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The debate between Dr. Frank Turek and the best-selling author and outspoken atheist Christopher Hitchens just became available online and I was wondering what people thought about the debate?
Frank Turek is actually coming to Plano in a few weeks. He is going to be speaking at the Spring Creek Campus of Collin County Community College in Plano on Saturday, November 1st from 7 to 9pm. The details are at www.crossexamined.org on his "calendar" page. I am going to have to check this out.
I would be very interested to hear comments on the debate. I found it very interesting myself. Thanks
The debate between Dr. Frank Turek and the best-selling author and outspoken atheist Christopher Hitchens just became available online and I was wondering what people thought about the debate?
Frank Turek is actually coming to Plano in a few weeks. He is going to be speaking at the Spring Creek Campus of Collin County Community College in Plano on Saturday, November 1st from 7 to 9pm. The details are at www.crossexamined.org on his "calendar" page. I am going to have to check this out.
I would be very interested to hear comments on the debate. I found it very interesting myself. Thanks
I actually have followed Christopher is his utube debates and such. While I can relate to his strict opposition to religion as a whole, discounting the fine arguments about morality and such, to the pre-discovery of these matters shows a lack of fortitude.
He basically says, well since they believed this way before the molecules were discovered, then I shall as well, but offers no other explaination. Dr. Frank handled himself well, until he started into Christianity. To believe in God doesn't mean you are a Christian, nor subscibe to this view. When the arguments started in this direction, he was lost, although, it is how both he and I believe, but remember, he was talking to a person who doesn't.
It would be like talking to a deist who doesn't believe in Jesus, much like Thomas Paine. We, when dealing with these people, must always respect their views, even though we don't subscibe to them. To show error in the way they believe, the Holy Spirit must always interveine, even to the point of Power and miracles. Otherwise we end up looking like fools. Jesus did this the absolute best. He was never trapped, although the religion elite of the day did their best to trap him, including the devil.
It's funny what happens when you read a lot of books...
For a transcript of the debate might I suggest reading Turek's I Don't Have Enough Faith to be An Atheist and Hitchen's God is NOT Great.
All they did was recite what they've written in their books which is why the points and counterpoints don't always seem to match up. Honestly, I don't know who decided to put together this debate but I thought it was an ill-conceived matchup as Turek's philosophies and Hitchen's philosophies do not suit one another well for debate. Hitchens is not a scientist and will not dwelve into the realm of science to refute Turek's arguments (as lame as they are) because he is... well... not a scientist.
Likewise, I don't think there's a person on this planet that knows more about foreign affairs, politics, and overall journalism than Christopher Hitchens so the two are really not a good match. I'd call the debate a complete waste of time.
I found the details on the event in Plano in a few weeks. They are below. I am definitely going to check this out. Anyone else interested?
CrossExamined.org presents:
I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist
Featuring:
Dr. Frank Turek
TV Host and Award-Winning Co-Author of:
I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist
(Sunday’s at 6 P.M. on DirecTV Channel 378)
Guest on:
The O’Reilly Factor,
Hannity & Colmes,
Politically Incorrect
Among the Topics Addressed:
How Can it Be True That There is No Truth?
Three Arguments That God Exists
Einstein’s Evidence for The Greatest Miracle
Dawkins and Hitchens Exposed
Your Questions (The Presenter on the Hot Seat!)
When: Saturday, November 1, 2008
7:00-9:00 pm
Where: Collin County Community College – Spring Creek Campus
Conference Center – Room AA135
2800 E. Spring Creek Parkway, Plano, TX 75074
Tuition: Free
Info: CrossExamined.org
Don’t Miss this Unique Opportunity to Find out Why it
Takes More Faith to Be an Atheist than it does to be a Christian.
I watched about half of the debate.
Based upon the arguments set forth, if I was an agnostic looking for a belief, Atheism would require a greater leap of faith.
Sometimes I get the sense that many atheistic beliefs are driven by a resentment of the tragic errors and actions taken by religion and it's followers over the millenium.
Although I share in the resentment ( and sometimes rage ), those actions may force me to question the authority of religions and the religious, but they do not prove atheism.
I watched about half of the debate.
Based upon the arguments set forth, if I was an agnostic looking for a belief, Atheism would require a greater leap of faith.
Sometimes I get the sense that many atheistic beliefs are driven by a resentment of the tragic errors and actions taken by religion and it's followers over the millenium.
Although I share in the resentment ( and sometimes rage ), those actions may force me to question the authority of religions and the religious, but they do not prove atheism.
Many atheists don't become atheists because of a resentment to the actions of religion. It's many times just being intellectually honest with oneself because believers have never been able to prove the existence of a divine entity.
Many atheists don't become atheists because of a resentment to the actions of religion. It's many times just being intellectually honest with oneself because believers have never been able to prove the existence of a divine entity.
Fair enough. I've always preferred intellectual honesty over resentment.
The debate did seem to suggest though, that regardless of ones belief,
there is a leap of "faith".
Either faith in a deity, or faith in no deity.
Many atheists don't become atheists because of a resentment to the actions of religion. It's many times just being intellectually honest with oneself because believers have never been able to prove the existence of a divine entity.
Exactly. I had a few personal problems with the Bible. As a Christian at the time, I told myself I would research those subjects with a neutral slate. I had no idea I would become an atheist as a result. I was just trying to understand these things. After around five years of reading ancient history and the formation of the early church I eventually became an atheist. It had nothing to do with resentment. After the change I then became resentful toward the religion. I felt like I was lied to and needed something to blame. Now I only become bitter with ultra-conservatives intolerance and their infiltration into politics and government.
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