Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Diogenes the Cynic · 07-04-2012, 08:30 PM

I know she's a grad student, but she doesn't have a PhD yet, and the reason I mention it is because she is insufferably snobbish about critiquing the credentials of others. She said that Richard Carrier, for instance, is not qualified to do historical Jesus research because his doctorate is in Ancient History instead of New Testament (which is not only snotty and hypocritical from a mere grad student, but also shows ignorance of what provenance Historical Jesus research really belongs to. Hey, Steph, HISTORICAL Jesus is a HISTORICAL question). In point of fact, Carrier possesses relevant credentials and she does not (at least not by the standards she imposes on everybody else).

I admit I don't like her, not remotely because of her opinions on anything regarding HJ, but because her posting is about 15% substance and 85% nasty polemic and gratuitous ad hominems.

stephan huller · 07-04-2012, 08:37 PM

stephanie fisher is great.

stephan huller · 07-04-2012, 08:43 PM

we should have a poll which ranks academics based on their attractiveness, male and female. in the case of female scholars since there are so few of them, we should just rank all of them. tommy thompson's wife was a nurse before. we should also do a list of fenale scholars that didnt date/live with established male scholars initially to get in the door

Steven Carr · 07-05-2012, 10:57 AM

Out of interest , what is the Quartz Hill School of Theology that Jim West belongs to and which Hoffman seems to regard highly?

It publishes a journal 'Please feel free to submit articles. All submissions should include a SASE and conform to the Baptist Faith and Message, adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention in 1963.'

So what sort of people get invited by Hoffman? Just anybody, or anybody who pays Quartz Hill the necessary 50 bucks?

stephan huller · 07-05-2012, 11:39 AM

Hoffmann seems to like to be involved in groups to advance an agenda. http://blog.newhumanist.org.uk/2010/...et-at-cfi.html

I happen to thing these things are a waste of time. But he seems to like to develop enemies in order to foster friendship among a group of people who really don't care about one another. Waste of time.

Diogenes the Cynic · 07-05-2012, 12:45 PM

West himself is an uncredentialed blogger with a fake doctorate from an unaccredited "Seminary."

The Quartz Hill also appears to be an unaccredited, internet "seminary," - basically a website that sells fake Divinity degrees.

I'm kind of amazed, given the snarling attacks on uncredentialed mythicists, that Hoffman would load up the JP with fundamentalist internet bloggers and housekeepers like this.

I actually have better credentials than West does.

Toto · 07-05-2012, 01:18 PM

How do you tell a fake Divinity degree from a real one?

Diogenes the Cynic · 07-05-2012, 01:28 PM

Good point.

mountainman · 07-05-2012, 05:41 PM

Very good point.

Degrees in Divinity appear to be a dime a dozen.

People are investing in Degrees of the available Divine hegemony business opportunities

It appears to be, now as in antiquity, a plain and simple forgery mill.

hjalti · 07-06-2012, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diogenes the Cynic

West himself is an uncredentialed blogger with a fake doctorate from an unaccredited "Seminary."

The Quartz Hill also appears to be an unaccredited, internet "seminary," - basically a website that sells fake Divinity degrees.

I'm kind of amazed, given the snarling attacks on uncredentialed mythicists, that Hoffman would load up the JP with fundamentalist internet bloggers and housekeepers like this.

I actually have better credentials than West does.

Wow... the fun doesn't end there, just look at the doctrinal statement of "The Quarts Hill School of Theology":

Quote:

The Bible

The Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is the record of God's revelation of Himself to humanity. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error for its matter. It reveals the principles by which God judges us; and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried. The criterion by which the Bible is to be interpreted is Jesus Christ.

And after a quick search for "inerrancy" on that guy's blog you can find stuff like this:

Quote:

Rethinking the doctrine of Scriptural inerrancy necessitates that we begin to think of the Bible on its own terms and speak of it correctly along the lines of those terms. Doing so allows us, it seems to me, to adopt (!) a doctrine of inerrancy that is both Scriptural and – from the point of view of believers – sustainable and meaningful.

