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Author Archive for Dr. Jim

Its the annual panicked SBL [in]decision time again.

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on February 7, 2012

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It’s time for Dr. Jim to start thinking about what sort of papers to propose for November’s Society of Biblical Literature meeting in Chicago as the deadline is fast approaching. I’ve never been to Chicago, so this is going to be a treat. But what sort of paper to do? I wish I had a mind to make up.

Since I’m working on Hebrew Bible mythology, I suppose I should do a paper on that, but the Bible, Myth and Myth Theory session is really encouraging New Testament papers this time around, but they might have room for one on ancient Israel and the Old Testament as a mythic places and spaces for thought in modern religion, (relying on Burton Mack, J. Z. Smith, Wendy Doniger).

I’m on the steering committee of the Israelite Prophetic Literature Program Unit, but I don’t feel right proposing papers for sessions I’m helping to plan and for which I have to evaluate other folks’ abstracts. I’m also on the steering committee for the proposed Secular Biblical Criticism program unit which will probably go through a name change before gaining final approval. If we get a session this year (as we did last year) I do have a few papers in mind, but since we have had to have 4 or 5 sessions pencilled in (we had to come up with a multi-year plan for the application to prove we could sustain interest), it would depend what the other folks on the committee thought best to … Continue reading

A Somewhat Unorthodox Bar Mitzvah Speech and a rather touching song

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on February 7, 2012

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Found this on Youtube while looking for some interesting Bar Mitzvah videos for my class. This young fellow is priceless!

And then there was Krusty’s

Anyway, here’s something else Jewish, its a lot less fun but really quite beautiful. In a way it is a small part of the Jewish story our young Bar Mitzvah should remember, regardless of what he believes about God. It’s Eli, Eli, (Walk to Caesarea) written by Hannah Szenes (executed in WWII), sung by Sophie Milman, my favourite Slinky Jazz Babe™

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Spell like an Egyptian…

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on February 5, 2012

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The Bird is apparently NOT the Word-ending.

Thanks to Helen Arrol and Facebook for the above. But not the below.

Or this.

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Debaptism: Put that in your font and dunk it!

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on February 4, 2012

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Saw this on Face book posted by Russell McCutcheon.

Absolutely BRILLIANT

And check out my old post on Debaptism. It blows.

http://drjimsthinkingshop.com/2009/07/debaptism-cmon-out-the-blowdryer-is-fine/

A snippet Yes, I’ve been touched by the

Ephemeral Appendage of the Blow Dryer of Reason.™®.

The new Blowhard 3000 Debaptizer. Blows your mind, rationally.

SOme more baptism funnies

And I just found this on Fractally Wrong:

Has your baptism caused problems in your life? Were you baptized against your will as an innocent child, only to find out years later that it necessarily gives you life-membership in an insane, brainwashing cult of zombie worshipers? Perhaps you’re just embarrassed about ΙΧΘΥΣ odor and itch. …

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Tebow gets sacked by a Jewish Football star!

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on February 3, 2012

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Thanks to Garry Kohn for this wild bit of sports news.

Well, at least Heebow can Pass Over!

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Rick (In)Sane Torum, a real Ladies Man.

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on February 3, 2012

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Hillarious spoof from Second City on nothing to laugh about:

Santorum’s god is a ^@!*#!*&! jerk. And so is Santorum.

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Research in Religious Studies Conference Call for Papers

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on January 16, 2012

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The Religious Studies Department, at the University of Lethbridge, will present the 10th Annual Research in Religious Studies Conference on May 5 – 6, 2012.

The conference provides undergraduate and graduate level students with the opportunity to present papers on the history, belief, practices, cultural contexts, and artistic or literary expressions of any religious tradition. Proposals for papers from any discipline within the academic fields of the humanities and social science are welcome.

The conference is open to students from any educational institute at any point in their educational career. Although we encourage PhD students to attend, we are particularly seeking papers by undergraduate and masters level students.

Papers will be selected on basis of abstracts submitted. Click here to submit your abstract. And if you need some help: How To Write An Abstract

The conference’s history has been one of great success in terms of the numbers and quality of papers presented and the obvious impact it has had on students. Our meeting provides all the benefits conferences provide for professors and more. It is a very positive pedagogical tool for those destined to continue their studies at a more advanced level. The conference provides students with a way to make good on all the constructive feedback from their professors and to see just what kind of level they can actually work at. The conference is modeled on professional conferences and is a venue for undergraduate and master’s students to meet and share the fruits of their research. The students certainly … Continue reading

Dr. Jim to Speak in Calgary

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on January 15, 2012

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Yup, I’m going to try this again.

