http://www.askwhy.co.uk/index.php AskWhy! Books website on Christian and Jewish origins, history, faults, fallacies, and alternatives. Fri, 25 Jan 2008 22:00:00 GMT http://www.askwhy.co.uk/thumb_awdonkey0.png http://www.askwhy.co.uk/index.php http://www.askwhy.co.uk/awOverviewPresentation.htm http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ChristianAndJewishHistoryForStudentsAndSkepticsNatureOrChristianityAskwhyBooksRssFeed/~3/5eHxqbBQpxQ/0890bandits.php Even peasants who normally accept a degree of exploitation and subjection, dream of equality, brotherhood and freedom, an apocalyptic renewal--the messiah will come, king Arthur will return, or Barbarossa, or Charlemagne, or the Queen of the South, or Zoroaster, or Christ--the sign being the collapse of social order making the apocalypse seem imminent. http://www.askwhy.co.uk/christianity/0890bandits.php Fri, 6 Nov 2009 16:00:00 GMT http://www.askwhy.co.uk/christianity/0890bandits.php http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ChristianAndJewishHistoryForStudentsAndSkepticsNatureOrChristianityAskwhyBooksRssFeed/~3/ZYJsONPPfy4/gunpowderplot0.php November Feature: Was there a Gunpowder Plot? A Jesuit historian, Fr Francis Edwards, looked at the evidence http://www.askwhy.co.uk/analogiesandconjectures/gunpowderplot0.php Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:00:00 GMT http://www.askwhy.co.uk/analogiesandconjectures/gunpowderplot0.php http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ChristianAndJewishHistoryForStudentsAndSkepticsNatureOrChristianityAskwhyBooksRssFeed/~3/_ENuH0XzU84/b90arnhart.php Sympathy is the basis of morality. In The Descent of Man, Darwin says our morality is rooted in human nature, and modern social scientific research confirms it. Proper conduct is socially approved conduct, conduct that earns us the praise of others when we do it. Proper conduct towards others is morality, and evolution upholds it. http://www.askwhy.co.uk/truth/b90arnhart.php Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:00:00 GMT http://www.askwhy.co.uk/truth/b90arnhart.php http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ChristianAndJewishHistoryForStudentsAndSkepticsNatureOrChristianityAskwhyBooksRssFeed/~3/VRMdiELzRw8/b80jsmillliberty.php People should be allowed to carry their opinions into practice without molestation as long as the cost borne is entirely their own. The condition of freedom of action is like that of freedom of speech: they must not make themselves a nuisance to other people. http://www.askwhy.co.uk/truth/b80jsmillliberty.php Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:00:00 GMT http://www.askwhy.co.uk/truth/b80jsmillliberty.php http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ChristianAndJewishHistoryForStudentsAndSkepticsNatureOrChristianityAskwhyBooksRssFeed/~3/ehq61E7qm6M/ Are human beings still evolving? For long it was thought that human evolution had stopped when culture took over from natural selection about 50,000 years ago, in other words when we started to use our brains. But the human races emerged since then. At the "Who Lies Sleeping?" blog. http://askwhy.co.uk/dinosauroids/?p=569 Sun, 18 Oct 2009 18:00:00 GMT http://askwhy.co.uk/dinosauroids/?p=569 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ChristianAndJewishHistoryForStudentsAndSkepticsNatureOrChristianityAskwhyBooksRssFeed/~3/dpLUqCi1HYk/sitemap.htm After some website housekeeping and using "Yahoo! Pipes", a new sitemap and "Abstract Pages" have been added to help those browsing the website. The Abstract of each page has been extracted into Abstract Pages thus giving a short flavour of each page listed by directory. They can be accessed from the main index pages or the new sitemap. Hope these help. http://www.askwhy.co.uk/sitemap.htm Thu, 15 Oct 2009 22:00:00 GMT http://www.askwhy.co.uk/sitemap.htm http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ChristianAndJewishHistoryForStudentsAndSkepticsNatureOrChristianityAskwhyBooksRssFeed/~3/CwuJL6haA9o/b70morality.php Why is justice the fundamental and essential moral law? It is a vital regulation of social life. Why is murder the greatest crime? It is the gravest social delinquency. In tribal society religion and morals had remained close to each other. Then religion became the interest of the sacerdotal caste of priests http://www.askwhy.co.uk/truth/b70morality.php Thu, 24 Sep 2009 22:00:00 GMT http://www.askwhy.co.uk/truth/b70morality.php http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ChristianAndJewishHistoryForStudentsAndSkepticsNatureOrChristianityAskwhyBooksRssFeed/~3/gNRJ8pNfUkQ/b60honderichpoh.php