possibly one of the most glaring failures of the inspired books is made evident in the promise of the reward of true and unwavering faith... if the promise of the script is true- there are likely no expressions of sincerity greater than that of a mother's heart pleading for the life of a child. in how many instances have the most pure of all humanity been slaughtered ( not died of natural processes or illness or accident , but the active murder brought upon by evil men) despite the most humble pleadings of a human mother for her own helpless and pure progeny.
The idea at the end of the video on how to spend the day, that we can make something better than this dusty rotten book can, I just love that. Very hopeful despite all the horrors in this world I believe in the better nature of human beings.
I think you need to investigate Agenda 2030 and how globalists are preparing the world for the kingdom of Antichrist. If the story of Jesus is fake, you have to wonder why billionaires are so terrified by His name.
One thing that mystifies me concerning the gospels is - why would God have arranged to have four versions, and not just one coherent gospel story? This in itself is good reason to question its authorship. From my personal experience as a (now retired) engineer, had I produced four separate user manuals for a piece of equipment I developed, and they were not consistent with each other, that would certainly have hurt my credibility at work. How much more do I expect of an omniscient creator/savior.
Bingo !! That holey (pun intended) book is NOT a user manual. Hopefully people are using their time not wasted on that nonsense are engineering a better world in their own special way, so that we are all better off (and NOT doing things like allowing the stupid people to cause wars)
Exactly. As an engineer with two patents could you imagine if I had turned in four separate and conflicting patent applications? I've never heard anyone use your engineering analogy but it is really spot on! Happy holidays to you and your family ✌ 🍻
Actually the complete opposite is true. If there was only one version it would be less supported, and more doubts would arise about it. Given none of the gospels are contradictory, this adds to the evidence.
@@lovegod8582 But they do contradict each other. This has been well established by many biblical scholars. But you don't need to be a biblical scholar to see there are contradictions because the texts are there for anyone to read. You do need to be an honest person to acknowledge the contradictions. Christians are not honest people though so if you are a Christian you won't acknowledge the fact that the entire Bible is full of contradictions and historical errors. The contradictions start in Genesis with two contradictory creation myths and the contradictions continue into the new testament.
Really? The human Brian may seem simular amongst all of us ,but it can vary widely. Instead of thinking of it as someone writing 4 different books, think of it as 4 different people listening to the same thing.. Now, if you put 4 different people in the same lecture hall listening to some subject. Afterwards, if you ask each what they liked most or thought was tbe most valuable points in the lectures given, what are the odds all 4 people will recite tbe same things? Each will recite points they personally found of interest, or points that made an impact with them. A few would likely share points, but it is all but guaranteed that there would be variation between what one said and the others. Also, different people see the same things differently. Our experiences along with our worldviews create a contextual lense through which we view tbe world. You cpuld have 4 people describe the same point in a lecture differently based on how they interpreted it. This would be like viewing a picture through different filters only allowing certain ranges of visible light through. Say one being reds, another blues, another greens, and another intensity. Each shows different aspects you may have missed otherwise, but add the images they create together and you get the full picture.
Nearly 50 years of being taught and then teaching my kids the birth story of Jesus... and never once 'connected' it to the murder of those babies. The lovely Christmasy 'peace on earth' parts have been so carefully compartmentalized away from the ugly, and I never even saw it happening. I just can't believe how blind I've been. Thanks once again.
You are so right Brandon. It is so pathetic that a deity would choose slaughter as a means to fulfill prophecy. Same as having his son, which is also him, murdered to forgive people when he could have just forgiven them from the beginning. Also Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas.!! Good point being made. Funny, when Jesus (not his real name) had a cripple dropped in from the ceiling and forgave him, then cured his legs.. Jesus (not his real name) didn't say...this forgiveness doesn't kick in until I have died and "risen from the grave". No ! He was forgiven right then and there.... so, all that bloody whipping and hanging on a cross wasn't necessary it seems. Funny how the whole story makes no sense.
No, you don't understand, God can't just forgive people of their sins. That's not within the power of an omnipotent being to do (or maybe the omnibenevolent being just didn't want to). So he had to have a blood ritual (remember how all throughout the OT God repeatedly says he loves the smell of blood). So in order to make his human sacrifice perfect he made sure to forgive Mary's sins (hol up) so Jesus wouldn't be already full of sin by being born, like all those infants who died before they were old enough to be thankful for Jesus's sacrifice so they are eternally burning in Hell. It's all rational and loving.
Well, it never happened, but to clarify, it wasn't god choosing to fulfill prophecy, it was whoever wrote Matthew. Most likely a Jewish convert who was DESPERATE to convince Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. When you read the references that the author of Matthew uses to claim a fulfillment, it turns out to be taken out of context is not, in fact, a messianic prophecy. Also, it was a trope throughout the ancient near-East to have a heroic figure's life endangered at birth. Pick a heroic myth from any of the cultures - from the Sumerians on down - and they all were in peril at birth. Super trope to the rescue! It was just another device to make Jesus out to be divine.
@emro164well he still was NEVER MENTIONED not ONCE in alllllll Roman records….and they were famous for record keeping. There were actually MANY MANY men roaming like “Jesus” …..there’s ZERO ZILCH AS IN NIOT ANY evidence that he EVER existed.
@@gusgrizzel8397 i told my family and church about how i really looked forward to the exciting parts like this story or any of the god rampages across humanity and was met with some strange looks that were not at all congratulatory. I found that strange because i thought everything god does is good.
@@GameTimeWhyFor myself, God does nothing good. I've investigated and gone to over 6 denominations to find God. Nothing. I've had so much misfortune, even my friends can't believe it. If there's a god, he's a sadist.
@@GameTimeWhy Yes, it's easier to believe in no "loving god", than one who ignores our begging and pleas for help. I never hear any religious people try to resolve this. How would anyone "go to heaven" and spend eternity wondering why this God never said a thing to them, never helped them, nothing...
Happy Holidays to you and your family🌲❄️ And thank you for using your skills to help people to see the psychological traps, and reclaim their minds from Christianity.
@@MindShift-Brandon Are you ok, Brandon? You didn't post your normal Thursday secular bible study video, which is ok with me. I'm just worried about your well-being. Are you sick, or just too busy? Either way, it's fine and I understand.
9:47 Holy Sh!t ! I just realised that God allowed for those kids to be born just so that they could all just die for a supposed prophecy he wanted to fill. Why didn't the angel warn the Magi before they went to king Herod? Also if they were following a star, why didn't they just follow the freaking star? Did the freaking star stop over Herod's castle or something? Things are not adding up here.
You must really hate abortion! I’m glad to hear that. But it is bizarre that people would use this story, given that God isn’t the one who killed the babies!! God saw what was to take place. If God was to stop all evil, that would include the evil in you and me. It would include your ability to even call God evil. I don’t see how atheists don’t grasp this. We’d become puppets. I don’t think people have thought this through!
Christmas: a holiday that is named after a mere man that has absolutely nothing to do with who he was a person. Wasn't born in December, it wasn't snowing when he apparently was born, no one was shopping on Amazon or at IKEA for last minute gifts, and I know he would be absolutely appalled at the consumerism, sexism, and racism that takes place in his name. I am so happy to be an atheist now. I will spend Christmas with my boyfriend eating Italian food, drinking 🍸, and watching reruns of our favorite 80's tv shows (Knight Rider, The Incredible Hulk, The Facts of Life, Scarecrow and Mrs. King). Happy Holidays everyone!!!
Your first statement is correct. Jesus was probably born on 9/11. There is a reason why globalists are so obsessed with this date. Your second statement is very disappointing. What sexism and racism are you talking about?
How does merely pointing out that Jesus wasn’t born in December have anything to do with the validity the Gospel accounts of the birth of Jesus when the Gospels don’t place the birth of Jesus as having taken place in December either?
For the lighter side of the holiday, I recommend the book, "The Physics of Christmas." From the physics of Christmas cooking to space warping sleigh travel. A Good read.
As a Catholic, I have always had so many questions and was always sceptical of many teachings and parables. I was excited to find your channel as I thot I was alone and probably a rebel who was going to hell cos I was questioning everything. Happy to know I’m not alone and learning so much from your channel! Wishing you a merry Christmas and a fantastic new year 🎉
Anyone else who recently left religion still have the baggage around holidays like easter and Christmas? - I get the urge to go to church and do certain things/routines....getting away from it is hard when your entire family and circle are still stuck in the religion. This year finally wrapping my head around that I can do anything I want and I don't "have to do certain things."
I understand. I enjoy writing secular lyrics to carols. I find that has helped me. I’m also finding that just accepting the Jesus birth narrative as a founding myth permits me to go with the flow. The birth and resurrection narratives are not the property of Christian fundamentalist or Catholic fundamentalist or anyone else. Those ancient myths are part of my living heritage too…for better or worse. The historicity of the claims are clearly supported with insufficient evidence but the truth need not be tethered to facts and the truth remains that the myths have made a significant influence on world civilization including some beautiful melodies.
Brandon your Mindshift videos are highly effective, thus this is the reasons, efforts are being made to restricts your videos, please don't stop producing and sharing your videos !!! Thank you Brandon!!!
