Thanks to the incredible generosity of members of the blog, I am happy to announce that there are a limited number of free one-year memberships available. These have been donated for a single purpose: to allow those who cannot afford the annual membership fee to participate on the blog for a year. I will assign these memberships strictly on the honor system: if you truly cannot afford the membership fee, but very much want to have full access to the blog, then please contact me.
Do NOT reply here, on the blog, as a comment. Send me a separate email, privately, at [email protected]. In your email, let me know your situation (why you would like to take advantage of this offer) and provide me with the following information:
1) Your first and last name.
2) Your preferred personal email.
3) Your preferred user name (no spaces).
4) Your preferred password (should be 8 or more characters, no spaces).
The donors will remain anonymous, but here let me publicly extend my heartfelt thanks for such kind and generous donations to help others.
Here’s a brief quote I found from Desiderius Erasmus: “When I get a little money, I buy books; and if any is left, I buy food and clothes.” … On another note, I have a stack of Bart’s books that currently number seventeen. His (trade) books readers can actually read and enjoy twice! And in my opinion, a year’s subscription to his blog is worth a hard or soft-covered book of his, hands down.
Dr. Ehrman, off topic question. Maybe you can add it to your mailbag?
With Hanukkah coming up (along side Christmas this year, so as a Jew I have an excuse to celebrate Christmas), I’m curious if you’ve ever taken part in a Jewish holiday? For example, have you ever taken part in a Passover Seder? Have you ever gone to a Yom Kippur service? Or Hanukkah dinner? Or Sukkot in an actual Sukkah? In other words, how immersed have you been in Jewish haggim and yomim tovim? At any point in your life have you worn a yarmulke?
I’ve been at a number of Shabbat dinners; I’ve been at Seders; I’ve prayed at the Western Wall; and yes I’ve worn a yarmulke. But otherwise, I’m afraid not.
When I was growing up, I knew only two Jews. And Jesus was one of them. The other was my girlfriend. When she asked me why she would need Jesus if Jesus was the way to God and she already had God. I told her that Hey, since we have him, we might as well take him! I wasn’t much of an evangelist in those days.
Bart, what do you know about Tandava Tāṇḍavam (also known as Tāṇḍava nṛtya) … Shiva?
Nothing!