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2020-12-30T13:54:17-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Madison Malarkey #44: Gospel Gish Gallop Garbage

Last updated on: December 30, 2020 at 1:54 pm By Dave Armstrong

Dr. David Madison is an atheist who was a Methodist minister for nine years: with a Ph.D. in Biblical Studies from Boston University. I have replied to his videos or articles 43 times as of this writing. Thus far, I haven’t heard one peep back from him (from 8-1-19 to 12-29-20). This certainly doesn’t suggest to me that he is very confident in his opinions. All I’ve seen is expressions of contempt from Dr. Madison and from his buddy, the atheist author, polemicist, and extraordinarily volatile John Loftus, who runs... Read more

Atheism & Agnosticism

Bible and Tradition

alleged biblical contradictions

anti-Christian bigotry

Bible "contradictions"

contradictions in the Bible

critiques of Christianity

David Madison

Debunking Christianity

Gish Gallop

Madison Malarkey

2021-01-03T17:58:13-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Star of Bethlehem: More Silly Atheist “Objections”

Last updated on: January 3, 2021 at 5:58 pm By Dave Armstrong

This is a follow-up discussion of my article, Star of Bethlehem: Refuting Silly Atheist Objections [12-26-20]. Atheist OccupyReality (words in blue below) wrote in a combox at Debunking Christianity on 12-29-20, citing my words from the preceding paper: “….You are what you eat. If you surround yourself with such silly arguments, you’ll end up parroting them and never learning anything…..” Says the clown who just argued that the magi could maybe, kinda, perhaps see a star in daylight. You can’t... Read more

Atheism & Agnosticism

Christmas

astronomy & the star of Bethlehem

atheists & the magi

atheists & the star of Bethlehem

atheists & the wise men

Bethlehem

Christmas

conjunctions

conjunctions in daytime

Debunking Christianity

2020-12-29T12:44:26-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Madison Malarkey #43: Recycled Lies & Closed Ears

Last updated on: December 29, 2020 at 12:44 pm By Dave Armstrong

Dr. David Madison is an atheist who was a Methodist minister for nine years: with a Ph.D. in Biblical Studies from Boston University. I have replied to his videos or articles 42 times as of this writing. Thus far, I haven’t heard one peep back from him (from 8-1-19 to 12-29-20). This certainly doesn’t suggest to me that he is very confident in his opinions. All I’ve seen is expressions of contempt from Dr. Madison and from his buddy, the atheist author, polemicist, and extraordinarily volatile John Loftus, who runs... Read more

Atheism & Agnosticism

alleged biblical contradictions

anti-Christian bigotry

Bible "contradictions"

contradictions in the Bible

critiques of Christianity

David Madison

Debunking Christianity

Madison Malarkey

2026-06-05T23:57:29-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Pope Francis’ Proper Use of the Term “Fundamentalism”

Last updated on: June 5, 2026 at 11:57 pm By Dave Armstrong

. . . and the Similar Sociologically Proper Use of Pope Benedict XVI and Pope St. John Paul II This is a follow-up post to Kwasniewski vs. Pope Francis Re “Fundamentalism” (Pope St. John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI Fully Concur with Pope Francis) [12-9-20]. John Estes made a complaint in the combox. His words will be in blue. ***** Dave. Just to be clear, you consider my fundamentalist family members (conservative, premillennial dispensationalist protestants) to be your fellow brothers in Christ? Of... Read more

Papacy & Infallibility

definitions of fundamentalism

Ppoe St. John Paul II

sociology & fundamentalism

2020-12-28T13:32:48-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Route Taken by the Magi: Educated Guess

Last updated on: December 28, 2020 at 1:32 pm By Dave Armstrong

I have written about the wise men elsewhere, with regard to how they could be guided by a star (astronomy — conjunctions — and constellations and meaning attached to the latter; phenomenological language as to the star’s “movements”), where they came from (likely northwest Persia) and “who” they were (likely priests of Zoroastrianism; neither “magicians” nor sorcerers): Star of Bethlehem, Astronomy, Wise Men, & Josephus (Amazing Astronomically Verified Data in Relation to the Journey of the Wise Men & Jesus’ Birth... Read more

journey of the wise men

2020-12-27T16:26:12-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Star of Bethlehem: Refuting Silly Atheist Objections

Last updated on: December 27, 2020 at 4:26 pm By Dave Armstrong

This occurred in a combox at the Debunking Christianity site, and is the altogether typical ill-informed attempted mockery from supposedly so intellectually superior atheists, who in their almost invariable / inevitable ignorance of biblical language and Christian thought end up making themselves look very silly indeed. Words of Robert Conner are in blue; those of Steampunk Gentleman in green; and those of Jim in brown. ***** Interesting and well done. Here’s a conundrum from Matthew: ” the star they had seen when it rose... Read more

Atheism & Agnosticism

Christmas

astronomy & the star of Bethlehem

atheists & the magi

atheists & the star of Bethlehem

atheists & the wise men

2020-12-26T15:34:24-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Jesus’ December Birth & Grazing Sheep in Bethlehem

Last updated on: December 26, 2020 at 3:34 pm By Dave Armstrong

Is a December 25th Birthdate of Jesus Impossible or Unlikely Because Sheep Can’t Take the Cold? One common polemical argument against a December birthdate for Jesus is based on a skepticism towards the biblical passage Luke 2:8: “And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night” (RSV). Atheists, biblical skeptics, and even serious observant Christians make the fallacious argument that it was too cold at that time of year in Bethlehem... Read more

shepherds in Bethlehem

winter grazing

winter grazing of sheep

2020-12-27T16:30:37-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Making Merry at Christmas: Clear Biblical Models

Last updated on: December 27, 2020 at 4:30 pm By Dave Armstrong

How are we taught to act with regard to Jesus’ birth and Christmas, according to Scriptural models? We do definitely have those. An angel of the Lord told the shepherds in the field near Bethlehem: “I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Lk 2:10-11, RSV). * Then a “multitude” of angels were... Read more

Christmas

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Bethlehem

Calvinism & Christmas

Calvinists & Christmas

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Puritans & Christmas

Reformed Protestantism & Christmas

2020-12-22T16:59:38-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

History of Christmas Trees & Their Symbolism

Last updated on: December 22, 2020 at 4:59 pm By Dave Armstrong

[this was also published in The Catholic World Report on 12-22-20, under the title, “Christmas Trees: Christian Symbolism & Development of the Custom”] ***** It appears that virtually all who look into the origin and Christian symbolism of Christmas trees trace the first overt example to St. Boniface (bet. 672-679 to 745 or 755). The story he is most famous for (related to the evangelization of Germany) is his Elijah-like cutting-down of the sacred oak tree of the thunder-god Thor, around the... Read more

celebration of Christmas

2020-12-21T12:30:14-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Dialogue w Christian “Outside of Orthodoxy”

Last updated on: December 21, 2020 at 12:30 pm By Dave Armstrong

This took place underneath my article, Atheist Ignorance of Christianity: Typical Example. Words of Sandy Plage will be in blue. ***** In the spirit of Charlie Brown’s Christmas, I would like to say “good grief.” Why the heaping scorn and ad hominem put downs of WCB and every other atheist under the sun? You yourself are engaging in “relentless scorn and put down.” Can you not see this? I deny that I do that. I am polemical and passionate and sometimes... Read more

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