One area I have studied for a long time has been the various theories about the Star of Bethlehem from the Bible (Matthew 2:2, 9). I have published articles concerning it and now am the author of a book on the subject. In the mean time, here are some blog posts I have made and some links related to the SoB.
Purchasing The Star of Bethlehem: A Skeptical View (US):
Amazon (paperback)
Amazon (Kindle)
Barnes & Noble (paperback)
Kobo (e-book)
PDF
Interviews:
New Books Network (Oct 2013)
Google Hangout with the editor (Oct 2013)
Columbus Dispatch (Dec 2013) — may be behind pay wall, or go here
— also at Doubtful News
Exposing Pseudoastronomy Podcast (Dec 2013)
Religion News Service Q&A (Dec 2013) — repeated in the Washington Post
Reviews:
Richard Carrier (Oct 2013)
Caleb Lack (Dec 2013)
Astro Guyz (Dec 2013)
Bob Berman (Dec 2013) — also wrote the book’s foreword
Paul Fidalgo at Friendly Atheist (Dec 2013)
Post at Debunking Christianity (Aug 2012)
The Star and Zeitgeist (Aug 2012)
- First Contact with James C. Sentell (Feb 2009)
- Comments on Sentell’s Hypothesis I (Nov 2010)
- Comments on Sentell’s Hypothesis II (Dec 2010)
- The Death of Herod and Josephus’ Account (Feb 2013)
- Textual criticism and Josephus (Feb 2013)
- The constellation Leo as the sign of the Jews (Feb 2013)
- The movement of the planets and the Star (Feb 2013)
- The eclipse and Jesus’ crucifixion (Feb 2013)
Fleeing Nergal, Seeking Stars 
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Actually, to see the SoB requires no theories or fancy software. It’s there for all to see. Check out ‘The Jesus myths: Star of Bethlehem’ on YouTube.
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Have you ever read Revelation 12:16 in the Bible IT says ” the earth helped the woman” in reference to the birth of Christ This discredits all the supernatural in the Matthew Story for more info give me an address where I can send my 7 page paper on the subject Sincerely Yours John Jones
27727 Michigan Ave
apt 716
Inkster,MI.48141
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I am a passionate Christian of the Anglican catholic tradition. One of the things that drew me to that tradition was it’s wonderful tolerance and diversity of belief. I am equally bemused by the right wing Christian efforts to locate Noah’s Ark and show “intelligent design” as I am by the other sides attempts to discredit the concept of Christianity by debunking miracles and such. I am don’t even need the “virgin birth” thing as I see it as irrelevant to the message and of no practical use. Science tells me HOW things were done. Theology offers insight as to by whom and why. These cannot contradict. On the speculative science side, it appears obvious that our universe contains untold species at various stages. NASA observations in the past year found the materials required for life to be constructed available in a system only a billion years after the BB. Just what might a species be like that had, say, 10 billion years, head start on us? I cannot even imagine, but the Hebrew God, or the Hindu God and even the most extraordinary God myths we have are mere parlor tricks, IMHO, to the potential of such an ancient race. While it is mere speculation, I don’t think it crazy speculation to suggest that every pyramid has its peak and the peak of intelligence in our universe must be an incomprehensible presence.
My own faith is pretty much a surrender to the fact that the technology and science of my species is so crude as to amount to be barely dried off after crawling from the sea. Attempting to make sense out of the “why” of my existence and ability to write these things eventually caused me to simply surrender to what I see as greater wisdom. Regardless of one’s attitude toward who He may have been or His origins, JC was a pretty extraordinary individual and has provided me with an approach to life and an living with others that works for me. It might just as easily have been Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, or Taoism (AAMOF, Lao Tzu is my “goto” guy for understanding my limitations), but Christianity is the religion of my “tribe.”
That was NOT a “come to Jesus” speech, simply a statement of my own thoughts on the limits of our science in explaining ourselves.
Like the story of “original sin,” the flood, the parting of the sea, the star may or may not have happened precisely as described. But these things teach important lessons about ourselves, our relationship to each other, and to the universe.
BTW, I still believe in Santa Claus…
Should have added that I do not believe in the supernatural. Whatever “God” is, it is natural. Therefore His “miracles” are miracles of advanced technology as per Clarke’s third law. Clarke would HATE me saying that! Sorry, Arthur. I find atheists to be those humans with the highest level of faith. It takes a lot of faith to believe in no higher power or force. Further, proving the negative is the hardest job in logic. I avoid all self-defined skeptics as inherently incapable of reaching objective conclusions due to their stated bias up front. I don’t much hold with any scientist who tells me what they are going to find up front…
Just to clarify what I said before about no fancy theories needed to see the Star of Bethlehem. It is a picture of a star within the constellation of Orion. (‘Oh King, you are this great star, the companion of Orion…’ from Egyptian texts). It is highly visible at the moment. All mythology (Bible included) comes from ‘real’ star pictures. Like a comic strip cartoon the stars provide the pictures and the storytellers wove these pictures into verse/story. Each culture had their own stories and favourite threads, but if you examine mythology worldwide there are many similarities – the use of the same set of pictures (and travellers’ tales) explains this.
All you have to do is look! as the Bible so often instructs. You can start with my ‘Jesus myths’ series on youtube or get out there in the early evening, look due east for the rising Orion and work it out yourself. On a clear night you will not be disappointed. If enough people do this simple thing we will be in a position to move on spiritually – away from this divisive god-based nonsense.
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