The Third Book of Enoch Explained ReligionForBreakfast 2023-09-21 | Sign up for Nebula!: 40% off Annual Subscription: go.nebula.tv/religionforbreakfastJoin our Patreon community!: patreon.com/religionforbreakfastOne-time donations here!: paypal.me/religionforbreakfastCheck out my favorite religious studies books by following this affiliate link to my Amazon page: amazon.com/shop/religionforbreakfastThe Third Book of Enoch claims to be the account of a mystical vision of Heaven. Notably, it portrays Enoch transforming into the 2nd most powerful being in the universe: the Archangel Metatron.Select images courtesy of Getty
Religion for Breakfast 10-Year Anniversary Stream ReligionForBreakfast 2024-10-18 | 10 years ago in October 2014, I published my first Religion for Breakfast video. Join me to celebrate! Support the channel on Patreon for 10 more years of religious literacy! patreon.com/religionforbreakfast
Melchizedek: The Most Mysterious Man in the Bible ReligionForBreakfast 2024-09-27 | Compare news coverage. Spot media bias. Avoid algorithms. Try Ground News today and get 40% off your subscription by going to https://ground.news/religionforbreakfastJoin our Patreon community! patreon.com/religionforbreakfastSelect imagery/video supplied by Getty Images and ReutersIn Genesis 14, a priestly king named Melchizedek randomly appears and gives bread and wine to the patriarch Abraham. And then...he's never mentioned again in the story. Who is this mysterious man?
What is Hermeticism? ReligionForBreakfast 2024-09-20 | Get Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: go.nebula.tv/religionforbreakfast Get Lifetime memberships!: go.nebula.tv/lifetime?ref=religionforbreakfast Watch Dracula's Ex-Girlfriend here!: nebula.tv/videos/dex-film?ref=religionforbreakfastSpecial thanks to the writer of this episode Paul Davidson. Check out his blog "Is that in the Bible?": isthatinthebible.wordpress.comBibliography:Christian Bull, "The Tradition of Hermes Trismegistus," 2014.M. David Litwa, "Hermetica II: The Excerpts of Stobaeus," 2018.Wouter Hanegraaff, "Dictionary of Gnosis and Western Esotericism," 2006.00:00 Intro1:39 Hermetica explained6:01 Hermetic and Platonic Cosmogony10:09 Fate and the Hermetic Human Condition12:08 Ascension, the Way of Hermes, and Rebirth19:30 Was Hermetism a Religion?24:48 I included a bonus section about baboons in the Nebula version of this vid
What Is the Best Bible Translation? ReligionForBreakfast 2024-09-13 | Register for our online Koine Greek class here!: religiondepartment.comJoin our Patreon community! patreon.com/religionforbreakfastThumbnail art by @ECHenry Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images 00:00 Setting the parameters of the question3:01 Which languages are being translated?3:58 How manuscript traditions affect translation13:20 Translation philosophy21:31 Case Study: NRSV29:12 Case Study: ESV33:54 Case Study: NIV38:15 Case Study: NAB42:29 Case Study: JPS Tanakh48:20 Case Study: KJV51:48 Conclusion
The Real Reasons Why People Become Atheists ReligionForBreakfast 2024-08-30 | Register for our online class "Messianic Impulses: A Psychedelic Model of Revolutionary Consciousness" religionforbreakfast.eventbrite.comProduction Team:Producers: Andrew Aghapour, Andrew HenryWriters: Will GervaisConsultant Scholar: Hugh TurpinEditor: Lachlan DavisProduction Assistant: Casey A'HearnJoin our Patreon community! patreon.com/religionforbreakfastThumbnail art by @hotcyder Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images and ReutersScholars have identified the primary reason why theists become atheists: Credibility Enhancing Displays, or CREDs for short. CREDs are behaviors that people use to demonstrate their genuine commitment to a belief, value, or principle. These displays make the beliefs seem more credible and trustworthy to others, thereby enhancing the likelihood that observers will adopt similar beliefs or practices. Basically, if your co-religionists are not "practicing what they preach," there is a higher likelihood a theist will become an atheist.This video was made possible through the support of Grant 61928 from the John Templeton Foundation managed by The Queen’s University of Belfast. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation or The Queen’s University of Belfast. 00:00 Is rationality a cause of atheism?4:06 The Three Other Pathways to Atheism4:51 Mentalizing6:39 Motivation / Apatheism8:29 inCREDulous Atheism
New Age Spirituality Explained ReligionForBreakfast 2024-08-23 | Compare news coverage. Spot media bias. Avoid algorithms. Try Ground News today and get 40% off your subscription by going to https://ground.news/religionforbreakfast.Join our Patreon community! patreon.com/religionforbreakfastSelect imagery/video supplied by Getty Images and ReutersWhat is New Age Spirituality? To understand the movement, we need to explore four historical streams that combined in the 1960s and 70s: Western Esotericism, New Thought, the 60s Counterculture, and the adaptation of Asian religions in a western context.00:00 What is the New Age?3:58 Western Esotericism and the Dawn of a New Age8:18 New Thought and Mind-Body Health Practices12:23 The Counterculture and Detraditionalization16:57 Americanization of Eastern Religions19:33 The Mainstreaming of the New Age24:04 Sponsor
The Real Origin of the Popes Pointy Hat ReligionForBreakfast 2024-08-16 | Get Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: go.nebula.tv/religionforbreakfast Watch War Room here!: nebula.tv/warroom?ref=religionforbreakfastWatch my interivew with Dr. Katie Turner here: youtube.com/watch?v=WXhY2GbRiy8Watch Dan McClellan's debunk of the "Dagon" theory: youtube.com/watch?v=MHntHwQselg&t=35s00:00 Mitre introduced1:12 The earliest mitre and its evolution2:29 The Horns of Moses6:08 The side-horned mitre in passion plays7:37 The mitre in anti-Catholic propaganda8:45 Nebula!
The Daoist Scriptures Are Huge ReligionForBreakfast 2024-08-08 | Register for our online class "Fact and Fiction about Laozi and his Daodejing:" religionforbreakfast.eventbrite.comJoin our Patreon community! patreon.com/religionforbreakfastThumbnail art by @hotcyder Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images and ReutersWhile the Bible or the Quran can fit into a single volume, the Daoist canon of scriptures contains around 1,500 texts. It is huge. So what is the Daoist canon all about? How did it form?00:00 Basic overview3:58 History of the Daozang9:05 Daozang's role in Daoism14:20 Register for our Daoism class!
What is Atheism? ReligionForBreakfast 2024-08-01 | Join our Patreon community! patreon.com/religionforbreakfastThis video was made possible through the support of Grant 61928 from the John Templeton Foundation managed by The Queen’s University of Belfast. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation or The Queen’s University of Belfast. Production Team:Producers: Andrew Aghapour, Andrew HenryWriters: Rachel Carbonara, Andrew Henry, Evan StewartConsultant Scholar: Hugh TurpinEditor: Lachlan DavisProduction Assistant: Casey A'HearnThumbnail art by @hotcyder Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images and Reuters00:00 Intro1:25 Complicating the basic definition6:20 Diversity of atheism and nonreligion8:03 Atheism as a worldview and identity11:59 More on Atheism as a social identity15:34 Patreon plug
The Pre-Biblical Origins of Noahs Flood ReligionForBreakfast 2024-07-25 | Get a free copy of the 80,000 Hours in-depth career guide: 80000hours.org/rfbSpecial thanks to the writer of this episode Paul Davidson. Check out his blog "Is that in the Bible?": wp.me/p4jfyy-jKFJoin our Patreon community to vote on the next episode in this series! patreon.com/religionforbreakfastOne-time donations here!: paypal.me/religionforbreakfast00:00 Introduction2:11 Sumerian Flood Story3:47 Atrahasis Epic5:12 Epic of Gilgamesh6:58 Genesis and Noah's Flood8:58 Comparing the Arks15:47 Comparing Major Themes 20:42 Sponsor: 80,000 HoursSelect imagery/video supplied by Getty Images and Reuters
Does the Bible Command Women to Wear Veils? ReligionForBreakfast 2024-07-18 | Get Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: go.nebula.tv/religionforbreakfast Watch The Getaway here!: nebula.tv/videos/getaway-the-snitch-or-snitch?ref=religionforbreakfast Join our Patreon community!: patreon.com/religionforbreakfastOne-time donations here!: paypal.me/religionforbreakfastSign-up for my mailing list to be notified of online classes: classes.religionforbreakfast.comThumbnail art by @hotcyder Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images and Reuters00:00 Intro + Text Overview 3:38 Head-coverings in the Roman World7:07 The Social Significance of the Head-covering11:11 Paul and Roman Religion14:56 Ritual Impropriety and Angels17:35 Hair as Sex Organs...yeah you read that right18:51 The Hair-Style Theory22:09 Theory and Method: People Selectively Interpret Sacred Texts24:43 Nebula is awesome, truly honored to be a Nebula creator
The Shakers Explained ReligionForBreakfast 2024-06-20 | Subscribe to Sacred & Profane's newsletter here!: http://eepurl.com/gjbzuXJoin our Patreon community!: patreon.com/religionforbreakfastOne-time donations here!: paypal.me/religionforbreakfastSign-up for my mailing list to be notified of online classes: classes.religionforbreakfast.comSelect imagery/video supplied by Getty Images and ReutersThe Shakers are an apocalyptic offshoot of the Quakers. They believed that their leader, Ann Lee, was Christ incarnate.