Excessive richness shows society is malfunctioning, and wealth must be redistributed to correct it. The Principle of Humanity is to get people out of bad lives, not to put them into them, even the rich. If everyone has a good life, then no one has a bad one. Those who are already well rewarded, like bankers, do not need inflated bonuses as an incentive. It is robbery of the bank's customers and shareholders. http://www.askwhy.co.uk/truth/b60honderichpoh.php Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:00:00 GMT http://www.askwhy.co.uk/truth/b60honderichpoh.php http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ChristianAndJewishHistoryForStudentsAndSkepticsNatureOrChristianityAskwhyBooksRssFeed/~3/xAokF68PaKM/0006writing.php How writing began in the ANE not for recording speech but for recording items and quantities, ie numbers. http://www.askwhy.co.uk/judaism/0006writing.php Thu, 10 Sep 2009 20:00:00 GMT http://www.askwhy.co.uk/judaism/0006writing.php http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ChristianAndJewishHistoryForStudentsAndSkepticsNatureOrChristianityAskwhyBooksRssFeed/~3/iJPxkLyb2RU/b50rawlstoj.php Justice as fairness permits justice to be indeed fair. It shows why people want a fair and equal spread of rights and duties, and also an equal distribution of benefits, to value a place in society. Any variation in the distribution of benefits will only be acceptable because they are within acceptable limits of tolerance, or because some inequality of distribution benefits everyone. http://www.askwhy.co.uk/truth/b50rawlstoj.php Sun, 23 Aug 2009 20:00:00 GMT http://www.askwhy.co.uk/truth/b50rawlstoj.php http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ChristianAndJewishHistoryForStudentsAndSkepticsNatureOrChristianityAskwhyBooksRssFeed/~3/HAors8Fem3c/0406theophany.php The people were fearful of the theophany, and asked Moses to mediate with God. Moses entered as Ahuramazda brought down to earth, and Yehouah replaced Ahuramazda. The law had the authority of Ahuramazda, the Persian god, but God had to be Yehouah. http://www.askwhy.co.uk/judaism/0406theophany.php Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:00:00 GMT http://www.askwhy.co.uk/judaism/0406theophany.php http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ChristianAndJewishHistoryForStudentsAndSkepticsNatureOrChristianityAskwhyBooksRssFeed/~3/HR_7Z8xoZU8/001marienbad.php A timeless and recurrent theme which goes on year by year, always changing yet always the same thing http://www.askwhy.co.uk/marienbad/001marienbad.php Sun, 9 Aug 2009 22:00:00 GMT http://www.askwhy.co.uk/marienbad/001marienbad.php http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ChristianAndJewishHistoryForStudentsAndSkepticsNatureOrChristianityAskwhyBooksRssFeed/~3/L8FLV27pI2g/0010ReligiousOrigins.php The origins of religion. Further update of pages that introduce aspects of religion as a scientific study. http://www.askwhy.co.uk/judaism/0010ReligiousOrigins.php Sun, 9 Aug 2009 22:00:00 GMT http://www.askwhy.co.uk/judaism/0010ReligiousOrigins.php http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ChristianAndJewishHistoryForStudentsAndSkepticsNatureOrChristianityAskwhyBooksRssFeed/~3/6ZH3dcax8vI/0350Transfiguration.php August Feature: The Transfiguration of Jesus Christ. Analysis of the Transfiguration and what it stands for http://www.askwhy.co.uk/christianity/0350Transfiguration.php Mon, 3 Aug 2009 20:00:00 GMT http://www.askwhy.co.uk/christianity/0350Transfiguration.php http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ChristianAndJewishHistoryForStudentsAndSkepticsNatureOrChristianityAskwhyBooksRssFeed/~3/l7R6sxfF31M/ab0possessive.php Biblical scholars have decided that whatever Jesus possesses is written as Jesus', as in Jesus' miracles. Most people would quite naturally say Jesus's miracles http://www.askwhy.co.uk/truth/ab0possessive.php Mon, 3 Aug 2009 20:00:00 GMT http://www.askwhy.co.uk/truth/ab0possessive.php http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ChristianAndJewishHistoryForStudentsAndSkepticsNatureOrChristianityAskwhyBooksRssFeed/~3/Cz-Bt92qKw4/b30animalmorals.php Evidence of morality has been observed in animal behaviour studies of great apes, some monkeys, wolves, hyenas, dolphins, whales, elephants, rats and mice. Are animals moral? Well, Yes! http://www.askwhy.co.uk/truth/b30animalmorals.php Sat, 18 Jul 2009 20:00:00 GMT http://www.askwhy.co.uk/truth/b30animalmorals.php http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ChristianAndJewishHistoryForStudentsAndSkepticsNatureOrChristianityAskwhyBooksRssFeed/~3/FLvOQqZiIx8/01325whenwasthebiblewritten.php