I’m really pleased to be travelling up to Calgary at the end of the month to speak at a meeting of the Centre for Inquiry (part of the Evil Atheist Conspiracy). This was originally scheduled for late 2010, but my mom fell ill (she died a short time later) so I had to cancel.

Thanks to Nathan Phelps, director of CFI Calgary, I’m back in the loop.

Here’s the facebook blurb:

Calgary’s Centre for Inquiry is proud to present University of Lethbridge professor Jim Linville for a talk on the challenges of teaching religions as a non-believer.

The field of Religious Studies is constantly battling with questions of “insider” versus “outsider” knowledge of religious traditions, ideas, and societies. Many people—even on the “outside”– assume that Religious Studies scholars necessarily belong to the traditions they teach and research. Many others, however, assume that academic examination of the Bible or Judeo-Christian religious traditions are intended to challenge or even subvert the teachings and integrity of those faiths. As an atheist researcher and teacher of the Hebrew Bible (who also dabbles in introductions to Judaism and mythology) there are many roadblocks and pitfalls, especially if one is also an active advocate for secularization and humanism in the public sphere. In presenting these potential land mines Jim will also point to the riches in teaching in these fields.

3:30 p.m. Saturday January 28.

University of Calgary – MacEwan Student Center – Bianca Room, 2500 University Dr NW , … Continue reading

It’s a CARNIVAL, Jim, but not as we know it!

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on January 1, 2012

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Yes, it’s that time of the month again! (Oops, did I say something wrong?). Its the blogging carnival for the Bible Bloggers!

And what a month it was, what with all sorts of holidays! Of course, there was Hanukkah, Chanukah or whatever you call it. And also Christmas or the “unmentionable” holiday or whatever you call THAT, And New Years eve, or Hogmanay, or whatever the Scots call it! Now, Kwanzaa might come but once a year, but the Carnival is every darn month, as if there is always something more to say about the Bible, let’s do something different. Instead of talking about peace on Earth, good will to non-gendered persons, lets get down to brass tacks, shall wee?

“Take it from me, whenever you see a bunch of buggers puttering around talking about truth and beauty and the best way of attacking Ethics, you can bet your sandals it’s all because dozens of other poor buggers are doing all the real work around the place.” – (Terry Pratchett, Small Gods)

So this time around, lets give another cannon a shot, and recognize some other festivities too. And let’s not forget that DECEMBER 32 WAS HOGSWATCHNIGHT (or, for all you loyal Omnians out there, the Fast of St Ossory)

And for the uninitiated, what is Hogswatchnight? It is last night of the year on the Discworld, that rather silly (and very realistic, scientifically speaking, I’m being metaphorical) place in space riding through the cosmos on four giant … Continue reading

2012 Biblioblogging Carnival Update!

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on December 17, 2011

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Yes, its me, the illustrious Boss of the Carnivals who is very happy to report that I’ve had some volunteers to host 2012 Biblioblogging carnivals!

Here is the line up so far. Feel free to volunteer for the remaining months if you blog the Bible!

Jan. 1 Yours Truly

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February 1: Amanda MacInnis from Cheese Wearing Theology

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March 1: Duane Smith with his Abnormal Interests

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April 1: Jim West, the Zwingli Redivivus

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June 1: Phil Long at Reading Acts

And don’t forget to send me your favourite Bible Blog posts from December for inclusion in the Jan 1 Edition at happilyunchurched[at]gmail.com!

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A New Feature: Bold Brassy Blues Babes!

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on December 4, 2011

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Just surfed my way over to One Minion’s Opinion, and saw her post on lyrics in music and her link to the website of Blues duo Diana Braithwaite and Chris Whiteley. How the hell did I miss them before? ~~It’s now #1 on my Christmas list~~ Hell, I’m not waiting for Christmas…

Click here to go to Itunes Preview.

Photo from the site above.

There are three CDs for sale on the Electro-Fi site:

Absolutely great stuff! Heard a track from DeltaPhonic on CBC or CKUA the other day. My favourite new (old) Blues! The pair will be playing in Calgary sometime soon, but I missed the details.

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I’m the New Boss of the Internets-thingee! And the Biblioblogging Carnival!

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on December 2, 2011

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Starting Jan 1, I will be coordinating the Bibliobloggers Carnival, and kicking things off for the New Year with the best of the bible blogging blog posts for the last month of 2011.

