic approach to this issue, Eugene F. Rogers of the University of North Carolina published an interesting article a little over 10 years ago entitled "Aquinas on Natural Law and the Virtues in Biblical Context: Homosexuality as a Test Case." 27 (1) The Journal of Religious Ethics 29 (1999). Some very interesting data on acceptance of homosexuality in the United States. Particularly noteworthy is the significant increase in acceptance of homosexuality among Catholics and men. http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2010/08/02/who-is-driving-increasing-acceptance-of-gays-and-lesbians Music: "Solitaire" Come say "hi" on Twitter: http://twitter.com/profmth Come say "hi" on Think Atheist: http://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/ProfMTH
Rape by Deception (or Caveat Amator!) Profmth Mitch 2010-07-25 | In the wake of an Israeli court's finding an Arab man guilty of "rape by deception" for lying to a Jewish woman to get her to have sex with him, I look at the concept of rape by fraud or deception and contend that it's not unreasonable--problems with the Israeli case notwithstanding. (I am NOT defending the Israeli court's decision.) The law tends to afford people's money and property more protection than their bodily integrity and sexual autonomy. Links: 1. Blog entry on the Israeli "rape by deception" case, which includes reference to the conviction of an Israeli Jew for the same crime. http://volokh.com/2010/07/21/an-interesting-rape-by-fraud-case-from-israel 2. Article 130 of New York's Penal Law ("Sex Offenses") http://law.onecle.com/new-york/penal/PEN0P3THA130_P3THA130.html 3. Patricia J. Falk's article "Rape by Fraud and Rape by Coercion." In the paper, Falk provides a veritable catalogue of cases pertaining to this issue. For those interested in more examples of cases (including "tough" cases), Falk's article is quite useful. http://www.justdetention.org/pdf/Rape%20by%20Fraud.pdf 4. Larceny by false pretenses in Massachusetts. One does well to keep in mind that not just any false statement of fact will suffice for criminal liability. The statement must go to a material, significant matter. Moreover, statements that can reasonably be construed as mere opinion or statements that are, as they say, nothing more than "puffing" (think padded bra or a used car salesperson saying "this car is the best one on the lot") are insufficient for criminal liability. http://www.mass.gov/courts/courtsandjudges/courts/districtcourt/jury-instructions/criminal/pdf/8500-larceny-by-false-pretenses.pdf 5. Tennessee Criminal Code (rape is defined in Title 39, Chapter 13, Part 5) http://www.michie.com/tennessee/lpext.dll?f=templates&fn=main-h.htm&cp=tncode 6. "Adult Impersonation: Rape by Fraud as a Defense to Statutory Rape" from the Northwestern University Law Review (among other things, it has a nice overview of the law with respect to rape by fraud or deception) http://www.law.northwestern.edu/lawreview/v101/n1/75/LR101n1Christopher.pdf 7. OGJimbo's video on the Israeli case http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9R1kThpLC0 8. Bewarethelizards42's video on the Israeli case http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhFbfGX4wDQ 9. Unfortunately, Susan Estrich's Yale Law Journal article "Rape" is not generally available online. However, if you have access to JSTOR, you can get the full text of the article here: http://www.jstor.org/pss/796522
William Lane Craig Is Not a Constitutional Scholar Profmth Mitch 2010-07-14 | Christian apologist William Lane Craig demonstrates that among the many things he is not (e.g., not a philosopher, not an historian, not a logician, not a theologian), he is also not a constitutional scholar. Among other things, he advocates a constitutional literalism that would allow a state to ban Christianity if it so chose. LINKS: William Lane Craig's audio blog on Christian Legal Society v. Martinez: http://www.reasonablefaith.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5887 The "William Lane Craig Is Not" Playlist: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=46E72BC0D8606D74 My video on Christian Legal Society v. Martinez: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwCt-KO-vvQ Text of the speech in which Justice Antonin Scalia rejects "strict constructionism" as an approach to interpreting the United States Constitution and says that he is not a strict constructionist": http://web.archive.org/web/20060911103004/http://www.tannerlectures.utah.edu/lectures/scalia97.pdf Interview in which Justice Scalia says the Incorporation Doctrine was a mistake http://fora.tv/2009/02/23/Uncommon_Knowledge_Antonin_Scalia
