In May 2021, I debated John Loftus on Modern Day Debate. The debate resolution was “The Bible, with its divinely commanded violence, wasn’t inspired by a perfect God.” Here is my opening statement in full. Thanks to Modern Day Debate for the invitation to debate and to John Loftus for agreeing to participate. I’d like to […]
hermeneutics
Killing the Children of Jericho: How Paul Copan Avoids the Question
In this video, we listen to an excerpt of a debate in which Paul Copan is asked directly about the killing of children as referenced in the slaughter of all the residents of Jericho, men and women, young and old (Joshua 6:21). Rather than address directly the ethics of slaughtering children and infants, Copan deflects […]
From Ancient Israel to Boko Haram: On the problem with defending human rights atrocities
Today, I posted a tweet on how Christians who defend genocide in the Bible often find themelves backing into cultural relativism. That prompted a reply from a fellow named Andrew who read and appreciated the book but who didn’t agree with it. What followed was a civil exchange which I have included below. From my […]
Why the Logic of the Canaanite Genocide is Fundamentally Flawed
In this short video, I rebut the claim that the Israelites needed to kill the Canaanites in order to maintain their own moral purity. On the contrary, I point out that participation in war crimes like genocide and ethnic cleansing is fundamentally corrupting for the moral status of a people. Thus, the Israelites would have […]
The Ten Worst Defenses of the Canaanite Genocide
Christian apologists have offered many bad arguments to explain how God commanded the genocidal slaughter of ancient peoples. In this video, I survey the ten worst. ?
How Not to Read the Bible: Lessons from Footloose
In this video, I consider the lamentable Bible reading of Ren McCormack (Kevin Bacon) as he uses biblical passages out of context as a pretext to get the town to lift their ban on school dances. All from the classic 1984 teen movie Footloose.
If the Bible includes immoral laws, how can it be inspired?
My new book Conversations with My Inner Atheist features an extended conversation ranging over 25 chapters with my inner voice of questioning and doubt, My Inner Atheist (Mia). I have included chapter 6 below: “If the Bible includes immoral laws, how can it be inspired?” If you enjoy the chapter, consider buying the book. Mia: […]
The Problem with the Offering of Isaac
When Abraham expressed the willingness to sacrifice Isaac, he did so on the belief that God would raise Isaac back up and thereby be faithful to his covenant. The belief that God is faithful is laudable. The problem is that Abraham believed God was commanding an action — child sacrifice — that was considered to […]
How Christians engage in special pleading when they try to justify bad biblical behavior
Many conservative Christians believe that men should follow the Billy Graham Rule to never be alone with a woman who is not your life. Unless you’re a king like David: then you can climb into bed with a young virgin girl. In this video, I criticize that kind of painful special pleading.
A Wide-Ranging Interview with the Non-Alchemist
Reading What the Bible Says About Dogs to My Dog
Biblical Violence and the Problem of Evil: A Conversation
Is the Christian God an All-Good and Loving God? A Debate
This evening, I participated in a debate with atheist Floyd FP on the “Cognitive Distortion” YouTube channel on the topic Is the Christian God an All-Good and Loving God? It was a vigorous and wide-ranging discussion and of course, it comes highly recommended!
Can God Command Anything At All?
Yesterday, I tweeted some criticisms of Christians who crucify their moral intuitions on the altar of their particular readings of biblical violence. As you can imagine, the effect is like jamming a stick into a hornet’s nest and jerking it around. Within minutes a mixture of dazed and angry hornets come shooting out. Today, I […]
