Tagged Questions
14
votes
1answer
449 views
Did the Ancient Egyptians use twenty-sided dice?
Ancient d20 die emerges from the ashes of time
Many centuries before Dungeons & Dragons was even a glimmer in the eye of Gary Gygax, ancient Egyptians were rolling a d20 die.
Metropolitan ...
15
votes
1answer
1k views
Are these claims about Christmas true?
This picture* is a little tongue-in-cheek but it makes claims to the real origins of several modern Christmas related traditions such as the tree and carols.
Anyone have the skills to find out if ...
8
votes
0answers
264 views
Are the Claims of Edward Carpenter (and others) historically accurate regarding the Zodiac and biblical interpretation?
In Edward Carpenter's, "Pagan & Christian Creeds : Their Origin and Meaning" one of the claims is made that the golden calf story in Exodus is allegorical due to the astrological turning of the ...
4
votes
0answers
555 views
What is the historical evidence that the Prophet Muhammad existed?
What contemporary historical records of the existence of Muhammad, the
prophet of Islam, exist or are known to have existed at some point?
14
votes
1answer
1k views
Was Jesus crucified?
Assuming Jesus was a real person, it is a generally accepted fact that he died on a cross. On the other hand, Jehovah's Witnesses are of the belief that the crucifixion of Jesus is a mistranslation ...
11
votes
1answer
329 views
Does the name of Easter derive from a goddess called Eostre? [closed]
As I write this, the Easter holidays are just beginning. In their honour, I have a question about Easter:
I've widely heard that the name of the festival has its roots in its pagan origins, and ...
6
votes
0answers
309 views
Was there an organized early Jerusalem church?
In the period between AD 30 and AD 70, many historians claim that there was an Early Jerusalem Church active and preaching in Palestine. The mainstream historical narrative can be found in this pdf. I ...
24
votes
2answers
2k views
Is Christianity responsible for the scientific method?
I've heard at least a few times now from apologists that Christianity is responsible for science. For some examples:
From a commercial for the site, Catholics Come Home (video LINK that opens right ...
10
votes
2answers
1k views
Has the Catholic Church ever retracted an “ex cathedra” statement?
Question: Has the Catholic Church ever made a proclamation ex cathedra (as in, one which it declares is infallible) that it later retracted?
This could literally be any form of the following:
Some ...
43
votes
3answers
9k views
Did Moses live?
Moses is, arguably, the most significant prophet in Judaism and is credited with leading the enslaved Jewish population out of Egypt and into the promised land.
Aside from the Torah, are there any ...
6
votes
1answer
313 views
Do any Jewish organizations lobby for destruction of Israel?
I recently was in a discussion where one of the people, as an argument, claimed that Jews have been known to participate in what's activities clearly detrimental to Jews as a whole (the argument ...
10
votes
2answers
1k views
Was there an eclipse when Jesus was crucified?
I've heard it claimed from various people that we have historical records for the darkness that was said to engulf the earth when Jesus was crucified. In the bible, it claims that there was, but I ...
11
votes
1answer
1k views
Was the Vatican bailed out from bankruptcy by private interests in the 1980s?
I read an article years ago about the Vatican City going bankrupt and subsequently being bailed out by the CEO of a large sneaker company (Nike, Adidas or Reebok, etc. - I can't remember which). I ...
15
votes
1answer
4k views
Did any satanic cult ever commit organised ritual murders or sacrifices?
In Manhattan Beach, CA in 1983 members of the McMartin family were accused of a variety of abuse charges against the children in their care.
It was reported that the children:
"were ...
35
votes
4answers
21k views
Claimed similarities between Jesus Christ and Horus and other Gods
The 2007 conspiracy theory film Zeitgeist: The Movie (Website, Watch online, Wikipedia Entry) states in Part I "The Greatest Story Ever Sold" that major points of the story about Jesus Christ's ...
10
votes
2answers
290 views
Ash Wednesday History
I recently read a blog that stated:
Ash Wednesday is a relatively late addition to the Christian liturgical calendar, first surfacing in the tenth century according to accounts written in the ...
