Last but not least. I noted that Internet Infidels denizen Richard Carrier recently hoisted a "pledge drive" to support himself while he writes a book about the Christ myth, asking for funding to the tune of $20,000. He was successful in this fundraising effort and it took only about a month. Obviously I do not play the game of many of my opponents when it comes to objecting to fundraising -- if one of the Infidels can raise funds, more power to them.
But seeing as how Carrier was a) successful; b) used my name in vain to promote his drive, I'm going to pull my own card of the same type. Carrier incorrectly says that Tekton gets "tens of thousands of dollars in donations every year" -- no, sorry. It doesn't. I've operated this mission on a shoestring all these years, and said little about it, since despite what the Skeppies say, I'm not in it for the money. But seeing as how it was taken at liberty to use my name, I'll return the favor, while doing it one better.
The Christ myth book I'm editing is already paid for, thanks to a generous grant. But I want to do the second in the Building Blocks series, the one on the reliability of the NT (issues of authorship, textual criticism, oral tradition, and canon), and try to get it to the printer by December 2008.
So here's MY proposal, and I'll use some of Carrier's own words to let it out, since he felt so free to borrow my name and image to do his fundraising:
Could there be anyone out there willing to fund my work? I'd like to find several benefactors, who would love to pool together to contribute to Tekton to undertake this serious project over the next 8-10 months. That project won't be just anything, but a strident defense of the reliability of the New Testament, an expansion on my previous work on those subjects.
In that time I would finish all the research, read every relevant book on all sides of the questions, thoroughly research every item (not just those I find important), and write a book of professional quality for publication by Tekton's ministry.
I doubt I have any readers so gobsmacking rich (sorry, Carrier's own words) they'd be able to fund this plan all by themselves, but a team of several could, contributing a few hundred each. I DID change a word there. Carrier said "a few thousand." He wanted $20,000. I don't. All I'm looking for is about $5,000 at most, with $1,500 of that going for printing costs and maybe a bit more for a pubicity package for the book, and the rest to ensure that I have the time I need to finish it all. If this work is funded now, the book will be completed within ten months, and will likely appear in print in 2009. I have my previously written material that in effect serves as a preliminary outline for this book. And I won't even have to eat a bug to get the nutrition needed to get my brain operating.
I know Carrier got well financed this way, even though he used my name in vain to do it and reported incorrectly about how gobsmacking much I get each year. Can Christians support an author they like, at least a quarter as well? It would be a shame if not. But if you think this project worth it, or you want to talk about it, please contact me directly by email. Let me know how much you would be willing to pledge to this project, to see it happen. Spread the word, too.
I look forward to hearing from anyone sensible enough to take me up on my plan.
Carrier can have the crazy people to himself. (heh heh)
May 1, 2008
The Christ myth book is in final editing stage now. I plan to have it to the printer by May 15. In a few days I will be beginning a hub page here on Tekton for the project.
There will be no monthly newsletter this time since I only uploaded a single guest piece in April.
Also, a plug for a new blog, Atheism is Dead.
April 14, 2008
Plugging away on the Christ myth book, and I now also have a 2500-word assignment due next month. Meanwhile readers should enjoy the account here of Daniel Wallace exposing the inconsistencies of Bart Ehrman on textual criticism and the NT.
April 7, 2008
For those who enjoy that feature, the March Screwballs of the Month is up.
April 3, 2008
Guest writer Will Green offers a piece that is A Discussion on the Problem of Evil. As for me, the Christ myth book is the main project right now.
March 28, 2008
Banner news, all -- the new "sister website" is up. Though I still have some work left to do on it, the Classics Library has been moved to its own site, Classic Apologetics. It is going to be managed by someone else once I finish all the initial work, but it will remain closely related to our work here on Tekton. I plan to finish work on it sometime in the next week or two.
Meanwhile I'm still working on the Christ myth book targeting a May release to the publisher.
