Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of 
I really do love the Worldnutdaily. It's like a one stop shop for stupidity. This article has me chuckling today:
Some 2,000 years ago, the apostle Paul predicted a time when believers in God would "not endure sound doctrine" and that "they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." (2 Timothy 4:3-4)"At this very moment, we are living in Paul's predicted time of fables," declares WND executive news editor Joe Kovacs, author of the brand-new book, "Shocked by the Bible: The Most Astonishing Facts You've Never Been Told," which makes its official debut today.
Wow, Paul predicted that there would come a time when people would not believe everything he wrote but instead believed other things he considers untrue? Nostradamus has nothing on this guy. But this is my favorite line:
"There are millions of people, many of whom are Christian, who actually believe fables about Scripture instead of easily provable Bible facts," Kovacs said.
I nominate "easily provable bible facts" as a great name for a band.
Since this prophecy thing seems so easy, I'm gonna give it a shot. I predict that tomorrow the Worldnutdaily will publish something just as stupid as this article.
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There are millions of people, many of whom are Christian, who actually believe fables about Scripture instead of easily provable Bible facts," Kovacs said.
Like a 6000 year-old Earth, talking animals and plants, walls collapsing from soldiers stomping around, a world-wide flood, virgin births, and miraculous resurrections?
Posted by: schism | October 8, 2008 9:57 AM
Predicting that not everyone will follow your doctrine is one of the safest prediction you can make. Ayn Rand and L Ron Hubbard could have made this prediction.
Posted by: Bill in NC | October 8, 2008 10:10 AM
If you look in that article, it provides a list of some of the common Bible "myths" that are debunked by the book, including these: "The practice of decorating a tree with silver and gold is actually *condemned* by God" and "'Easter' has vanished from the Bible, yet many Christians still revere the name of that ancient fertility goddess as something holy".
So looks like this dude Kovacs is condemning Christmas trees and celebrating Easter. How puritanical of him. Does that mean he supports the "War on Christmas" and the "War on Easter" too?
Posted by: Adrienne | October 8, 2008 10:11 AM
Predicting that not everyone will follow your doctrine is one of the safest prediction you can make. Ayn Rand and L Ron Hubbard could have made this prediction.
Posted by: Bill in NC | October 8, 2008 10:13 AM
No, I think they believe that God talks to prophets. (Unfortunately, they also think they are prophets.)
Posted by: Umlud | October 8, 2008 10:15 AM
Christianity is insanity.
Posted by: Jim Specner | October 8, 2008 10:27 AM
Schism, the only issue I have with your post is about the walls. Didn't somebody demonstrate that a structure could be brought down by sympathetic vibrations over a period of time? (Tacoma Narrows Bridge)
As far as the whole 'prophets' meme, isn't that word just misspelled? Shouldn't it be "Profits"?
Posted by: Blaidd Drwg | October 8, 2008 10:43 AM
...Wow. I guess now we can add "taking completely superfluous shots at the Jews" to WND's long list of transgressions.
Posted by: Wes | October 8, 2008 10:47 AM
No, no, no, you're doing it wrong. It should be more like "I predict that, at some unnamed point in the future in some unnamed land, a media outlet of some kind will publish something that someone will think is a stupid as this article."
That's how you do prophecy for fun and profit.
Posted by: Shygetz | October 8, 2008 11:12 AM
Maybe, but since all the archaeological evidence is that Jericho didn't have walls, it's a rather moot point. Also, very strong winds bringing a modern suspension bridge is a rather different situation to a bunch of guys with trumpets bringing down stone or rammed earth walls. Suspension bridges are naturally resonant structures. Bronze Age fortifications usually aren't.
Posted by: Dunc | October 8, 2008 11:53 AM
Hoorah, a refuge from my election fatigue.
I predict that you, yes you, the person reading this, will receive a boon you neither expected nor deserved. When it happens you will know that I am a true prophet. So you'd do well to heed what I say next.
When you receive this boon you will face a choice. You may selfishly use it for your sole benefit or you may choose to share it with others. The former will lead to hardship seven fold greater than the worth of the boon. However, if you should follow the second path you will receive yet greater reward.
