Best Daniel Beecher Podcasts (2025)

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Episode 101: The Slave Bible 1:04:58

2d ago1:04:58

1:04:58

Christians have had a missionary zeal since the beginning. From the dawn of Christianity, the mandate to share the "good news" has been a central theme of Christian life. But what is a Christian to do when it is clear that the audience they want to share the gospel with would react poorly to much of what's in the Bible? Well, at least in one case, …

1
Episode 100: Give Me Your Slave! 1:02:22

9d ago1:02:22

1:02:22

Come celebrate round numbers with us as we embark on our 100th episode of Data Over Dogma! And what, you might ask, are we doing to mark this grand event? Have we carefully crafted a clips show looking back on the best moments of the last 100 weeks? Have we mindfully chosen topics that relate to the number 100? Well, no. No we haven't. It's just a …

1
Episode 99: Why Can't You Be Like Your Brother? 1:03:10

16d ago1:03:10

1:03:10

If you think you had it rough living in your sibling's shadow, just imagine how James, the brother of Jesus must've felt! Well, today James gets his due. We'll discuss who he was, what he did, and what it might mean theologically, that Jesus wasn't an only child. Then, if you listened to this show for more than a few episodes, you're likely to have…

1
Episode 98: Did Jesus Go to Hell? 1:00:35

26d ago1:00:35

1:00:35

Jesus went to hell! Briefly. He gave the place a look-see after he died, and then left to go be resurrected. Or at least that's the claim that some theologies make. Where did the idea that Jesus visited hell come from? Is it Biblical? I mean, it would have to be, wouldn't it? People wouldn't just make up something like that long after the Bible had…

1
Episode 97: The Neighborhood of Make-Believe 1:01:29

1M ago1:01:29

1:01:29

Would you be mine, could you be mine, won't you be my neighbor? If you know that song, then you know that at least one person understood Jesus' answer to the lawyer. Far fewer seem to now. But that's in the second half of our show! First, we're exploring some imaginative pretending that would almost be cute if so many people hadn't taken it serious…

1
Episode 96: "Render Unto Caesar" with Congressperson Eric Swalwell 57:54

1M ago57:54

57:54

This week we're talking government on the Data Over Dogma show, and woof! It's a doozy! First, we're going into the belly of the beast and talking to and actual, honest-to-goodness United States congressperson. Eric Swalwell has a D next to his name, which, if you ask some in our country, means he's a godless communist. In fact, he's a professed Ch…

1
Episode 95: Uh-Oh, Jericho 58:21

2M ago58:21

58:21

"Hey- it sure is raining a lot, do you have a boat?" "No, but I *Noah* guy." That's right, on this week's episode of Data Over Dogma, we're going diluvian all up in here. It's the story of Noah and the great... vinyard? Here's the twist: It seems that the account of Noah we get in our version of Genesis may not be exactly what we were told it was! …

1
Episode 94: Getting to Gnow the Gnostics 1:03:17

2M ago1:03:17

1:03:17

Sometimes on this show, big ten-dollar words show up like apotropaic or etiology or deuterocanonical, where, unless you're pretty well-versed in this stuff, you may not know what we're talking about (ok fine- you may not know what Dan M is talking about). This week we're tackling two ten-dollar concepts in one show, so buckle in and bust out twenty…

1
Episode 93: Banning the Bible? 1:10:32

2M ago1:10:32

1:10:32

Better get a lawyer, because Data Over Dogma is getting all kinds of legalistic! There are many who claim that all modern law has a direct lineage back to biblical law. This week, we're going to show several reasons why that probably isn't the case, not the least of which being that biblical law... it's really bad. We'll start by talking about the …

1
Episode 92: The Curses of Cain and Ham 1:03:06

2M ago1:03:06

1:03:06

Genesis has no shortage of confusing, misleading, and bizarre stories, but this week we're tackling two separate stories that share a particularly ugly history. First, we tell a story in third person. Or rather, a story about the third person. It's Adam and Eve's firstborn, Cain, who killed his brother and was cursed by God. But God also gave him a…

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Episode 91: Star Spangled Christian Nationalism With April Ajoy 1:04:54

3M ago1:04:54

1:04:54

When you hear the phrase "Christian Nationalism," what do you think of? A harmful set of ideologies that threaten democracy? A buzzword phrase used by bad people to demonize good Christians? April Ajoy has had a journey of conscience from being a full-throated Christian Nationalist to someone fighting against the damage she now sees in that set of …

1
Episode 90: With Counter-Apologies 1:06:58

3M ago1:06:58

1:06:58

Did NASA confirm the date of the birth of Christ? Are most translations of the Bible wrong about the order of the creation? Will Dan M ever be able to say the word smorgasbord? This week on the Data Over Dogma show, we're honoring the Bible by shredding some bad apologetics! As we say every week on the show, one of our goals is to combat misinforma…

1
Episode 89: Spare the Rod... Please! 56:48

3M ago56:48

56:48

Does the Bible really say that parents should beat their children? Yes. Yes it does. AH! But couldn't that verse in Proverbs mean something else? Something a little less abuse-y? Something about a shepherd guiding their sheep? On this week's episode, we'll look at what the author of Proverbs REALLY meant when they said that a parent who spares the …

1
Episode 88: Josiah the Cult Killer 1:00:12

3M ago1:00:12

1:00:12

When you think cults, chances are you're imagining a documentary series you streamed recently where a shockingly non-dynamic person has somehow managed to convince a group of reasonably intelligent followers that they are the smartest person in the world, and now controls their lives in terrifying ways. So when we talk about "cult centralization," …

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Episode 87: The Dans Ruin Christmas 1:05:49

3M ago1:05:49

1:05:49

Haul out the holly, 'cause it's Christmas time! And what could be more appropriate for Christmas than to recount the nativity story? Or is it stories? That's right, this week we're looking at the Bible's two competing narratives of the birth of Jesus and asking "hey- what gives?" Because when you read the account in Matthew and the account in Luke,…

1
Episode 86: Debunking Jesus? 1:07:46

4M ago1:07:46

1:07:46

Ooooh! It's de-bunking time! But with a twist: this time we're debunking the debunkers! That’s right, we’re coming after an idea that certain nonbelievers love to throw at Christians to put them in their place. Well, you can stay safely out of place, Christians, because it's the nonbelievers' turn to eat some humble pie. This week's show, we're loo…

1
Episode 85: Purify This! With Logan Williams 1:13:20

4M ago1:13:20

1:13:20

The battle has begun! For a long time, scholars have said that Jesus nullified all the former Jewish laws about which foods were okay to eat and which were impure, and therefore not fit for consumption. The main passage that they used to justify this idea comes from Mark 7. Well this week our guest is going to blow your mind. Hint: your stomach mig…

1
Episode 84: The Demon Haunted Bible 1:05:07

4M ago1:05:07

1:05:07

DEMONS! We're at an interesting crossroads in history. As science is able to explain more and more about how the universe works, and more specifically how we humans work, we find ourselves using supernatural explanations less and less. When, for example, we understand the erratic behavior of a friend as being part of their mental health journey, we…

1
Episode 83: The God-Forsaken Psalm 1:05:04

4M ago1:05:04

1:05:04

Psalm 22 [according to the Deer of Dawn (don't worry- you'll get that joke later)] is not a happy ditty. It is the song of a hopeless singer, crying out to a God who doesn't seem to be there. Which seems like kind of a weird thing to include in a book of scripture about that God, but there you go. But this psalm is particularly famous, as it was qu…

1
Episode 82: Deconstruction Zone with Rev Karla Kamstra 1:03:12

5M ago1:03:12

1:03:12

It's the boogeyman that haunts churches across the land: religious deconstruction. This is the process of genuinely questioning your religious faith, pulling apart what you've been taught (probably your whole life), sifting through it all, and deciding for yourself what actually works for you, without regard for what anyone else has to say about th…

