Data Over Dogma

Does the Bible really say that parents should beat their children? Yes. Yes it does. AH! But couldn't that verse in Proverbs mean something else? Something a little less abuse-y? Something about a shepherd guiding their sheep? On this week's episode, we'll look at what the author of Proverbs REALLY meant when they said that a parent who spares the rod hates their child. Then, what is Satan's job? Is it to enact the eternal torment of sinners? Or is it possible that Satan's lake of fire has a far less sinister purpose? We'll explore what Paul wrote about this, and you won't be surprised to learn that it's nowhere near as obvious and clear-cut as we'd all like it to be. For early access to an ad-free version of every episode of Data Over Dogma, exclusive content, and the opportunity to support our work, please consider becoming a monthly patron at: https://www.patreon.com/DataOverDogma      Follow us on the various social media places: https://www.facebook.com/DataOverDogmaPod https://www.twitter.com/data_over_dogma Hey! Don't forget to pre-order Dan McClellan's upcoming book The Bible Says So https://static.macmillan.com/static/smp/bible-says-so-9781250347466/?fbclid=IwY2xjawGLTkpleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHQY4Ahs0Hi289IcnsQMh_0OAVf3oGefyUsWkLjhfB8OF8nio1fmroJbXxA_aem_v_4sISp8Zt43zsKfDjx1aA This episode was sponsored by BetterHelp. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you think cults, chances are you're imagining a documentary series you streamed recently where a shockingly non-dynamic person has somehow managed to convince a group of reasonably intelligent followers that they are the smartest person in the world, and now controls their lives in terrifying ways. So when we talk about "cult centralization," you could be forgiven for not immediately understanding what we're talking about. But stick with us: this one gets really interesting! On this week's show, we're talking ancient cultic practices. We've all heard about places like ancient Greece or Rome, where many gods were worshipped, each having a different set of skills and a different purview. So a weaver might pray to a different god than a farmer, because they needed different divine interventions, but everybody got along. You might think that this was very different from the way religion was practiced in biblical Judah, right? There's no way the people you read about in the Bible lived lives like the Greeks and Romans... right? Well hold on to your standing stones, because this week we're talking cults, and the Judean king who put a stop to them. Was this the work of a righteous man, doing the right thing for his god, or a megalomaniac who wanted all the power and wealth for himself? Did he bring his people together in harmony, or did he divide his country and weaken them, leading to their defeat by the Babylonians? For early access to an ad-free version of every episode of Data Over Dogma, exclusive content, and the opportunity to support our work, please consider becoming a monthly patron at: https://www.patreon.com/DataOverDogma      Follow us on the various social media places: https://www.facebook.com/DataOverDogmaPod https://www.twitter.com/data_over_dogma Hey! Don't forget to pre-order Dan McClellan's upcoming book The Bible Says So https://static.macmillan.com/static/smp/bible-says-so-9781250347466/?fbclid=IwY2xjawGLTkpleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHQY4Ahs0Hi289IcnsQMh_0OAVf3oGefyUsWkLjhfB8OF8nio1fmroJbXxA_aem_v_4sISp8Zt43zsKfDjx1aA This episode was sponsored by BetterHelp. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Haul out the holly, 'cause it's Christmas time! And what could be more appropriate for Christmas than to recount the nativity story? Or is it stories? That's right, this week we're looking at the Bible's two competing narratives of the birth of Jesus and asking "hey- what gives?" Because when you read the account in Matthew and the account in Luke, you can't help but notice that they have almost nothing to do with each other. Like... they're two totally different and unrelated tales. How is that possible? Well, if you're hoping for Dr. Dan to smooth out all the wrinkles and show you the simple solution to make it all make sense, you probably don't know the show very well. The answers are complicated and messy, and far more interesting than your sunday school teacher ever let on. For early access to an ad-free version of every episode of Data Over Dogma, exclusive content, and the opportunity to support our work, please consider becoming a monthly patron at: https://www.patreon.com/DataOverDogma      Follow us on the various social media places: https://www.facebook.com/DataOverDogmaPod https://www.twitter.com/data_over_dogma Hey! Don't forget to pre-order Dan McClellan's upcoming book The Bible Says So https://static.macmillan.com/static/smp/bible-says-so-9781250347466/?fbclid=IwY2xjawGLTkpleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHQY4Ahs0Hi289IcnsQMh_0OAVf3oGefyUsWkLjhfB8OF8nio1fmroJbXxA_aem_v_4sISp8Zt43zsKfDjx1aA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ooooh! It's de-bunking time! But with a twist: this time we're debunking the debunkers! That’s right, we’re coming after an idea that certain nonbelievers love to throw at Christians to put them in their place. Well, you can stay safely out of place, Christians, because it's the nonbelievers' turn to eat some humble pie. This week's show, we're looking at the theory that Jesus was just one figure in history among many others that share exactly the same story. This idea purports to show that the central figure of Christianity was just the latest in a long line of saviors, and he stole all of their best features to prop himself up. Well, we will see about that, Bill Maher! Then, we're going to have some fun looking into the only historian anywhere near the time of Jesus who actually mentions him, one Yosef ben Mattityahu, better known by his Roman gangster name: Flavius Josephus. We'll discuss his mentions of Jesus, decide if they're spurious or not, and get to the bottom of what it all means about the man of Galilee. Was there actually a historical Jesus? For early access to an ad-free version of every episode of Data Over Dogma, exclusive content, and the opportunity to support our work, please consider becoming a monthly patron at: https://www.patreon.com/DataOverDogma      Follow us on the various social media places: https://www.facebook.com/DataOverDogmaPod https://www.twitter.com/data_over_dogma Hey! Don't forget to pre-order Dan McClellan's upcoming book The Bible Says So https://static.macmillan.com/static/smp/bible-says-so-9781250347466/?fbclid=IwY2xjawGLTkpleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHQY4Ahs0Hi289IcnsQMh_0OAVf3oGefyUsWkLjhfB8OF8nio1fmroJbXxA_aem_v_4sISp8Zt43zsKfDjx1aA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The battle has begun! For a long time, scholars have said that Jesus nullified all the former Jewish laws about which foods were okay to eat and which were impure, and therefore not fit for consumption. The main passage that they used to justify this idea comes from Mark 7. Well this week our guest is going to blow your mind. Hint: your stomach might be more powerful than you knew! Logan Williams has just written a paper [you can find it here] that could totally change how scholars view this passage. What does his argument hinge on? Syntax and grammar! Rejoice, ye language nerds, for we're taking a deep-dive into the murky depths of participles, cases, and other complex aspects of ancient Greek. For non-nerds, just enjoy Dan B trying to keep afloat on this complicated but actually fascinating sea of linguistic parsing. For early access to an ad-free version of every episode of Data Over Dogma, exclusive content, and the opportunity to support our work, please consider becoming a monthly patron at: https://www.patreon.com/DataOverDogma      Follow us on the various social media places: https://www.facebook.com/DataOverDogmaPod https://www.twitter.com/data_over_dogma Hey! Don't forget to pre-order Dan McClellan's upcoming book The Bible Says So https://static.macmillan.com/static/smp/bible-says-so-9781250347466/?fbclid=IwY2xjawGLTkpleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHQY4Ahs0Hi289IcnsQMh_0OAVf3oGefyUsWkLjhfB8OF8nio1fmroJbXxA_aem_v_4sISp8Zt43zsKfDjx1aA This episode was sponsored by BetterHelp Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices