I recently became aware that a Christian fundamentalist, “DS,” was circulating a blog by another rabid fanatic – whom I shall call “BS” – that smeared me with all manner of vile calumny, based on Bart Ehrman’s trashy and libelous Did Jesus Exist? book. This fundie – a man, of course – emailed the URL of this ad hom garbage to a friend of mine, saying, “I think you’ll enjoy this,” and mentioning another prominent scholar friend of mine whom he also was evidently trying to turn against me.
My friend in turn sent the URL to me, and I responded to both him and DS, asking why such libelous trash would be “enjoyable” to anyone, since Ehrman had lied blatantly and defamed me. The Christian fanatic wrote me back saying he had “no sympathy for either of you,” referring to me and Ehrman, claiming that he had “read” and “heard” some things by both of us. He then stated, however, that he concurred with Ehrman’s poor assessment of me and my work.
Those of you who are aware of what Ehrman did to me and other mythicists in his book will know that it was a total smear job in which he obviously did not even read our books, had farmed them out to his assistants, misrepresented several elements of our work and then sneeringly knocked down the straw men. The whole sordid tale can be found across many pages on my forum, including a point-by-point rebuttal of much of Ehrman’s defamatory rubbish, which DS essentially demanded I provide for him.
After reading the fundie’s rude response to me – one could sense the arrogance and contempt dripping off it – I responded as below. I’m sure that this individual felt that he had harangued me sufficiently and that I would bow down to his “superior” intellect, especially since I am a “little woman” who should not teach and should remain silent (in church and otherwise), as the apostle Paul dictated. I post this exchange here for others who may find it empowering in overcoming religious bullying.
To Christian fundamentalist “DS”:
I’m sorry, but you don’t know my work, and Ehrman’s “analysis” was vile libel, because he lied and did not even read my book. You should be ashamed of yourself for siding with such sleazy calumny, including that wretched BS – that’s about the lowest affiliation one can have, but anything’s great when it bashes me, eh?
I highly doubt you have read or listened to anything of mine either. If you did, you would already know that I’ve done a point-by-point rebuttal of Ehrman’s trashy book, which could be and should be pulped for its libel. On my forum alone are dozens of pages refuting his false claims. You can find the links at the URL below, but I doubt you will actually read them, and you certainly will not admit that Ehrman behaved disgracefully, because it suits your agenda, even though you otherwise surely can’t agree with him about Jesus. Like I say, when it bashes me, it’s just fine and dandy, no matter how libelous or dishonest.
I have about 40 pages more [of rebuttal], but I’m not interested in being bullied into providing it for you or anyone else. From what I can tell, you are a biased Christian fundamentalist and spend your time upholding bogus Christian claims. If you wish to remain deluded in a false belief system, that is your prerogative, but I will continue to inform others of the facts and truth. Many people are waking up to this delusion, and the old tactics of lying about and smearing critics will no longer work. We’ve frankly had enough of the sexist, misogynistic and culturally bigoted bibliolatry.
Cheers.
D.M. Murdock/Acharya S
“Many people are waking up to this delusion, and the old tactics of lying about and smearing critics will no longer work. We’ve frankly had enough of the sexist, misogynistic and culturally bigoted bibliolatry.”
Further Reading
Bart Ehrman and the Quest of the Historical Jesus (Kindle)
Bart Ehrman and the Quest of the Historical Jesus (Hard copy)
Bart Ehrman and the Quest of the Historical Jesus (Forum thread)
The Phallic ‘Savior of the World’ Revisited
Bart Ehrman’s Book ‘Did Jesus Exist?’ (Forum thread)
The Jesus Forgery: Josephus Untangled
Does Josephus prove a historical Jesus?
Pliny, Tacitus and Suetonius: No Proof of Jesus
Is Suetonius’s Chresto a Reference to Jesus?
Acharya S/D.M. Murdock’s Books and Ebooks
Councils for God and the development of the biblical canon: Another response to Bart Ehrman
The Nazareth / Bethlehem Debate
