It may be beating a dead horse, but what will receive more views?

The world still very much hinges on religion and religious claims and until the tables have turned and theism has become the minority position in the world, the bats will just have to keep getting refreshed over and over again. Are we to discuss books that promote atheism and freethought or not? If so then we'll be discussing religious issues on a regular basis one way or another. But whatever, this goes according to popular vote so mine has been cast and we'll just have to see what the majority of people feel like discussing.

Robert Tulip wrote:1. The Bible Unearthed by Israel Finkelstein
Discussed here: http://www.booktalk.org/the-bible-unearthed-t10904.html

2. Christ in Egypt: The Horus-Jesus Connection by DM Murdock
Booktalk member Tat Tvam Asi has said that Ms Murdock would be willing to participate in discussion. This book presents a very interesting study of the relation between religion and mythology.

I will second that vote. That would be one I would join.....especially number 2. Good suggestion Robert!

Well said, Tat. Although your post seems altruistic, this subject seems your life's interest. Your last sentence is all that was needed. Everything prior to it was an emotional call to arms in order to gain interest in your life's pursuit. I choose to acknowledge this website's broader contribution to humanity: enlightening people with what humanity has learned and not just what it's failed to grasp.

I wonder how many people over the long term will stand the same subject matter before getting bored and finally neglect the website all together. What you'll have is nothing but members exactly like yourself. I know I don't enjoy talking into a mirror.

By introducing this subject matter sparingly you'll net more intelligent fish that have never thought about exploring this subject. Instead you're systematically boring me and possibly others while unintentionally turning off would be new members.

This is my view and it isn't shared by everyone. This is just my own personal view. If we discussed books about cats, I'd have the same problem. It's one theological discussion after another. Maybe this gets some people excited but there are other solvable problems out there. I wonder what would happen if, in congress, this topic had to be settled. Wow. Nothing productive would get done for a very long time.

I'm sure you're bored and that's fine. But obviously quite a few people carry on discussions aimed at religious debate. And obviously being born into fundamentalism set me off in the direction of learning it's darker secrets and then waging full on war against it. So of course it would strike you as my life's ambition or whatever, I've said as much several times. But I didn't even post the request, Robert did. I've just cast a vote. Others may follow. In the end we'll either be discussing CiE or something else. It's pretty cut and dry.

If you'd like to bicker with me then just start a new thread ased on just that and we can go round for round as long as you'd like. But at this point you're just trolling up the thread with aside nonsense so let's move it elsewhere and let people cast votes or suggest new material.

1. Christ in Egypt: The Horus-Jesus Connection by DM Murdock
Booktalk member Tat Tvam Asi has said that Ms Murdock would be willing to participate in discussion. This book presents a very interesting study of the relation between religion and mythology.

I'd like to see a vigorous discussion on this topic defended by DM Murdock and look forward to the lively exchange.

trolling up the thread... this sentence seems to me to be written by someone as against a person with different views as most die hard christians are. Silencing someone is to destroy argument and to hide from the search of truth. Trolling... Giving my opinion about what the next book discussion should be isn't trolling. If I'm going to be goaded into a debate about this I'll make it short and not be your Stahrwe because obviously that's what gets your jollies off.

I've made my point clear. I'm no troll and have respectfully suggested different subject matter than previous non-fiction discussions. It's my contention that Tat is solely concerned with this subject matter and sees that any attack on it is an attack on himself. It's my belief that continuously voting for this material will immerse this community with individuals like Tat who will be prejudice against anyone without his views. Someone like myself, who does not believe in god, has been called a troll for suggesting an alternate subject matter than religion.

Troll, bicker, nonsense.... These words really incense me when it wasn't my intention. A logical person would either prove it to me rather than try to gibe me.

Robert Tulip is talented, a fixture of BT, and so multi-faceted that near anything discussed could find a contribution to BT made by him. You on the other hand seem a one chord band. I've yet to see much from you except those topics which regard religion and mysticism.

OK... lol maybe I took that a little too far... but still. F-U for calling me a troll. lol

You trolled this thread by going into lengthy attacks against me in particular. You went beyond any innocent suggestion and decided t go after me personally, because you obviously have a problem with me in particular - not just religious discussion in general - and this has continued right to your last posts. F me? Really? You may have not realized you were trolling around for a fight but that's precisely what you're doing and you haven't shown any signs of letting it go. Quite the opposite. You're trying to intensify conflict as you go along. I didn't come here hostile towards you and all I've done so far is respond to your addressing me.

If Chris wants the religious discussions cut off, or for me to leave, he need only say so. I can take it or leave it. But the last few PM's I've received were addressed to the very opposite. This topic needs action and attention as I've been told and I'm simply keeping it going along with or without the troll of all trolls around here any more. But, with that troll gone and an atheist troll in his place, namely you, perhaps the action can continue. People will tune in to watch the back and forth. But is this voting and book suggesting really the time and place?

Start your own thread on your own book picks then Camacho. Your book picks offer politics and current events? Please, I get that 24/7 on multiple various channels on my cable TV ad infinitum. Thanks but no thanks I'll pass on political junkie topics and news. I'm gratefull that Ms Murdock has volunteered to participate if her book is choosen. By your response to Tat you don't seem to care to be convinced either way on the mythicist position. Care to explain why? Let's move this discussion to a new thread and keep this thread for voting. Show a little bit more couth and let this timely discussion on mythicism continue now that we have the troll of all trolls gone I feel like we can get some great information across to those that might be interested. Troll free topics like this will be a welcome. Perhaps you'll be interested if you don't have to read 50 pages of stall tactics by starhwe in every discussion he butts into.

Aw geez. Now you've lost all respect from me. This is really what you want. I've mentioned it in my previous post.

I think shunning Stahrwe was cheap and a big mistake. It's robbed this website of value that's unknown to you and it's hurt the search for truth. If you can't see that then it's because you have blinders on and not to those of religion but to those of the human condition and your fellow man. You've turned a man out. You understand you can no longer reach that man, nor change his mind, nor have his and your thoughts mingle?

I don't care that you feel a human being who is responsible for a website legitimizes your claims and beliefs. One man. To profess that a person who feels differently from you is a troll is as bad and narrow minded as any born again christian's thought about atheists. Although it doesn't match the same degree, it fits the same mold.

You really need to step back and think about this.