We had lunch yesterday with a leading member of one of the largest apologetics ministries in the world. While I had the chance, I asked him how many requests they've had to deal with John Loftus' works.
They've had as many as I've had -- ZERO.
The hilarity of this is that for the longest time on TheologyWeb, John was boasting about how we'd better be sure and refute his book, because we'd be getting a lot of questions about it.
We didn't. Not one.
This apparently hit John in the ego pretty hard, because despite his profession that I could now be "safely ignored" he just HAD to respond to the above on TWeb:
BTW: That's a good thing. My books just might be sleepers and change many minds before a leading apologist decides to deal with them. You are clueless about the impact they can have to my target audience: Christian university students.
Um, no, John. Both myself and this other ministry hear from plenty of "Christian university students" -- and not one has asked us to refute you. NONE. Though several I hear from do consider you to be a really bad joke -- especially after that heroic showing you put in against D'Souza and Wood, where you sounded nearly as you characterized that guy as being with a disability, which you made fun of some months back. (Remember, the story on that is at http://www.theologyweb.com/campus/showthread.php?t=132208.)
The reality is that for anyone who knows apologetics well, and who knows atheist arguments, John has had nothing new or special to offer since he first popped into TWeb and made a fool of himself. He seems to think his latest volume does better, and has managed to convince a credible Christian or two to say so, but having already seen the names of the contributors and what they write about, I know better -- and so does everyone on TWeb who has seen John's postings. You can be sure he wishes he could erase that sad chapter in his career, but it's going to come back to haunt him again and again.
We'll make sure of that.
I wrote a full refutation of John's last book, by the way, and have had all of (cough) ONE person ask for it by a special order -- and they asked for a lot of other stuff I had, too.
Will I write a refutation of this one too?
Chances are....I (and some friends) already have -- because John has never had anything to say that hasn't already seen the light of day.
Monday, March 29, 2010
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To answer your question, apparently you do.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, you seem just as concerned as any other writer that people care about what you have to say.
Are you playing some sort of game with John, along the lines of "he who dies with the most fans wins?"
Or are you just upset that you don't receive mention in John's books, and he hasn't taken time to compose a full length book in response to your life, testimony & views?
I'm curious, what percentage of CHRISTIAN tweb members have you converted to your particular viewpoints on a host of issues, or do you still contend with people who differ with you on age of earth questions, inerrancy, preterism, and on items that you list as "myths of Christianity?" I also wonder how many "book reviews" it will take before you've convinced fellow Christian authors of their errors and inadequacies?
And is young-earth creationism still your "default" position? I guess the Bible speaks so clearly right from the first chapter that young-earth creationism is merely optional, but you choose it as your default belief. Nice. Have you read Godawa's research paper on the BIOLOGOS website? http://www.biologos.org/projects/scholar-essays
And what do you think of Boyd's new book, ACROSS THE SPECTRUM: Understanding Issues in Evangelical Theology. He seems to raise more questions in that book than most of his more conservative fans can handle. The number of one-star reviews he's rec'd from fellow Evangelicals almost equals the number of five-star reviews.
>>>To answer your question, apparently you do.
ReplyDeleteNo, Edski, I don't. What I give is not even half a hoot.
<<>>Are you playing some sort of game with John, along the lines of "he who dies with the most fans wins?"
Why do you ask? Do you have none of your own and need to borrow some?
>>>Or are you just upset that you don't receive mention in John's books, and he hasn't taken time to compose a full length book in response to your life, testimony & views?
Nah. Seeing John implode has been far better than any of that. But why would I want to be named in his book when much bigger names have named me in theirs -- assuming I cared about that anyway, beyond its utilitarian function of bringing the truth to more people?
>>>I'm curious, what percentage of CHRISTIAN tweb members have you converted to your particular viewpoints on a host of issues,
Of course you are. Trivia occupies your insignificant mind 24 hours a day, Edski, especially trivia that enables you to pursue the "majority is right" fallacy.
>>>or do you still contend with people who differ with you on age of earth questions, inerrancy, preterism, and on items that you list as "myths of Christianity?"
I've never argued "age of earth" with any Christian, you insensate gorilla. Nor inerrancy. For preterism alone have a "contended" with anyone, and it is not on my docket to return to for at least 2 years.
>>>I also wonder how many "book reviews" it will take before you've convinced fellow Christian authors of their errors and inadequacies?
Like you care about that? Doesn't seem to stop you spewing your nonsense on the web, does it? :D
>>>And is young-earth creationism still your "default" position? I guess the Bible speaks so clearly right from the first chapter that young-earth creationism is merely optional,
I guess you're still a stultified, ignorant, intolerant Bob Jones fundamentalist at heart, Edski. Cool. Figure the answer to the question out yourself, but here's a clue: Who's still writing articles for CMI even today?
>>>Have you read Godawa's research paper on the BIOLOGOS website?
Better question: Do I give a flying horse's undershirt about it?
>>>And what do you think of Boyd's new book, ACROSS THE SPECTRUM: Understanding Issues in Evangelical Theology.
Never heard of it. Looks like s survey book, though, which means it isn't intended to prove anything, just offer information, like a reference manual. Of course as uncritical as you are, you have always thought that the mere existence of diverse points of view is some sort of problem. That's mainly because you're not equipped with the mental horsepower to discern between their validity.
>>> He seems to raise more questions in that book than most of his more conservative fans can handle.
By "conservative" you mean the sort of Christian you used to be -- ignorant and without discernment? The one star reviews on Amazon sure sound like you would have then, yapping about how dangerous it is to present POVs without bias, for example.
Edski, get with it: You're a dinosaur. Go back to Jurassic Park and leave the mature and intelligent people here alone.
Oh the irony!
ReplyDeleteA post suggesting no one really "gives a hoot" about John, his ideas and his books on a site dedicated completely to debunking him!
J.p., "Why do you ask? Do you have none of your own and need to borrow some?" is akin to "I know you are but what am I".
Serious indeed!
There's only "irony" for those too dumb to get the point.
ReplyDeleteAs for the reply, it's what was warranted in light of the original question.