This ain't your pastor's Bible podcast. This is a deep interrogation of the book, and we're bringing receipts. Bible scholar Dr. Dan McClellan and atheist podcaster Dan Beecher team up to discover what the Bible actually says, what it decidedly doesn't say (even if everyone thinks it does), and explore the history of the most popular book of all time.
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When you think cults, chances are you're imagining a documentary series you streamed recently where a shockingly non-dynamic person has somehow managed to convince a group of reasonably intelligent followers that they are the smartest person in the world, and now controls their lives in terrifying ways. So when we talk about "cult centralization," you could be forgiven for not immediately understanding what we're talking about. But stick with us: this one gets really interesting!
On this week's show, we're talking ancient cultic practices. We've all heard about places like ancient Greece or Rome, where many gods were worshipped, each having a different set of skills and a different purview. So a weaver might pray to a different god than a farmer, because they needed different divine interventions, but everybody got along. You might think that this was very different from the way religion was practiced in biblical Judah, right? There's no way the people you read about in the Bible lived lives like the Greeks and Romans... right?
Well hold on to your standing stones, because this week we're talking cults, and the Judean king who put a stop to them. Was this the work of a righteous man, doing the right thing for his god, or a megalomaniac who wanted all the power and wealth for himself? Did he bring his people together in harmony, or did he divide his country and weaken them, leading to their defeat by the Babylonians?
For early access to an ad-free version of every episode of Data Over Dogma, exclusive content, and the opportunity to support our work, please consider becoming a monthly patron at:
https://www.patreon.com/DataOverDogma
Follow us on the various social media places:
https://www.facebook.com/DataOverDogmaPod
https://www.twitter.com/data_over_dogma
Hey! Don't forget to pre-order Dan McClellan's upcoming book The Bible Says So
https://static.macmillan.com/static/smp/bible-says-so-9781250347466/?fbclid=IwY2xjawGLTkpleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHQY4Ahs0Hi289IcnsQMh_0OAVf3oGefyUsWkLjhfB8OF8nio1fmroJbXxA_aem_v_4sISp8Zt43zsKfDjx1aA
This episode was sponsored by BetterHelp.
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Episode 87: The Dans Ruin Christmas
lundi 2 décembre 2024 • Durée 01:05:49
Haul out the holly, 'cause it's Christmas time! And what could be more appropriate for Christmas than to recount the nativity story? Or is it stories?
That's right, this week we're looking at the Bible's two competing narratives of the birth of Jesus and asking "hey- what gives?" Because when you read the account in Matthew and the account in Luke, you can't help but notice that they have almost nothing to do with each other. Like... they're two totally different and unrelated tales. How is that possible?
Well, if you're hoping for Dr. Dan to smooth out all the wrinkles and show you the simple solution to make it all make sense, you probably don't know the show very well. The answers are complicated and messy, and far more interesting than your sunday school teacher ever let on.
For early access to an ad-free version of every episode of Data Over Dogma, exclusive content, and the opportunity to support our work, please consider becoming a monthly patron at:
https://www.patreon.com/DataOverDogma
Follow us on the various social media places:
https://www.facebook.com/DataOverDogmaPod
https://www.twitter.com/data_over_dogma
Hey! Don't forget to pre-order Dan McClellan's upcoming book The Bible Says So
https://static.macmillan.com/static/smp/bible-says-so-9781250347466/?fbclid=IwY2xjawGLTkpleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHQY4Ahs0Hi289IcnsQMh_0OAVf3oGefyUsWkLjhfB8OF8nio1fmroJbXxA_aem_v_4sISp8Zt43zsKfDjx1aA
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Episode 86: Debunking Jesus?
lundi 25 novembre 2024 • Durée 01:07:46
Ooooh! It's de-bunking time! But with a twist: this time we're debunking the debunkers! That’s right, we’re coming after an idea that certain nonbelievers love to throw at Christians to put them in their place. Well, you can stay safely out of place, Christians, because it's the nonbelievers' turn to eat some humble pie.
This week's show, we're looking at the theory that Jesus was just one figure in history among many others that share exactly the same story. This idea purports to show that the central figure of Christianity was just the latest in a long line of saviors, and he stole all of their best features to prop himself up. Well, we will see about that, Bill Maher!
Then, we're going to have some fun looking into the only historian anywhere near the time of Jesus who actually mentions him, one Yosef ben Mattityahu, better known by his Roman gangster name: Flavius Josephus. We'll discuss his mentions of Jesus, decide if they're spurious or not, and get to the bottom of what it all means about the man of Galilee. Was there actually a historical Jesus?