1
Episode 81: You're Speaking My Language! 1:05:55

5M ago1:05:55

1:05:55

As origin stories go, the Bible's explanation for why humanity has multiple languages is... let's call it creative. Alas, it doesn't hold up particularly well in a modern, scientifically informed era. That said, there's more to the story of the so-called "tower of Babel" than immediately meets the eye. We'll discuss what other ancient questions thi…

1
Episode 80: Omni Everything? 57:43

5M ago57:43

57:43

The modern concept of God (at least in the Christian context) is of an all-knowing, all-powerful, being. One who is everywhere all at once. He sees you when you're sleeping, he knows when you're awake... all that stuff. But does that view of the almighty comport with what is represented in the Bible, or are those ideas more recent innovations? Wher…

1
Episode 79: Who is a True Christian w/ David Congdon 1:09:02

5M ago1:09:02

1:09:02

Go to any comment section where someone has made a controversial claim about the Bible and you'll see it: someone gatekeeping the idea of who qualifies as a "true Christian". Real Christians believe in the trinity, or else decidedly DON'T believe in the trinity. Real Christians believe we're saved through works. Or through faith alone. Or neither. …

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Episode 78: The Biblical View of Immigrants 1:07:28

6M ago1:07:28

1:07:28

This week Craig Mousin and Cecil Cicirello of the Lawful Assembly podcast join us to talk about one of the major hot-button issues in current world politics: immigration. Craig is not only a lawyer who specializes in immigration law, he's also an ordained minister, so we asked him on to bring his unique perspective to bear on the issue. We discuss …

1
Episode 77: What is an Atheist? 1:09:57

6M ago1:09:57

1:09:57

Regular listeners will know that Dr. Dan is not of fan of definitions. Dictionaries aren't rulebooks, he'll say, they're attempts to describe how words are being used. So when the Data Over Dogma show is all about what two words mean, you know it ain't going to be simple. The first word we're looking at is "religion". We'll cover the origin of the …

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Episode 76: Pay Your Tithing! 1:02:05

6M ago1:02:05

1:02:05

Modern parishioners are often asked to pay one tenth of their money to their church. This practice, they are told, is biblical in nature. But is it really? Well, this episode we're talking tithing, and like so many ideas in the Bible it's way more complicated than you might think! Then, we're keeping the theme monetary and telling the story of Anan…

1
Episode 75: Shrouded in Mystery 1:05:20

6M ago1:05:20

1:05:20

Oooh! We're going to poke the gauzy fabric-covered bear with this one! Well first we're going to have a delightful chat about plagues. No, not Covid 19 or the black death, we're talking frogs! If you thought the Spanish Flu was bad, wait until you hear about the great Egyptian livestock massacre. But did the great plagues visited upon Egypt by Mose…

1
Episode 74: The Fabric Conspiracies 56:47

7M ago56:47

56:47

Do you know anything at all about physics? It's fine if you don't, but hold on to your linen shirt if you do, because the sheer volume of gobbledygook that's coming is... impressive. We're going to talk about the fascinating claims of one Heidi Yellen. Yellen's famous papers revolve around Leviticus 19, and the prohibition against wearing two kinds…

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Episode 73: Bible Magic! 1:03:12

7M ago1:03:12

1:03:12

Abracadabra! Today, we're diving into the strange world of spell-casting, charms, and defense against the dark arts. No, this isn't about a school for young witches and wizards, it's the magic practiced in the Bible! And oooh, does that make some people uncomfortable! First, we're going to look at the famous priestly divining implements, the Urim a…

1
Episode 72: The Truth About Ruth 1:06:33

7M ago1:06:33

1:06:33

The biblical story of Ruth can be a confusing one for modern readers. Is Ruth a hero? Is she a schemer? She goes from gleaning in her dead husband's kinsman's field to marrying the guy in a matter of days. What are we to glean from that? And what, exactly, happened on the threshing room floor? If only we had a Bible expert on the show to help us un…