What is the Kaaba? ReligionForBreakfast 2024-06-13 | Get Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: go.nebula.tv/religionforbreakfast Watch The Logistics of the Hajj here!: nebula.tv/videos/wendover-the-logistics-of-hajj?ref=religionforbreakfast Join our Patreon community!: patreon.com/religionforbreakfastOne-time donations here!: paypal.me/religionforbreakfastSign-up for my mailing list to be notified of online classes: classes.religionforbreakfast.comHost: Andrew Henry, PhDManaging Editor: Andrew Aghapour, PhDWriter: Matthew Hotham, PhDProduction Assistant: Casey A'HearnSpecial thanks to Filip Holm for reading an early draft of the script! Check out his channel at @LetsTalkReligion The Kaaba is the most sacred site in Islam. Located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, it's the focal point for millions of Muslims worldwide both for the annual Hajj pilgrimage and the direction Muslims face during daily prayers.00:00 The Basics4:02 A Tour around the Kaaba7:30 History of the Kaaba10:49 Muhammad and the Kaaba13:30 Qibla Explored in Depth14:48 Qibla in Spaaaaace16:28 Sponsor
The Amish Explained ReligionForBreakfast 2024-05-31 | Use code RFBINCOGNI at the link below to get an exclusive 60% off an annual Incogni plan: incogni.com/rfbincogni.The Amish appear a lot in pop culture, but they're also frequently misrepresented and mythologized. So what do the Amish actually believe and practice?Join our Patreon community!: patreon.com/religionforbreakfastOne-time donations here!: paypal.me/religionforbreakfastSign-up for my mailing list to be notified of online classes: classes.religionforbreakfast.com00:00 Introduction00:54 Basic Overview3:16 Origins of the Amish8:49 Amish "Order," The Ordnung9:35 The Amish and Technology11:43 The Amish and Public Life14:47 Amish Culture and Rumspringa16:46 Amish Religious Practice17:29 High-Commitment Communities18:36 The Amish, Pop Culture, and "Bonnet Rippers"23:06 SponsorSelect imagery/video supplied by Getty Images and Reuters
The Most Misunderstood Parable of Jesus ReligionForBreakfast 2024-05-23 | Compare news coverage. Spot media bias. Avoid algorithms. Try Ground News today and get 40% off your subscription by going to https://ground.news/religionforbreakfast.The Parable of the Good Samaritan is one of the most famous parables of Jesus. But people have been misinterpreting it for centuries. Join our Patreon community!: patreon.com/religionforbreakfastOne-time donations here!: paypal.me/religionforbreakfastSign-up for my mailing list to be notified of online classes: classes.religionforbreakfast.com00:00 The Traditional Interpretation2:16 Intro to Samaritan Israelites3:20 Ethnic Hostility is Exaggerated5:44 Evidence from the Mishnah9:13 Samaritan Woman at the Well11:45 Addressing the Polemicists 14:20 Race-Science and the Traditional Interpretation16:55 Rethinking Luke 10Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images and Reuters
Vesak: The Most Important Buddhist Holiday? ReligionForBreakfast 2024-05-16 | Subscribe to Sacred & Profane's newsletter here!: http://eepurl.com/gjbzuXVesak is celebrated by millions of Buddhists around the world. A day commemorating the birth, awakening, and death of the Buddha. Special thanks to @gunnertravel for his Singapore footage! Join our Patreon community!: patreon.com/religionforbreakfastOne-time donations here!: paypal.me/religionforbreakfastSign-up for my mailing list to be notified of online classes: classes.religionforbreakfast.com00:00 Intro2:08 Unknown Historical Origins of Vesak3:10 Vesak Rituals and Practices6:06 Buddhist Modernism and Vesak9:57 Growth of Vesak Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images and Reuters
The Ancient Greeks Who Converted to Buddhism ReligionForBreakfast 2024-05-10 | Get Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: go.nebula.tv/religionforbreakfast Watch Archaeology Quest here!: nebula.tv/videos/realscience-pottery?ref=religionforbreakfast Join our Patreon community!: patreon.com/religionforbreakfastOne-time donations here!: paypal.me/religionforbreakfastSign-up for my mailing list to be notified of online classes: classes.religionforbreakfast.comGreece is very far away from the heartland of early Buddhism in India and parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan. But thanks to Alexander the Great, Hellenistic and Buddhist cultures came into contact in the 4th century BCE, creating a cultural synthesis known as Greco-Buddhism.00:00 A Greco-Bactrian Buddhist Inscription1:41 The Hellenistic "Far East"4:10 Pyrrho: A Buddhist for Greece?7:42 Ashoka and his Dharma Conquest10:23 King Menander: The Most Famous Greek Buddhist13:26 Greco-Buddhist Art of Gandhara15:23 Syncretism?16:44 Nebula! Indie creators being awesomeThumbnail art by @hotcyderSelect imagery/video supplied by Getty Images and Reuters
Jesús Malverde: The Patron Saint of Drug Cartels? ReligionForBreakfast 2024-04-22 | Subscribe to Sacred & Profane's newsletter here!: http://eepurl.com/gjbzuXJesús Malverde is a Catholic folk saint particularly popular in Mexico. He has a bad reputation of being a "narcosaint." But is it an unfair stereotype?Join our Patreon community!: patreon.com/religionforbreakfastOne-time donations here!: paypal.me/religionforbreakfastSign-up for my mailing list to be notified of online classes: classes.religionforbreakfast.comThumbnail art by @hotcyderSelect imagery/video supplied by Getty Images and Reuters.
