[chuck]So I’m gathering my wits about me after being thoroughly pounded by the sheer magnitude of dumb contained in the book that shall no longer be named by the author who I will no longer link, and figure I’ll relaunch the site sometime in the near future. I have a few topics lined up (the empty tomb, CS Lewis, the art of argumentation, biblical prophecies, etc), but here’s a thread where you can drop some ideas for topics you’d like to see us address.
I’ll probably ignore it, but it might keep you busy while I rest my weary brain.
61 Responses to “Topic Suggestions”
A podcast dedicated to the christian forger Eusebius.
I’d love to hear about the history and various incarnations of mormon fundamentalism.
I’d suggest the “Unpacking Atheism” event led by William L C and his ilk. That’ll get you hours of fun.
Was there an historical Jesus? (Esp. interesting if one you thinks yes and the other thinks no.)
Is the post-Christian era upon us yet? ( Sweet Jesus, I hope so)
Actually i would gladly hear a podcast about C.S. Lewis’s work.
Racism in the Mormon church (from the early church through to today). You’ve touched on it a bunch of times but it’s the kind of thing I think could use a deeper look.
Dinesh D’Sousa. Possibly his book “Godforsaken: Bad things happen. Is there a God who cares? YES. Here’s proof” but really you could look at any of the dumb shit he has written.
I always hear, from Christians, that Jesus fulfilled all the messianic prophecies, but Jews say that isn’t the case. I’d like to hear a show about which prophecies Jesus didn’t fulfill and which prophecies he did but the Jews say aren’t messianic prophecies.
An episode on raelians could be interesting.
Maybe you could do a medical segment on your show. In the segment you would explain a common problem (like a skin rash) and then prescribe the biblical cure for it.
Exposing crazy Biblical crap, contradictions, obvious scientific zaniness (like unicorns, the “firmament,” the earth’s four corners). Re: “The Empty Tomb”–as a college student at a Christian college I was taught the amazing seven proofs of the Resurrection (the empty tomb, the changed world/disciples, the sealed tomb, can’t remember the rest) that some lawyer laid out after he set out to disprove the Rising (no offense, Bruce Springsteen).
Basically, please come back with a vengeance. Profane. Sardonic. Sarcastic. Ironic. (Did I mention “Profane?”) And, most importantly–Blasphemous.
I love your podcast on What the Bleep do we know, so maybe something on the more esoteric side would be cool
Two: Fundamental Mormonism and round three with Dr Robert Price
How about an interview with America’s premier writer of Adventures of Superman fan fiction?
Talk about the pageant they do every year at the hill the gold plates were found in, and the fictionalizing of Smith’s early years they’re doing at his birthplace. A Buffalo News article a year or two ago mentioned stuff like a new house being called his original home.
(actually went to the pageant once as a kid while I was in my religious phase, and almost converted. I flipped a coin to see if God wanted me to read the Book of Mormon, and it came up tails so I stayed Christian ^_^)
Some Ideas: Interview Bart Erhman, Bullshit Religious Artifacts (Shroud of Turn, Selling Apostles bones etc), Exposing “Miracles”, What do American Indians think of Joseph Smith (Interviews maybe), Where does Mitt Romney sit on the Mormon Scale, a Review of the Missionary Position by Christopher Hitchens, and does the phrase “This ain’t gonna suck itself!” apply to an all powerful male god? Suckit Chuck.
I’d be interested in hearing your thoughts on how you deal with the liberal religious – people who generally have good values, but manage to ignore/explain away the bullshit in their religious texts. The type of people who don’t understand the damage that religion causes, and will explain away the damage as human nature.
Just read David Barton’s *The Jefferson Lies* word for word. It’s hilarious.
I’d like to see you talk about how external factors would hypothetically change religion. Eg; Extra Terrestrial Intelligences landing on this planet who are atheists.
Time Travel back in time to jesus and he didn’t exist (or at least not how he is described)
Do something on Ty Rogers and Exodus.
It might be a little research intensive but I think a podcast on the interrelationships of the ancient mid east religions and what they took from each other. I know the Phonecians worshiped Baal and sacrificed children, I believe this was the same practice in ancient Judea.
Also, I haven’t listened to it but I know the 2nd law did a podcast on Zoroastrianism. That would be very interesting.
The rise of modern evangelicalism and rapture end times stuff. I grew up in Oklahoma and I can tell you a lot of the baptists there are practically in a dooms day cult. It’s going to be the rapture any day now.
I don’t know much about all the eastern Orthodox churches. How are they different? Did they come from the Byzantine Empire, etc. I saw an image of a Eastern Orthodox priest casting a spell (blessing) some AK 47’s. How does that work?
Celtic and Viking religions are cool as shit but I know little about them.
Always if you can do more about Mormons, or the book of Job, those are always some of my favorites.
Mitt Romney and the White Horse Prophecy
Mormon apologetics. The organizations/figures behind them, standard arguments, how they fail, etc.
Publication history and tracing of the edits and changes of the Book of Mormon and how it relates to contemporary society, projections for the future.
Examination of Mormon prophecies
Modern revelation. What has been revelated since the blacks in the priesthood press release. Revelation metrics (revelations per year, per president, per topic area, how different eras compare)
Who’s who of the modern LDS church. Examination of the leadership, their views, the order of succession
Mormon finances. How much money do they make, what is it spent on, est. value of capital holdings, etc.
Mormon demographics in the US and abroad. Presence overseas, where are they, have they infiltrated governments the way they controlled their territories in the early days of the church?