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Episode 71: The Rapture is not Coming! 1:06:28

7M ago1:06:28

1:06:28

It is a source of joy for some, schadenfreude for others, and for many it is the source of deep, soul-crushing anxiety. It's the Rapture! That theoretical moment when all of God's good kiddos on Earth get to fly up to heaven, while all the naughty boys and girls get stuck here on Earth. It's a theology believed by millions around the world, but the…

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Episode 70: Out of Nothing 1:01:22

7M ago1:01:22

1:01:22

Look around you. Do you see it? It's everything. All the stuff. The earth, the sun, the stars, that sofa that you love but your partner kind of hates, the oceans, the trees, the new Taylor Swift album that they pressed into a vinyl album for some reason, even though everybody just streams... It's all here. But why? Was it always here? The stuff? Or…

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Episode 69: Gospel Authorship with Michael Kok 1:06:35

8M ago1:06:35

1:06:35

When you look at the New Testament and you see "The Gospel According to Matthew" or "The Gospel According to John", you could be forgiven for assuming that what you're getting is a book written by the apostle Matthew or John. But many scholars are convinced that this is not the case. Why don't they believe that these disciples of Jesus actually wro…

1
Episode 68: Take My Wife... Please! 1:07:33

8M ago1:07:33

1:07:33

It's Biblical misogyny day here at the Data Over Dogma show [well, it's one of them- this is the Bible we're talking about after all], and we've got some real doozies for you. First, we're looking at the strange, sad tale of Tamar. Things start fine(ish) for her--she finds herself married into a prominent family--but then all heaven breaks loose. W…

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Episode 67: Prophets, Kings, and Terrible Men with Aaron Higashi 1:04:49

8M ago1:04:49

1:04:49

Dr. Aaron Higashi is one of our favorites, and we're not alone! The folks over at The Bible for Normal People are fans, as well, and have enlisted Aaron to write a "for normal people" book about First and Second Samuel. These two books include some of the Bible's most famous and most infamous characters and moments. If you've ever read about the ex…

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Episode 66: Thou Shalt Not 1:04:06

8M ago1:04:06

1:04:06

Christian nationalism marches onward in the United States, and our hot take is: that's bad. Louisiana has now passed a law mandating putting a poster of The Ten Commandments™ in every classroom in the state. Lawmakers claim that they're providing historical context for the laws of the land. Historians say that's bunk. So what's really going on here…

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Episode 65: I Got Soul, and I'm Super Bad 1:02:08

9M ago1:02:08

1:02:08

People talk all the time about souls. "He's my soulmate." "It was so scary, my soul left my body." "I'm going to destroy that piano if you don't stop playing Heart and Soul." But what are we actually talking about? Is there really a non-corporeal entity, an animating force inside each of us? Or are we just crude matter? And what does the Bible have…

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Episode 64: The Historicity of David 1:02:38

9M ago1:02:38

1:02:38

It's a judge and a king this week, and both are fascinating! First we're looking at Deborah, a prophet, a judge, and a really interesting figure whose story gets told twice in the Bible: back-to-back! Women often get short-shrift in the Bible, but Deborah's story is pretty satisfying. She's tough and her army wins the battle, and even more awesome-…

1
Episode 63: Wrastlin' With God 1:01:00

9M ago1:01:00

1:01:00

It's questionable heroes week here on the Data Over Dogma show, and we've packed in some big names! How big? How about the guy they named the whole tribe of Israel after? You know... Jacob. We're asking the big questions here: do striped sticks really make sheep have spotted lambs? Is a cruel trick fair-play if the other person falls for it? And mo…

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Episode 62: The Book of Enoch 59:30

9M ago59:30

59:30

It's the book that didn't make the cut. Enoch (or first Enoch, if you're nasty) is an important book, both historically and religiously. As a matter of fact, New Testament writers considered it scripture. So why, when you open your Bible at home, is Enoch nowhere to be found? This week we're exploring the mysteries of the book that got the boot. Wh…