For early access to an ad-free version of every episode of Data Over Dogma, exclusive content, and the opportunity to support our work, please consider becoming a monthly patron at:
https://www.patreon.com/DataOverDogma
Follow us on the various social media places:
https://www.facebook.com/DataOverDogmaPod
https://www.twitter.com/data_over_dogma
Hey! Don't forget to pre-order Dan McClellan's upcoming book The Bible Says So
https://static.macmillan.com/static/smp/bible-says-so-9781250347466/?fbclid=IwY2xjawGLTkpleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHQY4Ahs0Hi289IcnsQMh_0OAVf3oGefyUsWkLjhfB8OF8nio1fmroJbXxA_aem_v_4sISp8Zt43zsKfDjx1aA
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Episode 85: Purify This! With Logan Williams
Épisode 85
lundi 18 novembre 2024 • Durée 01:13:20
The battle has begun!
For a long time, scholars have said that Jesus nullified all the former Jewish laws about which foods were okay to eat and which were impure, and therefore not fit for consumption. The main passage that they used to justify this idea comes from Mark 7. Well this week our guest is going to blow your mind. Hint: your stomach might be more powerful than you knew!
Logan Williams has just written a paper [you can find it here] that could totally change how scholars view this passage. What does his argument hinge on? Syntax and grammar! Rejoice, ye language nerds, for we're taking a deep-dive into the murky depths of participles, cases, and other complex aspects of ancient Greek. For non-nerds, just enjoy Dan B trying to keep afloat on this complicated but actually fascinating sea of linguistic parsing.
For early access to an ad-free version of every episode of Data Over Dogma, exclusive content, and the opportunity to support our work, please consider becoming a monthly patron at:
https://www.patreon.com/DataOverDogma
Follow us on the various social media places:
https://www.facebook.com/DataOverDogmaPod
https://www.twitter.com/data_over_dogma
Hey! Don't forget to pre-order Dan McClellan's upcoming book The Bible Says So
https://static.macmillan.com/static/smp/bible-says-so-9781250347466/?fbclid=IwY2xjawGLTkpleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHQY4Ahs0Hi289IcnsQMh_0OAVf3oGefyUsWkLjhfB8OF8nio1fmroJbXxA_aem_v_4sISp8Zt43zsKfDjx1aA
This episode was sponsored by BetterHelp
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Episode 84: The Demon Haunted Bible
lundi 11 novembre 2024 • Durée 01:05:07
DEMONS! We're at an interesting crossroads in history. As science is able to explain more and more about how the universe works, and more specifically how we humans work, we find ourselves using supernatural explanations less and less. When, for example, we understand the erratic behavior of a friend as being part of their mental health journey, we're far less likely to turn to hurtful and dangerous religious tropes for our understanding.
But that doesn't stop some people from continuing to turn to the idea of demons to explain the bad things in their lives. So where did this idea come from? What are demons, and what does the Bible have to say about them?
Hold on to your apotropaic amulets, 'cause we're goin' demon hunting!
For early access to an ad-free version of every episode of Data Over Dogma, exclusive content, and the opportunity to support our work, please consider becoming a monthly patron at:
https://www.patreon.com/DataOverDogma
Follow us on the various social media places:
https://www.facebook.com/DataOverDogmaPod
https://www.twitter.com/data_over_dogma
Hey! Don't forget to pre-order Dan McClellan's upcoming book The Bible Says So
https://static.macmillan.com/static/smp/bible-says-so-9781250347466/?fbclid=IwY2xjawGLTkpleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHQY4Ahs0Hi289IcnsQMh_0OAVf3oGefyUsWkLjhfB8OF8nio1fmroJbXxA_aem_v_4sISp8Zt43zsKfDjx1aA
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Episode 83: The God-Forsaken Psalm
lundi 4 novembre 2024 • Durée 01:05:04
Psalm 22 [according to the Deer of Dawn (don't worry- you'll get that joke later)] is not a happy ditty. It is the song of a hopeless singer, crying out to a God who doesn't seem to be there. Which seems like kind of a weird thing to include in a book of scripture about that God, but there you go. But this psalm is particularly famous, as it was quoted by a pretty famous guy, at a pretty famous moment.
This week on Data Over Dogma, we're looking at the words Jesus chose to say just before he died. Why, of all the scriptures that he had access to, did he quote this bleak, hopeless lament? Or was the psalm written as a prophesy? A foretelling of Jesus' untimely end?
Then, speaking of the death of Jesus, we're going to talk about a peaceful area in Israel next to an ancient burial site. They call it the Garden Tomb, and many believe it to be the actual place where Jesus was laid after his death. Was it?
