Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Vids, Letter, Article


First, I still haven't seen The Nature of Existence, but it's supporting website now has extras on it, including a few extended bits I suppose were not included in the final film, some of which include material from Nygard's interview with me (sprinkled in amidst material from other interviews). Use the the film website's People link (or click here), and wait fifty years for the page to load, then find me listed on that page, and under that entry will be a link to "Videos" that include me. Although I've gotten in once or twice, most of the time their server will fail before you even get to the first step of this process. So basically, you have to be lucky to ever see these clips. So, good luck with that.

Second, I wrote a letter to the editor of American Atheist Magazine which they published (in the September issue of 2008, p. 6.), on Pigliucci's  critique of Dawkins in the preceding issue. I agree with
Pigliucci except on two points where I defend Dawkins: contrary to Pigliucci, Dawkins is right to criticize the apathetic liberal and moderate wings of Christianity for their failure to stand up to the right, and Pigliucci is wrong to claim the God hypothesis is not a scientific hypothesis that can be be refuted scientifically. I defend both points with facts and arguments in a full-page letter.

Third, the University of La Verne Campus Times published an article about my talk there on my historicity of Jesus work earlier this year, but it's not very good. Their quotations of me are often inaccurate (sometimes egregiously so, yet they didn't call me to fact check them or, evidently, even fact check them against the video I know they have access to), and what I said in the talk is often not correctly described. But if you want to see a completely inaccurate news article about the event for some reason, click here.

15 comments:

GarageDragon said...

I found this one:

http://thenatureofexistence.com/religion/slavery/

Unknown said...

I'm sorry you haven't had a chance to see "The Nature of Existence" documentary... I saw it a few months back at a festival in Long Beach and loved it... and you are great in it!

The site seems to be working now, video page loads fine... check it out:
thenatureofexistence.com/videos

Running Writer said...

Hi Richard, could you please comment on the demise of the Jesus project? When you have time, I am sure many will appreciate your thoughts on the matter.
Regards,
Jacob

Tom Corbett said...

Richard, does all this stuff make up for not having an academic career?

After all, you don't seriously think your agenda driven articles...with the goal of atheist evangelism (come on buddy, you know it!) are serious objective investigation do you?

Unknown said...

Any thoughts on Earl Doherty's new revised version of "The Jesus Puzzle" (now called "Jesus: Neither God nor Man")?

Regards,
Paul

Pikemann Urge said...

I'm not sure what you mean, Goldstein. What agenda? It seems that when a person goes against a comfortable orthodoxy, there's an agenda.

Anonymous said...

One could equally ask Goldstein whether anonymous trolling makes up for not being a noted academic.

kant said...

Richard: I haven't had any trouble with the 'Existence' website. Your videos are arranged along the middle of the page:
http://thenatureofexistence.com/author/richard_carrier/

Richard Carrier said...

Glad to hear the site is working better. Maybe they responded to my complaint.

Richard Carrier said...

Jacob Aliet said... could you please comment on the demise of the Jesus project?

I discuss this in my interview with OEN. Find the link here.

Richard Carrier said...

Paul said... Any thoughts on Earl Doherty's new revised version of "The Jesus Puzzle" (now called "Jesus: Neither God nor Man")?

Not yet. I still need to read it (it's sitting on my pile, and it's dauntingly massive). It's actually not a new version of Puzzle but an entirely different book arguing the same thesis in a different way and at much greater length. At first sight I think I prefer Puzzle. And some skimming hasn't encouraged me. But I need to give it a proper read before weighing in.

Richard Carrier said...

Goldstein said...

Richard, does all this stuff make up for not having an academic career?

If it paid as well.

After all, you don't seriously think your agenda driven articles...with the goal of atheist evangelism (come on buddy, you know it!) are serious objective investigation do you?

Yes, I do. And it is. I seek the truth, and the most reliable methods to the truth. That the truth just happens to be atheism was no plan of mine. I'd rather the world were all talking flowers and friendly goddesses. Alas.

I find it odd that you consider calling me an evangelist an insult. Isn't that what we are morally obligated to do? I just don't go on missions and knock on people's doors--they have to want to hear what I have to say, otherwise I don't pester them, which is a bit more polite.

Richard Carrier said...

Pikemann Urge said... I'm not sure what you mean, Goldstein. What agenda? It seems that when a person goes against a comfortable orthodoxy, there's an agenda.

Actually, what's odd is that they think "agenda" is supposed to be a negative word. An agenda is just a list of things you want to accomplish. Still not sure why that's bad. Or how they can think they don't have one of their own.

cjcalgirl said...

Was introduced to you via 'The god who wasn't there' and loved your humorous but serious application of LOGIC to the scientific side of creation and your support of complete education which includes philosophy. I fear our schools are seriously dropping the ball here, and it's landing on the fragile heads of the last two generations as well as those to come. Your views dovetail nicely with Sam Harris' views on the dangers of moderate as well as extremist views regarding faith and remind me of Ayn Rands' comment on the meaning of the word Faith, which is to 'accept as fact that which can never be proven.' which is illogical. I've left Ayn behind now, but was beginning to feel very alone until I discovered the vast population of freethinkers out there whose presence give me hope for a more enlightened future. Two years ago 'liberal' carried bad connotations, now I can use it even at my local democratic party meetings. Hopefully someday I can call myself an atheist in a large crowd without fear of stoning. Thank You

Richard Carrier said...

I'm so glad to hear that. Good luck to you, CJCalGirl!