Thank you, Brandon - and a wonderful holiday to you and your family! You’ve put your finger on what’s always troubled me about this account - the deaths of the young boy babies. How were people who were largely illiterate and unread supposed to know from a prophecy in Jeremiah (they may or may not heard it read in their synagogues) that their children could be subject to death? It’s always bothered me that Joseph could be warned to get Jesus away but not the parents of the other children. There is a recurring theme in Scripture: Abraham prepared to sacrifice Issac, the deaths of the Egyptian firstborn in connection with the Passover, Moses’ sons being threatened with death until their foreskins are removed, the children killed by bears for teasing the prophet Elisha, the presumed sacrifice of Jepthah’s daughter. For all the preaching against the horrid sacrifice of children to Moloch by the Canaanites, it would seem there were several occasions where the God of the Bible had no issue with the deaths of young ones. And it there’s no rhyme or reason - the Israelites were commanded on occasion to slaughter everything that moved - yet God tells the prophet Jonah that he should not be angry about sparing the inhabitants of Nineveh (well, they did repent) “Should I not also have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 people, who do not know the difference between their right hand and their left, as well as many animals?” So compassion is dependent upon repentance - but people are constantly commanded to forgive, forgive even those who don’t regret hurt they’ve caused - humans are not to demand repentance for hurts caused, but only God Interesting
Brandon, I love your intro. It is the truest statement that could ever be made. Even if we have different views, respect his key, and our humanistic view has to be from love and caring for each other.
Merry Christmas. Maybe take some time to sit with friends, have some wine, serve it along with some broken off pieces of baguette and humus and share remembrances of all those who sacrificed time, money and especially their lives to make the world a better place. Maybe that is the true meaning of the Christmas story.
OMG! I just did an investigation into the truth of the King Herod part of Jesus's birth story a week ago. Between you putting this information out to reinforce what I learned and Seth Andrews doing a video about his version of what happened in the Christmas story, I am ready to take on the true meaning of the reason for the season. I believe that it is to remind people you love them, share good food, and hopefully feel the joy of giving someone a gift that they will enjoy.
Brandon, your delivery is impeccable, the content is solid, and your word phrases are so very spot on! I SO appreciate the creative thought you put into defining and understanding (from a different mindset) the obvious dereliction of this horrible religion. I too came out of this insanity (about 14 years ago) after spending 30 plus years in it. My only regret, I wish I had come OUT sooner. I truly NOW have 'peace that passes understanding'! Keep going!! NO apologies for this junk...it IS harming people!
omg I just read this story again and had some of same thoughts, Jesus was basically baptized in blood! It made me sick to my stomach, I cant belive I thought this was a nice story at one point. but yeah, another greate video! keep up the awesome work, and take some time of soon, we want you healthy and going not burnt out.
This is the only channel i trust to make me think critically of religion. My family are all devout christian culstists so it never does any good to ask them for advice. I'm not trying to say i hate people or their chosen belief system but every year around christmas relisgious tempers seem to flare in my family household especially after I've decided to leave the faith forever and i hate that I'm witnessing how the faith can drive a wadge between family members and tare us apart first hand.
Well, then you are missing out on quite a few channels, some bring on expert historians, geologists and even psychologists that can help you deal with the religious ones you have to deal with, and much more that all refute christianity in great detail, expose the religious Apologist liars and cons, the logical fallacies and terrible reasoning behind their argumentation... and all just as trust worthy, if not even more, and many who have done it for decades already... Not saying this is a bad channel, because it isn't, only that there's a lot more out there taking on the topic from all kinds of angles, and since reasoning and sound epistemology are a major factor in almost every related channel, you are showing poor reasoning to trust only one channel, even without stating what's behind your position! As to hate: It's not at all wrong to hate an ideology like any or all religions, in the understanding not all who believe it are bad people worth hating! I hate everything religion does to human minds, I don't hate humans for having minds that are all vulnerable to false beliefs. I do not attack people for being religious, but I will attack their arguments when they try to convince me of anything unsubstantiated, nonsensical, of pure emotion but without good reasoning... and reserve the right to hate anyone who is using religion against others and for personal gain, just like one can hate anyone using and abusing others, and hate is a very important emotion with quite a bit of function too, and isn't a bad thing if justifiable.
@@thegametroll6264 So, does this mean you will check out other channels? If so try: Mythvision, The Thinking Atheist (Seth Andrews), The Friendly Atheist (Hemant Mehta), Godless Engineer, Anything of or featuring Matt Dillehunty (graphic language warning) like Multiple shows by the ACA, and The Line where I found this channel as Brandon was a co-host once... Many know each other and also collaborate, but there are just way too many to list.
@@thegametroll6264 Good, there's some great content out there. In TH-cam History, Atheists were some of the very first to start uploading Videos. Not sure if it was a response to christians also being some of the first, but I think a lot of people realized that they were not alone as atheists in this world, and the number of atheist content creators grew pretty fast, as well as the quality of their videos. Most were quite tame, kind of like we exist too, would you like to hear what we have to say", and the backlash from religious channels was so hard and nasty, but also so week, that the number only increased faster and they took the religious to task harder, and because of the backlash, atheists also got plenty of ammo (evidence) to show their moral inferiority, bigotry and inability to reason rationally. Typical religious behavior: When an atheist said they are a little irrational and a few of them behave poorly, the religious made sure to show that they were a whole lot worse than just that as a defense! Talk about handing wins to the visiting team!
my favourite chrismas stable figurine joke... the wise man say goodbye... it's getting late, we're heading to the inn... says joseph... don't bother, we tried there, it's full... oh, but we're wise men, we made reservations well in advance... oh nice, can we share a room, says maria... oh, no, that's a bit much, maybe you should ask that Samaritan over there? and then on the way to the inn, well out of sight... damn, with a baby, we wouldn't get any sleep... for the rest the part of christmas I like seems to be something they claimed from the pagans, the christmas tree, the gift bringing elf-exploiting geezer in lapland who brings gifts, the obsession with good food, making lots of light to drive the darkness away, the symbolic celebration of the return of the longer days, spring is coming... whoopie... so it's a celebration of the turning of the season, a point where you take the inventory of your winter supplies, you now know you have enough or not to make it until next year, and if you find out you have enough, you celebrate, and you share this with people who might have been a bit short, it's a time when you realise, we made it, we conquered winter once more, it's good to be alive... and all this altruism seems nice, but why should you hold on to a bunch of pickled food and dried meatstuffs that you have plenty off and you already know there'll be enough until there'll be fresh food again in abundance.
@@QuestionThingsUseLogic thanks, I had a look and it's indeed something he would have done. I liked the one where Adam is perfectly ok with the life in paradise, but Eve then serves him apple pie...
Oh wow, I'd never thought of it quite like that. I was aware of the questionable historicity of the baby massacre, but I hadn't really thought about the wider implications of it. Some real food for thought. :/
I am in the same boat. I knew the story from childhood and knew it was bad/ however I didn't think much about the massacre. I am not sure why . Good job again Brandon..
You must really hate abortion! I’m glad to hear that. But it is bizarre that people would use this story, given that God isn’t the one who killed the babies!! God saw what was to take place. If God was to stop all evil, that would include the evil in you and me. It would include your ability to even call God evil. I don’t see how atheists don’t grasp this. We’d become puppets. I don’t think people have thought this through!
Hi Brandon! It seems the killing of young males is a recurring theme in the Bible. Pharaoh killing young males when Moses was born, God killing first born sons as part of his curse on Egypt, Herod killing young males when Jesus was born. I wonder if I'm missing some more examples. That said, the story of Jesus' birth is a very good fictional story, if you don't look too closely. It has a young family, danger from authorities, angels and wise men, and a sign in the sky. Thanks for this lesson and have a Blessed Yule!
The first born male was recognized at the key child to carry on the family legacy. In a world, not so full of people as now, the death of the first male meant not as many children (from as many women a man could "have") would carry on one's blood line. Look at David and how many women he had in his castle.
You must really hate abortion! I’m glad to hear that. But it is bizarre that people would use this story, given that God isn’t the one who killed the babies!! God saw what was to take place. If God was to stop all evil, that would include the evil in you and me. It would include your ability to even call God evil. I don’t see how atheists don’t grasp this. We’d become puppets. I don’t think people have thought this through!
"plot devices." That's it. Babies, children, they are so expendable in the bible, just extras, and so many Christians gloss this over, try to minimize it while going on and on about abortion, we must look out for the children, (oh yeah, those nameless children who are really just possessions to many adults)...one child or ten thousand - no justification to use them to drive home a point. Anyway, you hit my softest spot! Happy holidays to all, thanks, Brandon.
I feel the same about Christmas! It's about the people and time together for me. I hope you have a lovely time with family and friends, thanks for another insightful video 💙
Your ability to see the irrational interpretation of these stories and dissect them to expose the intentional ignored truths is impressive and brings a smile as I realize how deceptive this good book really is. Also the seminary has to know it is deceiving the followers since they have thoroughly read every word over and over again and know of all the contradictions and historical errors. Wonderful lesson as always.........
Actually indoctrination works and cognitive dissonance can be overcome…some who go to seminary may come to be total hypocrites deceiving their flocks, but many just become “stronger” in the “true faith unto life everlasting”. Indoctrination works.
@@cipherklosenuf9242 What true faith? So many are indoctrinated by the clergy and most never read or study other sources to verify what is true. Reading the old testament should be enough to know this is crazy and cannot be true or good.