The Shifting Sands of Evidence & Argument (Why Religious Arguments Fail to Persuade) Part 2 Profmth Mitch 2010-07-09 | As anyone who has participated in or even just watched various religious arguments being presented and debated knows, religious arguments tend to be persuasively inert and, usually, are found compelling only by those who already accept the conclusion of such arguments. This two-part video attempts to get at some of the reasons for this. Back in late March 2010, my friend Myintellectualjourny asked me to respond to some questions about, inter alia, things theists and nontheists have in common. I had been thinking a lot and writing a bit about persuasion, particularly (though not exclusively) in the context of religious arguments. Eventually, I came to suspect that I had identified some of the common ground MIJ had asked me to talk about. I'm no longer so sure, but I'm offering this video both as an answer--a long overdue one at that--to MIJ's request AND, more generally, as a basis for discussion about the roles and effectiveness (or ineffectiveness, as the case seems to be) of religious arguments. Links: 1. Jennifer Faust's article "Can Religious Arguments Persuade?" http://books.google.com/books?id=KO6C9KYM9wUC&pg=PA70&lpg=PA70&dq=%22Jennifer+Faust%22+%22Can+Religious+Arguments+Persuade%3F&source=bl&ots=FWy_3vIbji&sig=AvElkJb_p5q4FmKG3qqSGNMYdUw&hl=en&ei=MiQ3TOCPF4KC8gauhvHaAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CB8Q6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=%22Jennifer%20Faust%22%20%22Can%20Religious%20Arguments%20Persuade%3F&f=false 2. "Belief in God Without Arguments?" video from the AlwaysMuslim channel here on YouTube (quoted in part one): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-axrivjYfx8 3. Myintellectualjourny's video "The Peace Talks": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuObZn45HNw 4. Part 1 of this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9L9c7rG6Urs 5. Lorne L. Dawson's article "When Prophecy Fails and Faith Persists: A Theoretical Overview" (which provides an excellent account of the role of cognitive dissonance in religious belief): http://caliber.ucpress.net/doi/pdf/10.1525/nr.1999.3.1.60 6. Gary Gutting, professor of philosophy at Notre Dame University, on philosphy and faith http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/01/philosophy-and-faith Music: (intro and outro of part 2) "Credo" Giovanni Palestrina (For those who have asked, the words during the intro are "Credo in unum deum," i.e., I believe in one god--the opening words of the Nicene Creed.)
The Shifting Sands of Evidence & Argument (Why Religious Arguments Fail to Persuade) Part 1 Profmth Mitch 2010-07-09 | As anyone who has participated in or even just watched various religious arguments being presented and debated knows, religious arguments tend to be persuasively inert and, usually, are found compelling only by those who already accept the conclusion of such arguments. This two-part video attempts to get at some of the reasons for this. Back in late March 2010, my friend Myintellectualjourny asked me to respond to some questions about, inter alia, things theists and nontheists have in common. I had been thinking a lot and writing a bit about persuasion, particularly (though not exclusively) in the context of religious arguments. Eventually, I came to suspect that I had identified some of the common ground MIJ had asked me to talk about. I'm no longer so sure, but I'm offering this video both as an answer--a long overdue one at that--to MIJ's request AND, more generally, as a basis for discussion about the roles and effectiveness (or ineffectiveness, as the case seems to be) of religious arguments. Links: 1. Jennifer Faust's article "Can Religious Arguments