Episodes
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Modern parishioners are often asked to pay one tenth of their money to their church. This practice, they are told, is biblical in nature. But is it really? Well, this episode we're talking tithing, and like so many ideas in the Bible it's way more complicated than you might think!
Then, we're keeping the theme monetary and telling the story of Ananias and Sapphira. This New Testament couple decided that they didn't want to give ALL their money to the commune. Unfortunately, apostle Peter had set up some pretty stiff penalties for incomplete payment. Let's just say that the mafia would be proud. Yikes.
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Oooh! We're going to poke the gauzy fabric-covered bear with this one!
Well first we're going to have a delightful chat about plagues. No, not Covid 19 or the black death, we're talking frogs! If you thought the Spanish Flu was bad, wait until you hear about the great Egyptian livestock massacre. But did the great plagues visited upon Egypt by Moses and his very powerful tetragrammatonically-named accomplice really happen? Is it even logically possible that they could have happened?
Then we're going to make some very certain people very sad. Hold on to your long pieces of stained fabric, because we're going to "cover" (get it?) the shroud of Turin. Have you heard that a new scientific paper has come out that proves that this was actually the sheet that was draped over Jesus as he lay in the tomb? A lot of people have heard that. Well great news! We've read that paper, and we're going to discuss it!
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Episodes manquant?
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Do you know anything at all about physics? It's fine if you don't, but hold on to your linen shirt if you do, because the sheer volume of gobbledygook that's coming is... impressive. We're going to talk about the fascinating claims of one Heidi Yellen.
Yellen's famous papers revolve around Leviticus 19, and the prohibition against wearing two kinds of fabric together. She claims that she has discovered a very important reason why the Bible would warn us against this fiber mix-and-match, and it is a doozy!
Then, we're switching over to Genesis 37, to discuss the owner of another famous piece of fabric. It's Joseph, owner of the coat of many colors (or coat of sleeves? don't ask). But we're not talking about the coat. We're more interested in the story of ol' Joe being sold into slavery... because it doesn't make sense. Who sold him? Who bought him? Who sold him again? Nothing lines up! Unless...
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Abracadabra! Today, we're diving into the strange world of spell-casting, charms, and defense against the dark arts. No, this isn't about a school for young witches and wizards, it's the magic practiced in the Bible! And oooh, does that make some people uncomfortable!
First, we're going to look at the famous priestly divining implements, the Urim and Thummim. What were they? How did they work? Did they glow? Were they more or less accurate than a Magic 8 Ball? Then we're traveling to the caves of Ketef Hinnom, to look at the oldest known witnesses to the Hebrew Bible, and their potentially magical properties.
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The biblical story of Ruth can be a confusing one for modern readers. Is Ruth a hero? Is she a schemer? She goes from gleaning in her dead husband's kinsman's field to marrying the guy in a matter of days. What are we to glean from that? And what, exactly, happened on the threshing room floor? If only we had a Bible expert on the show to help us understand it all. Oh wait--we do! That's lucky.
Then, we turn to history. One of the trickiest things about reading the Bible can be how to tell what's actually historical, and what is... allegory. Some of the Bible's characters have no historical attestation other than the Bible, but not our friend Sennacherib! This neo-Assyrian king was 100% a real guy, and we're going to learn all about him!
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It is a source of joy for some, schadenfreude for others, and for many it is the source of deep, soul-crushing anxiety. It's the Rapture! That theoretical moment when all of God's good kiddos on Earth get to fly up to heaven, while all the naughty boys and girls get stuck here on Earth. It's a theology believed by millions around the world, but there might be a problem: is it possible that the rapture isn't actually in the Bible?
On this week's show we're discussing the origins of the rapture idea. Who came up with it, what is it's scriptural basis (if there is any), why it took hold, and why not everyone embraces it. Were you "caught up" in Rapture theology?
Then, we're continuing our future-prophesying theme with the baffling 10th chapter of Daniel. Ol' Danny boy had a vision involving a bunch of princes, and whoo boy! If you don't have McClellan levels of education about it, you would be forgiven for not understanding a blessed word of it. Thankfully, we have a McClellen here, so maybe we have a fighting chance!
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Look around you. Do you see it? It's everything. All the stuff. The earth, the sun, the stars, that sofa that you love but your partner kind of hates, the oceans, the trees, the new Taylor Swift album that they pressed into a vinyl album for some reason, even though everybody just streams... It's all here. But why? Was it always here? The stuff? Or was it created?
