Lee Strobel's upcoming piece of shit
Offline Strobel's got a new book coming out, _The Case for the Real Jesus_. Its another entry in his "Case for..." series. This one is most similar to the first of the series, _The Case for Christ_. And, I've been a self-appointed Strobel debunker. So I was surprised I was invited to receive an advance press copy! I wonder how many critics get advance press copies? I don't know if I should take it as a complement or an insult? 
So, as to the book, shit, even Jesus Christ would hate this fucking book! Of course I'm going to write a rebuttal to it, but, shit, its gonna take me forever! I got out a highlighter to highlight stuff I wanted to comment on, and its every fucking page just about. I'm not finished, about 1/2 done. But its damn tough to take this shit in.
Here's just one gem. Strobel tries to discount the alternate gospels, like Gospel of Judas. One of the arguments against their authenticity he gives is that some of them are overtly sexist! Um, Lee, did you by any chance notice that in the cannonized Bible, there are overtly sexist passages? What a fuckhead. How many years is it going to take to delineate the repeated special pleadings, red herrings, begging the question, etc?
I'm probably going to post a chapter-at-a-time response, as I want to get something out ASAP, in time for the official launch in September. That'll teach 'em to send me an advance copy!
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His books are utter crap.
No argument from me! And the latest is NO better, perhaps even worse than usual, if that's possible. Eh, I guess that's probably not possible... But it sure ain't no better. But as far as my debunking them, eh, ya gotta have some kinda hobby, eh?
www.caseagainstfaith.com
It just makes me chuckle that you're getting an advance copy.
I wonder if they do that do Strobel has an idea of what kind of arguments he's going to get.
At any rate, more power to you for having the internal fortitude to wade through it.
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Yeah, I find that weird myself. I figure either his publisher is thinking, "hey, let's give that nobody Doland a copy so we can say we were fair and even gave skeptics advance copies." Or, maybe they were thinking, "Let's give Doland a copy and see if he converts. Its a long shot, but if it works, we can plaster him all over our site with Anthony Flew. We'll only be out a few bucks shipping, so why not?"
Or, maybe whomever sent me the copy didn't have the slightest idea who they were sending it to...
www.caseagainstfaith.com
Okay, on my site, I have up the first two sections, Introduction and Challenge 1. I'm most of the way finished with Challenge 2 and hope to have it up within a week or so. Then I will try to have a new entry up every week or so thereafter until I finish the book.
My article is a bit long-winded, but, I'm trying to be fairly exhaustive.
http://www.caseagainstfaith.com/articles/therealjesus.htm
www.caseagainstfaith.com
Do you want to come on the show one night and talk about the new book? (I know I know... we've been meaning to get you on forever)
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Yes! I want to try to get the word out as much as possible so that as many Strobel book buyers as possible can be pointed my way. Now, I'm at a disadvantage that I'm not really a history expert, but I'm doing the best I can. I need to get Rook and other history people to help me out to make sure I don't say anything too stupid. Please read it yourself and give me any feedback you might have. It is a work in progress though, and I will be expanding it as I get the time.
And, yes, I know you've been bugging me to get you some questions. Now that there is a new book coming out, now would be a great time. Well, actually, I think that probably just after the book's release would be best. Doing it too early and people might forget. So, end of September, beginning of October would be a good time I think.
www.caseagainstfaith.com
I love the Case For Faith. Combined with the 2 excellent rebuttals on infidels.org it makes a great atheist evangelical tool.
Be unassimilated.
Satan is pro-life!
Well, the books are ridiculous, but you can't help but be entertained by the continuous, "it's even better than that" responses. He throws softballs to his "experts" who have these wonderful comebacks that make the question even worse than it originally appeared.
I have a friend who tells me I ought to read things like that. I do, pencil in hand. I have an answer about every page. I actually enjoy reading and dissecting stuff like this. Of course, I'm the kind of masochist who enjoys it when the J.W. or Mormon hordes come banging at my door.
If this one is the Case for the Real Jesus, was The Case for Christ the case for a fake one?
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As the author of one of those, I'm always happy to hear my article being used!
www.caseagainstfaith.com
I've got the next chapter for my Case for the Real Jesus done, but, for some reason, I'm having trouble publishing to my site, I've got a message into tech support at my hosting service.
Meanwhile, he released the book over a month early, and it is now available, instead of Sept 24 as originally planned. I've been busy with other things, and now I'm way behind, particularly since he is way ahead. I'm working on the chapter after next now. I'll post back here when I get the next segment up.
www.caseagainstfaith.com
Finally, at long last, another chapter is up. See Challenge 2 on my site: (or the first part if you haven't read it yet...)
http://www.caseagainstfaith.com/articles/therealjesus.htm
This new part is a doozy, I expect to piss some people off and have to tone it down a notch eventually. But the arguments are SO STUPID that I couldn't resist heaping major scorn.
www.caseagainstfaith.com
It's an advertising/marketing trick. You send copies to your fervent admirers who sing your praises and to your ardent detractors who speak out against your work. Eitherr way, public knowledge of your work is increased and the more controversial a piece of literature is the more people are likely to read it.
"The World is my country, science my religion" - Christiaan Huygens
Given that he's the top selling apologist at the moment, there isn't any doubt he's going to sell a lot of copies of the book. At any rate, the book started shipping over a month before its original projection. It wa s supposed to start Sep 24, but its been shipping for about a week now. So, I'm way behind on my paper as I wanted to be done before the book shipped.
www.caseagainstfaith.com
Must have caused quite a stir pretty quickly then. Can you see my point though? Upset enough people, cause enough controversey and you're onto a winner. If it wasn't for you writing about his "piece of shit" I'd never have even heard about it.
"The World is my country, science my religion" - Christiaan Huygens
Strobel's pretty popular in theist circles.
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There is no case for a 'real jesus', history is silent on the matter, in fact, his chosen title is an unconscious admission....
just read this quote from case's review:
If scholars can make egregious errors about Jesus because they don’t know these languages, what chance does the average person have? The issue of knowing or not knowing these other languages is either a “red herring” (irrelevant) or it shows that most people cannot be expected to understand Jesus.
Strobel is in love with internal contradictions...
"Hitler burned people like Anne Frank, for that we call him evil.
"God" burns Anne Frank eternally. For that, theists call him 'good.'
I'm way behind! I've got the next two chapters being proofed. I was out of town on business and I hoped to get more done while gone. I hope to get a lot done this weekend.
www.caseagainstfaith.com
I hope I can find the Strobel book in the library. I could use a few laughs.
Every time I read hysterical apologetics, my eyes itch...
Okay, Challenge 3 is now up:
http://www.caseagainstfaith.com/articles/therealjesus.htm
Challenge 4 is now up:
http://www.caseagainstfaith.com/articles/therealjesus.htm
Sorry I haven't been around here much lately. I hadn't had much time for forums lately, been very busy with many projects -- including trying to finish this critique of Strobel's shit...
www.caseagainstfaith.com
I took a little read of your work today.
I read the introduction and dipped into a couple of other articles. Your intro hits the nail on the head so well. Strobel's books are alright as apologetics, but his going on about what a sceptic he is when he's clearly not...
The way he writes his books wind me up quite a bit.
I also dipped into your latest article that discussed the virgin birth. I've got a great book which takes a look at mythology in general (it tries to show how the main themes of mythology are present throughout all ages and all cultures and are rooted in our human nature and psychology) and it discusses the 'virgin birth' as one of those universal themes.
I've not reached that chapter in the book yet, and I'm not sure I could make sense of the book, but if the virgin birth is a universal characteristic of mythology then that would be more evidence that Jesus was a mythical character.
(The book is "The Hero with a Thousand Faces" by Joseph Campbell and he looks at classical ancient myths as well as religious ones like Buddha, Jesus and Mohammed)