Persuade?" http://books.google.com/books?id=KO6C9KYM9wUC&pg=PA70&lpg=PA70&dq=%22Jennifer+Faust%22+%22Can+Religious+Arguments+Persuade%3F&source=bl&ots=FWy_3vIbji&sig=AvElkJb_p5q4FmKG3qqSGNMYdUw&hl=en&ei=MiQ3TOCPF4KC8gauhvHaAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CB8Q6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=%22Jennifer%20Faust%22%20%22Can%20Religious%20Arguments%20Persuade%3F&f=false 2. "Belief in God Without Arguments?" video from the AlwaysMuslim channel here on YouTube (quoted in part one): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-axrivjYfx8 3. Myintellectualjourny's video "The Peace Talks": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuObZn45HNw 4. Part 2 of this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ubm6T__hbbg 5. Lorne L. Dawson's article "When Prophecy Fails and Faith Persists: A Theoretical Overview" (which provides an excellent account of the role of cognitive dissonance in religious belief): http://caliber.ucpress.net/doi/pdf/10.1525/nr.1999.3.1.60 6. Gary Gutting, professor of philosophy at Notre Dame University, on philosphy and faith http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/01/philosophy-and-faith Music: (part 2) "Credo" Giovanni Palestrina
Brief Bible Blunders Episode #15 Profmth Mitch 2010-07-07 | The 15th in a series of quick looks at biblical oddities. "Brief Bible Blunders" playlist: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=6F8036F680C1DBEB Playlist in Spanish: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=E8D251DB458C1191 Music (outro): "If God Said It, I Believe It"
Defeat for Religious Privilege; Victory for Equality Profmth Mitch 2010-06-30 | A follow-up to my series on religious exemptions from the law, discussing the United States Supreme Court's recently announced decision in Christian Legal Society v. Martinez. Links: Christian Legal Society v. Martinez http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/09pdf/08-1371.pdf My "Abolish Religious Exemptions from the Law?" series http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5TBxCfnFiw An Op-Ed piece by Professor Eugene Volokh of UCLA Law School entitled "On free association, the Court makes the right call": http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2010/06/29/2010-06-29_on_free_association_the_court_makes_the_right_call.html Music: (outro) Gregorian "Losing My Religion"
The World Cup (An American Man Responds) Profmth Mitch 2010-06-11 | A response to my friend, the great Coughlan666's video in which he explained the World Cup and football in general to the Americans in his audience. Coughlan666's video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOy0NYeNAUw N.B.: My apologies to the Germans in my audience. Apparently, "Endless Love" is not a song you're allowed to hear. Music: "All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over For Monday Night Football" by Hank Williams, Jr. "Endless Love" by Matthew Morrison and the "Glee" cast
A Logical Rant on...Jesus! (A Response) Profmth Mitch 2010-05-05 | Does the existence of Christianity and its influence as a religion and the alleged harmony of the Bible tell us anything about whether Jesus was divine? No. Moreover, the claim that the Bible is an inerrant, harmonious collection of texts is an article of faith, not an empirical statement based on observation of inerrancy and harmony in and among the actual texts. A response to the following video that appears on ThePursuitBlog channel here on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kto7xnJToK0
Brief Bible Blunders Episode #14 (And, have you seen this man?) Profmth Mitch 2010-04-24 | The 14th in a series of quick looks at biblical oddities. Despite Jesus' command in Matthew 28:19 to baptize converts "in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit," not a single baptism mentioned in the New Testament uses this Trinitarian baptismal formula. As ReligionFreeDeist reminded me in a text comment, there is some debate about whether the Trinitarian baptismal formula in Matthew 28:19 is a later addition to the text. See, e.g., Eusebius's quotation of the text, which does not include any reference to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I don't know whether there is enough evidence to settle the question one way or the other, but even if the Trinitarian formula is original