How the New Testament Canon Was Formed (Interview with Dr. Bart Ehrman) ReligionForBreakfast 2024-04-19 | Register for Dr. Ehrman's course here! "The Bible and the Quran:" religionforbreakfast--ehrman.thrivecart.com/bibleandquranJoin our Patreon community!: patreon.com/religionforbreakfastOne-time donations here!: paypal.me/religionforbreakfastSign-up for my mailing list to be notified of online classes: classes.religionforbreakfast.com
Mazu: The Chinese Goddess Who Went Global ReligionForBreakfast 2024-04-15 | Get Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: go.nebula.tv/religionforbreakfast Watch my next video early!: nebula.tv/videos/religionforbreakfast-jess-malverde-cartel-narcosaint-or-not?ref=religionforbreakfast Watch China, Actually: nebula.tv/chinaactually?ref=religionforbreakfast Mazu is a Chinese goddess particularly popular in Taiwan and the southeastern provinces of China. But she's also arguably the most popular Chinese goddess around the world, worshipped in 20 different countries around the world.Join our Patreon community!: patreon.com/religionforbreakfastOne-time donations here!: paypal.me/religionforbreakfastSign-up for my mailing list to be notified of online classes: classes.religionforbreakfast.comThumbnail art by @hotcyderSelect imagery/video supplied by Getty Images and Reuters.
Would Jesus Vote Republican or Democrat? ReligionForBreakfast 2024-04-11 | Compare news coverage. Spot media bias. Avoid algorithms. Try Ground News today and get 40% off your subscription by going to https://ground.news/religionforbreakfast.How would Jesus vote on political issues today? It's an impossible question to answer, but how you answer the question probably depends on your own political ideology.Join our Patreon community!: patreon.com/religionforbreakfastOne-time donations here!: paypal.me/religionforbreakfastSign-up for my mailing list to be notified of online classes: classes.religionforbreakfast.comThumbnail art by @hotcyderSelect imagery/video supplied by Getty Images and Reuters.
Doom-Bringing Solar Eclipses in the Worlds Religions ReligionForBreakfast 2024-04-07 | Register for my class on the Book of Revelation!: religionforbreakfast.eventbrite.comMailing list for future class announcements: classes.religionforbreakfast.comSolar eclipses are cool, but for most of human history in many religions, they were viewed as extremely dangerous.Join our Patreon community!: patreon.com/religionforbreakfastOne-time donations here!: paypal.me/religionforbreakfastSign-up for my mailing list to be notified of online classes: classes.religionforbreakfast.comBibliography:Lange and McLeish, "Eclipse and Revelation: Total Solar Eclipses in Science, History, Literature, and the Arts," Oxford University Press: 2024.Littmann, Espenak, Willcox, "Totality: Eclipses of the Sun," 3rd edition, 2009.Dowd and Milbrath, "Cosmology, Calendars, and Horizon-Based Astronomy in Ancient Mesoamerica," University of Colorado: 2015.Milbrath, "Eclipse Imagery in Mexica Sculpture of Central Mexico," Vistas in Astronomy, Vol. 39, 479-502: 1995.Emil Khalisi, "Eclipses in the Aztec Codices," 2020.Ross, "Eclipses and the Precipitation of Conflict: Deciphering the Signal to Attack," in The Religious Aspects of War in the Ancient Near East, Greece, and Rome." 2016.Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images and Reuters.
Garden Tomb vs. Holy Sepulchre: The Quest for the REAL Tomb of Jesus ReligionForBreakfast 2024-03-29 | Get Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: go.nebula.tv/religionforbreakfast Watch Archaeology Quest here!: nebula.tv/videos/realscience-pottery?ref=religionforbreakfast Join our Patreon community!: patreon.com/religionforbreakfastOne-time donations here!: paypal.me/religionforbreakfastSign-up for my mailing list to be notified of online classes: classes.religionforbreakfast.comThe vast majority of Christians recognize The Church of the Holy Sepulchre as the authentic tomb of Jesus. But starting in the mid-1800s, Protestant Christians started to argue that an alternate tomb, outside the walls of Jerusalem, was the REAL tomb of Jesus.Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images and Reuters.
