Tim O'Neill - History for Atheists
@timoneill.bsky.social
2.7K followers 78 following 510 posts
History writer, medievalist, blogger, atheist, sceptic and expatriate Tasmanian. http://linktr.ee/timoneill
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timoneill.bsky.social
Just uploaded to the History for Atheists channel, my conversation with Dr Dan McClellan @maklelan.bsky.social
on the Hebrew Bible, its texts, contexts and misconceptions.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7kS...
Reposted by Tim O'Neill - History for Atheists
maklelan.bsky.social
I recently had the privilege of talking with Tim O'Neill for his show, History for Atheists, and the episode is out now. You can check it out here:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7kS...
Dan McClellan - The Hebrew Bible
YouTube video by History for Atheists
www.youtube.com
timoneill.bsky.social
Just uploaded to the History for Atheists channel, my conversation with Dr Dan McClellan @maklelan.bsky.social
on the Hebrew Bible, its texts, contexts and misconceptions.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7kS...
timoneill.bsky.social
… - Peter Heather’s recent book is vastly superior and without the weird biases. It’s also funny she keeps bravely sniping at me from behind a block. Such fortitude.
timoneill.bsky.social
Wow, she’s resorted to the feeble “he’s a Christian apologist” tactic already? 🤣 And all I did was comment on the overblown pre-publicity and her Nixey-style crap from the past. Three chapters in and all I can say about the book is it seems a bit pointless. Real historians have done it better …
timoneill.bsky.social
Who is going to give me “both barrels” over what exactly? The person above has me blocked, so if they want to engage with me they’re going about it rather strangely. 🤔
timoneill.bsky.social
Yes. You’d think if the Great Professor was confident in her ideas she’d engage with her critics. And sniping at them from behind the safety of a block is doubly feeble.
timoneill.bsky.social
I see. So, as you’ve shown, I merely commented on her past form, noted a couple of things about the pre-publicity and reserved judgement about the book. Contrary to what she claimed.
I’m currently four chapters in and so far find it pretty unremarkable, though her odd biases are clear.
timoneill.bsky.social
She’s got me blocked (she’s *very* sensitive to any kind of criticism and has a hair trigger on blocking even the mildest dissent). So what were you quoting me in response to “for the record”?
timoneill.bsky.social
Okay, I’ll post a link here. My comments were on her previous behaviour, bad historical takes and the pre-publicity for the book though, so I fail to see the problem with any of that.
timoneill.bsky.social
... for appearances like this. So any contribution you can make toward the US$2000 this will cost would be much appreciated. Bart is going to be my final guest on HIstory for Atheists, so I hope you can help bring the channel to a fitting finale.
timoneill.bsky.social
The good news is that Prof. Bart Ehrman has agreed to appear on the History for Atheists video channel and podcast for a 1-2 hour conversation about Jesus Mythicism, the historical Jesus and his Jewish apocalyptic context.
As Bart is a busy man, he charges as speaker's fee ...
timoneill.bsky.social
Help make it happen - help raise the speaker's fee so Bart Ehrman can appear on History for Atheists on
@indiegogo Help make it happen - help raise the speaker's fee so Bart Ehrman can appear on History for Atheists on
@indiegogo
timoneill.bsky.social
So the latest addition to my Great Myths series covers how this idea of an eternal conflict between science and religion arose, why it persists and who keeps propping it up. Enjoy.
timoneill.bsky.social
New on History for Atheists: The Great Myths 16 - The Conflict Between Science and Religion.
If there is a foundational myth that underpins a great deal of anti-theist bad history, it's the notorious Conflict Thesis.
historyforatheists.com/2025/08/the-...
timoneill.bsky.social
What’s that got to do with atheist activists’ misconceptions about the Old Testament?
timoneill.bsky.social
The key words above are "things ATHEISTS get wrong about the Hebrew Bible etc."
timoneill.bsky.social
My next interview on the History for Atheists channel will be with Dr Dan McClellan ‪@maklelan.bsky.social‬ on things atheists get wrong about the Hebrew Bible/OT, early Jewish beliefs, the history of ancient Israel etc. What would you like me to ask Dan about?
timoneill.bsky.social
Orestes was a Christian. Pretty much everyone on both sides were Christians. I just looked at your profile and you seem unhinged. Time to ignore you I think.
timoneill.bsky.social
And “corrected” by who? Who should be held accountable for a political faction fight in an ancient city 1600 years ago? What the hell are you talking about?
timoneill.bsky.social
More fantasy. Please read some actual historians on what happened, particularly in the context of the social and economic divisions in the city. Her murder had nothing to do with religion.
timoneill.bsky.social
… aligned with Christian thinking (several of her students were leading Christians) and continued to be so. Hypatia as a “martyr” to anything is a modern fairy tale.
timoneill.bsky.social
She was murdered in a political faction fight over hierarchy and authority in the city that had nothing to do with religion or philosophy. Our most contemporary source even says she was caught up in “political jealousies” *despite* her renown as a philosopher. And Neoplatonism was already closely…