LETTERS OF APPRECIATION

LETTERS OF APPRECIATION

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The letters of approval section has been closed and finalized effective June 23, 2007.

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Dr. Long,

I found your post on exchristian.net. It is my hope that you find a publisher, and soon. I will be purchasing several

copies to distribute to my christian friends. I was a good Baptist for about 15 years. It took another 10 years of

suffering a guilt ridden downward spiral before I found my answer in atheism. I will be monitoring your website regularly,

reading, and hoping for an announcement of a publication date.

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You may remember me as the person who's emailed you once or twice about your book in the past.

Anyhow, I've just come to the end (finally) of your interminable work. Once again, I'd like to say how much I enjoyed it

- putting points across clearly and (at times) concisely, and with a touch of wit to boot.

Your book is very focused on its topic - Biblical errancy. This has many merits to recommend it, but I think doubting

Christians/beginning freethinkers would benefit greatly from other material to which you could profitably apply yourself

- eg the question of a god, evidence of gods in today's world and such. And what about other religions and their lack of

veracity?

Just some suggestions if you have some spare time

G.S.

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Hi Jason,

My name is JG. I'd like to include a link to your Biblical Nonsense site on my own site as I develop it. There is not

much at my site so far, just a collection of some ideas.

Thanks and take care,

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nice job!

I spent much of this afternoon going through your 'intro to christian nonsense' which I found via your sig....

Nice job! Lots of useful info, and presented in a good format.

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Hello Doc,

I've been reading your book on line. Good stuff

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Doc Long,

Awaiting publication of the Book with bated breath!

Your byline and presence at ExChristian dot net is appreciated and enjoyed.

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Thanks for "dumbing" down your writing so the common person can read it. I found your writing to be easy to read and rather

humorous. I thoroughly enjoyed perusing your site. Best of luck with your book. I will keep my eyes out for it.

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I checked out your site and it looks very good! I will link to it.

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Hi Jason. I perused your site and read the intro to your book. It looks good! We do need more books like yours that are

more accessible to ordinary people. I've downloaded the zip file and I'll read some more, and if I like it, I'll definitely

buy it (is that ethical? Maybe not, let me know what you think.)

All the best and keep up the fight against nonsense, biblical and otherwise.

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Checked out a bit of your website, haven't read the book yet, but am suitably impressed enough to do so soon. :)

I would be happy to put a link on my site.

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Hey Jason,

Thanks for the information, not to mention doing the book AND making it available!

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Dr. Jason Long

I'll be happy to add a link to your site on the next update.

In fact, I'd like to give you a little higher profile. Could you give me permission to republish the introduction to the book

in the Meditations section of my web site? That would probably create more visitors for you.

Let me know.

Best wishes

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Dr. Long,

Your book should not be readable online. I strongly suggest you remove it's content, and make people who are interested,

purchase a copy...It sounds like a very interesting perspective, one that I share commons with. I will purchase one next week

when I get my new card, but heck, don't let anyone cut and paste that for free. People should pay you so you can support your

overhead from the project.

You can't read any Gielser or Sproul books online, why should atheistic authors be any different?

Sincerely,

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Hi Jason,

Your book is terrific! Your site is much needed and appreciated. I have added a link to it from my site:

http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/smcdownlds/Philo2.html (under the heading "The Bible: Can it be God's Word?")

In my online book, I take the reader on a trip from cover to cover through the Bible, pointing things out along the way.

Your book takes a topical approach. I think both approaches are needed and serve a purpose.

I disagree with DS who said you shouldn't keep your book online but should make people pay for it. I strongly feel that

this information needs to be freely available to all.

Thank you for writing this book!

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Jason

Thanks for your email and your contribution to freethinkers – and freethinkers to be - of the world. I have read part of

your website and I feel like I am reading my own writing. In my book, True Truths: The Shameful Deceit, Arrogance and

Corruption of Religion, I cover many of the same topics you cover in very similar ways.

I will be sure to refer friends and those with questions regarding religion to visit your site and check out your book. I

will be updating my website, www.truetruths.com, soon, and will include a link to your site.

Have a great day, and continue your eye opening, mind expanding work.

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Dear sir :

I became skeptical about 15 years ago when I watch a lot of discovery channel and they did something about Jesus. I can’t

remember what it was about but that is when I started my journey to become an atheist. It was slow journey with some bumps

in the road. But just recently I began my search for the truth and came across a lot of web sites and got some answers I was

asking and I grew more aware the fallacies of the bible and others. And just came across your web page and found it fascinating

and answered a lot of questions and I just want to thank you for doing what you did it set me on the right path. And I can know

say that I am an atheist.

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Just been reading the texts on your web site. Excellent stuff.

One question, how the hell did the utterings in the Old Testament, human sacrifice, slavery etc. take a grip of people's minds ?

I find this completely amazing, and incomprehensible.

Regards.

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Good site. The 'revealed' religions are unreasonable.

I wonder in your suggested reading list why you do not include Thomas Paine's anti-biblical "The Age of Reason". It is an

excellent piece of work. Thomas Paine was a deist.

If you or any of your readers are agnostics, but leaning towards "well, I think there's something else besides evolution to

explain the universe", I'd like to point you all towards the freethinking forum at "Positive Deism" on the net. You won't find

answers there, but a fellowship of people trying to use Reason to define some sort of God.

Just an alternative for those who are dissatisfied with everything else on offer.

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Dear Sir:

I must say I am enjoying your informative and thought provoking website. I certainly do appreciate the time and effort you have

invested in this undertaking.

I would like to humbly suggest that you add another contradiction/absurdity to your already impressive list. That is the fact the

in the OT God perpetrates genocide against the Canaanites on the grounds that they broke his laws and does so with no warning to

the Canaanites about their alleged transgressions and without having informed them at any time previously about the nature and

existence His laws. Furthermore, if these so called laws were the basis for genocide/destruction of a civilization, why did this

God not destroy the other civilizations/societies in the region if not the world? Why does this God stop at the Canaanites? There

is of course no proof given by this God that the Canaanites have acted so wickedly. In fact as we know today, the Canaanites were

anything but a wicked race consumed by every imaginable evil under the sun. Many more points could be made but you see where I’m

going.

You may also want to add the three different accounts of the duration of the flood., The flood lasted 150 days in Gen 7:24, 40 days

in Gen 7:17 and ten months in Gen 8:5

Thanks for your time,

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Dear Dr. Long,

I am currently reading your book at biblicalnonsense.com. It is very good, thank you for making it publicly available.

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Jason,

Many months ago you sent me a notice of your new book to my site at www.escapereligion.com. I've been reading through your book

articles and enjoying them. I like you logic, which in many respects is similar to mine. If you don't mind I'm going to create a

link or two directly to your site or to one/a few or your articles.

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Hi,

I read your online version of your book and want to say thanks for making it available. It's very insightful and informative.

The reason I write is.. I have created (and attached) a pdf file of the book and I thought you may want to make it available for

download as well. The text in it is fairly small (I have good vision), so if you want it made larger, or want any other changes,

let me know and I'd be glad to fix it up.

Thanks again,

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Found your website as a result of a search for info regarding debunking the Moses story. Read Chapter 12 and found it informative

and fascinating to read. Looking forward to reading the rest of the chapters of your book. I agree, Christianity is "one of the

world's greatest problems", if not THE greatest.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!

Sincerely,

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Thank you, Dr. Long, a very well-written, all-in-one-place debunking. I throughly enjoyed the smattering of archaeological

evidence you presented, highlighting the lack of historical accuracy in the bible. Best of luck in your career, and I hope to

Take care

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Hi,

I've been reading your online version when I could over the last couple of months, and you've done an incredible job of researching

and writing a wonderful book, thanks. I had one comment/question from your FAQ page:

You said, " I call myself agnostic because I know of no way to be certain about supernatural existence--I can only elminate

possibilities."

Borrowing from Marc Perkel's Church of Reality Web site, I really like his comments regarding God "being in hiding" since creating

the earth, mankind, the solar system, or whatever else you want to give him credit for. It seems such a logical conclusion to just

have the god you believe in (whatever or whomever you conclude is your creator) come out of hiding and show his face to confirm his

existence. What possible reason could there be for such a god to have stayed in hiding for 14.5 billion years, or even for the

mythical 6,000 years of Christian creation? That would make me a believer, but only if and when that actual appearance were to occur

would I believe in a god.

I've been an atheist since I was about 12-years old for many of the reasons you cite in "Biblical Nonsense." But, the lack of a god

ever coming out of hiding to prove his existence seems even more powerful to me than many of the previous reasons I had. I just

wonder if that affects any of your views as an agnostic and what you think the Christian apologists would offer as their reason(s)

for allowing 14.5 billion years of their creator remaining in hiding while still maintaining belief in that god?

Thanks so much for your book and for any comments.

Regards,

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To Dr. Long:

Hello. I am a recent de-convert from christianity. I have read your book Biblical Nonsense and am thankful that you have posted

it on the net for all to read for free.

Just before I de-converted, I was searching the internet trying to find corroborating evidence for my faith. I found the exact

opposite. Christianity is fraudulent, just like all other "revealed" religions. Your book was one of the first sources I found in

my research. As I poured over many thousands of pages of information including your book, I began to copy and paste sections of

articles and such from the internet into a word document, in an unorganized fashion, in hopes of eventually presenting the

information to my wife and others for the purpose of enlightening them to the truth about christianity. I have frequently used

these copy-and-paste notes when arguing with fundamentalists in certain discussion forums.

Again, I appreciate your writings about christianity. They played a tremendous part in my waking up from delusion.

Sincerely,

-A grateful Agnostic Non-Theist

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Dear Dr. Jason Long,

I just bought your book in soft cover and look forward to reading it. I was hoping to get an autographed hardcover copy from

you. I will have to wait until around the first of September to send you the check for it though. Is it possible to get an

autographed copy of the hardcover of Biblical Nonsense? and if so, how much would it be?

Also, I noticed you addressed Robert Turkel, a.k.a. J.P. Holding. I'm glad you did. I can't stand that guy. I've argued with

him online years ago. I once sent him many various images of Serapis, from statuary to art, that show an obvious

similarity to the depiction we commonly see of Jesus Christ. I then went on to note that the Catholic Church admitted that

no one knows what the historical Jesus looked like, to which I told Turkel that was odd, considering they claim to know his

every word!

I firmly believe the common image we have of Jesus today is that of either the God of the Grain Serapis, the father God

Zeus, and maybe even the image we have of Appolonius (spelling not sure), or a composite of all three. It seems the long

haired, bearded image was popular with the Pagans back then for their gods and wonder workers and accordingly, I believe

the Christians got that image for Jesus from them. The similarities are striking.

Regards,

P.S. I enjoy your website. I've just started reading your book and it looks very good to me so far. I saw J.P. Holding's review

of it at Amazon and it smacked of the usual apologetic rhetoric nonsense. I really can't stand that guy, but he does seem

to attract a crowd of loyal followers. I think he is militant or something. He is always making personal attacks on people

and calling them bad names.

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Jason:

I wanted to touch base with you and tell you I just finished the book and enjoyed it. I hold to most, if not all, of the same

views and appreciated some directness in attempting to reconcile the claims of the Bible with its fundamentalist adherents.

I would be curious if you are familiar with the work of Ken Wilber as I believe he does a good job of attempting to

demythologize religion while elevating those parts of religious thought that are helpful in internal reformation of being. He

does this minus mythology or authority given anyone's claims to having had a theophany; what I am curious about is how

we take the implications to the Enlightenment and not take away from people those tools they have that have afforded them

the ability to reflect on the interior dimensions to their lives. Religion has served this purpose and I am wondering how we

bridge the gap between demythologizing texts people hold as sacred without taking away from them the tools they need to

become better people (and granted, in my estimation fundamentalism never does that - so please see my comments as

being unhelpful when wrestling w/ fundamentalisms of any variety).

Best of wishes,

BAS

MysteriousFaith.Com

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Sir,

I have just spent about five hours on your website. Intriguing! I have recently been studying mainstream Christianity and am

thoroughly perplexed. I have been asked the question, “how can a smart, educated, level-headed person believe that?”. I was

raised in a religion that isn’t considered “Christian”. I will leave it at that. However, I have had nagging questions in the

back of my mind for some time.

One of the questions that have me dumbfounded is the belief in the Trinity. When I have questioned that belief, I have been met

with the same responses you have been met with. (The bottom line is they were raised with that belief and then taught that

believing differently or questioning the belief is blasphemy) I listen to people turn and twist what the bible actually says to

meet their beliefs. Then I am met with the word “truth” so many times that I want to puke.

In talking with friends and associates and even my wife, (which I hope doesn’t kill me for my differing beliefs!) I am dismayed

at the reasons and lack of historical knowledge possessed by these “Christians”. They have no idea about the Nicean Council or

any of the other councils for that matter. They have no idea where the belief came from except that it came from the Bible and

that is it. I am not saying that it isn’t true; however, I am baffled at the blind belief especially when they are met with a

differing view or idea.

The same holds true for being saved by faith alone. I guess all of the scriptures that say that keeping the commandments of God

is also required are just to be forgotten or ignored just like the God of the Old Testament.

I would like to think that I read the Bible an open mind, much as you do. But it seems that all it takes is one step into

religion to find almost everything twisted and distorted.

I am still looking for “Truth” which I do believe exists somewhere but I feel like the only way to find truth is look outside of

the manmade philosophies and religions of the day.

I would love to hear a response if you have time.

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Hi,

Just wanted to say hello to another Middle Tennessee State alumnus - I also minored in psychology. Unfortunately, I did

not get around to becoming a freethinker until well after college graduation, after a lifetime of Christian fundamentalism

(specifically, the ultra-conservative Church of Christ).

I just ordered your book from Amazon.com, not only because I want to support your effort but also because I like being

able to carry a book around. :) I look forward to receiving it.

Keep up the good work - the world desperately needs more thinkers like you!

Best regards,

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Dr. Long-

Well done.

Have you read Sam Harris's superb book - The End of Faith? Check out his web site - www. samharris.org

MR M.D.

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Dr. Jason:

Very intreged by your book, some thoughts, some questions... I do fear the DEATH of my faith in this pursuit...

I am a Christian mother of 5, I am very interested in your Book, I have been reading some online. I have always been a very

very very skeptical person, very analytical & LOVE to play Devil's Advocate with Fundamentalists. I am a Doubting Thomas, the

type with ONLY a mustard seed of faith. I am a Debater at heart, and Love/thrive on this kind of stuff. I even go to a

"Word Faith" (Penecostal atmosphere) Church, and most of my friends adhere to the strict Black & White mentality of it all. ANd

then I argue with them, and we agree to disagree, it is no big deal, we still love each other & keep coming back for more. I can

tolerate them as long as they dont start jumping on me going to Hell. And if they do this, I laugh at them & reason even harder &

throw contradictory scriptures at them , and it is just fun for me. Why, I do not know. I imagine your Book would be fantastic

amunition for me--for these situations. I also have Mormon friends and Jewish friends and I love them.

I have come to the conclusion myself that I can not take the Bible as Black & White, that I am NOT a Fundamentalist ...... but that

I still find the Bible, for the most part (I agree with you, it is what we pick & choose) can be very very comforting, and gives

much HOPE to the weak, the poor, the struggling, those who need that hope the most in such a shattered & hurtful world. It can

encourage us to love, to give of ourselves, or we can choose to condemn and hurt others with the same book. (isn't that like

almost anything in life?)

I know the Bible has inspired me personally to make good choices in life, I was one of those RARE women who accually waited till

marriage to give myself to my husband-because I saw the benfits of that in scripture, not out of fear, but out of love. I even

prayed for a Virgin & got one. We are very happily married of over 16 yrs. now. I have grown in my giving to the less

fortunate in this world (I was a MISER in a half-like scrooge incarnate when younger), much of this I learned from Scripture, I

could have learned that from somewhere else, but for me, I guess I learned it from the Bible prominetly. I have grown away from

Jealousy , resentment, and it lifted me when I prayed for others, it helped me get away from the anger. I was very very angry when

growing up, I had a major chip on my shoulder, I was Sarcastic & could cut you with a knife with my mouth, had divorced parents,

nasty step mother & seeing my own Mother falling to mental illness. I have used countless Christian books over the years to battle

many of my emotional instabilites. I like who I am today, and have always humbly attributed this not so much to my efforts, but

learning the truth about "God", and Love. Is this really all in the mind.... Is it wrong for me to think this way?

I have to be honest in saying, I am almost afraid to read your book in it's entirety because It may be the DEATH of my faith,

the DEATH of expectation of answered prayers in my life, and I have had many many that I can not explain. I almost feel sick at

the thought. And it could bring on the death of many friendships which I do not really want to happen. But then again, I want to

live in reality. My ultimate search in life is for Truth, whatever it is.

I can agree that I can NOT prove God's existance , but (in your humble opionion), is it so wrong to Believe in the LOVE we

find in the Bible (if we do pick & choose what is good---like the Fruits of the spirit scriptures,etc) , to look up to the Character

of this Jesus and what he tried to teach about loving others, should we ignore the truths about the Good Samartian? I personally

see soooo much common sense in the Bible, the scriptures about "thinking on good things", Proverbs, even Ecclesiates is one of my

favorites. If I come to the conclusion that this is all smoke & meaningless --all the random figments of others imaginations, I

just find this really really sad. (Kinda like reading "The Giving Tree" By Shel Silverstein, you are really confused at the end,

tears are streaming down your face & you do not really know where to go with what you have just read, experienced. The various

interpretatons are just amazing, some see complete LOVE, where others see Co-dependancy and Naziism. It is completely insane. We

could say the same for the Bible.

Please tell me if you felt this way on your journey to the conclusions you have come to? And does Humanism Fill that void in your

life? Do you pray at all anymore ? I find something inheritantly lifting to the spirit - when you pray. Not that I do it much

anymore, but I wanted to get back to it. And now I found this book you wrote, I am excited to read, but yet I fear where it may

take me.....

Confused, In ernest searching for Truth but not loosing everything I hold dear in the Process, What really is Love, who created it,

where did if come from...is there any answers to this question --- what are the alternatives??? What are your thoughts??

I would LOVE to hear back from you --if you ever have the time. Thank you ! R

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Dear Dr. Long,

First off, I want to thank you for placing this on line where doubting Christians (who would not purchase this

otherwise) are able to challenge their faith. I do not think having it available on line will affect the sale of your book as I

intend to buy a hard copy after reading and re-reading it in full.

I was raised with an open mind and told both sides from different relatives. But even at an early age I was a rational

thinker. I refused to say one nation under god or pray before meals at daycare. I thought Noah's ark was a good STORY,

but didn't take it as factual. The more the bible was pushed in my face the more I retreated. I was fascinated and am still to

this day at the diversity of life on this planet and how evolution just made sense. I don't see the holes in it like the faithful

do, only missing pieces of the puzzle we are slowly overturning and adding to the full picture. We don't have the whole

picture yet, but we have enough pieces to understand what we are looking at. It doesn't require blind faith. Unfortunately as

an atheist, I have never had the comforts of a loving god looking after me, or the pipe dream of a heaven. But I dont fear a

hell either.

To further complicate my lack of beliefs I married a Southern Baptist...I guess opposites do attract.

Her father is a born again (I was born ok the first time), Young Earth Creationist. When I asked for her hand in marriage he

immediately went to Jesus and I was blind sided. I was honest with her and on the second date I told her I was not a

Christian and would never become a Christian NOT because I was ignorant to her beliefs...but that I didn't buy it. We

decided to take a Creationism V.S. Evolution class to further understand where the other was coming from (With her

parents). I was all excited to express my views and back them with science....To my surprise we didn't get that far. After a

month of class they couldn't agree on anything in the same faith, same families and same bible. I was WAAAAAY out in

left field and the teacher was interesting. He didn't take sides and could argue either way. We didn't gain much from that

class, but I have attended her church a few times and she has listened to me babble endlessly about evolution and the

contradictions in the bible and the lunacy of Noah's ark, Adam and Eve, and the stupidity of intelligent design. So now

she is in the middle of Bible thumpin and Reality. Anyway, I appreciate your work and I am glad that along with Godcasting

Podcasting also has a few free thinkers like the Infidel guy and Nate and Die to counter people like Ken Ham that twist

"science" to meet their conclusions. I believe people have the right to worship however they see fit and I would die to

protect that right...but I have to draw the line when it becomes a theocracy, or when beliefs hurt others. Its hard to be an

Atheist in a world of believers. But I stand by my non beliefs. Thank you for stating WHY! I do however intend to study the

bible and to highlight in one color where it contradicts itself, in another color to point out every time God shows his non

loving side, and another color when it does not stand up to scientific reality.

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Great work. thanks you very much for your time and your straight forward writing.

I have a question, Have you looked at the Quran, the Muslim book. They claim to be true and no faults. I have read some of their

reasoning but I am not as knowledgeable as you are to refute their claims. Can you please give it a try?

thanks