What Did the Tomb of Jesus Actually Look Like? ReligionForBreakfast 2024-03-18 | Register for my class Crucifixion and Burial in the Roman Empire!: religionforbreakfast.eventbrite.comSpecial thanks to @zahishaked for his footage of the Tomb of Annas. He's a tour guide in Israel. Check out his channel here: youtube.com/@zahishakedSupport us on Patreon!: patreon.com/religionforbreakfastGo read Dr. Mark Goodacre's original article!: "How Empty Was the Tomb?" Journal for the Study of the New Testament," Volume 44, Issue 1, 2021.Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images
How Hinduism Inspired Pop-Culture Avatars ReligionForBreakfast 2024-02-15 | Use code RFBINCOGNI at the link below to get an exclusive 60% off an annual Incogni plan: incogni.com/rfbincogni.Join our Patreon community!: patreon.com/religionforbreakfastOne-time donations here!: paypal.me/religionforbreakfastSign-up for my classes list to be notified of online classes: classes.religionforbreakfast.com"Avatar" became a household word in the 2000s with Avatar: The Last Airbender and James Cameron's movie series Avatar. But what is an avatar? The idea actually derives from Hinduism. Thumbnail art by @hotcyder Bibliography:-Barbara Holdrege, Bhakti and Embodiment, 2015.-Couture, André, “Avatāra”, in: Brill’s Encyclopedia of Hinduism Online, Editor-in-Chief Associate Editors Knut A. Jacobsen, Helene Basu, Angelika Malinar, Vasudha Narayanan. Consulted online on 02 February 2024-Couture, André, “Viṣṇu”, in: Brill’s Encyclopedia of Hinduism Online, Editor-in-Chief Associate Editors Knut A. Jacobsen, Helene Basu, Angelika Malinar, Vasudha Narayanan. Consulted online on 02 February 2024-Couture, André, “From Vishnu’s Deeds to Vishnu’s Play,” Journal of Indian Philosophy, June 2001.-Simon Brodbeck, Divine Descent of the Four World-Ages in the Mahabharata, 2022.Noel Sheth, “Hindu Avatar and Christian Incarnation: A Comparison,” Philosophy East and West, Vol. 52, No. 1 (Jan 2002). 98 - 125.-Lochtefeld, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Volume 2, N-Z, 2002. -Gitagovinda of Jayadeva, editor and translator Barbara Stoler Miller. (Columbia University Press: 1977)-Tracy Coleman, Avatara, Oxford Bibliographies Online, 2018. -Cush et. al., Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Routledge: 2008. -Kinnard, “When is the Buddha Not the Buddha? The Hindu/Buddhist Battle over Bodhgaya and Its Buddha Image,” Journal of the American Academy of Religion 66/4.-Freda Matchett, Krsna: Lord or Avatara?, (Routledge: 2001).-Devadatta Kali, In Praise of the Goddess: The Devimahatmya and Its Meaning, (Nicolas-Hays, Inc.: 2003).-Suvira Jaiswal, The Origin and Development of Vaisnavism,1981.00:00 The rise of "avatar"1:21 Avatar = Divine Descent4:35 Vishnu and his avataras9:20 Avataras outside Vaishnavism11:16 How avatar was adopted in EnglishSelect imagery/video supplied by Getty Images
Why Does the Number 7 Appear Everywhere in Religion? ReligionForBreakfast 2024-02-08 | Support us on Patreon!: patreon.com/religionforbreakfastThe number seven appears everywhere in the Bible...and a bunch of religious traditions too. Why is the number seven sacred?Bibliography:Arvid Kapelrud, "The Number Seven in Ugaritic Texts," Vetus Testamentum, Vol. 18 (Oct 1968), 494-499.Denise Flanders, "The Rhetorical Use of Numbers in the Deuteronomistic History," 2022.Denise Flanders, "Saul has Killed His Thousands, David His Ten Thousands," dissertation, 2019.James Pritchard (ed.), "Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament," Third Edition with Supplement, 1969R.A. Kraft, "Philo's Treatment of the Number Seven in On Creation," in "Exploring the Scripturesque, (2009), p. 217-236.Botterweck et. all. (ed.), "Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament," Vol. 14. Laki, "On the Origin of the Sexagesimal Sytem," Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences, Vol. 59, No 1/3 (Jan - March 1969). Kazuo Muroi, "The Origin of the Mystical Number Seven in Mesopotamian Culture"Adela Harbro Collins, "Cosmology and eschatology in jewish and Christian Apocalypticism," 1966.Bendt Alster, "Early Dynastic Proverbs and other Contributions to the Study of Literary Texts from Abu Salabikh," Archiv für Orientforschunb (1991/1992), 1 - 51.Leonid Zhmud, "From Number Symbolism to Arithmology," Zahlen- und Buchstabensysteme im Dienste religiöser Bildung. L. Schimmelpfennig (ed.).Tübingen: Seraphim, 2019. P. 25-45.Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images00:00 Why so many 7s?00:24 Near Eastern Context5:03 Later Development of Sacred 75:59 Cross-cultural phenomenon?7:18 Origin theories10:46 Patreon
