There are a great deal of literalists out there who start tossing out words like "infallible" when it comes to the scriptures. They overlook the fact that the gospels don't follow the same accounts or events and aren't even a coherent narrative from one book to the next or that the Bible was cobbled together from loads of writings, many of which were rejected (Revelations was particularly contentious).

Hell, there have been congresscritters so ignorant that they claimed Jesus spoke English, so there you go.

the "divine spark" argument is especially ridiculous when you realize that the bible was put together by councils, who weeded out other eligible books, such as the Gospel of Nicodemus.

was that gospel just a warm-up draft or something? i guess even an infallible creator that is the beginning and ending of all things needs an editor.

Yeah, most Christians are unaware of the Councils of Nicea and the Council of Trent which pretty much re-wrote the existing bible and totally altered its interpretation. I'm pretty sure those were ordinary, every day humans that did that, but what do I know, I'm not a professional theologian, right?

The Councils of Nicea and Trent did change interpretations, but their reputation for rewriting them is exaggerated.

It's closer to what CornOnTheCabre was talking about, in that there were over 40 gospels, and the Church picked particular versions of particular gospels as suited their interpretation of Christianity, as opposed to other major Christian groups who had radically different beliefs. Some historians working for the Church, like Bishop Eusebius, then forged and altered other works like Josephus to promote this interpretation.

Still the most likely time for direct changes to the story, was even before the synoptic gospels. John, Matthew and Luke were written by Greeks nearly a century later, who likely added their own philosophy and religious beliefs into a rather different version of the original Judaic Christianity, including the addition of hell, Jesus as a demi-god, and making salvation apply to non-Hebrews. We've no copies of Mark or Paul prior to these works, and what early references exist suggest they had a different message than they were later changed to.

That was the only part of this where I have to give the guy some respect. If only most right wing Christians would concede that Genesis is a story about God's love of all that he created, and not a science textbook, it would go a long way towards eliminating their tribal opposition to science.

In other news, Protestant opposition to abortion is actually younger than the Happy Meal:

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/slacktivist/2012/02/18/the-biblic al-view-thats-younger-than-the-happy-meal/

It used to be that abortion was a uniquely Catholic obsession, and adopting the Catholic view of abortion was how the Religious Right got the Catholics on their side. Oh well, what's a little dicey theology when there are elections to win?

I'm not sure he was conceding that it's just a story...
I'd even guess he thinks that's where metaphor and analogy come from.

It really is an awesome read, isn't it?

The same polygamy and child rape conservatives claim result from tolerating homosexuality, is the stuff God is wildly in favor of in the Old Testament. Even in the New Testament, it's hard not to notice that the apostles who condemned homosexuality (not Jesus) had some messed up and unhealthy attitudes toward sex in general, as well as toward women.

But sure, let's trust the old Nazi virgin managing a pedophile protection ring from his bejeweled throne while wearing ruby slippers, a gold cape and staff, and a foot-high hat, as to how to manage our own sex lives and relationships, based on the voices he hears in his head. It's not like the Church has every been wrong before.

Stephen Fry: It's in the Bible …
Alan Davies: I haven't read it!
Stephen Fry: You should—it's hilarious.

The wiki version of the internet fan-fic, without editing citations/history.

Mockers and scoffers. Listen not to the tongues of trolls, my fellow Sonichuites! Do not waver in your devotion to Our Virgin Father and His Only Begotten Hedgehog Son. Atheists are no better than heathen Gontermanians, or those suicide bombing maniacs from the Tranny Church of the Mouthanus! Riskbreaker and SolRo shall spend an eternity on the moon, suffering eternal cockblocking at the hands of Jerkops, while we faithful lambs ascend to the Game Place and a life of blissful, tax supported idleness with our boyfriend free girls and video game consoles.

Zap to the Extreme, Amen.

And EvilHomer lives up to his name, because I can SO see that shit happening, putting a ruinous end to millions of years of human evolution.

I'm fine with the idea as long as it's this fanfic:

http://scratchpad.wikia.com/wiki/Bart_Simpson_Throws_a_Tantrum

Well, God sent a bear to bestow upon Our Virgin Father his True Name, an event which set him upon the Via Dolorosa ( www.sonichu.com/cwcki/Bear ), so sending bears to kill children is totally believable.