New Years Resolutions

These are not necessarily resolutions as much as they are personal goals:

1. I want to publish at least 3 books this year; at least two of these books will be published academically.
2. I want to submit or contribute at least 10 articles to academic journals, series, or seminars (20 would be ideal).
3. I want to publish at least 4 blog posts a month (at least 1 a week); it would be ideal to publish 8 blog posts a month.
4. I want to sow the seeds for future book projects (to be written next year) and gather the resources and data to do so.
5. I want to read 2 new books a month.

Resolutions:

1. To allow for more tolerance of different ideas and perspectives
2. To be more strict in methodology
3. To lose weight and eat better (Isn’t this the standard New Years resolution?)
4. To buy James Crossley, James McGrath, Jim West, Emanuel Pfoh, Roland Boer, Niels Peter Lemche, Philip Davies, and Thomas Thompson a drink (Best to start saving now)
5. To jump another 8 ranks on N.T. Wrong’s Biblioblog Top 50 (Watch out Jim West!)
6. To be a better boyfriend, provider and bestfriend.
7. To be a better son.

Staying the same:

1. Critically examine every claim
2. Shape my opinions in accordance to the evidence (never the other way around)
3. Stay awesome
4. Still not a fish

To be Wright or Wrong?

The quest for the Historical NT Wrong is in full swing on James McGrath’s blog.  I have been called out as the ‘man behind the Wrong!”  But clearly it cannot be me.  One will make note that I’ve had conversations on Wrong’s blog here and here.  It could be that somebody clever enough could have arranged this conversation, and who better than I, if I were the real NT Wrong, but I don’t think I’m that clever.

I also do not have the stunning wit nor the UK email address necessary to be Wrong, and clearly, as a product of American public schools, I could not even identify where Barnsley, South Yorkshire is on a map.

James’ analysis of my name is equally wrong (no pun intended), as I have written on its origins (in some degree) here.  Also, in my “About Me” section of my blog, I write that I am “Not a fish,” which would indicate that I can not swim.  Since the UK is an Island, I cannot be Wrong, despite the possibility that Wrong is indeed a name of a pet fish that the elusive writer of Bishop Wrong’s blog may have caught while fishing in the waters around his home.

And, while James may be correct about my analysis of the evidence, the reason why I am less likely to be a fictional creation is that my name is not eponymous (unless you suggest that by the name Thomas I am calling myself “the Twin” of NT Wrong, thereby claiming that I am him), but NT Wrong’s blog clearly states that the name “NT Wrong” is, in fact, an eponymous creation.

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. Why “N.T. Wrong”?
“N.T.” stands for “New Testament”, a collection of writings which turn out to be mostly wrong.

This used to be up in his FAQ, but I now, no longer, see it there.  The author realized we were on to him and quickly replaced it with his Biblioblog list.  The fact that this early version of Wrong’s redaction here is clear evidence that the author NT Wrong is a eponymic name for an anonymous blogger (or group of bloggers).  Hereby validated my position that NT Wrong is not a historical person.  Clearly, as Paul suggests that Jesus’ name was given, NT Wrong is a title taken on as a badge of honor, to right the “Wronged” in scholarship.  While we quibble over who this “historical” NT Wrong is, we fracture NT Wrong’s blog up so much that we loose sight over the edifying narratives within.  We completely miss out on such wonderous and thought-provoking posts like NT Wright’s delusions about the undead in Jerusalem or Wrights ever increasing  fanaticism.

In any event, my case is that clearly NT Wrong is a title that did not come about ex nihilo, but neither did his blog.  That we can all agree on.  But we must not lose sight of the wonderfully funny things that “Wrong” has done, when explained in the narrative of a blog post.

Why I Blog at All Hours of the Night

Thanks to James McGrath for this delightful cartoon!

Jim West’s Desktop Challenge

As per Jim’s request, below is my submission.  I cannot crop the picture on my desktop (as I use dual monitors and Paint is not functioning correctly for me!) so below is the picture I currently have up on my desktop. (My old cat Shadow asleep on Lightfoot’s Apostolic Fathers):

Shadow and Lightfoot

I hope this will suffice.

Random Facts and Blog Memes

I’ve been tagged with a meme by James McGrath, the rules of which are as follows:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them.
5. Let each person know they’ve been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

So here are six random facts about me:

1. I am addicted to coffee.  Any kind of coffee.  I don’t know why, but I have withdrawl headaches when I do not have any.
2. I was once a conservative catholic who felt he had a calling from god to join the clergy.
3. I love 90’s rock as well as classical music, rap, hip-hop, and some industrial.
4. I have been working on five articles, two of which are for contributions to a collection of essays, two others are for submissions to other journals, one is for my blog.  This is addition to the book I am writing on the Gospels and the figure of Jesus.
5. While I do not believe in folk lore or mythology, I find all of it entertaining and interesting, particularly as cultural phenomena.
6. I have no sense of humor.

Tags: Jim West, Matthew Angle, Hambydammit, Emanuel Pfoh (because he needs to start a blog, already!), Vridar and Richard Carrier.