The Egyptian Goddess that Rome Adopted ReligionForBreakfast 2024-01-31 | Watch Dr. Angela Puca's video here! youtube.com/watch?v=WIv8px318gw&ab_channel=Angela%27sSymposiumSupport us on Patreon!: patreon.com/religionforbreakfastThumbnail art by @hotcyder Bibliography:Birgitte Bøgh, "Beyond Nock: From Adhesion to Conversion in the Mystery Cults," History of Religions, Vol. 54, No. 3 (Feb 2015), 260-287.John Kloppenborg, "Rethinking Nock on Conversion," in "Celebrating Arthur Darby Nock," 2021.Giulia Gasparro, "The Hellenistic face of Isis: Cosmic and Saviour Goddess," in "Nile into Tiber" edited by Bricault et. al. 2007.Molly Swetnam-Burland, "Egyptian objects, Roman contexts: A taste for aegyptiaca in Italy," in "Nile into Tiber" edited by Bricault et. al. 2007.Jaime Alvar, "Romanising Oriental Gods," Brill: 2008.Jan Bremmer, "Initiation into the Mysteries of the Ancient World," De Gruyter: 2014.00:00 Intro1:14 Goddess Isis in Egypt2:30 Intro to Mystery Cults4:24 The Mystery Cult of Isis6:08 Isis: A Cosmic and Savior God8:55 Isaic Rituals12:45 Conversion and Mystery Cults16:17 Patreon PitchSelect imagery/video supplied by Getty Images
Göbekli Tepe: Prehistoric Evidence for Animism? ReligionForBreakfast 2024-01-25 | Go to nordvpn.com/rfb to get a 2-year plan plus 4 additional months with a HUGE discount. It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee!Join our Patreon community!: patreon.com/religionforbreakfastOne-time donations here!: paypal.me/religionforbreakfastSign-up for my classes list to be notified of online classes: classes.religionforbreakfast.comBibliography:Dušan Boric, "Theater of Predation: Beneath the Skin of Göbekli Tepe Images," 2013Oliver Dietrich, "Shamanism at Early Neolithic Göbekli Tepe," Praehistorische Zeitschrift, 2023.O. Dietrich, Notroff, Walter, and L. Dietrich, "Markers of 'Psycho-Cultural' Change," in "Handbook of Cognitive Archaeology Psychology in Prehistory," 2020.Anne Porter, "Beer, Beasts, and Bodies: Shedding Boundaries in Bounded Spaces," Routledge Companion to Ecstatic Experience in the Ancient World, 2021.Gesualdo Busacca, "Places of Encounter," 2017.Anna Fagan, "Hungry Architecture," dainst.blog, Dec 18, 2017.Nerissa Russell and Kevin McGowan, "Dance of the Cranes: Crane Symbolism at Çatalhöyük and beyond," 2003.Hodder and Meskell, "A Curious and Sometimes a Trifle Macabre Artistry," Current Anthropology, Vol. 52, No. 2 (April 2011).00:00 Introduction1:39 Animal iconography overview4:00 Animism Explained6:59 Neolithic Animal Personhood11:00 Predatory, Male, Aggressive IconographySelect imagery/video supplied by Getty Images
Who were the Nephilim? ReligionForBreakfast 2024-01-18 | Get Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: go.nebula.tv/religionforbreakfast Watch Archaeology Quest here!: nebula.tv/videos/realscience-pottery?ref=religionforbreakfast Join our Patreon community!: patreon.com/religionforbreakfastOne-time donations here!: paypal.me/religionforbreakfastSign-up for my classes list to be notified of online classes: classes.religionforbreakfast.comThe Nephilim are a mysterious group of beings mentioned in the book of Genesis. But who were they thought to be? Giants? Fallen angels?Bibliography:-Loren T. Stuckenbruck, The Myth of Rebellious Angels: Studies in Second Temple Judaism and New Testament Texts (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2017).-Adrienne Mayor, The First Fossil Hunters: Dinosaurs, Mammoths, and Myth in Greek and Roman Times (Princeton: Princeton UP, 2023).-Wojciech Kosior, “The Fallen (Or) Giants? The Gigantic Qualities of the Nefilim in the Hebrew Bible,” in Magdalena Waligórska and Tara Kohn, eds., Jewish Translation, Translating Jewishness (Boston: De Gruyter, 2018). -Ronald Hendel, The Landscape of Memory: Giants and the Conquest of Canaan,” "From the book Collective Memory and Collective Identity."-Ronald Hendel, "The Nephilim were on the Earth," in The Fall of the Angels, pages 11-34.-Robin Routledge, "The Nephilim: A Tall Story?" Tyndale Bulletin 66.1 (2015), 19-40.-Annette Yoshiko Reed, "Fallen Angels and the History of Judaism and Christianity: The Reception of Enochic Literature," 2005.00:00 Introduction1:31 Ancient Context of Genesis 64:00 Ancient Canaanite Giants?7:18 The Hellenistic Interpretation of Nephilim9:00 Fallen Angel Interpretation10:30 Rabbinic Jewish and later Christian InterpretationsSelect images courtesy of Getty