Great video. Watching it after Christmas so I could have enjoyed my time with family and friends. But gang, I don’t think I can find freedom for myself. This “break period” where I got to do said bonding with family ended with a Sunday Eve service with music I had put together at grandma’s request. Through the evening, we sang songs and got a message from our grandparents about how much they love us. And how much they want for everyone to firstly prioritize the Lord their god and then find someone to marry. That they have to make good choices, go out into the world and share God’s good news, to never stray from their faith and not become like those who “don’t know Jesus.” “The world is getting worse and worse…and things will be tougher for you. We don’t want to fall away, and we’re blessed to have a family that consistently follows Jesus.” My family is hooked, line and sinker. One of my brothers believes it’s possible to be reasonable and blind in faith. My mother would rather foolishly believe in god and worship him than come to find out he’s not. One brother says “even though I don’t have all the answers and assurances, I know God is there for me. I just know.” Part of me feels like nothing could hurt if I just played the part and continued this closeted unbelief. But I want to leave, I want to start my own life apart from indoctrination and societal pressure. I can’t get out, or I at least can’t believe I will. It’s that bad behind all the good. What am I to do?
Time. Time is most likely the answer. Either you will find, that just going along for the sake of peace works or it doesnt. I tried for a good long while, but ultimately felt I wasnt living truthfully. Not saying thats the right answer, but again I am sure time will tell.
Nicolaus of Damascus (late 1st century BCE to early 1st century CE) Court historian of King Herod the Great and would have been an eyewitness to the wise men and would have known about Herod’s order to kill infant boys (Matt 2:16). Yet nothing of his is mentioned by Christians who had access to his works.
michael etc: Another one to add to my list (Seneca, Philo). And what did Nicolaus have to say about the dead people walking the streets at the time of the alleged resurrection? EDIT: I've just checked his dates and realise that he was not likely to have mentioned the walking dead or "Jesus". Still an interesting reference, however.
@@Nai61a I think the skeptical claim here is that he should have at least mentioned something that Christians could have used (meaning like early church fathers) and nobody did, nobody found anything he said supporting their view about history of the time. So not a proof per se, but it's suspect when someone has a position and reason to record something and doesn't.
Brandon I want to sincerely thank you for all you do. You give so much fantastic information you reference your sources you give insights and you do so in a very kind and generous manner. Your channel gave me support during a time I really needed it and I am sincerely grateful.
"Hey God, what's the meaning of my life?" "To be murdered while you are less than 2 years old to fulfill prophecy." Imagine commissioning a cake though showing soldiers committing the slaughter of babies as a Christmas dessert.
Hey God: "What's a million years to you?" God said "A minute." So the man said to God: "What's a million dollars to you?" God said "A penny." So the man said to God: "God, would you give me a penny?" God said: "Yeah sure, just wait a minute."
You must really hate abortion! I’m glad to hear that. But it is bizarre that people would use this story, given that God isn’t the one who killed the babies!! God saw what was to take place. If God was to stop all evil, that would include the evil in you and me. It would include your ability to even call God evil. I don’t see how atheists don’t grasp this. We’d become puppets. I don’t think people have thought this through!
Ever since leaving the faith, the barbaric nature of so many of the stories has left me speechless. That's part of why I appreciate your secular bible study, the believer blinders people have while reading the Bible makes stories almost unrecognizable.
I’m late to this video but I LOVE that you say Merry Christmas!! The stigma out there is that there is a “persecution” against Christians and their right to say merry Christmas. Of course there isn’t. Just political talking points for the extreme right. So I love that you as an atheist dispel this nonsense because NO one is out to “persecute and get the christians” not in America anyways.
I got the notification no problem. I very much appreciate all your content. I find it to be the most informative and to the point atheist channels on you tube. I've learned many many things from watching you. Thank you so much.....
I will efinetly watch this video after church (nothing like a good dose of cognitive dissonance for me on sunday!) Judging from the comments, this will touch how the babies killed by herod in this story and how it makes the character of God problematic. Kind of a relief that this massacre probably didnt happen, as explain by scholar like dale allison But in any case, merry chrismas brandon
So I discovered your channel from watching Trent Horn and l have to say that you have scratched an itch that Christopher Hitchens nor Sam Harris could. I became more religious about 2 years ago and began reading the Bible. At first it was great and refreshing because, to some extent, I didn’t like the postmodern moral-relativism subjectiveness of the culture and wanted something concrete that laid the law down. But as time went on a slow process began in my mind. Before I knew it, I had lost the ability to just be a sane person (because of all the contradictions my mind was subconsciously soaking in). When I would see other Christians I would see that nothing seemed to be wrong with them and it’s like “Are none of you reading what I’m reading?” Even when I’d watch TH-cam videos I could just never seem to get a clear idea as to how to truly progress in the spiritual life. It felt like socialism “Well I just didn’t do it right that time”. In life, if something works, it will just work. If there’s all sorts of trial and error and try it this way or that way then you’re most likely wasting time. I’ve realized at the young age of 21 that most people are religious either for cultural or emotional reasons. Very few are religious out of pure intellect. I’ve also realized that the reason other people did not go insane like I did was because, subconsciously, they didn’t allow themselves to be gaslit or manipulated like I did (I’m the type of person who is disciplined and wants to do things to a T, so I didn’t disregard the tough verses). Or maybe they just haven’t read as much of the Bible as I have. I walked the narrow path and made the tough choices, even if it separated myself from my family. I gave to the homeless and prayed for my enemies. What you say about the extra “baggage” is so true. The “loving your neighbor” part is fine but, I think the craziness begins when it comes to loving God. Also I’m so impressed at how many comments you respond to and like. I like how you care for your audience. Here’s the twist though, I still believe in God and I don’t think you can deconstruct why I do. I don’t want to believe in God anymore, part of me sometimes wishes I had never began this journey. But the truth is that God (as described in the Bible) does exist whether I want that to be reality or not. (If you’ve made it this far thank you!) I’ve seen your videos on eschatology and I have to say you don’t understand. I feel like you write it off as “Look at how many predictions have failed”. Yes many have failed and I’m not here to make one (I’m level headed with eschatology). Eschatology seems confusing but, (and I’m not just saying this because of October 7 in Israel) when you plug Islam into these prophecies it all makes so much sense it’s not even funny. There’s other things I can say regarding eschatology (Revelation specifically) that would blow your mind but this comment is long enough. I would appreciate it if you could try and deconstruct my faith because I don’t want to believe anymore. I don’t want any of this to be real.
@@Djax111 I don’t agree with 100% of everything he says. On one point in particular (not in this video) he misunderstood something Jesus was talking about. However I do very much enjoy the way he calls out all of the hypocrisy and ways that people can make the Bible suit their needs by making it say whatever they want it to say. I also enjoy when he talks about the social manipulation aspects of Christianity whether it’s gaslighting or whatever it may be. These things really hit home with me because I suffered for so long with the things he brings to light. God as described in the Bible is definitely real though even though I would prefer for God not to exist (so I can live how I want, not because I just hate God or something).
Watching your video now..thanks so much for taking the time for your listeners on Christmas Eve Day! Happy Holidays, Brandon. And I hope your 2024 will be a great one! ❤
You must really hate abortion! I’m glad to hear that. But it is bizarre that people would use this story, given that God isn’t the one who killed the babies!! God saw what was to take place. If God was to stop all evil, that would include the evil in you and me. It would include your ability to even call God evil. I don’t see how atheists don’t grasp this. We’d become puppets. I don’t think people have thought this through!
I know asking him to stop "all" bits of evil would be kinda much, but considering how powerful he is, you'd think he'd at least try not to let the objectively extreme shit happen. And if anything, by the bible's standards, he'd have probably smited someone like Hitler for trying to kill so many millions of people in his name. Instead, we get an entity that just seems content with seemingly doing nothing at all, and just demands people love him despite that inaction. I'd be able to respect and follow a deity's commands if they actually DID something, but to sit idly by and not even counter the worst of it when that'd take no effort at all is just messed up, no matter how one looks at it. Cause there's protecting free will, and then there's just being a spectator to cruelty.@@lovegod8582
BOOM !!! Brandon drops the mike on this story perfectly. This should be presented to all the "pro-lifers" out there during Christmas, especially those who are wanting to jail a mother who was carrying a non-viable fetus. Such is christian love for someone with a whole family, who could have died under such laws. This "ain't preachin'" my brother, but better ! This is an act of love by making sense !!! Merry Christmas, with hopes your light of logic and reason shines brightly in 2024 (and beyond !!)
Indeed you disappeared from my feed also. I had to go find you when I realized. Hope all is well with you and yours. Also I wondered how it was going with the shed project you mentioned awhile back. I hope your growth is still trending up.
Oh yeah, Brandon, I got scolded by my first RE (Religious Education) teacher for asking why a loving God would let this happen - and when they say Religious Education, think Christianity. So, thank you again for your video
I'd like to point out that a "nazarite" isn't someone from Nazareth, it's someone of the line of Cohen or Levi. Basically the priest or defender family lines. Nazareth want even founded when the prophesy was written. Also, I've never heard 40 days later. I've heard 8 days for briss and 1 month for it to count as a Person
For some strange reason the differences in the new testament stories of Jesus birth was what put me over the edge, and really pulled the veil off. - 'Luke' and 'Matthew' could not get their stories straight?!...It just clicked, and I was done that day. The I could see all the other inconsistencies and horrors. Wasted 22 years as a Christian but so glad to be awake now. My first Christmas free of the baggage feeling abit weird but thanks for a great xmas post!
