Tom Verenna shared some thoughts on something I wrote recently, in a comment on the Vridar blog, in which I suggested that it is not harder to be a mythicist about Julius Caesar than about Jesus, and that the same tactics and methods used by Jesus mythicists could be employed for good effect in the case of Julius Caesar or anyone else from the ancient world, and perhaps even more recent times. I agree with Tom completely that the comparison... Read more
A piece on NPR highlights that even Evangelicals are finding it increasingly untenable to persist in maintaining a literal, historical Adam and Eve. Conservative Christians have made this a central issue, and have brought untold shame on Christianity by insisting on the literal truth of the story. I wonder how long it will be before this period in history is an embarrassing relic of the past, like the controversy over Copernicanism in relation to the sun allegedly stopping in the... Read more
SF Signal has a guest post about science fiction music. The focus of that post is on instrumental music, and in that category one album that comes to mind is Mike Oldfield’s “Songs of Distant Earth,” named after the novel by Arthur C. Clarke. But if one branches out to vocal music, then there is a piece that deserves to be better known than it is: a setting of Ray Bradbury’s poem/cantata “Christus Apollo” by Jerry Goldsmith, well known for... Read more
Sure, River Song’s diary has “spoilers” about the Doctor’s future. But reading Religion and Science Fiction will clue you in to more about what’s coming in your favorite science fiction show. Sci-fi, like all genres, thrives on doing creative things that explore big questions and topics that are of perennial interest. And so if you want to try to figure out what is coming on a show, when even the writers may not know yet, then there is no better... Read more
Given the recent release of Religion and Science Fiction, it is timely that I am able to share a chapter of mine from a conference volume which was published in Romania, and which thus will not get a lot of attention elsewhere, but which was a precursor to and overlaps with my chapter in Religion and Science Fiction. The title is “Artificial Minds and Human Religions” and you can read it on my selected works page. Read more
As a professor, I love it when students show that they are reading questions very carefully, and do not simply give the answer they assume the professor wants to hear. Here’s a great example shared by Marc Cortez: Read more
Lord Vader has been seen reading Religion and Science Fiction on more than one occasion. Why? To settle an old debate. Obi-Wan Kenobi once said of him that he had become “more machine than man.” That had to hurt. But philosophically considered, does that make sense? Or was it simply a cheap shot on the part of Anakin Skywalker’s old master, still somewhat sore about having become one with the Force? My chapter in the book is entitled “Robots, Rights,... Read more
I think that Neil Godfrey’s recent post on “fear of mythicism” raises what may be the most important issue in relation to mythicism. After listing numerous comments on this blog which make comparisons between mythicism and other fringe views such as creationism and holocaust denial, Godfrey writes: I can read rational, evidence-based rebuttals of holocaust denial, psychic powers, creationism, etc. I am reminded of why I left Christianity and belief in the Bible. The more I searched for answers the... Read more
At the intersection of religion and science fiction, IO9 notes that Philip K. Dick’s annotated Bible is on sale on eBay for $6,500. If you are so inclined, and wealthy, please buy it for me! IO9 also notes William Gibson’s snarky Twitter comment that he will gladly write stuff in your Bible for less. Elsewhere in sci-fi around the blogosphere, Political Jesus asks whether Octavia Butler predicted our current dystopian trends, and Phil Plait linked to a useful Doctor Who... Read more
What would Jacob do? He’d probably sit reading Religion and Science Fiction, engrossed and intrigued, while nonchalantly waiting for John Locke to fall out a window. The book may not explain the polar bears if you haven’t already figured out why they were on the island (and to be honest, you should have – and I am linking here to a blog post of mine that may help you put those pieces together). But it will help you explore an... Read more
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