Was Jesus Really Born in Bethlehem? ReligionForBreakfast 2023-12-21 | Get Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: go.nebula.tv/religionforbreakfast Lifetime memberships available for limited time!: go.nebula.tv/lifetime?ref=religionforbreakfast Watch Patrick Willems’ holiday special here!: nebula.tv/videos/patrickhwillems-star-wars-holiday-special?ref=religionforbreakfast Join our Patreon community!: patreon.com/religionforbreakfastOne-time donations here!: paypal.me/religionforbreakfastSign-up for my classes list to be notified of online classes: classes.religionforbreakfast.comJesus's birth in Bethlehem is a well-known story from the New Testament. But he is also called Jesus of Nazareth. What gives? Was he actually born in Nazareth?Bibliography:Rodolfo Galvan Estrada, "Was Jesus Really Born in Bethlehem? The Gospels Disagree," The Daily Beast, Dec. 25, 2020. Raymond Brown, "The Birth of the Messiah," 1977.E.P. Sanders, "The Historical Figure of Jesus," 1995.Geza Vermes, "The Nativity: History and Legend," 2006.Sabine Huebner, "Papyri and the Social World of the New Testament," 2019.Helen K. Bond, "The Nativity" on Bible Odyssey: bibleodyssey.org/articles/the-nativityMichael Bird, "Bethlehem," on BIble Odyssey: davidson.bibleodyssey.org/articles/bethlehemSelect footage courtesy of Getty00:00 Overview of Nativity Stories3:13 Evidence for Nazareth5:52 Evidence Undermining Matthew and Luke8:54 Counterarguments 11:45 Countering the Counterarguments 13:18 ConclusionSelect images courtesy of Getty
The Very Recent Origins of the Christmas Tree ReligionForBreakfast 2023-12-14 | Ground News Holiday Sale: Compare news coverage. Spot media bias. Join Ground News today to get 40% off unlimited access: https://ground.news/religionforbreakfast. Sale ends December 31.It's often alleged that the Christmas tree originated from some sort of pagan practice. But the evidence points to a much later date during the Medieval period in Europe. Join our Patreon community!: patreon.com/religionforbreakfastOne-time donations here!: paypal.me/religionforbreakfastSign-up for my classes list to be notified of online classes: classes.religionforbreakfast.comThumbnail art by @hotcyder Bibliography:László Lukács, Geschichte und Verbreitung des Christbaumes in Europa (PhD dissertation)László Lukács, “Christbaum der Irrungen,” Ungarn-Jahrbuch 32 (2014/2016)László Lukács, “Der Christbaum in den oberrheinischen Städten des 16./17. Jahrhunderts,” Acta Ethnographica Hungarica, 2/2014.Timothy Larson (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Christmas, (Oxford University Press, 2020), David Bertaina, “Trees and Decorations,” in Joe Perry, Christmas in Germany: A Cultural History, (UNC CHapel Hill Press, 2010), 265 - 276.Peter Gainsford, “Concerning Yule,” December 18, 2018, http://kiwihellenist.blogspot.com/2018/12/concerning-yule.htmlSelect images courtesy of Getty
What is Diwali? ReligionForBreakfast 2023-11-09 | Get Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: go.nebula.tv/religionforbreakfastWatch Cogito here: nebula.tv/videos/cogito-yt-what-is-hinduism?ref=religionforbreakfastJoin our Patreon community!: patreon.com/religionforbreakfastOne-time donations here!: paypal.me/religionforbreakfastSign-up for my classes list to be notified of online classes: classes.religionforbreakfast.comDiwali, also known as Deepavali, is the festival of lights. It is celebrated mostly by Hindus, but many Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists recognize Diwali as well. The festival symbolizes the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance.00:00 The Basics: When and what?2:49 Day 1: Dhanteras3:18 Day 2: Choti Diwali / Naraka Chaturdashi4:17 Day 3: Lakshmi Puja5:44 Day 4: Govardhan Puja / Annakut / Bali Pratipada7:37 Day 5: Bhai Dooj7:47 Diversity of Practice9:49 Diwali Outside of Hinduism10:26 Origins and Mythological Narratives12:35 Diwali Outside of IndiaSelect images courtesy of Getty