Il celebrate this most important holyday like my forefathers. They celebrated the longest night where the Vail between worlds is smaller. And the return of light as days grow longer again. The culling of cattle wat might not survive. And eating this abundance with family and friends knowing that spring is on its way. So marry Christmas / Yule to all.
You must really hate abortion! I’m glad to hear that. But it is bizarre that people would use this story, given that God isn’t the one who killed the babies!! God saw what was to take place. If God was to stop all evil, that would include the evil in you and me. It would include your ability to even call God evil. I don’t see how atheists don’t grasp this. We’d become puppets. I don’t think people have thought this through!
"Matthew" is maybe the worst example of "prophecy" prooftexting. It's like when we take movie quotes out of context, and apply them to our own lives. There's nothing predictive, persuasive, or divine about it.
Wait, "Merry Christmas Eve," is a thing now? lol I hate Christmas, it's stressful, demanding, blah....I'd rather give gifts to people I love when I want to, not when expected. But, I get that kids like it.
It's funny...my family is atheist *and* anti-theist, so I grew up atheist as well. Yet, we celebrated Christmas (and Easter). Fortunately, there's plenty of non-Christian secular lore for Christmas! We have Santa for Christmas and the Easter Bunny for Easter. While most of the Christmas stuff my family had was about Santa lore, winter themed, or about the Nutcracker...we listened to plenty of Christmas songs that were about the Christian lore. I even had a wooden nativity set in our box of Christmas stuff I played with, and there were certain Christmas specials that were pretty Christian - like the Peanuts animated special. Some Christians don't realize how easy it is to treat Christian Christmas lore the same way we treat Santa lore. Jesus can even be presented like the "original" Saint Nicholas tale. (Only difference is I actually believed in Santa for a little bit! Thankfully that's the only myth my parents ever told me was true when I was young. 😅)
Same. I believed in Santa way more than I ever believed in Jesus or Yahweh. lol. I even tried being scientific and remember putting out milk and cookies and was like, "If this is gone in the morning then that's PROOF Santa is real!" and of course when they were gone in the morning, my mind was blown and I was soooo exited! lol
@@suicune2001 Awww that's adorable! That was more logical than I ever was. I think the Christmas excitement & anticipation of my presents completely flooded my critical thinking. 😅 The most I can remember doing is hiding behind the couch with my brother, trying to stay up and catch a glimpse of Santa. Fortunately my parents managed to convince us that Santa wouldn't appear unless he knew we were already in bed and unconscious...I mean, he *was* able to see everything we did throughout the year, even when we were sleeping! Why would he be unable or unwilling to use that power on the most important night of his life, Christmas Eve?
@@sorryifoldcomment8596 I was a strangely logical kid. lol. It's probably why I stopped being Christian at like 12. I'm sure my parents did the same thing about discouraging hiding behind the couch. I was usually really good about staying in my room all night because I didn't want to discourage Santa either. :)
Wow brother! Thx for showing up! I appreciate you so much! Ruff day! This works so much better than "Your all worshipping A demon!" Which what I have yelling for 10 yrs! Blah!
This was one of the first stories that made me question. I was about 15 or so and I tried to discover any evidence for this from any other source (REALLY not easy in the 70's) and could find nothing. I seemed to me that somebody would have noticed soldiers killing all the little boys and made a note........Have a wonderful holiday.
The most tragic Christmas song, and my favorite one, is about this murder. It’s from around 1637 by Vondel. Here is the English translation. Not a very good one. But I think you get the drama. Due to this song Dutch Protestants were very aware of the child massacre. The group Focus made a version of it. It still happens that babies are the victims of the ego of grown man. This lament is still actual. O Christmas Eve, more beautiful than the day, How can Herod tolerate the light, That blinks in your darkness, There is celebrating and worshiping ? His pride listens after no reason, However loud it that ranks in his ears. He tries to destroys the innocents By murdering innocent souls, There is crying in the city and its surroundings.. In Bethlehem and on the fields And wakes up the spirit of Rachel, Those goes wandering around Then to the west, then to the east.' Who will comfort that sad mother Now she saw her sweet children die? Now zy sees it in the blood, … (didn’t know how to translate this) And so many swords dyed red? Here’s the original text. O Kersnacht, schooner dan de daegen, Hoe kan Herodes 't licht verdraegen, Dat in uw duisternisse blinckt, En wort geviert en aengebeden? Zijn hooghmoed luistert na geen reden, Hoe schel die in zijn ooren klinckt. Hy pooght d'onnoosle te vernielen Door 't moorden van onnoosle zielen, En werckt een stad en landgeschrey, In Bethlehem en op den acker, en maeckt den geest van Rachel wacker, Die waeren gaet door beemd en wey, Dan na het westen, dan na'et oosten.' Wie zal die droeve moeder troosten Nu zy haer lieve kinders derft? Nu zy die ziet in 't bloed versmooren, Aleerze naulix zijn geboren, en zoo veel zwaerden rood geverft?
It's been a while since I really "became an athiest", but I gotta say, I compeltely forgot about this part of the Jesus birth story. It is pretty insane to look back and think that this was "part of God's plan" to murder innocent children for no reason. Thanks for this video!
Have a very merry day, all! Thanks so much for being here. I will be slow to comment, but I will get back to you all.
possibly one of the most glaring failures of the inspired books is made evident in the promise of the reward of true and unwavering faith... if the promise of the script is true- there are likely no expressions of sincerity greater than that of a mother's heart pleading for the life of a child. in how many instances have the most pure of all humanity been slaughtered ( not died of natural processes or illness or accident , but the active murder brought upon by evil men) despite the most humble pleadings of a human mother for her own helpless and pure progeny.
The idea at the end of the video on how to spend the day, that we can make something better than this dusty rotten book can, I just love that. Very hopeful despite all the horrors in this world I believe in the better nature of human beings.
I think you need to investigate Agenda 2030 and how globalists are preparing the world
for the kingdom of Antichrist.
If the story of Jesus is fake, you have to wonder why billionaires are so terrified by His name.
🥺 Yeh. Merry. Christmas.. Nice topic to read today, December 24 th
Hope you're having a wonderful holiday with your family. Thanks for all the thought-provoking content you've gifted us with this year.
One thing that mystifies me concerning the gospels is - why would God have arranged to have four versions, and not just one coherent gospel story? This in itself is good reason to question its authorship. From my personal experience as a (now retired) engineer, had I produced four separate user manuals for a piece of equipment I developed, and they were not consistent with each other, that would certainly have hurt my credibility at work. How much more do I expect of an omniscient creator/savior.
Bingo !!
That holey (pun intended) book is NOT a user manual.
Hopefully people are using their time not wasted on that nonsense are engineering a better world in their own special way, so that we are all better off (and NOT doing things like allowing the stupid people to cause wars)
Exactly. As an engineer with two patents could you imagine if I had turned in four separate and conflicting patent applications? I've never heard anyone use your engineering analogy but it is really spot on!
Happy holidays to you and your family ✌ 🍻
Actually the complete opposite is true. If there was only one version it would be less supported, and more doubts would arise about it. Given none of the gospels are contradictory, this adds to the evidence.
@@lovegod8582 But they do contradict each other. This has been well established by many biblical scholars. But you don't need to be a biblical scholar to see there are contradictions because the texts are there for anyone to read. You do need to be an honest person to acknowledge the contradictions. Christians are not honest people though so if you are a Christian you won't acknowledge the fact that the entire Bible is full of contradictions and historical errors.
The contradictions start in Genesis with two contradictory creation myths and the contradictions continue into the new testament.
Really? The human Brian may seem simular amongst all of us ,but it can vary widely. Instead of thinking of it as someone writing 4 different books, think of it as 4 different people listening to the same thing..
Now, if you put 4 different people in the same lecture hall listening to some subject. Afterwards, if you ask each what they liked most or thought was tbe most valuable points in the lectures given, what are the odds all 4 people will recite tbe same things? Each will recite points they personally found of interest, or points that made an impact with them. A few would likely share points, but it is all but guaranteed that there would be variation between what one said and the others.
Also, different people see the same things differently. Our experiences along with our worldviews create a contextual lense through which we view tbe world. You cpuld have 4 people describe the same point in a lecture differently based on how they interpreted it. This would be like viewing a picture through different filters only allowing certain ranges of visible light through. Say one being reds, another blues, another greens, and another intensity. Each shows different aspects you may have missed otherwise, but add the images they create together and you get the full picture.
Brandon, I friggin love you brother. As an atheist, I have so much to be thankful for, including your work and your channel. Thank you.
So kind, thanks for the love man. Really appreciate you being here!
Hot damn! Group hug? Merry Christmas guys!
Nearly 50 years of being taught and then teaching my kids the birth story of Jesus... and never once 'connected' it to the murder of those babies. The lovely Christmasy 'peace on earth' parts have been so carefully compartmentalized away from the ugly, and I never even saw it happening. I just can't believe how blind I've been. Thanks once again.
You are so right Brandon. It is so pathetic that a deity would choose slaughter as a means to fulfill prophecy. Same as having his son, which is also him, murdered to forgive people when he could have just forgiven them from the beginning. Also Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas.!!