This week, we're discussing creatio ex nihilo. It's the idea that God created everything from nothing, and if you're saying to yourself "well yes, of course that's what happened, everybody knows that," you might want to hang on to your shorts. People didn't always believe that, and you might be surprised to learn when the switch happened!
Then, we switch to the apocrypha and dive into a delightful little add-on to the book of Daniel. It's Bel and the Dragon, and it is fun! You won't want to miss it.
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When you look at the New Testament and you see "The Gospel According to Matthew" or "The Gospel According to John", you could be forgiven for assuming that what you're getting is a book written by the apostle Matthew or John. But many scholars are convinced that this is not the case. Why don't they believe that these disciples of Jesus actually wrote the books that bear their name?
This week, we're joined by bible scholar and gospel authorship expert Michael Kok. Dr. Kok will walk us through many of the reasons scholars question the traditional attributions, and give some insights into the very clever detective work that got them to those conclusions.
Will this episode end like an episode of Scooby Doo, with us finally uncloaking the real authors? You'll have to listen to the end to find out!
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It's Biblical misogyny day here at the Data Over Dogma show [well, it's one of them- this is the Bible we're talking about after all], and we've got some real doozies for you. First, we're looking at the strange, sad tale of Tamar. Things start fine(ish) for her--she finds herself married into a prominent family--but then all heaven breaks loose. Which is to say that God kills her husband. This launches her on one of the most insane paths in the whole Bible. BUT, that insane path gives us a chance to talk about a weird concept called "levirate marriage".
Next, we're going to law school. We're taking as our text Deuteronomy 22, and it is ROUGH! These are laws governing extra-marital affairs, and let's just say you might find them a little harsh. Or a lot harsh. Or extremely harsh.
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Dr. Aaron Higashi is one of our favorites, and we're not alone! The folks over at The Bible for Normal People are fans, as well, and have enlisted Aaron to write a "for normal people" book about First and Second Samuel. These two books include some of the Bible's most famous and most infamous characters and moments.
If you've ever read about the exploits of biblical David, and wondered if he is, in fact, a good guy... well, Dr. Higashi is right there with you. We'll ask him about his take on David and many other biblical figures and stories, and the conclusions may surprise you. Or not. This is Data Over Dogma, after all.
Look for Aaron on the various social media places under the handle @abhbible.
Preorder 1 & 2 Samuel for Normal People: A Guide to Prophets, Kings, and Some Pretty Terrible Men here: https://www.amazon.com/Samuel-Normal-People-Prophets-Terrible-ebook/dp/B0D7KBPRVN
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Christian nationalism marches onward in the United States, and our hot take is: that's bad. Louisiana has now passed a law mandating putting a poster of The Ten Commandments™ in every classroom in the state. Lawmakers claim that they're providing historical context for the laws of the land. Historians say that's bunk.
So what's really going on here? Are the Exodus 20 top-ten really the foundation that undergirds all law and order in modern society? Does it matter what version/translation is used? Is ten even the right number, according to the Bible?
This week, we're diving into the the decalogue. Louisiana politicians are pretending that they apply to everybody, but we're going to question if they even apply to Christians! We'll see how things shake out... Thou shalt not want to miss it!
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People talk all the time about souls. "He's my soulmate." "It was so scary, my soul left my body." "I'm going to destroy that piano if you don't stop playing Heart and Soul." But what are we actually talking about? Is there really a non-corporeal entity, an animating force inside each of us? Or are we just crude matter? And what does the Bible have to say about it?
This week on Data Over Dogma, we're getting soulful. We'll discuss the development of the concept of the soul, and some very surprising ways that concept shows up in the Bible. Do NOT trust a woman with a pillowcase until you've heard this episode!
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It's a judge and a king this week, and both are fascinating! First we're looking at Deborah, a prophet, a judge, and a really interesting figure whose story gets told twice in the Bible: back-to-back! Women often get short-shrift in the Bible, but Deborah's story is pretty satisfying. She's tough and her army wins the battle, and even more awesome-- she's not the only badass woman in the story! Stay tuned for the exciting (and gratuitously gorey) conclusion!
