Freethought & Rationalism Archive

the Radio Star · 09-04-2007, 05:11 PM

Straight Dope doesn't look like a reliable source whatsover. It looks like another bitch about everything site.

Antipope Innocent II · 09-04-2007, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anders

A friend of mine, who might in the not too distant future emerge as the expert on the theology of Rudolf Bultmann, repetedly tells me that Constantine used his army to intimidate the Council of Nicea into deciding the way he approved. I'd welcome proof for or against that view.

You might have to tell us what sources he bases that on. I've read all the sources on Nicea that I can get my hands on and none of them mention anything about troops being used to threaten anyone.

Not that this has anything to do with the topic of this thread: the formation of the NT and the Canon. Contrary to what you read in certain crappy thriller novels, those topics were not even discussed at Nicea.

Toto · 09-04-2007, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the Radio Star

Straight Dope doesn't look like a reliable source whatsover. It looks like another bitch about everything site.

What do you base this on?

GeneralTHC · 09-04-2007, 06:29 PM

I second "Misquoting Jesus" by Bart Ehrman. It's definitely a must read for anyone interested in this topic.

redhen · 09-04-2007, 07:25 PM

"Who wrote the Bible?"

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...73048178434620

a BBC documentary from last year I believe.

Antipope Innocent II · 09-04-2007, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the Radio Star

Straight Dope doesn't look like a reliable source whatsover. It looks like another bitch about everything site.

I just read its summary of the formation of the canon of the New Testament and it's brief, but quite accurate. Surprisingly so, in fact. It credits the right people and events and manages to avoid some of the myths and distortions on this topic. See my post above on the Council of Nicea, for an example of one of these.

Toto · 09-04-2007, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redhen

"Who wrote the Bible?"

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...73048178434620

a BBC documentary from last year I believe.

That was posted by islamicvideos.net and the comments say - now that we know the Bible is full of contradictions and not what it says, lets look at Islam. . .

Channel4 site

Quote:

Fact-finding mission
A two-hour Channel 4 special about the Bible opens with images of George Bush – and Osama Bin Laden. The Bible, holy books and the religious faith they inspire are on the news agenda as they've rarely been before, and the presenter of the programme, Dr Robert Beckford, is looking for good answers to what sounds like a simple question: Who wrote the Bible?

It's a question that has preoccupied biblical scholars for several generations but Beckford, who is director of the Centre for Black Theology at the University of Birmingham, forsakes the library and takes to the road in a journey from Jerusalem to Rome and on to the USA (with a stopover in Walthamstow). On the way, he talks to American pilgrims shouldering crosses on the streets of Jerusalem, to the head of the Pope's Bible Institute, to a former criminal and boxing promoter in East London, and many more. Beckford must be the only theologian in the UK who has his own Saturday night radio show, so he looks perfectly at home in the open top, electric blue fin-tail car he drives on the US leg of his quest.

. . .

There have been many TV programmes that have tried to bury the Bible – but this is no hatchet job. We get a clue about this when we see Robert Beckford at the tomb of Christ, inside Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre. As he stoops to leave the tomb, he wipes tears from his eyes. 'I was really moved by the experience,' he says. 'I am a Christian; I believe in the teachings of Jesus, so to be in a holy place, contemplating life, moved me. And I'm sufficiently secure in my African Caribbean maleness to express a full range of emotions without fear of censure!'

Roger Pearse · 09-05-2007, 12:22 AM

For US viewers, Channel 4 is an ultra politically correct channel. Beckford is the man they currently use to rubbish Christianity, and has fronted various slag-off jobs.

Dean Anderson · 09-05-2007, 12:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roger Pearse

For US viewers, Channel 4 is an ultra politically correct channel. Beckford is the man they currently use to rubbish Christianity, and has fronted various slag-off jobs.

For US viewers, I disagree with absolutely everything Roger says here.

Not only is Channel 4 far from politically correct - their very mandate says that they should push the boundaries and produce edgy television.

As for Beckford - he's a Liberal Christian who's shows always have a pro-Christianity theme. Maybe he's just too liberal for Roger's tastes...

Roger Pearse · 09-05-2007, 02:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dean Anderson

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roger Pearse

For US viewers, Channel 4 is an ultra politically correct channel. Beckford is the man they currently use to rubbish Christianity, and has fronted various slag-off jobs.

For US viewers, I disagree with absolutely everything Roger says here.

Not only is Channel 4 far from politically correct - their very mandate says that they should push the boundaries and produce edgy television.

Their mandate does say this; the code-words for PC.

I admit that I never expected that anyone would simply deny the PC nature of C4, but I suppose it means only that Mr. Anderson is PC himself.

Quote:

As for Beckford - he's a Liberal Christian who's shows always have a pro-Christianity theme.

You can certainly assert black is white if you wish.

All the best,

Roger Pearse

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09-04-2007, 05:11 PM	#11
the Radio Star Banned Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: IL Posts: 978	Straight Dope doesn't look like a reliable source whatsover. It looks like another bitch about everything site.

09-04-2007, 06:29 PM	#14
GeneralTHC Banned Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: White Settlement, TX Posts: 79	I second "Misquoting Jesus" by Bart Ehrman. It's definitely a must read for anyone interested in this topic.

09-04-2007, 07:25 PM	#15
redhen Regular Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Toronto Posts: 135	"Who wrote the Bible?" http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...73048178434620 a BBC documentary from last year I believe.

09-05-2007, 12:22 AM	#18
Roger Pearse Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: N/A Posts: 4,370	For US viewers, Channel 4 is an ultra politically correct channel. Beckford is the man they currently use to rubbish Christianity, and has fronted various slag-off jobs.

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