in Matthew, not once does the New Testament depict the use of it. Appearances of the cartoon image of the prophet Muhammad courtesy of the recent "South Park" controversy and threats against its creators. BTW, I screwed up the abbreviation for "peace be upon him" at the end (using "BPUH" instead of "PBUH"). Oh, well. "Brief Bible Blunders" series playlist: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=6F8036F680C1DBEB Playlist in Spanish: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=E8D251DB458C1191 Gothatfunk's "Have You Seen This Man?" video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LS6UvvLHoU Music (outro): "If God Said It, I Believe It"
God Killed Jesus (Responsibility & Christianity) Profmth Mitch 2010-03-28 | The Christian tradition has attempted to hold a number of people and things responsible for the execution of Jesus, but analysis reveals that the only one responsible for it is the Christian god. Isn't it a sin only when a person does something God does NOT want the person to do? Carl Ginet's "In Defense of the Principle of Alternative Possibilities: Why I Don't Find Frankfurt's Argument Convincing": http://www.jstor.org/pss/2216254 By the way, I've gotten a lot of comments and questions about the notion that Jesus' death should be viewed as a suicide or felo-de-se. That seems quite reasonable to me given what appears in the New Testament -- see, e.g., John 10:17-18 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2010:17-18&version=NASB ). Moreover, as Raymond Brown points out in his "The Death of the Messiah", a number of early Christian writers believed Jesus' death to have been miraculous and completely under Jesus' control. See, e.g., Tertullian, who in his Apology claims that on the cross Jesus "with a word expressing his own will dismissed his spirit, forestalling the work of the executioners." (Link to the quoted section of Tertullian's Apology: http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf03.iv.iii.xxi.html ) In short, Jesus killed himself. Music (intro and outro): "All Glory, Laud, and Honor"
GOD-GIVEN RIGHTS? NONSENSE! Profmth Mitch 2010-03-01 | Do our legal rights ultimately come from a god -- specifically, the Christian god? No. Guidance on apostrophe use: http://theoatmeal.com/comics/apostrophe ;-) Link to 1tmoch's video "Relativism and Homos": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRKyTsqPClc Intro music: "My Rights, Your Rights" by Mad Professor
An All-Star Tribute (i.e., Roast) Profmth Mitch 2010-02-23 | Some of the stars of YouTube come out to "congratulate" ProfMTH on the channel reaching the 10,000-subscribers mark. To all the participants, thank you SO much. You made me laugh out loud. Outstanding work! The great people who contributed to this video (in order of appearance): 1. FactVsReligion http://www.youtube.com/user/factvsreligion 2. Ghostofdayinperson http://www.youtube.com/user/ghostofdayinperson 3. Keippernicus http://www.youtube.com/user/Keippernicus 4. Djosephallen http://www.youtube.com/user/djosephallen 5. Veritas48 http://www.youtube.com/user/veritas48 6. KabaneTheChristian http://www.youtube.com/user/kabanethechristian 7. AgnosticMan77 http://www.youtube.com/user/agnosticman77 8. ThatGayBloke http://www.youtube.com/user/thatgaybloke 9. LegoDesi http://www.youtube.com/user/legodesi 10. NadiaTeeze http://www.youtube.com/user/nadiaTeeze 11. WayOfTheBastard http://www.youtube.com/user/WayOfTheBastard 12. Coughlan666 http://www.youtube.com/user/coughlan666 13. Angryislander56 http://www.youtube.com/user/angryislander56 14. NonStampCollector http://www.youtube.com/user/nonstampcollector 15. Evid3nc3 http://www.youtube.com/user/evid3nc3 16. WannabeTesla http://www.youtube.com/user/WannabeTesla 17. xxxThePeachxxx http://www.youtube.com/user/xxxthepeachxxx 18. EightFootManChild http://www.youtube.com/user/eightfootmanchild 19. TaylorX04 http://www.youtube.com/user/TaylorX04 20. FantasticBabblings http://www.youtube.com/user/FantasticBabblings 21. TheEdge012 http://www.youtube.com/user/TheEdge012 22. Nykytyne2 ("the hottest girl on YouTube") http://www.youtube.com/user/nykytyne2?blend=1&ob=4 23. TheAtheistGuy http://www.youtube.com/user/theatheistguy 24. 