Good point being made. Funny, when Jesus (not his real name) had a cripple dropped in from the ceiling and forgave him, then cured his legs.. Jesus (not his real name) didn't say...this forgiveness doesn't kick in until I have died and "risen from the grave". No ! He was forgiven right then and there.... so, all that bloody whipping and hanging on a cross wasn't necessary it seems.
Funny how the whole story makes no sense.
No, you don't understand, God can't just forgive people of their sins. That's not within the power of an omnipotent being to do (or maybe the omnibenevolent being just didn't want to). So he had to have a blood ritual (remember how all throughout the OT God repeatedly says he loves the smell of blood).
So in order to make his human sacrifice perfect he made sure to forgive Mary's sins (hol up) so Jesus wouldn't be already full of sin by being born, like all those infants who died before they were old enough to be thankful for Jesus's sacrifice so they are eternally burning in Hell.
It's all rational and loving.
Well, it never happened, but to clarify, it wasn't god choosing to fulfill prophecy, it was whoever wrote Matthew. Most likely a Jewish convert who was DESPERATE to convince Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. When you read the references that the author of Matthew uses to claim a fulfillment, it turns out to be taken out of context is not, in fact, a messianic prophecy. Also, it was a trope throughout the ancient near-East to have a heroic figure's life endangered at birth. Pick a heroic myth from any of the cultures - from the Sumerians on down - and they all were in peril at birth. Super trope to the rescue! It was just another device to make Jesus out to be divine.
I'm sorry where does it say that Yahweh slaughtered children to fulfill prophecy?
@emro164well he still was NEVER MENTIONED not ONCE in alllllll Roman records….and they were famous for record keeping. There were actually MANY MANY men roaming like “Jesus” …..there’s ZERO ZILCH AS IN NIOT ANY evidence that he EVER existed.
Nothing is more dangerous than christian love.
Peace
I'm an atheist Jew and I repeatedly wish people a Merry Christmas. There's nothing wrong with spreading a little joy.
As another Jewish atheist, I with you on this.
Even if it’s artificial pre-packaged joy
For me too, it’s about spreading kindness and giving to others
I do if I know they are Christian. If I don't know … Happy Holidays.
Ex Christian atheist, and I still appreciate Christmas
honestly, the child killing story was one of the first bible stories that made younger me question things
It's amazing how it's told and they just gloss over it, like it was nothing.
@@gusgrizzel8397 i told my family and church about how i really looked forward to the exciting parts like this story or any of the god rampages across humanity and was met with some strange looks that were not at all congratulatory. I found that strange because i thought everything god does is good.
@@GameTimeWhyFor myself, God does nothing good. I've investigated and gone to over 6 denominations to find God. Nothing. I've had so much misfortune, even my friends can't believe it. If there's a god, he's a sadist.
@@gusgrizzel8397 oh i know he's a monster. It just took me a long time to deconvert.
@@GameTimeWhy Yes, it's easier to believe in no "loving god", than one who ignores our begging and pleas for help. I never hear any religious people try to resolve this. How would anyone "go to heaven" and spend eternity wondering why this God never said a thing to them, never helped them, nothing...
Brandon is a testament that intelectual honesty is not a lost cause. You rock. Please keep it up.
So kind, thank you!
Happy Holidays to you and your family🌲❄️ And thank you for using your skills to help people to see the psychological traps, and reclaim their minds from Christianity.
Happy Holidays to you too Berkah
@@Johnmhatheist Thanks😊
So very kind! Thanks for this amazing generosity as well as all your kind comments and support! Happy holidays!
@@MindShift-Brandon Are you ok, Brandon? You didn't post your normal Thursday secular bible study video, which is ok with me. I'm just worried about your well-being. Are you sick, or just too busy? Either way, it's fine and I understand.
Ahh very kind. Just took this week off to hang with the fam. I had posted it on my community board. Will be back with a video Sunday!
9:47 Holy Sh!t ! I just realised that God allowed for those kids to be born just so that they could all just die for a supposed prophecy he wanted to fill.
Why didn't the angel warn the Magi before they went to king Herod?
Also if they were following a star, why didn't they just follow the freaking star? Did the freaking star stop over Herod's castle or something? Things are not adding up here.
Excellent comment!
You must really hate abortion! I’m glad to hear that.
But it is bizarre that people would use this story, given that God isn’t the one who killed the babies!! God saw what was to take place.
If God was to stop all evil, that would include the evil in you and me. It would include your ability to even call God evil.
I don’t see how atheists don’t grasp this. We’d become puppets. I don’t think people have thought this through!
@@lovegod8582
Yeah, it is a shame that god dislikes INNOCENT children!
I love studying the Buy-Bull!
😀👍
Christmas: a holiday that is named after a mere man that has absolutely nothing to do with who he was a person. Wasn't born in December, it wasn't snowing when he apparently was born, no one was shopping on Amazon or at IKEA for last minute gifts, and I know he would be absolutely appalled at the consumerism, sexism, and racism that takes place in his name.
I am so happy to be an atheist now. I will spend Christmas with my boyfriend eating Italian food, drinking 🍸, and watching reruns of our favorite 80's tv shows (Knight Rider, The Incredible Hulk, The Facts of Life, Scarecrow and Mrs. King). Happy Holidays everyone!!!
Your first statement is correct.
Jesus was probably born on 9/11.
There is a reason why globalists are so obsessed with this date.
Your second statement is very disappointing.
What sexism and racism are you talking about?
How does merely pointing out that Jesus wasn’t born in December have anything to do with the validity the Gospel accounts of the birth of Jesus when the Gospels don’t place the birth of Jesus as having taken place in December either?
@@kevinx7015I could care less when Jesus was supposedly born because I don't believe in him or your psychotic book of fairytales. Bye 👋🏽
@@kevinx7015 Ok. Let's forget the Bible.
You have to wonder why globalists are so obsessed with mocking God and using satanic symbols.
Knight Rider!!!! Ok now I am jealous. T.V. was so good in the 80's. Happy holidays to you and your BF ✌ 🍻
For the lighter side of the holiday, I recommend the book, "The Physics of Christmas." From the physics of Christmas cooking to space warping sleigh travel. A Good read.
Let's celebrate the winter solstice because the days are getting brighter.
Sun worship makes a lot more sense than any of the gods that have come around in thousands of years. Because without it...
As a Catholic, I have always had so many questions and was always sceptical of many teachings and parables. I was excited to find your channel as I thot I was alone and probably a rebel who was going to hell cos I was questioning everything. Happy to know I’m not alone and learning so much from your channel!
Wishing you a merry Christmas and a fantastic new year 🎉
Happy new hear! You are no where close to alone. So so many of us
Anyone else who recently left religion still have the baggage around holidays like easter and Christmas? - I get the urge to go to church and do certain things/routines....getting away from it is hard when your entire family and circle are still stuck in the religion. This year finally wrapping my head around that I can do anything I want and I don't "have to do certain things."
I understand. I enjoy writing secular lyrics to carols. I find that has helped me.
I’m also finding that just accepting the Jesus birth narrative as a founding myth permits me to go with the flow. The birth and resurrection narratives are not the property of Christian fundamentalist or Catholic fundamentalist or anyone else. Those ancient myths are part of my living heritage too…for better or worse. The historicity of the claims are clearly supported with insufficient evidence but the truth need not be tethered to facts and the truth remains that the myths have made a significant influence on world civilization including some beautiful melodies.
Yes, and we can't let the truth get in the way of a good story! 😁😁
Brandon your Mindshift videos are highly effective, thus this is the reasons, efforts are being made to restricts your videos, please don't stop producing and sharing your videos !!! Thank you Brandon!!!
Thank you, Brandon - and a wonderful holiday to you and your family!
You’ve put your finger on what’s always troubled me about this account - the deaths of the young boy babies. How were people who were largely illiterate and unread supposed to know from a prophecy in Jeremiah (they may or may not heard it read in their synagogues) that their children could be subject to death?
It’s always bothered me that Joseph could be warned to get Jesus away but not the parents of the other children. There is a recurring theme in Scripture: Abraham prepared to sacrifice Issac, the deaths of the Egyptian firstborn in connection with the Passover, Moses’ sons being threatened with death until their foreskins are removed, the children killed by bears for teasing the prophet Elisha, the presumed sacrifice of Jepthah’s daughter.
For all the preaching against the horrid sacrifice of children to Moloch by the Canaanites, it would seem there were several occasions where the God of the Bible had no issue with the deaths of young ones. And it there’s no rhyme or reason - the Israelites were commanded on occasion to slaughter everything that moved - yet God tells the prophet Jonah that he should not be angry about sparing the inhabitants of Nineveh (well, they did repent)
“Should I not also have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 people, who do not know the difference between their right hand and their left, as well as many animals?”
So compassion is dependent upon repentance - but people are constantly commanded to forgive, forgive even those who don’t regret hurt they’ve caused - humans are not to demand repentance for hurts caused, but only God
Interesting
Brandon, I love your intro. It is the truest statement that could ever be made. Even if we have different views, respect his key, and our humanistic view has to be from love and caring for each other.
Merry Christmas.
Maybe take some time to sit with friends, have some wine, serve it along with some broken off pieces of baguette and humus and share remembrances of all those who sacrificed time, money and especially their lives to make the world a better place. Maybe that is the true meaning of the Christmas story.
Happy holidays to you and your family ✌ 🍻
Thank you! Happy holidays!
Merry Christmas=Happy Sol-Invictus=Happy Winter Solstice.