The pleasure of sharing is the greatest of all pleasures, whether it be your heart, your time, your knowledge or your material possessions. It is why I choose to share this message with you. But it's not always easy and I can't continue without your support. So when that boon comes, when you are given proof that I am blessed with a gift of foresight, please consider making a small donation so that you too may experience the joy of giving and avoid the path of regret. Thank you. May peace and joy be with you.
Posted by: Abby Normal | October 8, 2008 1:27 PM
Posted by: H.H. | October 8, 2008 1:45 PM
"Ayn Rand and L Ron Hubbard could have made this prediction."
But they would take 900 pages of the most execrable prose to do it. Hubbard would at least have more stuff blow up.
Posted by: Moopheus | October 8, 2008 1:45 PM
@ Blaidd Drwg
The British army traditionally breaks step when marching over bridges alledgedly due to an incident in Napoleonic times of a bridge collapsing.
however since most military parades tend not to be marked by the sound of collapsing buildings and wall even if this tradition is based on reality it only applies to a subset of structures.
Posted by: kevinj | October 8, 2008 3:29 PM
I thought the bridge collapse/break lockstep myth was from Roman times... /e goes to check snopes or wikipedia...
Posted by: kodiak | October 8, 2008 3:56 PM
Isn't 2 Timothy a fake? i.e. it wasn't even written by Paul.
Posted by: Bob O'H | October 8, 2008 4:13 PM
I'm glad God likes tits as much as I do. I thought something was wrong with me.
Posted by: Rob Ryan | October 8, 2008 5:25 PM
Jericho didn't have walls. Troy did, therefore the Bible is false and the Iliad is true. The Iliad presumes that the elder heroes are the offspring of Zeus. Therefore Zeus posed as a Kenyan man (excellent disguise, as that part of Africa was Poseidon's vacation home) and seduced a midwestern maiden in an island so remote it was unknown to Poseidon and far from Hera's piercing gaze. Only earth encompassing Eos, prevasive Aurora, and gentle Iris were familiar with these Islands.
The god-begotton son was named Barack in the fashion of the Eastern barbarians' word for lightining to both conceal and reveal his kinship with mighty Zeus of the thunderbolts. Barack had the cunning of the Olympaians and used it to get into position to become Archon of the barbarians of the mightiest empire of Boreal-Atlantis. But stern Hera could bear Barack becoming Archon of mid-Boreal-Atlantis. She entered the mind of McCain and forced him to select Palin, mother of many as Hera herself is, as his apponted hypo-Archon. Palin is the tyrant of the Hyperborean possesions of mid-Boreal Atlantis. Palin has used Hera's blessed rage to turn the barbarians against Barack and McCain has unleashed the Cthonic powers wit magical spells. Will Barack fail? No! Athena has always respected the wisdom of Barack, her mortal half-brother. She will deliver the Aegis to reflect the powers McCain has unleashed from Hades, and she will send her cloak of snakes against tyrant Palin.
[I don't believe any of what I just wrote, but it makes more sense than what Palin believes.]
Posted by: Bacopa | October 9, 2008 2:07 AM
"Hubbard would at least have more stuff blow up."
But Rand would've had the decency to include some bondage fantasies. I feel all dirty just writing that.
Posted by: Joseph Hewitt | October 9, 2008 2:58 AM
I'm a little confused by the quote:
So "they" will swivel their remarkably flexible ears, in a direction that is not pointing to something called "truth" and then "they" will suddenly be turned into a stories?
Hey Paul, what have you been smoking, and where can I get some? -DJ
PS Barcopa, if you don't believe what you've written that's OK, Sarah's so used to lying for Jesus even she doesn't believe anything she says.
Posted by: DingoJack | October 9, 2008 3:09 AM
Well, to be honest, Jericho did have walls at various points of time in its history, but from what I have been able to find, it did not seem to have walls at the points that people think the myths occurred. However, since there is no evidence for an invasion of non-canaanite people, the entire myth falls apart long before it gets to that stage.
Can I get on the prediction thing and say that there will be a time when people will not believe what I am saying? What do I win?
Posted by: Badger3k | October 9, 2008 11:18 AM
Badger - a Cassandra Award, and free captivity in a Mycenaean King's household. Congratulations. :( -DJ
PS I'll go one better Badger:
"All canines are liars" - DINGO
Posted by: DingoJack | October 10, 2008 1:53 AM