I need volunteers to host the show for the rest of year! Well, sign up!

Email happilyunchurched@gmail.com and get yerself famous!

And don’t forget to check out the GIANT November Carnival at Remnants of Giants!

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Interracial couples not welcome in Kentucky Church. Welcome to the past.

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on December 1, 2011

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What freaking century is this?

Hat tip to Russell McCutcheon for noting this on Facebook:

Gulnare Freewill Baptist Church in Pike County, Kentucky has decided that in the interests of church “unity” that interracial couples are not welcome in most of its activities or as members. The Rawstory.com article says:

“Last Sunday, church members voted 9-6 in favor of [former pastor Melvin] Thompson’s proposed ban. Others attending the church business meeting declined to take a stand on the issue.”

“Parties of such marriages will not be received as members, nor will they be used in worship services and other church functions, with the exception being funerals.”

Stella Harville and Ticha Chikuni, photo from link above.

It all started when a nice white girl brought her black fiance to sing at the church while she played piano. How scandalous!

The ban on interracial couples attending church functions does not apply to funerals, though. No word yet if this actually applies to funerals for victims of lynchings.

Melvin Thompson and Gulnare Freewill Baptist Church, you are the JERKS OF THE DAY. Well done.

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Society of Biblical Literature’s Damnably (un?)Holy Alliance with Belief

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on November 30, 2011

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The aftermath of the SBL’s recent national meeting in San Francisco is getting interesting, and so I might as well have my rant, too.

I’ve added a correction and some (happiness engendering) updates based on an email from John Kutzko, executive director of the SBL, highlighting them in red. I do apologize for the error.

Jacques Berlinerblau went public with his (justified) complaints about the Society of Biblical Literature’s unhealthy (and too “damn” “holy”) dalliances with the Society for Pentecostal Studies and other evangelical bible-believing groups at the recent SBL national meeting in San Francisco. His new opinion piece is in the Chronicle for Higher Education.

Summarizing the content of his own presentation that called on the SBL administration to finally decide on whether the society should be an academic organization dedicated to free scholarly inquiry, Berlinerblau writes of his experiences at a session hosted by the Society for Pentecostal Studies (a “Program Affiliate”, i.e., not the SBL, but its sessions still get in the SBL program book).

That these Pentecostal scholars appeared like extraordinarily nice people—the types of folks that emerge from the darkness to help you fix a flat tire—shouldn’t obscure the complex questions that their affiliation with the SBL raises.

To what degree is this type of scholarship comparable with what the rest of the academy understands to be scholarship? If it is taken as a given that God exists, that the Bible is His word and His Truth, and that one’s job is to … Continue reading

What the ‘El is Ugarit doing in the Newspaper?

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on November 28, 2011

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The Public Professor column that Dan Johnson and I started a few years ago is still running in the Lethbridge Herald. Here is my latest piece from 2 weeks ago, in anticipation of Prof. Pierre Bordreuil’s talk on Ugarit at the university. We got a lot of people show up for talk, and it is good for academics to boil down their work for the larger population.

The paper doesn’t give us space for images, though. I pinched the ones here off various websites.

Destroyed and abandoned in a war after some 4000 years of occupation, Ugarit in northern Syria (a few km. north of Latakia) was abandoned around 1190 B.C.E.. The so-called “Sea Peoples” were moving into what are now Syria, Lebanon, Israel, the Palestinian Territories, and Egypt. This was a factor in the “Bronze Age Collapse” in which many urban civilizations in the Eastern Mediterranean failed because of environmental, economic and political catastrophes.

Many clay tablets were discovered at Ugarit and these caused a major stir among archaeologists and biblical scholars. Previously, little was known about the “Canaanite” god Baal, except that the Bible bans his worship. With the Ugaritic discoveries, one could read what believers, and not just detractors, thought of this god and the rest of the Canaanite pantheon.

Head of the pantheon was El, whose name simply means ‘god” and was imagined as powerful bull. The myths portray him enjoying a quiet retirement while still making some executive decisions and, in one text, getting … Continue reading

Cat on a haughty Jim’s (Car) roof?

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on November 25, 2011

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Apparently, Jim West is now raving about a cat that allegedly sits on his car. Dr. West doesn’t like it and is threatening Hellfire and Brimstone. Don’t believe his lies. Here is a photo of his car, taken just the other day:

“Runs great. Purrs like a kitten” he says.

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