OMG! I just did an investigation into the truth of the King Herod part of Jesus's birth story a week ago. Between you putting this information out to reinforce what I learned and Seth Andrews doing a video about his version of what happened in the Christmas story, I am ready to take on the true meaning of the reason for the season. I believe that it is to remind people you love them, share good food, and hopefully feel the joy of giving someone a gift that they will enjoy.
Brandon, your delivery is impeccable, the content is solid, and your word phrases are so very spot on! I SO appreciate the creative thought you put into defining and understanding (from a different mindset) the obvious dereliction of this horrible religion. I too came out of this insanity (about 14 years ago) after spending 30 plus years in it. My only regret, I wish I had come OUT sooner.
I truly NOW have 'peace that passes understanding'! Keep going!! NO apologies for this junk...it IS harming people!
So kind. Thank you for this great encouragement!
You certainly should be in line for the Templeton Prize in Religion, your work and revelation is historic in importance.
Far too kind, my friend!
omg I just read this story again and had some of same thoughts, Jesus was basically baptized in blood! It made me sick to my stomach, I cant belive I thought this was a nice story at one point. but yeah, another greate video! keep up the awesome work, and take some time of soon, we want you healthy and going not burnt out.
This is the only channel i trust to make me think critically of religion. My family are all devout christian culstists so it never does any good to ask them for advice. I'm not trying to say i hate people or their chosen belief system but every year around christmas relisgious tempers seem to flare in my family household especially after I've decided to leave the faith forever and i hate that I'm witnessing how the faith can drive a wadge between family members and tare us apart first hand.
Well, then you are missing out on quite a few channels, some bring on expert historians, geologists and even psychologists that can help you deal with the religious ones you have to deal with, and much more that all refute christianity in great detail, expose the religious Apologist liars and cons, the logical fallacies and terrible reasoning behind their argumentation... and all just as trust worthy, if not even more, and many who have done it for decades already...
Not saying this is a bad channel, because it isn't, only that there's a lot more out there taking on the topic from all kinds of angles, and since reasoning and sound epistemology are a major factor in almost every related channel, you are showing poor reasoning to trust only one channel, even without stating what's behind your position!
As to hate: It's not at all wrong to hate an ideology like any or all religions, in the understanding not all who believe it are bad people worth hating! I hate everything religion does to human minds, I don't hate humans for having minds that are all vulnerable to false beliefs. I do not attack people for being religious, but I will attack their arguments when they try to convince me of anything unsubstantiated, nonsensical, of pure emotion but without good reasoning... and reserve the right to hate anyone who is using religion against others and for personal gain, just like one can hate anyone using and abusing others, and hate is a very important emotion with quite a bit of function too, and isn't a bad thing if justifiable.
@@Bob-of-Zoid to put it short, very well put. 👌
@@thegametroll6264 So, does this mean you will check out other channels?
If so try: Mythvision, The Thinking Atheist (Seth Andrews), The Friendly Atheist (Hemant Mehta), Godless Engineer, Anything of or featuring Matt Dillehunty (graphic language warning) like Multiple shows by the ACA, and The Line where I found this channel as Brandon was a co-host once... Many know each other and also collaborate, but there are just way too many to list.
@Bob-of-Zoid I've subscribed to myth vision in the past I think. As for these others I may have to look into them.
@@thegametroll6264 Good, there's some great content out there. In TH-cam History, Atheists were some of the very first to start uploading Videos. Not sure if it was a response to christians also being some of the first, but I think a lot of people realized that they were not alone as atheists in this world, and the number of atheist content creators grew pretty fast, as well as the quality of their videos. Most were quite tame, kind of like we exist too, would you like to hear what we have to say", and the backlash from religious channels was so hard and nasty, but also so week, that the number only increased faster and they took the religious to task harder, and because of the backlash, atheists also got plenty of ammo (evidence) to show their moral inferiority, bigotry and inability to reason rationally.
Typical religious behavior: When an atheist said they are a little irrational and a few of them behave poorly, the religious made sure to show that they were a whole lot worse than just that as a defense! Talk about handing wins to the visiting team!
Merry Christmas (okay a bit late)! I'm allergic to the phrase "love on them". But it might just be me...
Merry Christmas.
Thanks! Real support with money. Not thoughts and prayers.
Missed this! Thanks so much. And ha. Love it.
my favourite chrismas stable figurine joke... the wise man say goodbye... it's getting late, we're heading to the inn... says joseph... don't bother, we tried there, it's full... oh, but we're wise men, we made reservations well in advance... oh nice, can we share a room, says maria... oh, no, that's a bit much, maybe you should ask that Samaritan over there? and then on the way to the inn, well out of sight... damn, with a baby, we wouldn't get any sleep...
for the rest the part of christmas I like seems to be something they claimed from the pagans, the christmas tree, the gift bringing elf-exploiting geezer in lapland who brings gifts, the obsession with good food, making lots of light to drive the darkness away, the symbolic celebration of the return of the longer days, spring is coming... whoopie... so it's a celebration of the turning of the season, a point where you take the inventory of your winter supplies, you now know you have enough or not to make it until next year, and if you find out you have enough, you celebrate, and you share this with people who might have been a bit short, it's a time when you realise, we made it, we conquered winter once more, it's good to be alive...
and all this altruism seems nice, but why should you hold on to a bunch of pickled food and dried meatstuffs that you have plenty off and you already know there'll be enough until there'll be fresh food again in abundance.
Haha, you could watch Adrian Bliss with his Christmas videos, including the wise men visiting Mary. He's hilarious!!
@@QuestionThingsUseLogic thanks, I had a look and it's indeed something he would have done. I liked the one where Adam is perfectly ok with the life in paradise, but Eve then serves him apple pie...
@@marcdc6809 good on you! Adrian is very good at what he does.
Oh wow, I'd never thought of it quite like that. I was aware of the questionable historicity of the baby massacre, but I hadn't really thought about the wider implications of it. Some real food for thought. :/
I am in the same boat. I knew the story from childhood and knew it was bad/ however I didn't think much about the massacre. I am not sure why . Good job again Brandon..
You must really hate abortion! I’m glad to hear that.
But it is bizarre that people would use this story, given that God isn’t the one who killed the babies!! God saw what was to take place.
If God was to stop all evil, that would include the evil in you and me. It would include your ability to even call God evil.
I don’t see how atheists don’t grasp this. We’d become puppets. I don’t think people have thought this through!
Hi Brandon! It seems the killing of young males is a recurring theme in the Bible. Pharaoh killing young males when Moses was born, God killing first born sons as part of his curse on Egypt, Herod killing young males when Jesus was born. I wonder if I'm missing some more examples.
That said, the story of Jesus' birth is a very good fictional story, if you don't look too closely. It has a young family, danger from authorities, angels and wise men, and a sign in the sky.
Thanks for this lesson and have a Blessed Yule!
The first born male was recognized at the key child to carry on the family legacy. In a world, not so full of people as now, the death of the first male meant not as many children (from as many women a man could "have") would carry on one's blood line. Look at David and how many women he had in his castle.
You must really hate abortion! I’m glad to hear that.
But it is bizarre that people would use this story, given that God isn’t the one who killed the babies!! God saw what was to take place.
If God was to stop all evil, that would include the evil in you and me. It would include your ability to even call God evil.
I don’t see how atheists don’t grasp this. We’d become puppets. I don’t think people have thought this through!
"plot devices." That's it. Babies, children, they are so expendable in the bible, just extras, and so many Christians gloss this over, try to minimize it while going on and on about abortion, we must look out for the children, (oh yeah, those nameless children who are really just possessions to many adults)...one child or ten thousand - no justification to use them to drive home a point. Anyway, you hit my softest spot! Happy holidays to all, thanks, Brandon.
Thank you, Maggie, Happy Holidays!
I feel the same about Christmas! It's about the people and time together for me. I hope you have a lovely time with family and friends, thanks for another insightful video 💙
Thank you for this!
Thanks, and Merry Christmas lol!
Merry Christmas to you and yours! (If you went into politics, I'd vote for you. If you went into entertainment, I'd go see your show. )
What a wonderful compliment and thank you for the generosity!
Critiquing Christianity is a valuable service- but a career? I don't know. @@MindShift-Brandon
Please talk about circumcision. This is a very serious topic.
Sooner or later he will give you some tips
Your ability to see the irrational interpretation of these stories and dissect them to expose the intentional ignored truths is impressive and brings a smile as I realize how deceptive this good book really is. Also the seminary has to know it is deceiving the followers since they have thoroughly read every word over and over again and know of all the contradictions and historical errors. Wonderful lesson as always.........
Actually indoctrination works and cognitive dissonance can be overcome…some who go to seminary may come to be total hypocrites deceiving their flocks, but many just become “stronger” in the “true faith unto life everlasting”.
Indoctrination works.
@@cipherklosenuf9242 What true faith? So many are indoctrinated by the clergy and most never read or study other sources to verify what is true. Reading the old testament should be enough to know this is crazy and cannot be true or good.
Whatever “true faith” the indoctrinated individual is convinced is the “true” one.
So kind. Thank you very much!
"From a political standpoint, [Herod] was just killing it".
I'm going to hell for chuckling at that.
Lol!
Great video. Watching it after Christmas so I could have enjoyed my time with family and friends.
But gang, I don’t think I can find freedom for myself. This “break period” where I got to do said bonding with family ended with a Sunday Eve service with music I had put together at grandma’s request. Through the evening, we sang songs and got a message from our grandparents about how much they love us.