If the bible was written around 700 BC, Jewish historians preceded the first historian, Herodotus by 200 years. It is manifest nonsense. Persian scholars with access to Assyrian records wrote the history to back up the law, Deuteronomy. The message was to obey God whose law it was. It showed God had punished previous generations for apostasy, and would do again, if the people were not righteous, ie obedient to the law. Obedience suits rulers. http://www.askwhy.co.uk/judaism/01325whenwasthebiblewritten.php Mon, 22 Jun 2009 22:00:00 GMT http://www.askwhy.co.uk/judaism/01325whenwasthebiblewritten.php http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ChristianAndJewishHistoryForStudentsAndSkepticsNatureOrChristianityAskwhyBooksRssFeed/~3/1mXoMdyxxsg/0150David.php Revised: The evidence for king David outside the bible is minute and controversial. No kings of Judah before Hezekiah are attested outside the bible. Judah was created as an Assyrian puppet. http://www.askwhy.co.uk/judaism/0150David.php Mon, 22 Jun 2009 22:00:00 GMT http://www.askwhy.co.uk/judaism/0150David.php http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ChristianAndJewishHistoryForStudentsAndSkepticsNatureOrChristianityAskwhyBooksRssFeed/~3/e_hVu-JbU-A/0160Solomon.php Revised: An empire centred on Jerusalem in the tenth century BC is strongly disputed. There was a tenth century BC, but no emperors called David and Solomon lived in it. Tenth century BC "Solomonic" strata should be dated to the ninth century BC Omride dynasty of the Northern Kingdom. No literary tradition existed in tenth century BC Palestine. http://www.askwhy.co.uk/judaism/0160Solomon.php Mon, 22 Jun 2009 22:00:00 GMT http://www.askwhy.co.uk/judaism/0160Solomon.php http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ChristianAndJewishHistoryForStudentsAndSkepticsNatureOrChristianityAskwhyBooksRssFeed/~3/YZwrS6KarcU/0395vanseters.php Revised. John Van Seters, building on the work of others, shows conclusively that the author of Exodus-Numbers, called J or the Yahwist, used Deuteronomy, the Deuteronomic history and parts of the prophets. Exodus-Numbers must therefore be later than Deuteronomy. If the latter was brought by Ezra from Persia in the late fifth century BC, then Exodus-Numbers is Hellenistic. http://www.askwhy.co.uk/judaism/0395vanseters.php Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.askwhy.co.uk/judaism/0395vanseters.php http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ChristianAndJewishHistoryForStudentsAndSkepticsNatureOrChristianityAskwhyBooksRssFeed/~3/WLM0H4eYe8E/0410SermonRenewal.php Whitsuntide feature: The Feast of the Renewal of the Covenant, held at Pentecost about the beginning of June, was for Essenes the principle holy day of the year, to renew the covenant and to allow initiates to be regraded. It has much in common with the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew. Jesus's newly baptized Nazarenes were being read the rules. Matthew uses Essene words, even the "poor in spirit". http://www.askwhy.co.uk/christianity/0410SermonRenewal.php Mon, 18 May 2009 22:00:00 GMT http://www.askwhy.co.uk/christianity/0410SermonRenewal.php http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ChristianAndJewishHistoryForStudentsAndSkepticsNatureOrChristianityAskwhyBooksRssFeed/~3/UNcTyuAzB4A/index.php They're back! The Anthroposaurs! "Who Lies Sleeping?" is online again from adelphiasophism.com http://www.askwhy.co.uk/anthroposaurus/index.php Sun, 17 May 2009 20:00:00 GMT http://www.askwhy.co.uk/anthroposaurus/index.php http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ChristianAndJewishHistoryForStudentsAndSkepticsNatureOrChristianityAskwhyBooksRssFeed/~3/bmv7n-jBsRE/0090oldtestamentcriticism.php Dogma stopped free enquiry into the bible for a thousand years until Enlightenment and science led to the Higher Criticism. Julius Wellhausen showed that the law of Moses was misplaced in sacred history. It had to come at the end of the evolution of Judaism. Ezra, the Persian brought it. http://www.askwhy.co.uk/judaism/0090oldtestamentcriticism.php Sun, 26 Apr 2009 22:00:00 GMT http://www.askwhy.co.uk/judaism/0090oldtestamentcriticism.php http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ChristianAndJewishHistoryForStudentsAndSkepticsNatureOrChristianityAskwhyBooksRssFeed/~3/Xwi4jl9CIlY/0533Resurrection.php April Features: The first of several linked pages on the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, myth or history? http://www.askwhy.co.uk/christianity/0533Resurrection.php Sat, 18 Apr 2009 19:00:00 GMT