March 25, 2008
Still working on that sister website project as well as the Christ myth book; I did find a neat quote in a book I'm using for that, which has ended up in the article on Gospel Fictions. Otherwise a couple of notes. I have also updated an item on Earl Doherty in light of more recent study.
Reader recommends an item here. I have to love the quote: But Abraham was not an American with sheep and no Ipod.
Finally, I may be travelling up the coast to the Boston area in late July. If you're anywhere along the way, and would like to have me come as a speaker, please let me know: I'm especially interested in presenting the new Building Blocks teachings on the subject of the Christ myth.
March 11, 2008
Paul Jacobsen burps again on The Case for the Real Jesus, with the help of a friend. Time for more Alka-Seltzer. We'll put it on TWeb here so everyone can join in on the laughs.
March 8, 2008
For those who enjoy that feature, the February 2008 Screwballs of the Month are up on the toon site. Also, a notice that I will be working on a new project the next month or so involving a new "sister website" for Tekton. More on that once we're ready to unveil.
March 5, 2008
- Finished up on Fighting Words with just a bit on the last relevant chapter.
February 29, 2008
Nothing new today except news as to what's ahead.
In March I will do both youth and adult "field tests" of the two Building Blocks series (see Feb. 7 entry) of teachings we now have prepared (on the Christ myth, and on NT reliability). This will be at my new home church. I'll be spending a lot of ministry time preparing and honing these presentations, as well as looking for other places to try it out locally. I will also be spending a lot of time on the Christ myth book that will supplement the series.
On the site, I will continue to work on Fighting Words and perhaps post some book reviews, as well as answer any important criticisms of Tekton material. So in short, there won't be much new here for the next month.
February 27, 2008
February 22, 2008
Paul Jacobsen displays the rigors of ineptitude again concerning The Case for the Real Jesus. I'll intersperse response to the latest in the former one here. Also, late addition: Harry makes a fool of himself some more -- see the last link.
February 20, 2008
Yes, when it comes to Skeptics, there's "dumb"...there's "really dumb"....and then there's Harry McCall. Click the link to see his latest adventure in striking inability to understand ancient patronage systems.
February 19, 2008
- Did a little more on Hector "Waaaah, End Biblical Studies" Avalos' other Prometheus piece, Fighting Words.
- Making plenty of progress on the Christ myth book. I'm noting places where I want to do more depth research, since some of my material on these subjects is a few years old, and there may be some new books out since I did the original research.
- Wanted to highlight some good stuff. Here is a promo for a debate between Mike Licona and Bart Ehrman on the Resurrection. I expect Ehrman will get himself handed to himself on a platter once again. Also, here is a whomping good rebuttal to that silly Zeitgeist film.
February 11, 2008
Got the ball rolling on Hector "Waaaah, End Biblical Studies" Avalos' other Prometheus piece, Fighting Words, with a brief look at opening chapters. In addition, now that I have the Building Blocks page up, for the next three months I'm going to be working more on the Christ myth book so it can be sent to the publishers in May and hopefully be printed by June or July.
Reader also recommends an interview with N. T. Wright found here.
February 7, 2008
I finished the lessons for the first two blocks of a new series that coordinates basic teaching presentations with in-depth supplemental materials for further information. There will now be a special page on that effort, under which (here on the site) it will be titled the Tekton Building Blocks Teaching Series.
Also, I've posted some guest book reviews that I've been collecting for a while; some are in non-standard formats for the site:
Finally, a reader has an interesting post on his blog titled, "The Christian, Apathy, and Apologetics" that is worth a look here.
February 5, 2008
Finished one of the lessons yesterday, and hope to finish one more (a revamp) today. Meanwhile, for those that enjoy that feature, the January 2008 Screwballs of the Month are up on the toon site, incuding 2007 Platinum Award winners.
In addition, a special congratulatory note for Tekton reader Lita Cosner, who won a chance to present a paper before the National Council for Undergraduate Research!