Speaking of staying tuned, you're DEFINITELY going to want to stick around for our second half, where we discuss one of the most important figures in the whole book! Who was this David character? A lowly shepherd who rises to be King? A roving warlord? A bisexual rapist? DID HE EVEN EXIST AT ALL?
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It's questionable heroes week here on the Data Over Dogma show, and we've packed in some big names! How big? How about the guy they named the whole tribe of Israel after? You know... Jacob. We're asking the big questions here: do striped sticks really make sheep have spotted lambs? Is a cruel trick fair-play if the other person falls for it? And most importantly- if you beat a stranger in a wrestle, does that stranger get to change your name?
Then we look at famous strong-man and the judge of Israel with possibly the poorest judgement, Sampson. Yes he was absurdly foolish with Delilah, but more importantly: what's the deal with all those foxes?
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It's the book that didn't make the cut. Enoch (or first Enoch, if you're nasty) is an important book, both historically and religiously. As a matter of fact, New Testament writers considered it scripture. So why, when you open your Bible at home, is Enoch nowhere to be found?
This week we're exploring the mysteries of the book that got the boot. Where did it come from? Was it really written by Enoch the patriarch (hint: no)? Why was it not included in the popular canons? Is there anyone that still considers it scripture (hint: yes)?
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Get ready for some fascinating stuff! It won't be a baptism by fire, but we will be immersed in some cutting edge information about John the Baptist. Dr. James McGrath joins us to discuss John and his new book Christmaker. And trust us- you're going to learn some cool stuff.
Many people's image of John is just a wild-haired itinerant preacher dressed like a cave man and roaming the desert and dunking people in water every chance he got. It turns out, he was likely a far more important and more interesting figure than that. Was he a disciple of Jesus, or was it the other way around?
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Well, strap in y'all, because we're going after two of the most famous passages in all of the Bible. One of them is a nice story of Jesus and his mercy, the other is... less nice. Both are about women. And look out, M. Night Shyamalan, because we have a twist ending for both!
We start it off with the story of the woman taken in adultery. This is the beloved tale that Jesus ends with "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." A lovely, poetic moment for the prince of peace. Did it really happen? You'll have to tune in to find out.
Then we turn to one of the more pernicious of all scriptures. It's the bit about women being silent in the church. To this day, this scripture is a favorite of those who want biblical support for their oppressive ideas about gender roles. Are these people justified?
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They said they were going to do it, and doggonit, it got did! This week David Burnett makes his triumphal return to Data Over Dogma to discuss the recent academic conference on monotheism that he, Dan McClellan and others organized at Brown University. And if that sounds boring or dry to you, hold onto your butt, because—fire in the hole!—they were dropping bombs!
The whole goal of this conference was to challenge any notion that the people of ancient southwest Asia (meaning the people who wrote the Bible) were monotheists in any meaningful way. Christian and Jewish people today may only believe in a single God, but the same probably couldn't be said for the people who wrote their scriptures.
David and Dan will report on papers from some heavy-hitter scholars that discuss this incendiary topic, and honestly they might just blow your mind. Unless you're a regular Data Over Dogma listener. Then, they might just be super interesting.
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When people say they've read "the Bible," what do they mean? Well generally what they DON'T mean is that they read source texts in their original languages. Most of us don't have the time or desire to learn how to read ancient Hebrew or Greek, so we're at the mercy of other people to figure out how to render the two thousand plus year old writings into our language. That leaves us with a problem: how do we know which translation to use?
This week, Dr Dan is going to give the low-down on the many, many translations and version we have. We'll talk about why different versions popped up, and what the biases and goals of the various translators might have been. And we'll give specific examples of the differences between versions, exploring the massive difference a small word choice can have.
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It's perhaps the most surprising conspiracy theory to pop up in this century. Humans have known that our planet is a sphere for literally thousands of years. Why, in a day of more advanced science than ever before, would people suddenly abandon that knowledge? Well, before our collective eyeballs all get too strained from rolling them, let's all pause to look at the probable origin of the flat-Earth insistence: The Bible.
Does the Bible actually say that the Earth is flat? If it does, are readers meant to take that claim seriously? Are Bible-believing Christians obligated to deny the sphere?
Then, it's Mea Culpa time! Dan McClellan has been convinced that a position he has espoused on social media and on this very podcast was incorrect. It's a minor thing with very little theological importance, but it actually has some interesting implications. It's to do with two jackasses. Or maybe three, if you count Dan.
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