http://www.askwhy.co.uk/christianity/0533Resurrection.php http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ChristianAndJewishHistoryForStudentsAndSkepticsNatureOrChristianityAskwhyBooksRssFeed/~3/JkEeEuKsgJo/0404Moses.php Updated: Evidence that Exodus is an Hellenistic romance written in Alexandria http://www.askwhy.co.uk/judaism/0404Moses.php Fri, 20 Mar 2009 20:00:00 GMT http://www.askwhy.co.uk/judaism/0404Moses.php http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ChristianAndJewishHistoryForStudentsAndSkepticsNatureOrChristianityAskwhyBooksRssFeed/~3/e3Opsa-MY8g/b10fscollins.php In his book "The Language of God", Francis S Collins presents evidence for belief. He must be writing for Christians. For anyone else it will seem puerile. His science sections are as good as one might expect, but the personal journey is laughable, and the evidence he offers for belief will be inadequate for anyone who thinks of themself as a scientist. The intended audience must be Christians who reject science, 45% of Americans. Three part review. http://www.askwhy.co.uk/truth/b10fscollins.php Wed, 21 Jan 2009 18:00:00 GMT http://www.askwhy.co.uk/truth/b10fscollins.php http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ChristianAndJewishHistoryForStudentsAndSkepticsNatureOrChristianityAskwhyBooksRssFeed/~3/Qlu3D4_LNWo/0005jaynes.php The breakdown of the bicameral mind that Jaynes saw in the mid first millennium BC was a bonfire of scribal vanities, writing conventions from the times when only specialized scribes were literate, and all recording was official. The Persian empire torched the conventions of the ANE, and Greeks continued the bonfire after Alexander. But there was a stage when the personality did not count in consciousness. http://www.askwhy.co.uk/judaism/0005jaynes.php Thu, 11 Dec 2008 22:00:00 GMT http://www.askwhy.co.uk/judaism/0005jaynes.php http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ChristianAndJewishHistoryForStudentsAndSkepticsNatureOrChristianityAskwhyBooksRssFeed/~3/DxX5SJH54m8/b00moslemorigin.php Islam, like Judaism and Christianity, is a sham and honest scholarship on these religions cannot avoid being offensive to believers. Religious belief excludes scholarship, so no believer can decry work critical of belief as not scholarly. Moslems, as usual, will be outraged that their beliefs are subject to the same criticism here as Judaism and Christianity. These religions are false, and any amount of indignation cannot change it. http://www.askwhy.co.uk/truth/b00moslemorigin.php Mon, 15 Sep 2008 22:00:00 GMT http://www.askwhy.co.uk/truth/b00moslemorigin.php http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ChristianAndJewishHistoryForStudentsAndSkepticsNatureOrChristianityAskwhyBooksRssFeed/~3/kYGaWjLo4QM/0870SecularChrist.php Christ proclaimed God is real. God is society. His practical dictums, to love each other, to love God, and that to love God was to love each other, are objective not subjective like faith. Yet Christian churches tolerated every imaginable atrocity. Secular Christianity. http://www.askwhy.co.uk/christianity/0870SecularChrist.php Fri, 25 Jul 2008 22:00:00 GMT http://www.askwhy.co.uk/christianity/0870SecularChrist.php http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ChristianAndJewishHistoryForStudentsAndSkepticsNatureOrChristianityAskwhyBooksRssFeed/~3/lsvkfziiimI/a90deathofgod.php Science has proved the death of God, but Christ and his precepts live on. Christians do not do what God incarnated as Christ told them. They must do as He said to enter the kingdom of God. It is here in this world, a secular kingdom, not supernatural. Scientists can be Christs! http://www.askwhy.co.uk/truth/a90deathofgod.php Fri, 18 Jul 2008 22:00:00 GMT http://www.askwhy.co.uk/truth/a90deathofgod.php http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ChristianAndJewishHistoryForStudentsAndSkepticsNatureOrChristianityAskwhyBooksRssFeed/~3/834yx-TFRpA/0860salvation.php For the Jew, obeying the law, being righteous, saved them. A young man asked how to inherit eternal life. Jesus said without obeying the law, and being poor, he could not be saved. Christ's own life showed salvation depended on doing something, loving others and not accumulating wealth. Paul thought the law was too hard. He dropped it, making it easier to get converts, and for Christianity to spread. Paul made salvation into the mystery of God being magically obliged to save the faithful just for professing their faith in Christ! http://www.askwhy.co.uk/christianity/0860salvation.php Sun, 17 Feb 2008 22:00:00 GMT http://www.askwhy.co.uk/christianity/0860salvation.php