1GOD1JESUS http://www.youtube.com/user/1god1jesus 25. Freethinker3161 http://www.youtube.com/user/freethinker3161 26. RhymeMaiden1 http://www.youtube.com/user/RHYMEMAIDEN1 27. MyIntellectualJourny http://www.youtube.com/user/myintellectualjourny 28. Largo64 http://www.youtube.com/user/Largo64 29. Tattooskin72 http://www.youtube.com/user/tattooskin72 30. ZombieChaddy http://www.youtube.com/user/zombiechaddy 31. Tenneral http://www.youtube.com/user/tenneral 32. KingHeathen http://www.youtube.com/user/kingheathen 33. ReligionFreeDeist http://www.youtube.com/user/ReligionFreeDeist 34. AncientAtheist http://www.youtube.com/user/AncientAtheist 35. HonestDiscussioner http://www.youtube.com/user/HonestDiscussioner 36. Kippmcleodtheheretic http://www.youtube.com/user/kippmcleodtheheretic 37. ToddAllenGates http://www.youtube.com/user/ToddAllenGates 38. Danmill23 http://www.youtube.com/user/Danmill23 39. Bu1ckgnx http://www.youtube.com/user/bu1ckgnx 40. QualiaSoup http://www.youtube.com/user/qualiasoup 41. Askegg http://www.youtube.com/user/askegg 42. Clutchology http://www.youtube.com/user/Clutchology 43. Antybu86 http://www.youtube.com/user/antybu86 44. DarkMatter2525 http://www.youtube.com/user/darkmatter2525 45. AsheIsTheRaven http://www.youtube.com/user/AsheIsTheRaven A very warm welcome to all the new subscribers. And to my continuing subscribers, you're gorgeous, baby. Don't ever change. ;-)
If Veritas48 has questions, then I have answers. Profmth Mitch 2010-02-21 | My crack at responding to Veritas48's five NEW questions for atheists. There are a few audio glitches in the video. Sorry. My computer is dying a slow death and not going gently into that good night. I'll have a new computer soon. Veritas48's video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m932p6YraHI DarkMatter2525's video "If Atheists Went to Heaven": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLGGKraKmXc The drawing of me and some of the other drawings in this video are from DarkMatter's video and I appreciate his suffering me to borrow them for this little project.
Coming Soon: An All-Star Tribute Profmth Mitch 2010-02-20 | An all-star "tribute" coming soon. :-) This preview was the work of the great QualiaSoup: http://www.youtube.com/user/qualiasoup
Brief Bible Blunders Episode #13 Profmth Mitch 2010-02-01 | Lucky #13 in a series of quick looks at biblical oddities. N.B.: Regarding Matthew as the second gospel, I mean chronologically. I know the order of the gospels as they appear in the New Testament -- believe me, I do. ;-) As for the "love that is more wonderful than the love of women," see 2 Samuel 1:26. Link to the playlist for the series: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=6F8036F680C1DBEB Link to the playlist in Spanish: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=E8D251DB458C1191
Up off your knees! Profmth Mitch 2010-01-24 | The people of Haiti don't need prayers or more religion; they need help. Here are some options to provide assistance to the relief efforts: http://current.com/items/91917702_haiti-relief-how-you-can-help.htm http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34834553/ns/msnbc_tv-rachel_maddow_show http://www.cfda.com/america%E2%80%99s-fashion-industry-launches-%E2%80%9Cfashion-for-haiti%E2%80%9D Pope Benedict XVI offers his "fervent prayers" and seeks "the intercession of our Lady of Perpetual Help" for Haiti. Translation: useless. (Link: http://whispersintheloggia.blogspot.com/2010/01/even-in-our-darkest-hour.html ) More nonsense: Scientologists bring their "magic touch" to Haiti. http://current.com/items/91996381_scientologists-healing-haitians-with-a-magic-touch.htm
Babies in Hell Profmth Mitch 2010-01-23 | Why doesn't the Bible address the fate of babies who die without baptism or without faith in Jesus? Here's a look at one Christian's opinion -- and it's a doozy (as one of the comments here said, it takes Christian apologetics to a new level of WTF) -- and the insight it gives us into the religious mindset. Links: 1tmoch's video "Where do babies go when they die?" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7odoFID7bg (It seems 1tmoch has decided not to approve the video response. Apparently, the scrutiny of a response is too much for him to deal with.) The International Theological Commission's paper "The Hope of Salvation for Infants Who Die without Being Baptized" http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/cti_documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20070419_un-baptised-infants_en.html The Westminster Confession of Faith (Chapter 10, Sections III and IV quoted in the video) http://www.reformed.org/documents/wcf_with_proofs Thanks to Hernantoro for recommending this article: "The Baby-Killing Church of Jesus Christ" http://www.abarnett.demon.co.uk/atheism/bkcojc.html Music: Intro, "Jesus Loves the Little Children" Outro, "Looney Toons"
Secularism, Christians, & Society Profmth Mitch 2010-01-20 | Responding to ChristoferL's recent video "Secularism is Anti-Christ II." Are Christians meant to be involved in social policy and government? ChristoferL's video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHwSJddCqmE Music: "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus" by Selah
Liberal & Moderate Christianity Profmth Mitch 2010-01-09 | Some thoughts about and questions for liberal and moderate Christians. If you get an error message when trying to view it, hit the "HQ" button. If that doesn't work, try adding &fmt=18 to the URL for the video. One or the other of these seems to solve the problem -- whatever the problem is. Hello, YouTube, maybe this could be fixed?! Links: My "Questions for Biblical Inerrantists and Literalists" video-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPKZVqEr6V8 Theowarner's "Quo Vadis, Professor?" video-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXMUJdtc0us Music: "Liberal Minded" by Lex Bale
Brief Bible Blunders Episode #12 Profmth Mitch 2010-01-07 | The 12th in series of quick looks at biblical oddities. Thanks to the folks at TheBeattitude.com, whose most recent "Conflicting Bible Teaching of the Week" reminded me of this one: http://thebeattitude.com/2009/12/30/conflicting-bible-teaching-of-the-week-34 Link to the playlist for the series: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=6F8036F680C1DBEB Link to the playlist in Spanish: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=E8D251DB458C1191 DeistPaladin's video on the Tower of Babel story: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgzgDl8YxPw
Brief Bible Blunders Episode #11 Profmth Mitch 2009-12-22 | The 11th in a series of brief looks at biblical oddities. Link to the playlist for the series: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=6F8036F680C1DBEB A number of questions and statements in the comments section about Mary's virginity. Back in April 2008, I did a 2-video series called "The Fuss about Mary's Virginity" that addresses a number of them. The following is a link to the first part: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtkNKbwgmFQ Music (in order it appears in video): "Silent Night" "Glory to God in the Highest" (from Handel's "Messiah") "We Three Kings of Orient Are" "Simeon's Lullaby" "Mary, Did You Know?" (outro)
Atheists & Religious Tests for Public Office Profmth Mitch 2009-12-17 | State religious tests for public office are unconstitutional. They violate the 1st Amendment. N.B.: The "no religious test" provision in Article VI, Section 3 of the United States Constitution applies only to the federal government. Torcaso v. United States: http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/cgi-bin/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=367&invol=488 KingHeathen's video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cq0OwOn1cXs Segment from the Rachel Maddow Show on the North Carolina case: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FefynZwWM0I Newspaper article on the North Carolina case: http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20091208/NEWS01/912080327
Christmas & Deconversion Profmth Mitch 2009-12-13 | A response to TogetherForPeace about the reasons to celebrate Christmas. For me, one of the reasons is because it's the anniversary of my "deconversion." Links: TogetherForPeace's video "Fighting for Christmas": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hy88vjodr54 My video "Christians, why do you celebrate Christmas?": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9f0OD1p90o My video "Unyielding despair, you say?": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbGpm9Cwr2I My video "Why are you an atheist?": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzZprt7eWfU Music: "Tu Scendi Dalle Stelle" (intro and outro); "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"