February 4, 2008
I'm back after my road trip, with plenty to do in preparation for teaching a series of lessons (see Jan. 18 entry): I have decided to prepare a total of nine rather than seven lessons, though some of them are just revamps. However, I do have about two more "originals" to finish crafting this week, plus one revamp. When I get done with that I do have some books to read and review for the site.
On the front page I added a banner for an online course in apologetics readers may find of interest.
I'll also be working on tax receipts and plan to send them out no later than next week.
On the personal side, Cocoa is settling in very well in our home. I'll be making entries on his progress now and then in the thread linked below.
January 28, 2008
I'll be on the road much of the next four days, so I'd like to ask readers to please hold any correspondence until next Monday. As a note, I am advised that you can pick up the excellent book Putting Jesus in His Place at an extra discount just now, so by all means pick up a coy.
I'll also be bringing my new baby home at the end of the week...if you haven't seen him on TWeb (see Jan. 14 entry), here he is:
His name will be Cocoa! See you all next week.
January 23, 2008
Something did come up, something really dumb -- as would be expected from the source, Harry "Obscene Phone" McCall. See the update here.
January 18, 2008
I've transferred some material from TWeb responding to Hector "Waah Waah" Avalos there, into our collection here; and TWeb guest writer Matt Paulson, now a Harvard Divinity student, offers some of his own commentary (link below).
Unless something new comes up, there will probably be no more updates this month on the site, saves perhaps news notes like this one. I need to prepare seven lessons for the new ministry effort (see Jan. 9 entry) and will also be travelling a bit at the end of the month.
January 15, 2008
Hector "Waaah Waaah" Avalos provides us with more amusement on TWeb, and I've posted the last bit of response to End of Biblical Studies. Soon we'll also kick some tail in his book Fighting Words.
January 14, 2008
- Added another chapter entry on The End of Biblical Studies (link below), this one on the historical -- or in this case, hysterical -- Jesus. How hysterical? Hector "Waah Waaaaah" Avalos actually thinks the Christ myth is plausible. Now that's pathetic. Avalos has also had posted a response on John Loftus' blog, which I'll answer by pieces on TheologyWeb.
- On a personal note -- in a couple of weeks, I'll be getting another muse to keep me company! We just sealed an agreement to adopt another sweet little poodle, and he's so much like my last one that it's almost scary! I've started a welcome thread on TheologyWeb here.
January 9, 2008
Odds and ends time....
- See Sam Shamoun wipe the floor with Nadir Ahmed (the man who thinks he can debate cartoons characters) here
- I did another of those Internet radio programs -- check it out here. We discussed the pagan copycat thesis.
- Hector "Waaaah, End Biblical Studies!" Avalos wrote us a nice email which we posted at TWeb in the thread here. We sure hope he pops by for a thrashing!
- I'm formally debating a particularly pathetic Christ myther on TWeb here.
- Finally, a note on the new wave of projects planned for Tekton in coming years. My ministry partner and I discussed goals for 2008, and among these will be the production of teaching-education packages consisting of lectures (for the overview) and accompanying books (for more depth). I'll be doing one package on the idea of the Christ myth and another on four points of the reliability of the NT (textual transmission, oral transmission, NT authorship, canonicity). The goal will be to publish the Christ myth book by June, and the reliability book by December. Thanks to a grant, the Christ myth book is already financed, but if anyone wishes to contribute to the production of the other book, please drop me a line.
January 3, 2008
- Started the new year adding a review of the chapter on textual criticism to the review of Hector Avalos' End of Biblical Studies.
- For those who enjoy that feature, the December 2007 Screwballs of the Month are up on the toon site. You can now also come by TWeb and vote for the 2007 Platinum Screwball Awards for the screwist screwballs of 2007.
New stuff for 2007.
New stuff for 2006.
New stuff for 2005.
New stuff for 2004.
New stuff for 2003.
Go home!