Why Baseball Players Are So Superstitious ReligionForBreakfast 2023-10-19 | Get Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: go.nebula.tv/religionforbreakfastWatch Becoming Human here: nebula.tv/videos/realscience-how-burial-marks-the-start-of-human-culture?ref=religionforbreakfastBaseball players do a lot of rituals...and anthropologists of religion have noticed. Some call it superstition, but are there other reasons why athletes might ritualize so many of their behaviors?Join our Patreon community!: patreon.com/religionforbreakfastOne-time donations here!: paypal.me/religionforbreakfastSign-up for my classes list to be notified of online classes: classes.religionforbreakfast.comThumbnail art by @hotcyder Bibliography:George Gmelch, "Baseball Magic," Society 8(8) June 1971Michael Jackson, "Existential Anthropology," 2005.Xygalatas, "Ritual: How Seemingly Senseless Acts Make Life Worth Living," 2022.Stanley Tambiah, "The Magical Power of Words," Man, New Series, Vol. 3, No 2 (Jun., 1968), 175-208Stanley Tambiah, "Form and Meaning of Magical Acts: A Point of View,"00:002:08 Malinowski's uncertainty theory of magic4:13 Pre-Performance Routines 8:06 Empirical Studies of Sports Magic11:35 Is it Superstition?Select images courtesy of Getty
The Origins of Lilith | Adams First Wife? ReligionForBreakfast 2023-10-12 | Register for my class "Early Christian Exorcism" here!: religionforbreakfast.eventbrite.comThumbnail art by @hotcyder Join our Patreon community!: patreon.com/religionforbreakfastOne-time donations here!: paypal.me/religionforbreakfastCheck out my favorite religious studies books by following this affiliate link to my Amazon page: amazon.com/shop/religionforbreakfastAccording to medieval Jewish folklore, Lilith is a demon who was Adam's first wife before Eve. But where did this idea come from? Dive into the 4,000-year-long history of Lilith, the terrifying demoness.00:00 Intro1:00 Mesopotamian Origins: lilu-demons4:15 Named Mesopotamian demonesses6:04 Lilith in the Hebrew Bible8:24 Lilith in 2nd Temple and Rabbinic Judaism12:12 Adam's First Wife?14:51 Lilith in Kabbalah15:22 The Lilith 'rebrand'Select images courtesy of Getty
Thomas: The Secret Twin of Jesus? ReligionForBreakfast 2023-09-14 | Sign up for New Insights into the New Testament here!: religionforbreakfast--ehrman.thrivecart.com/nint2023Join our Patreon community!: patreon.com/religionforbreakfastOne-time donations here!: paypal.me/religionforbreakfastCheck out my favorite religious studies books by following this affiliate link to my Amazon page: amazon.com/shop/religionforbreakfastMost scholars agree Jesus had a brother named James. But a bunch of ancient Christians thought he had another brother. An identical twin brother: Judas Didymus Thomas. Where did this belief come from? And what was its significance?Bibliography:Gregory Riley, "Didymos Judas Thomas: The Twin Brother of Jesus," in Kimberley Patton (ed.), "Gemini and the Sacred: Twins and Twinship in Religion and Mythology," Bloomsbury Academic, 2023.M. David Litwa, “I Will Become Him”: Homology and Deification in the Gospel of Thomas, Journal of Biblical Literature, SBL Volume 134, Number 2, 2015. pp. 427-447Select footage courtesy of Getty
Why the Bible Hates Dogs (or does it?) ReligionForBreakfast 2023-09-07 | Go to the link: imprintapp.com/religionforbreakfast . First 200 subscribers get 20% off an annual membership!Almost every time the Bible mentions dogs, they are mentioned in a negative light. Does the Bible hate dogs?Sources:Sapir-Hen and Fulton, "A DOG’S LIFE IN THE IRON AGE OF THE SOUTHERN LEVANT: CONNECTING THE TEXTUAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE, "Oxford Journal of Archaeology, March 2023. Sophia Menache, “Dogs: God's Worst Enemies?” Society and Animals 5 (1):23-44 (1997)Sophia Menache, “Netherworld envoy or man’s best friend? Attitudes toward dogs in the ancient world.” In G. Marvin and S. Mchugh (eds.), Routledge Handbook of Human-Animal Studies (London), 132–41.Ackerman-Lieberman and Zalashik, A Jew’s Best Friend?: The Image of the Dog throughout Jewish History, Sussex Academic Press, 2014.Lev-Tov, Killebrew, Greenfield, Brown, “Puppy Sacrifice and Cynophagy from Early Philistine Tel Miqne-Ekron Contextualized,” Journal of Eastern Mediterranean Archaeology & Heritage Studies , Vol. 6, No. 1-2 (2018), pp. 1-30Billie Jean Collins, “The Puppy in Hittite Ritual,” The Oriental Institute, News & Notes, No. 136 Winter 1992.Select footage and images courtesy of Getty
