Category: TAS Podcast
May 19, 2020 / / Autism

Talking about Autism, 10 top Questions

Why the stack of rocks, who knows. But what I do know is about autism. I was diagnosed as a young adult, and have since studied it extensively to figure out why I am the way I am. Sometime it’s just because I”m weird.

In this video, I start a new series that looks at some of the top questions that are posed to people with autism, and, well I answer them. If you have any questions about autism you’d like answered, feel free to ask.

To check out more of my work, you can go to https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY6GrgIk-69sA69suZMDKWg or to connect with me go to https://www.facebook.com/amateurscholar/ or https://twitter.com/tamateurscholar
May 19, 2020 / / History

Jews in Argentina. Fleeing from European persecution.

For much of history, Jews were not welcomed in Europe. They would be expelled from one area after the next, and serious persecution continued to happen. To fight that, a man named Hirsch would set up the Jewish Colonization Association, and set up Jewish colonies around the world.

One of those colonies was in Argentina, where they flourished for a few years. But anti-semitism, and the Second World War would catch up with them. In this video, I explore that history.

To check out more of my work, you can go to https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY6GrgIk-69sA69suZMDKWg or to connect with me go to https://www.facebook.com/amateurscholar/ or https://twitter.com/tamateurscholar
May 19, 2020 / / History

Ancient friends, Serbians and Israelites? Not quite, but Zionism did start in Serbia.

It’s been mentioned that Serbians and Israelites have had a very long friendship, dating back to Roman times. Yet that really isn’t the truth. While Israel and Jews have sold weapons to the Serbs on a number of occasions, which helped in various conflicts, and Zionism did have a founding in Serbia, the friendship just wasn’t something that stood the test of time.

In this video, I dive into that history, trying to trace it back to Roman times. I look at the history of Zionism, as well as current relations between Israel and Serbia.

To check out more of my work, you can go to https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY6GrgIk-69sA69suZMDKWg or to connect with me go to https://www.facebook.com/amateurscholar/ or https://twitter.com/tamateurscholar
April 15, 2020 / / History

Did Quakers and Mennonites face discrimination in the US

Were Quakers and Mennonites persecuted in the US? Well yes, but largely in the same manner any religious minority was. But there were some positive times as well, especially after Pennsylvania was set up.

To check out more of my work, you can go to http://belzian.com/ or to connect with me go to https://www.facebook.com/amateurscholar/ or https://twitter.com/tamateurscholar
April 14, 2020 / / History

Christianity in Asia

The question was asked, why didn’t Christianity spread to Asia. Well it did, but often in weird ways. Such as with the man who claimed to be the brother of Jesus, and then waged a Civil War with China. Or with the Kahn dynasty, which was filled with Christian princesses. So it definitely did spread.

To check out more of my work, you can go to http://belzian.com/ or to connect with me go to https://www.facebook.com/amateurscholar/ or https://twitter.com/tamateurscholar
April 9, 2020 / / Religion

How did Christianity form

We don’t always know how a religion first began. But for Christianity, we have a good sense of how it evolved out of Judaism, and became it’s own religion.

In this episode, I dive into the formation of the Christian religion, and the influences that led to it’s shaping.

To check out more of my work, you can go to http://belzian.com/ or to connect with me go to https://www.facebook.com/amateurscholar/
April 8, 2020 / / Religion

The Evidence of Jesus

One of my favorite topics is the Historical Jesus. I’ve been on almost every side of the issue, from seeing him as having been a fictional character, when I was a teenager, to seeing him as a real historical figure. So what evidence do we have to suggest that he really existed? That’s what I cover in this video.

To check out more of my work, you can go to http://belzian.com/ or to connect with me go to https://www.facebook.com/amateurscholar/
April 8, 2020 / / History

So much for the pre-Washington Presidents

We all have that one friend who loves to drop this trivia bomb on us, that there were Presidents before George Washington. Yet they never really dive more into it than just that.

The problem is, when we do dive into the question, it becomes clear that those previous Presidents weren’t really Presidents at all. They didn’t serve in an executive branch, and really amounted to more of a ceremonial title. That and they served under a very different government and constitution than what we have now.

To check out more of my work, you can go to http://belzian.com/ or to connect with me go to https://www.facebook.com/amateurscholar/
April 8, 2020 / / History

What’s up with the Hamites? Looking at the Curse of Ham.

Who are the Hamites? And why would some African Americans claim to be such?

The answer is rather strange as it centers around slavery, and the Israelites. In the mid 19th century, a group of African Americans made the claim that they were Hamites, and thus descendants of the Israelites. Yet, the idea of Hamites really originated in the Southern states, as a way to justify slavery. And that’s why the question is a bit of a mess.

To check out more of my work, you can go to http://belzian.com/ or to connect with me go to https://www.facebook.com/amateurscholar/
April 8, 2020 / / Religion

Dashing babies upon the rocks. Why would anyone wish that?

Psalms 137:9 is truly horrific verse, in which the author celebrates the idea of babies being dashed upon the rocks. It’s jarring to say the least.

Why would anyone wish for that? Well, it was because the author was lamenting. His world turned upside down and he was overcome by grief. That doesn’t make the passage okay, but in this video, I look at the context.

In the end, I think most can understand the feeling their, even if we don’t agree with it.

To check out more of my work, you can go to http://belzian.com/ or to connect with me go to https://www.facebook.com/amateurscholar/