I always have to shake my head when I read Laurent Guyenot’s articles, particularly when he makes bold claims that either contradict the available historical record or lack support from the very historical evidence he appears to rely on. The most troubling discovery I have made is that Guyenot rarely engages with the very scholarship that challenges his prevailing views. Disagreeing with scholarly research is perfectly legitimate. Ignoring it, however, while continuing to advance claims presented as historical fact is an entirely different matter.
Some time ago, I challenged him to engage in a strictly historical exchange about the claims he makes throughout his articles and his book, From Yahweh to Zion. In particular, I wanted to address his claim that the Talmud is biblical. Yet he wanted to base his argument on a quotation from Benjamin Netanyahu. I was stunned! The question at hand was historical, and my goal was to present historical evidence that directly refuted Guyenot’s claims. But he showed no interest in pursuing that approach, so I dropped the matter, concluding that further discussion would be fruitless. In previous articles, I have also provided clear examples of Guyenot selectively citing people who agree with him, even when some of those same individuals vehemently disagree with the very claims he uses their work to support. For those interested, I invite you to read my article, “No, Christianity Did Not Kill the Roman Empire: Guyenot’s Selective Use of Sources.”