What, then, does it mean to speak of inerrancy from above? Simply put, it means to speak of the Bible as incapable of causing believers to err or stray from the revealed will of God. The Bible reveals the truth about the Divine and the Human. Believers who adhere to that revelation are kept safe from errant behavior or belief and the Scriptures do not err in teaching said proper behavior or belief. Furthermore, those who plant themselves in that revelation are ‘like a tree planted by the waters’ to borrow a phrase from Psalm 1.

Scripture is inerrant, then, because, rightly understood, it cannot and does not cause error in faith or practice.

As an aside or addendum, the little phrase ‘rightly understood’ is absolutely essential. Scripture can be and regularly is distorted by those who can and do wish to twist it to fit their own ends or suit their own needs. Scripture ‘rightly divided’ is inerrant. Scripture distorted or perverted is no longer Scripture, but mere text.

Who then is capable of rightly interpreting Scripture? The person who has 1) the requisite linguistic and hermeneutical skills along with 2) the guiding presence of the Holy Spirit. One without the other results, always, respectively, in error or fanaticism.

Good thing he isn't an ex-fundie like blogger Godfrey!

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07-04-2012, 08:30 PM	#11
Diogenes the Cynic Moderator - Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Twin Cities, Minnesota Posts: 4,639	I know she's a grad student, but she doesn't have a PhD yet, and the reason I mention it is because she is insufferably snobbish about critiquing the credentials of others. She said that Richard Carrier, for instance, is not qualified to do historical Jesus research because his doctorate is in Ancient History instead of New Testament (which is not only snotty and hypocritical from a mere grad student, but also shows ignorance of what provenance Historical Jesus research really belongs to. Hey, Steph, HISTORICAL Jesus is a HISTORICAL question). In point of fact, Carrier possesses relevant credentials and she does not (at least not by the standards she imposes on everybody else). I admit I don't like her, not remotely because of her opinions on anything regarding HJ, but because her posting is about 15% substance and 85% nasty polemic and gratuitous ad hominems.

07-04-2012, 08:37 PM	#12
stephan huller Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: seattle, wa Posts: 9,337	stephanie fisher is great.

07-04-2012, 08:43 PM	#13
stephan huller Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: seattle, wa Posts: 9,337	we should have a poll which ranks academics based on their attractiveness, male and female. in the case of female scholars since there are so few of them, we should just rank all of them. tommy thompson's wife was a nurse before. we should also do a list of fenale scholars that didnt date/live with established male scholars initially to get in the door

07-05-2012, 10:57 AM	#14
Steven Carr Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: England Posts: 5,629	Out of interest , what is the Quartz Hill School of Theology that Jim West belongs to and which Hoffman seems to regard highly? It publishes a journal 'Please feel free to submit articles. All submissions should include a SASE and conform to the Baptist Faith and Message, adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention in 1963.' So what sort of people get invited by Hoffman? Just anybody, or anybody who pays Quartz Hill the necessary 50 bucks?

07-05-2012, 11:39 AM	#15
stephan huller Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: seattle, wa Posts: 9,337	Hoffmann seems to like to be involved in groups to advance an agenda. http://blog.newhumanist.org.uk/2010/...et-at-cfi.html I happen to thing these things are a waste of time. But he seems to like to develop enemies in order to foster friendship among a group of people who really don't care about one another. Waste of time.

07-05-2012, 12:45 PM	#16
Diogenes the Cynic Moderator - Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Twin Cities, Minnesota Posts: 4,639	West himself is an uncredentialed blogger with a fake doctorate from an unaccredited "Seminary." The Quartz Hill also appears to be an unaccredited, internet "seminary," - basically a website that sells fake Divinity degrees. I'm kind of amazed, given the snarling attacks on uncredentialed mythicists, that Hoffman would load up the JP with fundamentalist internet bloggers and housekeepers like this. I actually have better credentials than West does.

07-05-2012, 01:18 PM	#17
Toto Contributor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 40,549	How do you tell a fake Divinity degree from a real one?

07-05-2012, 01:28 PM	#18
Diogenes the Cynic Moderator - Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Twin Cities, Minnesota Posts: 4,639	Good point.

07-05-2012, 05:41 PM	#19
mountainman Contributor Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Falls Creek, Oz. Posts: 11,192	Very good point. Degrees in Divinity appear to be a dime a dozen. People are investing in Degrees of the available Divine hegemony business opportunities It appears to be, now as in antiquity, a plain and simple forgery mill.

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