And how much they want for everyone to firstly prioritize the Lord their god and then find someone to marry. That they have to make good choices, go out into the world and share God’s good news, to never stray from their faith and not become like those who “don’t know Jesus.” “The world is getting worse and worse…and things will be tougher for you. We don’t want to fall away, and we’re blessed to have a family that consistently follows Jesus.”
My family is hooked, line and sinker. One of my brothers believes it’s possible to be reasonable and blind in faith. My mother would rather foolishly believe in god and worship him than come to find out he’s not. One brother says “even though I don’t have all the answers and assurances, I know God is there for me. I just know.”
Part of me feels like nothing could hurt if I just played the part and continued this closeted unbelief. But I want to leave, I want to start my own life apart from indoctrination and societal pressure. I can’t get out, or I at least can’t believe I will. It’s that bad behind all the good.
What am I to do?
Time. Time is most likely the answer. Either you will find, that just going along for the sake of peace works or it doesnt. I tried for a good long while, but ultimately felt I wasnt living truthfully. Not saying thats the right answer, but again I am sure time will tell.
Nicolaus of Damascus (late 1st century BCE to early 1st century CE)
Court historian of King Herod the Great and would have been an eyewitness to the wise men and would have known about Herod’s order to kill infant boys (Matt 2:16).
Yet nothing of his is mentioned by Christians who had access to his works.
to reply to 12:20 the absence of evidence here is evidence of absence, because there is precedence that this kind of stuff was recorded.
michael etc: Another one to add to my list (Seneca, Philo).
And what did Nicolaus have to say about the dead people walking the streets at the time of the alleged resurrection?
EDIT: I've just checked his dates and realise that he was not likely to have mentioned the walking dead or "Jesus". Still an interesting reference, however.
@@Nai61a I think the skeptical claim here is that he should have at least mentioned something that Christians could have used (meaning like early church fathers) and nobody did, nobody found anything he said supporting their view about history of the time.
So not a proof per se, but it's suspect when someone has a position and reason to record something and doesn't.
Brandon I want to sincerely thank you for all you do. You give so much fantastic information you reference your sources you give insights and you do so in a very kind and generous manner. Your channel gave me support during a time I really needed it and I am sincerely grateful.
Thank you so much for this, Jeff. You have been an incredible supporter of this passion of mine!
It's a horrible story indeed. Merry Christmas.😊
"Hey God, what's the meaning of my life?"
"To be murdered while you are less than 2 years old to fulfill prophecy."
Imagine commissioning a cake though showing soldiers committing the slaughter of babies as a Christmas dessert.
'but free will though'
Hey God: "What's a million years to you?" God said "A minute."
So the man said to God: "What's a million dollars to you?" God said "A penny."
So the man said to God: "God, would you give me a penny?"
God said: "Yeah sure, just wait a minute."
Praise be to God!
You must really hate abortion! I’m glad to hear that.
But it is bizarre that people would use this story, given that God isn’t the one who killed the babies!! God saw what was to take place.
If God was to stop all evil, that would include the evil in you and me. It would include your ability to even call God evil.
I don’t see how atheists don’t grasp this. We’d become puppets. I don’t think people have thought this through!
Oh my this comment
Ever since leaving the faith, the barbaric nature of so many of the stories has left me speechless. That's part of why I appreciate your secular bible study, the believer blinders people have while reading the Bible makes stories almost unrecognizable.
I’m late to this video but I LOVE that you say Merry Christmas!! The stigma out there is that there is a “persecution” against Christians and their right to say merry Christmas. Of course there isn’t. Just political talking points for the extreme right. So I love that you as an atheist dispel this nonsense because NO one is out to “persecute and get the christians” not in America anyways.
Yes, my brother, yes! You got it right with the voice of reason!
Thanks for being here!
Fantastic as always Brandon!
Many thanks!
I got the notification no problem.
I very much appreciate all your content.
I find it to be the most informative and to the point atheist channels on you tube.
I've learned many many things from watching you.
Thank you so much.....
This is so kind. Thank you very much!
Excellent!! Deep and thorough. Thanks so much for what you do.
Appreciate that! Thanks for being here
Anonymous Jesus would be a cool band name lol Thank you! Brandon Merry Christmas ♥️
Excellent video Brandon. To be honest, I’ve never thought about this from the angle you presented. Thank you for broadening my mind.
I will efinetly watch this video after church (nothing like a good dose of cognitive dissonance for me on sunday!)
Judging from the comments, this will touch how the babies killed by herod in this story and how it makes the character of God problematic. Kind of a relief that this massacre probably didnt happen, as explain by scholar like dale allison
But in any case, merry chrismas brandon
As always, you put our minds to work. Thank you
Thanks, Robert!
So I discovered your channel from watching Trent Horn and l have to say that you have scratched an itch that Christopher Hitchens nor Sam Harris could.
I became more religious about 2 years ago and began reading the Bible. At first it was great and refreshing because, to some extent, I didn’t like the postmodern moral-relativism subjectiveness of the culture and wanted something concrete that laid the law down.
But as time went on a slow process began in my mind. Before I knew it, I had lost the ability to just be a sane person (because of all the contradictions my mind was subconsciously soaking in). When I would see other Christians I would see that nothing seemed to be wrong with them and it’s like “Are none of you reading what I’m reading?”
Even when I’d watch TH-cam videos I could just never seem to get a clear idea as to how to truly progress in the spiritual life. It felt like socialism “Well I just didn’t do it right that time”. In life, if something works, it will just work. If there’s all sorts of trial and error and try it this way or that way then you’re most likely wasting time.
I’ve realized at the young age of 21 that most people are religious either for cultural or emotional reasons. Very few are religious out of pure intellect. I’ve also realized that the reason other people did not go insane like I did was because, subconsciously, they didn’t allow themselves to be gaslit or manipulated like I did (I’m the type of person who is disciplined and wants to do things to a T, so I didn’t disregard the tough verses). Or maybe they just haven’t read as much of the Bible as I have. I walked the narrow path and made the tough choices, even if it separated myself from my family. I gave to the homeless and prayed for my enemies.
What you say about the extra “baggage” is so true. The “loving your neighbor” part is fine but, I think the craziness begins when it comes to loving God.
Also I’m so impressed at how many comments you respond to and like. I like how you care for your audience.
Here’s the twist though, I still believe in God and I don’t think you can deconstruct why I do.
I don’t want to believe in God anymore, part of me sometimes wishes I had never began this journey. But the truth is that God (as described in the Bible) does exist whether I want that to be reality or not.
(If you’ve made it this far thank you!)
I’ve seen your videos on eschatology and I have to say you don’t understand. I feel like you write it off as “Look at how many predictions have failed”. Yes many have failed and I’m not here to make one (I’m level headed with eschatology).
Eschatology seems confusing but, (and I’m not just saying this because of October 7 in Israel) when you plug Islam into these prophecies it all makes so much sense it’s not even funny. There’s other things I can say regarding eschatology (Revelation specifically) that would blow your mind but this comment is long enough.
I would appreciate it if you could try and deconstruct my faith because I don’t want to believe anymore. I don’t want any of this to be real.
Brandon has so many incredible videos. I really hope you find what you're looking for here! You aren't alone for sure!
@@Djax111 I don’t agree with 100% of everything he says. On one point in particular (not in this video) he misunderstood something Jesus was talking about.
However I do very much enjoy the way he calls out all of the hypocrisy and ways that people can make the Bible suit their needs by making it say whatever they want it to say. I also enjoy when he talks about the social manipulation aspects of Christianity whether it’s gaslighting or whatever it may be. These things really hit home with me because I suffered for so long with the things he brings to light.
God as described in the Bible is definitely real though even though I would prefer for God not to exist (so I can live how I want, not because I just hate God or something).
Watching your video now..thanks so much for taking the time for your listeners on Christmas Eve Day! Happy Holidays, Brandon. And I hope your 2024 will be a great one! ❤
Thanks so much, Kristen! Appreciate ya
Million likes. Love to you and your family.
Thank you!
An awesome deconstruction of the bible. Thanks for sharing and I hope you have a wonderful time with your family.
Appreciate that!
Thank you, I wish you and your family much peace and happiness 💞
This was a story part that I wondered about during my studies which eventually led to my deconversion. The silence of this event was odd to me.
You must really hate abortion! I’m glad to hear that.
But it is bizarre that people would use this story, given that God isn’t the one who killed the babies!! God saw what was to take place.
If God was to stop all evil, that would include the evil in you and me. It would include your ability to even call God evil.
I don’t see how atheists don’t grasp this. We’d become puppets. I don’t think people have thought this through!
I know asking him to stop "all" bits of evil would be kinda much, but considering how powerful he is, you'd think he'd at least try not to let the objectively extreme shit happen. And if anything, by the bible's standards, he'd have probably smited someone like Hitler for trying to kill so many millions of people in his name.
Instead, we get an entity that just seems content with seemingly doing nothing at all, and just demands people love him despite that inaction. I'd be able to respect and follow a deity's commands if they actually DID something, but to sit idly by and not even counter the worst of it when that'd take no effort at all is just messed up, no matter how one looks at it. Cause there's protecting free will, and then there's just being a spectator to cruelty.@@lovegod8582
BOOM !!!
Brandon drops the mike on this story perfectly.
