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Post by timoneill on Jan 2, 2014 6:43:57 GMT
John Loftus has a new anthology in the offing, entitled (rather unoriginally) Christianity is Not Great. The chapter titles and authors are listed on his blog and it's great to see the following items will be included: The Crusades and the Inquisition, by Jack David Eller. The Barbaric Christian Witch Hunts, by John W. Loftus. and The Dark Ages, by Richard Carrier. It will be interesting to see what materials and scholarship are drawn on in those chapters. And how marvellous that the chapter on the "Dark Ages" will be by that renowned expert on the medieval period, philosopher, textual critic, rocket scientist and brain surgeon, Dr Richard Carrier. Is there nothing that man can't do? |
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Post by fortigurn on Jan 2, 2014 12:11:00 GMT
Can't wait for 'The Barbaric Christian Witch Hunts'. I wonder if we'll be told that Christians in the early medieval era denounced belief in witchcraft and witches as supersition, and overturned anti-witch legislation in countries they converted, that it was only during the 15th century (as a result of doctrinal change), that the witch hunts started, that they lasted only 250 years (not the 1,000 years of legend), and that Christians were instrumental in protesting against them and also ending them, on theological grounds? Or will we just be told that 'millions perished' during 'The Burning Times'?
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Post by evangelion on Jan 2, 2014 14:10:44 GMT
The Dark Ages, by Richard Carrier. Oh wow. A self-refuting title for a chapter attacking a legendary straw man. That's an absolute gift.  |
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Post by timoneill on Jan 2, 2014 19:58:26 GMT
The Dark Ages, by Richard Carrier. Oh wow. A self-refuting title for a chapter attacking a legendary straw man. That's an absolute gift. In the comments on the blog post a GlennBowman asks "How is Richard Carrier, an ancient historian, an expert on American democracy--and on the "Dark Ages" (a pejorative and simplistic term historians don't even really use any longer)? Not to be blunt, but there appears to be a lack of bona-fide scholarly expertise in part two." Loftus replies blithely "Glen, give a scholar who knows how to research four months, and he or she can do a great job on a topic." Oh great - four months research should do the trick nicely. Especially when the "scholar" is a crazed polemicist who has already proven he knows nothing about the subject. Then Jonathan MS Pearc chimes in defending the choice of Carrier on the grounds that he's "a historian of science, (and) he is clearly an expert on Christianity" (!!) and asks "why would he not be in a position to write on the dark ages (a term no doubt carefully chosen to counter recent claims by Christian historians to limit the bad press Christians have been getting about their track record in this time)?" This definitely sounds like one to put on the Amazon wish list. |
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Post by ignorantianescia on Jan 2, 2014 22:00:29 GMT
Loftus is hardly my favourite writer (and not somebody I take seriously on a monthly basis), but he's on the record as not buying into Mythicist pseudo-history. I had hoped he'd also resist the simplistic abuse of the Middle Ages. He would be a much needed counterweight to the regular crowd.
But the answer you quote sounds like he'll buy at least the general argument of Carrier's "scholarship". (He didn't say anything as direct as "Richard will do a great job" of course, but I doubt he thinks "Carrier doesn't know how to research".)
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Post by jamierobertson on Jan 2, 2014 22:42:03 GMT
Tim, if you do buy this thing from Amazon, is there a possibility your head may explode from sheer frustration? (a la Bart Ehrman trying to write a book on the Christ Myth) I only ask out of concern for your health and sanity...
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Post by timoneill on Jan 2, 2014 22:54:00 GMT
Tim, if you do buy this thing from Amazon, is there a possibility your head may explode from sheer frustration? (a la Bart Ehrman trying to write a book on the Christ Myth) I only ask out of concern for your health and sanity... I'm sure I'll cope. In the meantime, I've discovered a lost island of historical sanity on, of all places, reddit.com - check out BadHistory. They lampoon all forms of pseudo history they find on reddit and the rest of the interthings and are actually quite amusing. Whacko fundies and gnu atheists are regular targets, as is Mythicism (which they call "Jesus don't real"), the myths of the Great Library, the "Christianity caused the Fark Ages* nonsense and even "The Dumbest Thing on the Internet Ever" (they refer to it simply as "the Chart!"). It turns out they were founded by a guy who was originally inspired by my review of Fitzgerald. So they have recently adopted me as "The Godfather of BadHistory". Tis an honour indeed. Edit: "Fark Ages" above is a typo for Dark Ages, but now I look at it (and say it aloud), it seems kind of appropriate ... |
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Post by sandwiches on Jan 6, 2014 17:40:10 GMT
One looks forward to the follow-up: 'Islam is Not Great'? Preferably by the same contributors. (Just joking of course).
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Post by ignorantianescia on Jan 10, 2014 7:54:08 GMT
I'm sure I'll cope. In the meantime, I've discovered a lost island of historical sanity on, of all places, reddit.com - check out BadHistory. They lampoon all forms of pseudo history they find on reddit and the rest of the interthings and are actually quite amusing. Whacko fundies and gnu atheists are regular targets, as is Mythicism (which they call "Jesus don't real"), the myths of the Great Library, the "Christianity caused the Fark Ages* nonsense and even "The Dumbest Thing on the Internet Ever" (they refer to it simply as "the Chart!"). It turns out they were founded by a guy who was originally inspired by my review of Fitzgerald. So they have recently adopted me as "The Godfather of BadHistory". Tis an honour indeed. Edit: "Fark Ages" above is a typo for Dark Ages, but now I look at it (and say it aloud), it seems kind of appropriate ... Nice site, especially these "Nine Circles of Hell of Bad History" (Ring One of the Ninth Circle appears to allude to a certain Dr Carrier). It also links to what must be one of the craziest websites out there: it's by somebody who thinks the theophany passages in the Bible are clear evidence of belief in a volcano god. |
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