Author Archives: René Salm


About René Salm

I write about Jesus Mythicism, Gnosticism, Early Christianity (and its possible links with Buddhism), and have been researching the archaeology of Nazareth for over twenty years. My books are Buddhist and Christian Parallels (2004) The Myth of Nazareth (2008) and NazarethGate (2015), the last two examining the physical evidence for settlement in the Nazareth basin during the Early Roman period. I also manage the companion website www.NazarethMyth.info.

Book Review: “Mark, Canonizer of Paul” by Tom Dykstra (2012) — Pt. 4

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Deception and power      Dykstra writes that the canonical gospels are “scriptural historiography… The narrative is anchored to known historical facts, it is written to achieve a practical political or religious purpose, and in the furtherance of that purpose the author is free to invent whatever does not unreasonably transgress the bounds of plausibility” (p. 198). Dykstra then flat-out states that the evangelist is “compelled to invent whatever is necessary to achieve his purpose.” Well, that about sums up the situation: the evangelists invented what suited their purposes and that they could get away with (which is another way of saying: “whatever does not unreasonably transgress the bounds of plausibility”).      The closest contemporary genre to the above is probably what we … Continue reading →

Book Review: “Mark, Canonizer of Paul” by Tom Dykstra (2012) — Pt. 3

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Chp. 5: Presenting Jesus as the Crucified One      Dykstra begins this chapter with an important observation: “Another theme unique to Paul is his emphasis on the cross, or more specifically on the crucified Christ over the resurrected Christ” (p. 93). The terminology “crucified Christ” vs. “resurrected Christ” mirrors the two great models of salvation fighting one another for hegemony in the pre-canonical religion: salvation through faith (the “cross”) vs. salvation through gnosis (spiritual “resurrection”). In Pauline thought, salvation in “Jesus” is through faith in his atoning death on the physical cross. In gnostic thought, salvation in “Jesus” is through the acquisition of spiritual gnosis. These are two different religions and two different Jesuses—one material, one spiritual. Paul’s disputes with both … Continue reading →

Book Review: “Mark, Canonizer of Paul” by Tom Dykstra (2012) — Pt. 2

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Chp. 3: The Chimera of Oral Tradition      Like the Aramaic substratum thesis (Casey et al) the poor oral tradition has really been taking a beating lately and seems to be going the way of the dodo. I have no problem dispensing with the oral tradition theory and so skipped this long chapter on the first run-through. Dykstra asks (41): “How can a narrative written 30-plus years after the events that it records include such vivid detail..?” And: “How is it that Mark’s elaborate narrative appeared suddenly out of nowhere after three decades?” Whoah. This dating is increasingly passé. Accumulating data are showing that the Gospel of Mark probably dates to the second century CE, not the first (hence GMt and … Continue reading →

Book Review: “Mark, Canonizer of Paul” by Tom Dykstra (2012) — Pt. 1

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I recently finished an excellent book by Tom Dykstra, a virtually unknown American writer whose work deserves a careful read by those interested in Christian origins. The title, Mark, Canonizer of Paul: A New Look at Intertextuality in Mark’s Gospel (OCABS PRESS, 2012) won’t raise many eyebrows. After all, no one questions that the Gospel of Mark postdates Paul. And most would also agree that Markan theology and Pauline theology are in virtual lock-step: salvation comes through belief that we have been saved by the atoning death of Jesus on the cross. That is the so-called Pauline kerygma. Stated baldly, salvation comes through belief (in salvation). Christianity has managed to flourish for two thousand years based on this circular proposition. … Continue reading →

New translation of Georges Ory book available

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The Analysis of Christian Origins (“Analyse des origines chrétiennes”) by Georges Ory has recently been translated into English by Paul Davidson. Thank you, Paul! This is a major work by Ory and runs to 92 pages in the original French edition of 1963, published by the Cercle Ernest Renan of Paris. Ory was at one time president of the CER. Three links are provided below. The first two are to Davidson’s translation. The third is the original French edition (all PDFs). Thanks also to John Felix and Neil Godfrey for facilitating this communication. I will not have time to either read or provide a review of this work until my book NazarethGate is completed this summer. Anyone who reads Ory’s work and cares to submit a review for … Continue reading →

Folly 5: The Churches, U.S. Government, and Land—Pt. 2

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[The following radio talk is excerpted with permission from the book, Atheist Heroes and Heroines by Madalyn Murray O’Hair.]      What do you suppose land is worth in New Jersey these days? Camp Kilmer had 2.87 acres and 2 buildings which had been acquired for $76,555. The government devalued this to $29,300 and then sold it to the Christian School Association of North Central New Jersey, at an 80% discount. That is, for the sum total of $586.      Aha! I see more Texas here. It appears that the Jesuit Fathers of Houston, Inc., knew that there were buildings at Ellington Air Force Base and that three of those buildings would be just dan-dan-dandy for the use of the good fathers. They … Continue reading →

Folly 4: The Churches, U.S. Government, and Land—Pt. 1

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[The following radio talk is excerpted with permission from the book, Atheist Heroes and Heroines by Madalyn Murray O’Hair.]      Good evening. This is Madalyn O’Hair, American Atheist, back to talk with you again. I try to keep current with all the land and buildings which the United States government gives away to churches—in defiance of the Constitution of the United States, of course—but I just can’t do it. The federal government can give this away faster than just one little old American Atheist Center can keep up with the records of what is happening.      The reason that I say this is unconstitutional is that I rely on one of the men who was there when the First Amendment was drafted … Continue reading →

Folly 3: Bakunin on “God”

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[In the early 1970s Madalyn Murray O’Hair, the late founder of American Atheists, instituted a series of talks on the American Atheist Radio Series. One of the talks dealt with the anarchist Bakunin and became a chapter in O’Hair’s subsequent compilation book, Atheist Heroes and Heroines. The text is reprinted here by permission.—R.S.] Good evening,      This is Madalyn O’Hair, American Atheist, back to talk with you again.      I have been trying for some time to get some of the works of the anarchists, for this was a group of persons absolutely dedicated to Atheism.      In America we have the unusual phenomenon of the largest anarchist group being Roman Catholic. Headed by Dorothy Day and putting out a small newspaper, this … Continue reading →

Folly 2: How to Become a Saint

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“How to Become a Saint” by Baron Avro Manhattan Author of Latin America and the Vatican (1946) Catholic Imperialism and World Freedom (1952) Vatican Imperialism in the 20th Century (1965) Vietnam: Why Did We Go? (1984) The Vatican’s Holocaust (1986); etc.      I have decided to become a saint!      In the past, when I was very naive, I thought it a most difficult job. Indeed, I was persuaded it was an impossibility—during my lifetime, at any rate. Now, however, I know better. My chances of becoming a saint are very high. So are yours, for that matter.      Before I disclose ways and means of reaching sainthood, let us first be clear on one thing. What is a saint?      It is a … Continue reading →

Folly 1: Questions for Jesus Christ

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     A new series on this blog, Follies of Christianity, highlights the astonishing unreason, human rights abuses, and anti-scientific myopia of religion… (It’s about time!)      This first FOLLY is a satirical letter written in 1877 by one Richard Fox. It is drawn from a book by the late Madalyn Murray O’Hair (founder of American Atheists) entitled Atheist Heroes and Heroines (American Atheist Press, 1991, used by permission). Enjoy!—RS   Questions I Would Like to Ask Should I Ever Meet Up With Jesus Christ by Richard Fox To His Excellency the Immanuel J. Christ,      If memory serves you, you probably can bring to mind that something over half a century ago I was in the habit of addressing you quite often, and … Continue reading →