This should be presented to all the "pro-lifers" out there during Christmas, especially those who are wanting to jail a mother who was carrying a non-viable fetus. Such is christian love for someone with a whole family, who could have died under such laws.
This "ain't preachin'" my brother, but better ! This is an act of love by making sense !!!
Merry Christmas, with hopes your light of logic and reason shines brightly in 2024 (and beyond !!)
Indeed you disappeared from my feed also. I had to go find you when I realized. Hope all is well with you and yours.
Also I wondered how it was going with the shed project you mentioned awhile back. I hope your growth is still trending up.
Thanks for making the effort! I am so close on the shed!
Oh yeah, Brandon, I got scolded by my first RE (Religious Education) teacher for asking why a loving God would let this happen - and when they say Religious Education, think Christianity. So, thank you again for your video
Brandon, you're out here killing it, and putting stuff into a context i never even thought of considering.
Thanks for all your work!
My absolute pleasure. thanks for the love!
Wow I didn't see it this way I am so shocked I was attending church every Sunday didn't see all these I am in utter shock
Its crazy when you finally realize whats really in this book
Nice photos!!
Brandon your channel will keep growing and growing and I think that’s the best Christmas present for all of us.
So very kind. Thank you!
I'd like to point out that a "nazarite" isn't someone from Nazareth, it's someone of the line of Cohen or Levi. Basically the priest or defender family lines. Nazareth want even founded when the prophesy was written.
Also, I've never heard 40 days later. I've heard 8 days for briss and 1 month for it to count as a Person
Happy RamaHanuKwaanzMas, Brandon!
Lol indeed
Thank you for all the hard work you putting these videos together.
Thanks for the appreciation!
For some strange reason the differences in the new testament stories of Jesus birth was what put me over the edge, and really pulled the veil off. - 'Luke' and 'Matthew' could not get their stories straight?!...It just clicked, and I was done that day. The I could see all the other inconsistencies and horrors. Wasted 22 years as a Christian but so glad to be awake now. My first Christmas free of the baggage feeling abit weird but thanks for a great xmas post!
When was the 23rd year?
Congrats! Thanks for being here!
"Out of Egypt" is a rather bizzare name for a child.
Wow. Never heard this story before. Thanks again, Brandon, for the enlightenment.
Il celebrate this most important holyday like my forefathers.
They celebrated the longest night where the Vail between worlds is smaller. And the return of light as days grow longer again.
The culling of cattle wat might not survive.
And eating this abundance with family and friends knowing that spring is on its way.
So marry Christmas / Yule to all.
"Twenty murdered babies in our nativity scenes." Ok stop giving my wife ideas! We have too many decorations already 😂
Happy holidays to everyone ✌ 🍻
You must really hate abortion! I’m glad to hear that.
But it is bizarre that people would use this story, given that God isn’t the one who killed the babies!! God saw what was to take place.
If God was to stop all evil, that would include the evil in you and me. It would include your ability to even call God evil.
I don’t see how atheists don’t grasp this. We’d become puppets. I don’t think people have thought this through!
Thanks!
Missed this, thanks so much!
"Matthew" is maybe the worst example of "prophecy" prooftexting. It's like when we take movie quotes out of context, and apply them to our own lives. There's nothing predictive, persuasive, or divine about it.
Wait, "Merry Christmas Eve," is a thing now? lol
I hate Christmas, it's stressful, demanding, blah....I'd rather give gifts to people I love when I want to, not when expected.
But, I get that kids like it.
Thanks for being here!
Hope you and your family had a great Christmas!
It's funny...my family is atheist *and* anti-theist, so I grew up atheist as well.
Yet, we celebrated Christmas (and Easter). Fortunately, there's plenty of non-Christian secular lore for Christmas! We have Santa for Christmas and the Easter Bunny for Easter.
While most of the Christmas stuff my family had was about Santa lore, winter themed, or about the Nutcracker...we listened to plenty of Christmas songs that were about the Christian lore.
I even had a wooden nativity set in our box of Christmas stuff I played with, and there were certain Christmas specials that were pretty Christian - like the Peanuts animated special.
Some Christians don't realize how easy it is to treat Christian Christmas lore the same way we treat Santa lore. Jesus can even be presented like the "original" Saint Nicholas tale. (Only difference is I actually believed in Santa for a little bit! Thankfully that's the only myth my parents ever told me was true when I was young. 😅)
Same. I believed in Santa way more than I ever believed in Jesus or Yahweh. lol. I even tried being scientific and remember putting out milk and cookies and was like, "If this is gone in the morning then that's PROOF Santa is real!" and of course when they were gone in the morning, my mind was blown and I was soooo exited! lol
@@suicune2001 Awww that's adorable!
That was more logical than I ever was. I think the Christmas excitement & anticipation of my presents completely flooded my critical thinking. 😅
The most I can remember doing is hiding behind the couch with my brother, trying to stay up and catch a glimpse of Santa. Fortunately my parents managed to convince us that Santa wouldn't appear unless he knew we were already in bed and unconscious...I mean, he *was* able to see everything we did throughout the year, even when we were sleeping! Why would he be unable or unwilling to use that power on the most important night of his life, Christmas Eve?
@@sorryifoldcomment8596 I was a strangely logical kid. lol. It's probably why I stopped being Christian at like 12. I'm sure my parents did the same thing about discouraging hiding behind the couch. I was usually really good about staying in my room all night because I didn't want to discourage Santa either. :)
Let's copy the Japanese and just treat Christmas as a holiday to tell your family and friends that you love them. XD
Thank you so much for all your work! I really appreciate it. Happy holidays
Very appreciative of that. Thanks!
I call Xmas Yule Tide "Wheel of the year". I know it's late but since it's coming up happy early Yule Tide!
Wishing you ,family,friends and your team who make your work possible a wonderful Christmas,we appreciate you ❤❤❤thanks.
Thanks so much! Just me over here for now
Merry Christmas! We can be secular and still celebrate. It might not be for Christ but a time for family and more.
Happy holidays to you and your family ✌ 🍻
The Coventry Carol is pretty great.
On my way to mama's soon. Big day of food and presents!. And, YOU just made this day meaningful!! You say it so very well, Brandon. Thanks, buddy.
Thank you!
Wow brother! Thx for showing up! I appreciate you so much! Ruff day! This works so much better than "Your all worshipping A demon!" Which what I have yelling for 10 yrs! Blah!
But they are, though. XD You can't get any worse than Yahweh.
This was one of the first stories that made me question. I was about 15 or so and I tried to discover any evidence for this from any other source (REALLY not easy in the 70's) and could find nothing. I seemed to me that somebody would have noticed soldiers killing all the little boys and made a note........Have a wonderful holiday.
Merry Christmas to you and yours. Thanks for providing informative, educational, and edifying presentations about religion and culture. Blessed Be!
So kind. Thank you!
Hi Brandon. Have a happy winter solstice day with your family. 🎉 as lennon said, imagine. Your talks help so many😊
Thank you kindly!
Thanks i am grateful
great video again....thanks so much ☘
Saw the vid in my feed.
Great, thank you for letting me know.
Good video, you are really helping on my journey to deconstruct my old beliefs. Btw, I think you should talk about revelations.
Thank you Brandon I hope you have a very merry day to and thank you for another great video!
Thank you!
The most tragic Christmas song, and my favorite one, is about this murder. It’s from around 1637 by Vondel. Here is the English translation. Not a very good one. But I think you get the drama. Due to this song Dutch Protestants were very aware of the child massacre. The group Focus made a version of it.
It still happens that babies are the victims of the ego of grown man. This lament is still actual.
O Christmas Eve, more beautiful than the day,
How can Herod tolerate the light,
That blinks in your darkness,
There is celebrating and worshiping ?
His pride listens after no reason,
However loud it that ranks in his ears.
He tries to destroys the innocents
By murdering innocent souls,
There is crying in the city and its surroundings..
In Bethlehem and on the fields
And wakes up the spirit of Rachel,
Those goes wandering around
Then to the west, then to the east.'
Who will comfort that sad mother
Now she saw her sweet children die?
Now zy sees it in the blood,
… (didn’t know how to translate this)
And so many swords dyed red?
Here’s the original text.
O Kersnacht, schooner dan de daegen,
Hoe kan Herodes 't licht verdraegen,
Dat in uw duisternisse blinckt,
En wort geviert en aengebeden?
Zijn hooghmoed luistert na geen reden,
Hoe schel die in zijn ooren klinckt.
Hy pooght d'onnoosle te vernielen
Door 't moorden van onnoosle zielen,
En werckt een stad en landgeschrey,
In Bethlehem en op den acker,
en maeckt den geest van Rachel wacker,
Die waeren gaet door beemd en wey,
Dan na het westen, dan na'et oosten.'
Wie zal die droeve moeder troosten
Nu zy haer lieve kinders derft?
Nu zy die ziet in 't bloed versmooren,
Aleerze naulix zijn geboren,
en zoo veel zwaerden rood geverft?
MERRY CHRIS AND EID IS HAPPY HOLIDAY
It's been a while since I really "became an athiest", but I gotta say, I compeltely forgot about this part of the Jesus birth story. It is pretty insane to look back and think that this was "part of God's plan" to murder innocent children for no reason. Thanks for this video!
in the carol “Do you hear what I hear” the Shepard boy tells the King so in the song version, the Shepard boy caused the slaughter