You should do a show about residential schools in Canada (indigenous kids stolen from their homes and shipped off to religious schools) seriously fucked up, could make for a depressing/rage inducing show.
How about a blow by blow commentary on the Bart Ehrman/Richard Carrier dustup done in the style of an old time boxing announcer.
I think I enjoyed the shows on the history of things the most, but I guess you’ve done most of the major religions already. How about the history of irreligiosophy and free thinking throughout the ages?
BTW, if you could get your hands on more dissertations from Patriot Bible University that would make for some awesome episodes as well.
I think W.L. Craig’s work could stand some scrutiny. Also, I think the topic of skepticism as a necessary element of rational disbelief is worth looking into. You knocked out a good bit of this topic with your “Haunting” episodes, but it may be instuctional to take on conspiracism and the commonalities with the Cosmic Conspiracy, i.e. the idea that “we don’t know everything that’s going on here, therefore there must be someone who does.” Anyhow, a pleasure to listen.
I’ll also mention that I live near Ken Hamm’s Creation Museum and much as it has pained me to give them money, I’ve visited a few times. If you have any curiosity about it, I’d be glad to share either on or off the podwaves. In my favor I am a recent journalism grad, so I think my input would be elucidating and cogent.
Wakefieldology
Debate more fundies please!
A podcast on argumentation and effective reasoning would be great.
Joseph Smith stuff – along the lines of the Kennebrook (sp) plates, specifics on his martyrdom, ie was he armed, did he fire as well, etc. Edits in the Book or Mormon, and was the book inspired by contemporary literature such as Ethan Smith’s “View of the Hebrews” and Josiah Priest’s Wonders of Nature and Providence. Both books available in the area and time that J Smith lived before “translating” the BoM.
I’d love to hear a thorough takedown of CS Lewis, looking forward to that one. I’d also like to know a bit more about Orthodox Judaism
Chuck, especially with your knowledge in Philosophy, I would love to hear you interview Alonzo Fyfe. He’s an atheist philosopher that is a proponent of what he calls Desire Utilitarianism… A completely naturalistic moral philosophy.
Entertainment that has a religious agenda.
Thank you for doing my favorite podcast for fucking free, by the way.
Chuck,
You might want to interview the guys at “cognitive dissonance”. I know alot of your listeners went there during your hiatus. They use a similar vocabulary, and would be a great addition if you made the topic “Abuse in the catholic church” or something along that line.
I think it’s great if you ‘resurrect’ the podcast some. You’re entertaining enough that with the right guests and material posting new episodes sporadically is fine. It doesn’t have to become a chore, and it doesn’t have to ‘end.’
If you ever want to know anything about local atheist/postmo groups, or wish to get in contact with specific people, just contact me and I’ll see what I can do.
Mental Health and Religion!
An overview of conservative Christianity in American politics . . . Moral Majority, Focus on the Family, etc.
Interview Kirk Hastings on the trials and triumphs during his glorious rise to join the “elites” in the literary world of elucidated truthiness.
Um, everyone keeps telling me to watch “The Case For Christ” and I don’t want to, so can you do that? Also the “Left Behind” movies/video game…hilarious. And if I could ask for a bit of Matt’s background, so we know who we are listening to.
Second the vote on W.L. Craig. I have an annoying colleague who thinks atheists all fear him.
Presuppositional apologetics
The religiosity of the U.S. founding fathers.
I agree with StaggerLee in doing an episode on the Creation Museum. Vice.com does a great summary of their visit to the museum.
The best exhibit (and sensitively titled) is named “WHO’S YOUR BROTHER”
“the reason there are different races is because of birth defects which caused early black people’s skin to discolor. See that picture of the brown couple with their white baby? That is proof of this.
Photo link… you won’t regret it
http://www.viceland.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/img_8745-635×476.jpg
How about the fact that Europe seems to be moving to a more secular view, while the US still strongly religious. Here in the UK, 2 of the 3 major politcal party leaders are athiests, or have said so in the past, while in the US it seems impossible that an athiest could be elected president.
I would like to hear some more chick track podcasts.
I would like to hear why details of the Jews reject the messiahship of Jesus and maybe an episode on positive arguments for atheism.
1. Get a hold of former-Mormon Ryan T. Cragun at the University of Tampa to talk about his research into the Mormon church spending less of their money on charity than practically any other church, and maybe discuss why the ratio of men in the LDS church is getting so low.
2. When the bible talks about witches, sorcerers, dragons, unicorns, giants, and other nonsense, what do apologists do to explain it away? What did the original Greek and Hebrew words mean? Were they literally talking about magical creatures, or was it a bunch a bad translations?
C.S. Lewis. He needs to be torn down.
Ancient Egyptian culture and religion, fundamentalist Mormonism, humanism in sci-fi, maybe a look at non-scientific paths to atheism. I’m looking forward to a CS Lewis podcast; even liberal Christians have a tendency to respect his drivel.
Great to be hearing you again.
I would like another podcast with Ray Garton.
Time to get deeper into what I think is the cutting edge of skepticism – the cognitive science of morality, belief, religion, free will. Use your science brain to study and explain it all so we don’t have to do the work. Maybe get some of the researchers on the show.
TIA
Second Herb’s idea on the religiosity (or lack thereof) of the US founding fathers. Also second a take down of William Lane Craig. As far as a debate review what about Robert Price against Craig – he creams him but you might make that into a show – your own take downs of Craig’s ‘arguments’ and comments on Bob’s.
Essentially any apologist dickhead you can find that you want to rip to pieces would be great
peace to Chuck and all my fellow irrelgiosophites