Author Archives: omgwtfbible

Tofu Turns You Gay, According to Yeshiva

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This Rabbi definitely doesn’t eat Tofu. No sirree.

Taking a page from the Ron Swanson Book of Culinary Arts, Gur hasids in Brooklyn have banned soy products from their yeshiva over fears it might make younger students too hot and sexy and lady-like, turning on older students and Rabbis. Seriously. According to FailedMessiah.com:

Gur has now banned soy products like veggie hot dogs from its yeshivas due rabbis’ fears that the hormones in soy foods will cause the bodies of young teen students to become feminine in appearance and thereby cause their rabbis and older students to become sexually aroused seeing them.

Eating extremely large amounts of soy products on a daily basis over a very prolonged period of time can in some cases cause men to begin to develop breasts. But the amount of soy needed to be consumed for that to happen is well beyond the amount an average person would ever consume, and even then the reaction is rare.

Science!

UPDATE: This is BS, probably!

Your Weekend Guide to Jews in the Wild

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Shamelessly taken from Gothamist

If you intend to be out and about in New York City this weekend, you MAY run into some of what many people called “Hasidic Jews.” You’ll recognize these creatures by their ubiquitous black hats, beards, and forelocks. When you see them, you may freeze, unaware how to act among these strange individuals. Never fear! Gothamist has you covered:

[The] Jews have also survived under such difficult circumstances by getting along well with their neighbors, treating them fairly in business, and establishing mutually rewarding personal relationships. Sure, it may take more time for you to make your first Orthodox pal, but if Shmuley Boteach and Cory Booker can be best friends, you can probably get to at least a first name basis with your local Kosher butcher. Try starting with a friendly “Hello! How is the chicken liver today?”

No, but seriously, read the link. It’s actually a pretty thoughtful dive into the history of Orthodox Jews in New York.

Also, be sure to tell them about my podcast.

Skeptic’s Annotated OMGWTFBIBLE

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episode_14Surprise early episode!

Usually, I wait until late in the month to do the show, but I have a very exciting guest that I couldn’t pass up. In less than 2 weeks, Steve Wells, creator of the incredible Skeptic’s Annotated Bible, will be joining me at the Magnet Theater to read my Bible with me. And I couldn’t be more excited. There’ll be a Q & A after the show (that won’t be recorded) so don’t miss this event!

This month, we’ll start with chapter 25 and we will keep reading until we stop.

OMGWTFBIBLE Live with Steve Wells 
Magnet Theater
254 W. 29 Street
October 21, 8:30 PM sharp!
$5

Reserve tickets here

Episode 13 Live!

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OMGWTFBIBLE LogoOMGWTFBIBLE is live this Monday!

This month, guest Adam Bozarth will start with chapter 23 and we will keep reading until we stop.

OMGWTFBIBLE Episode 13 Live
Magnet Theater
254 W. 29 Street
October 21, 7PM sharp!
$5

Reserve tickets here

A Bible for Skeptics

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Have you heard of the Skeptic’s Annotated Bible? You really should check it out. It’s an incredible, mind-blowing project by Steven Wells where he went through the entire Bible (both Testaments), the Book of Mormon, and the Koran, and elucidated every single contradiction, inconsistency, bizarre passage, and inhuman verse he could find. Whether you’re a believer or not, it’s an incredible read and a very thorough reference. It was the basis for that beautiful map of the Bible’s contradictions I posted in August. And if you’re not an Internet person, there’s a beautifully-bound print version available for purchase.

Oh and Steve Wells tweeted about OMGWTFBIBLE, which is super-flattering!

https://twitter.com/SteveWellsSAB/status/389867437954707456

OMGWTFTablet!

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I’m honored to have been featured in Tablet Magazine‘s The Scroll blog today! Check it out:

Sure, it’s a comic (and profanity-laced) take on Judaism’s holiest book, and might understandably rub some people the wrong way. But it’s an earnest effort—at the very least for how much time it’s taken Tuchman (he’s rounding out year one and he’s still in Genesis) and how much thought goes into the whole enterprise. No one translates the entire Bible just to make fun of it.

I am seriously blushing. Especially at this: “A large crowd gathered at the East Village bar for the reading, as good a refutation as any to the recent Pew study findings of younger Jews losing interest in organized Judaism.” Oh my! Thank you, Tablet!

Also, if you’re reading this because you just read the article on Tablet, welcome! Might I suggest you catch up on old episodes here? And if you like what you see, consider joining the audience for episode 13 (details below)!

Episode 13 Live

October 21, 7PM, $5

Magnet Theater

254 W. 29 Street

Tickets | RSVP

Just the Bible Bits

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Did you find out about OMGWTFBIBLE somewhere around episode 10 and listening to the whole thing seems a bit daunting? Wish you could catch up without listening to all 12 episodes? Now you can!

Introducing: Just the Bible Bits!

These king-sized episodes feature just the Bible readings from the first year of the show. Just the Bible Bits Part 1 is now available here and in the iTunes store. The first section contains chapter 1-6 and is just over 90 minutes. Part 2 will probably be around that long too.

Also, if you’ve been listening from the start and haven’t been able to cajole your friends/Rabbis/great-grandparents into giving this thing a shot, Just the Bible Bits is the perfect way for them to start. It’s chock-full of Bible goodness and total insanity!

OMGWTFBIBLE Episode 12

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Behold! Episode 12 of OMGWTFBIBLE with Elissa Goldstein is now available!!

This episode was recorded at 2A, which is an awesome place and also hosts the great Fiction Addiction series. You should go there if you’re in town!

There are so many ways to listen to Episode 12!

You can listen in YouTube above or here.

Direct link is here.

You can also: subscribe in iTunes, subscribe via RSS, or listen via Stitcher!

Don’t Do This to Me

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extralargeRemember Matthew Stillman, author of that erotic version of Genesis? Well, some jerk decided to track him down and spraypaint “Blasphmy” on his stoop. Please don’t do this to me! Also, the only blasphemy here is the missing “e”.

(Picture from DNAinfo.)