Derek Lambert operates the Mythvision YouTube channel. A former Evangelical Christian, Lambert makes informative videos about Biblical and historical subjects. Excellent videos, for the most part, though I find the clickbait titles annoying.
Two or so years ago, Lambert embroiled himself in a conflict over having mythicist Dr. Robert M. Price on his channel. The conflict, however, was not over mythicism. The issue was Price’s racism and his support of right-wing, MAGA beliefs. Why was Lambert platforming a man such as Price? supporters, friends, and acquaintances wanted to know. There’s a lot to the Price Saga, but the bottom line is this: with much weeping and gnashing of teeth, Lambert condemned Price and deplatformed him.
Fast forward to two weeks ago. Lambert reversed course, kissed and made up with Price, and with weeping and gnashing of teeth, attacked the “online atheist community.” He called the “online atheist community” a cult. He has retreated from the cult claim by editing the video title to hyperbolically say “Toxic People are Trying to Destroy Careers.” Contrary to what Lambert thinks, no one is trying to ruin him or destroy his career. If he has evidence that suggests otherwise, he needs to cough it up. I seriously doubt any hairball is forthcoming. Lambert can be hysterical at times, and I suspect the title issue is more about his hysteria than anything else.
What was a skirmish with a handful of largely unknown online atheists, Lambert turned it into an attack on the “online atheist community” in general.
Lambert and Price are now best buds. The bad people in this story, according to Lambert, are woke, pro-trans, online atheists who dare to call Price what he is — a bigot and a racist.
It’s evident, at least to me, that Lambert’s politics have moved to the right, more in line with Price’s politics. It would not shock me to hear in a few years that Lambert has (again) seen the light and is returning to Christianity.
Some atheists think Lambert is a grifter; he thinks he can make more money by platforming people such as Robert Price. Maybe. I do know that Lambert’s “I’m Done” video ends with an infomercial advertising his wife’s channel that sells online educational programs. So, there’s that. The ad is out of place, so much so that you are left to wonder if all the junior high whining about the “online atheist community” is a pretext; that the real goal is to sell shit.
I tried to engage Lambert several times over the years — without success. Evidently, I wasn’t high enough up the “online atheist” food chain for him to bother with me. Granted, I’m somewhat of a loner, hanging out on the fringes of the so-called “online atheist community.” This allows me to say my piece and not care what online atheists think. This means, of course, I won’t be invited to be on this or that channel, and that’s okay. I have much to offer, as many fellow creators have learned, but, for some atheist creators, I’m too liberal, too woke, or too religion-friendly, I’m told. Fair enough, but I am who I am, and I believe what I believe. Derek Lambert needs to figure out who he is, what he believes, and act accordingly. You can’t be all things to all people.
Bruce Gerencser, 68, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 47 years. He and his wife have six grown children and sixteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.
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Robert M. Price is an interesting character. He wrote Beyond Born Again while he was still a Christian. It’s an intriguing critique of the Evangelical movement. In particular, the first chapter, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our Mentality”, (available online) explores the tension between those who claim that Christ alone is sufficient for all of a Christian’s needs, and those who argue that Christ addresses only “spiritual” matters, while psychology is necessary for healing the troubled mind. The first group tends to reject science, while the second group is inconsistent—claiming to trust Christ for mental healing, yet actually relying on psychology.
Price is also known for advocating the mythicist view of Jesus, though his arguments are often considered weak. I wouldn’t recommend starting with him if you’re new to the topic. Personally, I find the mythicist position quite compelling. A helpful approach is to first read Richard Carrier’s Jesus from Outer Space, and then read the New Testament in the chronological order that critical scholars believe the texts were written. When I do that, the mythicist view seems to make more sense of the text and helps clarify why these writings came into existence in the first place.
Hi Bruce,
Thank you for this thread! I did watch Derek’s original “I’m Done” You tube when it came out. I was horrified at the title in that I feared he was retreating back into the cult. Thankfully that was not so, rather as you express, he attacked the “online atheist community” and of course flipped on his position toward Robert Price.
Quite a bit of drama. I know little of Robert Price and make it my business NOT to follow MAGA extremists or racists and bigots. I am comfortable in my opinion and belief such persons are not worth giving my time to.
Having said that, I have enjoyed following Derek and have found his You Tube videos very informative, I have not been very interested in doing the deep dive into understanding all the nuances of early Christian Mythology, so Derek’s videos (for me) have been educational and have reinforced my belief system that secular education and science is the preferred route to “truth” and “understanding” of the Universe we live in.
Watching Derek brought me to the attention of Dr. Bart Ehrman, whom has been a HUGE influence on my understanding and thinking about the subject of Judeo/Christianity.
I find it disappointing Derek did not offer you an audience, you came to my attention when I caught a former evangelical (sorry I forget his name ) doing an interview with you, and………well…….became a bit of a fan, thus my constant posting on your site.
While Derek seems possessed with understanding the early beginnings of Abrahamic – Religon’s, and the influence of other cultures on it – (Greek and more importantly, Mesopotamian), I enjoy following you, because of your erudite analysis of what Christianity is TODAY and especially in the USA and how it is influencing the American political system.
I applaud your courage to speak up, to explain the inner workings of American Evangelical Christianity, the day to day realities of IBF churches and preachers, and of course the reactions of whom were once your peers, whom are now your ideological enemies, at least on the subject of religion and the bible.
Don’t misunderstand, I fully recognize the amazing depth you bring to the subject. I also APPRECIATE you SHARING the nuances, complexities, and differences, of various denominations or thought processes that are a part of American and International Christianity today.
I also have empathy and admiration for your sharing what must have been truly an IMMENSE and SHATTERING epiphany, when you reversed course. I can’t imagine the psychological pain and sacrifice you and Polly have had to deal with.
I am immensely grateful for it however. We all have our weaknesses and insecurities, I am buoyed in my belief system by visiting your site every day.
Thanks Bruce.
Thank you for the kind words, Jeff. I catch a lot of shit from critics, so its nice to hears compliments now and again.
Bruce
I haven’t watched the full video yet, but I have an impression of what’s going on. If I’m wrong specifically as regards Lambert so be it, but I know what I see online.
I suspect Lambert has been targeted by a combination of LGBTQ ‘activists’, and possibly anti LBTQ right wing nut jobs posing as ‘atheists’. Why atheism and LGBTQ get conflated is probably an exam question but I assume it’s because both fall under the ‘leftie liberal’ agenda. I doubt Lambert has been targeted by more than a small minority of activists, but they are an extremely vocal minority. Out and out atheism doesn’t usually generate excessive hostility. Yes a few commenters get exasperated at some of the nonsense coming from the religious side, but normally it doesn’t escalate. On the other hand, make the slightest reference to LGBTQ and all hell breaks loose. I once commented on Friendly Atheist (not a site I’m especially fond of, though I like to keep up with some of the news stories) about the discussion that needs to be had surrounding transwomen competing in women’s sporting events and it was like I’d started WW111! Maybe this is what Lambert has experienced, though I’m slightly dismayed at his support of Robert Price.