For early access to an ad-free version of every episode of Data Over Dogma, exclusive content, and the opportunity to support our work, please consider becoming a monthly patron at:
https://www.patreon.com/DataOverDogma
Follow us on the various social media places:
https://www.facebook.com/DataOverDogmaPod
https://www.twitter.com/data_over_dogma
Hey! Don't forget to pre-order Dan McClellan's upcoming book The Bible Says So
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Episode 82: Deconstruction Zone with Rev Karla Kamstra
lundi 28 octobre 2024 • Durée 01:03:12
It's the boogeyman that haunts churches across the land: religious deconstruction. This is the process of genuinely questioning your religious faith, pulling apart what you've been taught (probably your whole life), sifting through it all, and deciding for yourself what actually works for you, without regard for what anyone else has to say about the matter. It can be a deeply disorienting--even terrifying--process, but more and more people are choosing this road.
Well, we've got social media darling Rev Karla with us to talk about her own deconstruction journey, and give us some insights into this isolating, but also liberating process. She literally wrote the book on the topic! Karla Kamstra went from attending a small Southern Baptist church in Kentucky to being an online guide for people looking to throw off their religion, and figure out what's true for them.
Find Rev Karla's book, Deconstructing: Leaving Church, Finding Faith anywhere you get your books, including here:
https://shop.revkarla.com/collections/healing-and-support-collection/products/deconstructing-leaving-church-finding-faith
You can find her social media posts here:
https://www.tiktok.com/@revkarla?lang=en
https://www.instagram.com/revkarla/
For early access to an ad-free version of every episode of Data Over Dogma, exclusive content, and the opportunity to support our work, please consider becoming a monthly patron at:
https://www.patreon.com/DataOverDogma
Follow us on the various social media places:
https://www.facebook.com/DataOverDogmaPod
https://www.twitter.com/data_over_dogma
Hey! Don't forget to pre-order Dan McClellan's upcoming book The Bible Says So
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Episode 81: You're Speaking My Language!
lundi 21 octobre 2024 • Durée 01:05:55
As origin stories go, the Bible's explanation for why humanity has multiple languages is... let's call it creative. Alas, it doesn't hold up particularly well in a modern, scientifically informed era. That said, there's more to the story of the so-called "tower of Babel" than immediately meets the eye. We'll discuss what other ancient questions this chapter of Genesis is attempting to answer, and how it all fit into the context of its time.
Then the linguistic adventure continues, as we delve into a mystical realm that very few people have access to: the magic of the ancient languages! Because if you listen to certain people, you'll learn that there's a whole world of extra messaging packed into the original wordings of the original languages of the Bible. Is this the key to decoding the universe? Will this way of reading the text save humanity? Have we finally unlocked the code to proving the truth claims of the Bible? Well, no. But it's a fun discussion anyway.
For early access to an ad-free version of every episode of Data Over Dogma, exclusive content, and the opportunity to support our work, please consider becoming a monthly patron at:
https://www.patreon.com/DataOverDogma
Follow us on the various social media places:
https://www.facebook.com/DataOverDogmaPod
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Episode 80: Omni Everything?
lundi 14 octobre 2024 • Durée 57:43
The modern concept of God (at least in the Christian context) is of an all-knowing, all-powerful, being. One who is everywhere all at once. He sees you when you're sleeping, he knows when you're awake... all that stuff. But does that view of the almighty comport with what is represented in the Bible, or are those ideas more recent innovations? Where did these ideas come from?
Then, we're talking Bible quotations. Or more accurately mis-quotations. Plenty of people misquote the Bible, it happens all the time. It can be especially vexing when that someone is looking at a bad translation. But what happens when the Bible misquotes the Bible? We'll be looking at Acts 15, and a moment when the author might have found a bad translation of their own.
For early access to an ad-free version of every episode of Data Over Dogma, exclusive content, and the opportunity to support our work, please consider becoming a monthly patron at:
https://www.patreon.com/DataOverDogma
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Episode 79: Who is a True Christian w/ David Congdon
lundi 7 octobre 2024 • Durée 01:09:02
Go to any comment section where someone has made a controversial claim about the Bible and you'll see it: someone gatekeeping the idea of who qualifies as a "true Christian". Real Christians believe in the trinity, or else decidedly DON'T believe in the trinity. Real Christians believe we're saved through works. Or through faith alone. Or neither. Or both...
On this week's episode, Dr. David Congdon joins us to discuss his book Who is a True Christian. If you think that question is settled or remotely easy to answer... well you haven't paid attention to this show. Dr. Congdon walks us through the history, politics, and power struggles behind these questions, and gives us big insights into ways we can address this difficult quandary going forward.
For early access to an ad-free version of every episode of Data Over Dogma, exclusive content, and the opportunity to support our work, please consider becoming a monthly patron at:
https://www.patreon.com/DataOverDogma
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