Obeying the Law ... Impossible? Profmth Mitch 2009-12-09 | A question about ChristoferL's recent video regarding whether human beings can obey Yahweh's law. Link to ChristoferL's video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRy4k9Cqar0 Music: "I Have a Little Dreidel"
Adam + Eve = Plan B Profmth Mitch 2009-11-15 | Among the odd things one finds in the Genesis creation stories is that the search for a "suitable helper" for Adam first takes place among the animals and birds Yahweh created. When that doesn't work out, Yahweh creates Eve. Essays about Rashi's commentary: http://jqr.pennpress.org/PennPress/journals/jqr/thereception.pdf http://www.inthemedievalmiddle.com/2008/11/erotic-animals-ii-adam-in-paradise.html If you're on Twitter, say "Hey!": http://twitter.com/ProfMTH If you're on Tumblr, say "Hey!" too: http://profmth.tumblr.com Music: (intro) "The Odd Couple" theme; "The Dating Game" theme; "The Newlywed Game" theme
When None Means Some (& Other Apologetic Alchemy) Profmth Mitch 2009-11-11 | A video response to Fivepointbaptist's response to the first episode of my "Brief Bible Blunders" series. Fivepointbaptist takes the "fifth gospel" approach to all of this, adding elements to the Gospel of John until it seems to make sense. Links: Fivepointbaptist's video "Bible Blunders Refuted!"-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzjNiJwt3xI "Brief Bible Blunders - Episode #1"-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2EmxXdZ6Zc (Credit for the "fifth gospel" approach to MyIntellecualJourny: http://www.youtube.com/user/myintellectualjourny )
Brief Bible Blunders Episode #10 Profmth Mitch 2009-11-08 | The tenth in a series of quick looks at biblical oddities. Link to playlist: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=6F8036F680C1DBEB Link to playlist in Spanish: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=E8D251DB458C1191 Thanks very much to FFreethinker for featuring the series: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueucQoNCQaY Music at the end: "To Be Like Jesus"
Oppressed Become Oppressors (Battle for Same-Sex Marriage in D.C.) Profmth Mitch 2009-10-27 | 3.3.10 Same-sex marriage is legal in Washington, D.C. The people in this video did NOT prevail. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/04/us/04marriage.html?hpJust like their oppressors -- white Christians who used the Bible, "natural law", and religious arguments to justify discrimination against blacks -- these black Christians are using the same sorts of arguments to justify discrimination against homosexuals in the name of their god. Link to the full video on the Rightwingwatchdotorg channel:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHpvIK295TAWith respect to Proposition 1's electoral success in Maine, I posted a blog entry on ThinkAtheist.com:http://www.thinkatheist.com/profiles/blogs/maine-marriage-equality-andMusic: "O To Be Like Thee"
Questions for Biblical Inerrantists & Literalists Profmth Mitch 2009-10-25 | After looking at some of the pitfalls of the notion that the Bible is inerrant and the literalist approach to the Bible, I ask inerrantists and literalists a couple of questions. And let me just say how proud I am that this video was #27 on Sunday in South Korea. Booyah! South Korea, it's you and me, baby. Links- 1. Luke Timothy Johnson's essay "Scripture and Experience": http://www.commonwealmagazine.org/article.php3?id_article=1957 2. Playlist for the "Brief Bible Blunders" series: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=6F8036F680C1DBEB 3. Allsaintsmonastery's channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/allsaintsmonastery 4. CreationistsWon's video regarding my "Brief Bible Blunders" series: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jOaIEvjq2s 5. Livingthequestions channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/livingthequestions 6. The Livingthequestions video about the biblical creation stories in Genesis: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVZPuB7Hncw