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Episode 61: Christmaker! With James McGrath 1:04:35

10M ago1:04:35

1:04:35

Get ready for some fascinating stuff! It won't be a baptism by fire, but we will be immersed in some cutting edge information about John the Baptist. Dr. James McGrath joins us to discuss John and his new book Christmaker. And trust us- you're going to learn some cool stuff. Many people's image of John is just a wild-haired itinerant preacher dress…

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Episode 60: Silence, Woman! 58:04

10M ago58:04

58:04

Well, strap in y'all, because we're going after two of the most famous passages in all of the Bible. One of them is a nice story of Jesus and his mercy, the other is... less nice. Both are about women. And look out, M. Night Shyamalan, because we have a twist ending for both! We start it off with the story of the woman taken in adultery. This is th…

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Episode 59: The End(s) of Monotheism W/ David Burnett 1:07:11

10M ago1:07:11

1:07:11

They said they were going to do it, and doggonit, it got did! This week David Burnett makes his triumphal return to Data Over Dogma to discuss the recent academic conference on monotheism that he, Dan McClellan and others organized at Brown University. And if that sounds boring or dry to you, hold onto your butt, because—fire in the hole!—they were…

1
Episode 58: Translation Frustration 1:13:41

10M ago1:13:41

1:13:41

When people say they've read "the Bible," what do they mean? Well generally what they DON'T mean is that they read source texts in their original languages. Most of us don't have the time or desire to learn how to read ancient Hebrew or Greek, so we're at the mercy of other people to figure out how to render the two thousand plus year old writings …

1
Episode 57: Does the Bible say the Earth is Flat? 54:50

10M ago54:50

54:50

It's perhaps the most surprising conspiracy theory to pop up in this century. Humans have known that our planet is a sphere for literally thousands of years. Why, in a day of more advanced science than ever before, would people suddenly abandon that knowledge? Well, before our collective eyeballs all get too strained from rolling them, let's all pa…

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Episode 56: The Genesis of Genesis with Dr David Carr 1:09:39

11M ago1:09:39

1:09:39

If you've been listening to the show for any length of time, you know that the Bible did not come from any single source, nor does it speak with one voice. This week, we have Dr. David Carr with us to discuss "the primeval history" of Genesis 1-11, and and the sources from which those chapters sprung. Were these stories taken and modified from othe…

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Episode 55: Can Jesus Forgive Sin? 57:31

11M ago57:31

57:31

This week, we're going to point out a blatant contradiction in the Bible, and if you don't like it... you'll just have to forgive us! In our first segment we'll talk about the epic end(s) of the the reign of king Ahaziah. There are two stories, and boy howdy- they do NOT line up! Then, we're talking new-testament forgiveness. Does Jesus have the ri…

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Episode 54: Black Hole Sun 1:11:35

11M ago1:11:35

1:11:35

You ever wonder if nefarious scientists are feverishly working to open a portal to allow demons out to begin the apocalypse? Well don't. That's silly. Nevertheless, some people ARE worried about that. And so many other silly things! This week, we look at the hysteria brought on by the recent total solar eclipse here in the U.S. and what Biblical im…

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Episode 53: The Holy Ghost (and Bears!) 54:17

11M ago54:17

54:17

This week, it's a deep dive into the Biblical ideas of spirits, souls, trinitarian thought, evolutionary agency detection, demons... and that's just the first segment! What is a spirit or a soul, anyway? Where did that idea come from? And after we answer ALL those questions, who or what is the Holy Spirit? And then, you know, we talk about Elisha a…

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Episode 52: What is a Woman... Biblically? 1:10:48

12M ago1:10:48

1:10:48

It's a big question these days. A deeply personal issue for many, a wedge issue for politicians (and that doofus Matt Walsh), and a point of A LOT of misinformation when it comes to the position of the Bible. Well, we're not qualified to talk about the personal or the political much, but on this week's show, we'll definitely be able to dive head-fi…

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