The Secular Outpost -

OFF TOPIC: UCSB Graduate Degree

January 14, 2020 By Bradley Bowen

I knew that I had advanced to candidacy for a PhD in philosophy at UCSB back in 1991, but I did not realize that I had earned a graduate degree and diploma from UCSB because of that. I just found out a few weeks ago that I had earned a graduate degree and diploma from UCSB, and then I requested that UCSB send me my diploma. The diploma arrived in the mail today, about 29 and 1/2 years after I… Read more

Defending the Swoon Theory – Part 18: Premise (1) of Objection #6

January 2, 2020 By Bradley Bowen

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WHERE WE ARE Here, once more, is Peter Kreeft’s Objection #6 against the Swoon Theory, from Chapter 8 of his Handbook of Christian Apologetics (hereafter: HCA): How were the Roman guards at the tomb overpowered by a swooning corpse? Or by unarmed disciples? And if the disciples did it, they knowingly lied when they wrote the Gospels, and we are into the conspiracy theory, which we will refute shortly. (HCA, p.183) Kreeft is making the following four points in the… Read more

Defending the Swoon Theory – Part 17: Events Unique to Matthew

December 29, 2019 By Bradley Bowen

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OBJECTION #6: THE GUARDS AT THE TOMB In Chapter 8 of his Handbook of Christian Apologetics (hereafter: HCA), Peter Kreeft has raised nine objections against The Swoon Theory, as part of his case attempting to prove that Jesus rose from the dead. In previous posts I have argued that his Objection #1, Objection #2, Objection #3, Objection #4, Objection #5, and Objection #8 all FAIL as objections against The Swoon Theory, and also FAIL as objections against the more general… Read more

Hinman’s Defense of his Sad Little Argument: What Joe Knows for Sure Just Ain’t So

December 25, 2019 By Bradley Bowen

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What gets us into trouble is not what we don’t know It’s what we know for sure that just ain’t so – Mark Twain * I believe that what gets Joe Hinman into trouble is not so much what he doesn’t know as what he knows for sure that just ain’t so. According to Hinman: He [Brad Bowen] knows nothing about biblical scholarship… On the other hand Hinman claims to have expertise in this area: It’s my field not his… When… Read more

Hinman’s Defense of his Sad Little Argument: Seven Key NT Scholars

December 11, 2019 By Bradley Bowen

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WHERE WE ARE Joe Hinman asserts that in recent decades there has been “a trend involving many scholars” in which “John has a new credibility”. Because Hinman makes these assertions in response to my claim that the 4th Gospel is HISTORICALLY UNRELIABLE, and because Hinman then quotes Kermit Zarley’s assertion about three NT scholars arriving at the conclusion that “the Fourth Gospel is historically reliable”, it is clear in this context, that Hinman is making this claim: There is a… Read more

Hinman’s Defense of his Sad Little Argument: Scholars Do NOT Believe 4th Gospel is Reliable

December 4, 2019 By Bradley Bowen

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Joe Hinman asserts that in recent decades there has been “a trend involving many scholars” in which “John has a new credibility”. Because Hinman makes these assertions in response to my claim that the 4th Gospel is HISTORICALLY UNRELIABLE, and because Hinman quotes Kermit Zarley’s assertion about three NT scholars arriving at the conclusion that “the Fourth Gospel is historically reliable”, it is clear in this context, that Hinman is claiming that there is a recent trend in NT scholarship… Read more

Hinman’s Defense of his Sad Little Argument: Wishful Thinking by Joe Hinman

December 1, 2019 By Bradley Bowen

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WHERE WE ARE Here is one of the main issues between Joe Hinman and me: In recent decades has a significant portion of NT scholars shifted from the previously dominant view that the Fourth Gospel is historically UNRELIABLE to the previously minority view that the Fourth Gospel is historically RELIABLE? My answer to this question is “NO”, and Hinman’s answer is “YES”. This indicates that Hinman’s view of NT scholarship is based on WISHFUL THINKING rather than on facts and… Read more

Hinman’s Defense of his Sad Little Argument: Wishful Thinking by Kermit Zarley

November 23, 2019 By Bradley Bowen

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WHERE WE ARE The main question at issue between me and Joe Hinman is this: In recent decades has a significant portion of NT scholars shifted from the previously dominant view that the Fourth Gospel is historically UNRELIABLE to the previously minority view that the Fourth Gospel is historically RELIABLE? My answer to this question is “NO”, and Hinman’s answer is “YES”. This indicates that Hinman’s view of NT scholarship is based on WISHFUL THINKING rather than on facts and… Read more

Hinman’s Defense of his Sad Little Argument: Wishful Thinking about NT Scholarship

November 13, 2019 By Bradley Bowen

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HINMAN’S PATHETIC DEFENSE OF PREMISE (1B) OF HIS SAD LITTLE ARGUMENT In response to one of my posts defending the Swoon Theory against objections by Peter Kreeft, Joe Hinman presented the following Sad Little Argument (this version of the argument is after I clarified and improved the argument, so it would make sense and not be obviously a bad argument): 1A. Fluid that LOOKED LIKE water came out of the spear wound in Jesus’ side and fluid that LOOKED LIKE… Read more