A few days ago I debated Michael Shermer at the National Religious Broadcasters convention in Nashville. Shermer was his usual affable self and the mostly-Christian audience both liked him and treated him respectfully. I didn't feel bad about putting Shermer before a largely religious audience. The last time we debated I was in hostile territory at Cal Tech. The Cal Tech debate was sponsored by Shermer's Skeptics Society and most in the audience were on his side. The debate was moderated by Christian radio host Janet Parshall. She conducted it in a format similar to the presidential debates, in which the moderator poses questions to each side.
On July 12, a few months from now, I have a rematch with atheist Christopher Hitchens. This is in Las Vegas at the large libertarian annual conference called Freedom Fest. This is one of the liveliest political conferences in the country, and I invite readers of this blog, whatever your religious or political persuasion, to attend. Each year the libertarians have invited me to debate, and each year they tell me, "Well, next year we're going to find someone who can take you on." The first year I went I debated libertarian presidential candidate Harry Browne. The next year, former Congressman Bob Barr. Last year, presidential contender Ron Paul. This time organizer Mark Skousen has decided to focus the main debate on the God v. atheism issue. So Hitchens and I will enter the arena. You can find out more information and sign up here.
April 25 I'll be debating the notorious Peter Singer at Biola University near Los Angeles. This is another event worth attending, although I also intend to post the debate on the web. When Singer was hired by Princeton University some years ago it caused a big stir. Singer is a champion not only of infanticide and euthanasia but also of animal rights! This may seem to be anomalous, even absurd, but Singer is an avid Darwinist who sees himself as following the logic of Darwinism to its unavoidable conclusion.
Man, Singer argues, is on a continuum with the animals. Unfortunately through the influence of Christianity man has raised himself onto a pedestal, invested himself with all kinds of bogus rights, such as the "right to life," and consigned beasts to a life of subordination to human interests. Singer argues that once we get rid of God we must accept our Darwinian position, and this means giving up the values that Christianity brought into the world. Ultimately human beings must be pulled down a notch, and animals raised up a notch, to restore the biological order of things. I've been reading Singer's books which are always thoughtful and eloquent; he is far superior to some of the new atheists who have gotten far more attention in the last couple of years. I look forward to taking him on next month.
Also in April: I'll be debating philosopher Walter Sinnott-Armstrong April 21 at Dartmouth, where he teaches and where I attended. Our topic is whether it is possible to be good without God. On April 22 at Harvard I'll share the podium with Dan Barker. Barker is a former evangelical minister who is now an outspoken atheist. He is currently head of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, a kind of atheist ACLU. We keep hearing from atheists that they are not a movement and that "atheism is not a belief system" but merely the denial of a belief in God. So isn't it interesting that we now have atheist books, atheist magazines, atheist conferences, atheist organizations, atheist Sunday schools, an atheist radio show, and so on? Quite clearly atheism has become an ideology and our atheist friends cannot escape criticism by inanely proclaiming that their position doesn't constitute a position. Perhaps one of these days these characters will stop living in denial and prove worthy of the rational realism that they claim to uphold.
Some atheists have emailed me asking me if I've accepted Sam Harris' offer to a written debate. A few months ago Harris proposed such a debate, and I agreed, but also proposed to Sam that we have an oral debate in the classic format. Written debates strike me as a bit wimpy, since both debaters can get advice and assistance from various experts. The advantage of a face-to-face encounter is that it compels each side to think on its feet and make its best case before a live audience. Having himself proposed the written debate, Harris hasn't responded to my counteroffer.
Given that Richard Dawkins has already wimped out, proving himself an intellectual invertebrate, I'm beginning to wonder whether some of the world's best-known atheists are losing the courage of their convictions. One of my former professors now calls me Joe Louis, in reference to the boxer who knocked out so many "bums of the month" that he eventually had trouble finding worthy opponents. Although modern atheism is very belligerent in its writings--angry missives issued from the security of academic offices--it seems that some of our leading advocates of unbelief are positively timorous when it comes to standing up and debating their core convictions.
Reader Comments ( Page 2 of 61)
16. Well stated, (below) Joe Bob. Dinesh D'Souza's immaturity never ceases to amazed me. A written debate would be much better for many reasons, and I challenge Dinesh D'Souza to a written debate anytime (I taught Psychology and Sociology at CSULA and am writing a book about ethics entitled "What is Self-Evolution?") The method and venue of debate is not important, the *FACTS* are. This isn't about personality, style or emotional inflection, its about truth and education, and trusting that Dinesh has respect for truth and education, he should take on any written debate challenges from Sam Harris, myself or any other educator.
13. DD: "Written debates strike me as a bit wimpy, since both debaters can get advice and assistance from various experts."
Yeah, and that might actually be a better way of getting at the truth, which is not what you're interested in, of course. I have to admit, you are a master of Sophistry, and you certainly know how to shout really loud when necessary.
Joe Bob at 4:14AM on Mar 17th 2008
P.S. Are you Joe Bob Briggs who I worked with in several commercials for the Movie Channel - USA Up All Night?
Chris Aable at 4:55AM on Mar 18th 2008
17. "Written debates strike me as a bit wimpy, since both debaters can get advice and assistance from various experts." --Dinesh D'Souza
___________________
Thank you. Thank you for admitting that you're really not interested in arriving at any sort of truth. Rather, you're more interested in peacocking your presumed intellectual prowess.
And Dineshy, baby, I have news for you. It's not that you overwhelm your opposition with your acrobatic intellect. No. It's that more and more of your opponents have realized that you're no longer worth the debate.
I told you months ago that your star is fading.
Buh-bye, Dineshy.
Paul at 6:31AM on Mar 17th 2008
18. Well stated, David (#6). It's just one of many fallacies Dinesh D'Souza has a long history of using - the Straw Man Fallacy mixed with lies and distortions, chief of which is D'Souza's sweeping generalization that somehow all of us Atheists think alike are involved in the same "movement", and then going on about Singer as if he somehow represents the current thought of most atheist. When people such as D'Souza have a pathetic and weak position without evidence(god), then all they have left to resort to are name-calling ("intellectual invertebrate")while ironically, telling yet more sweeping lies about Athiest in general ("Belligerent in its writings--angry missives").
If anyone is angry and belligerent in their behavior, because I know of no well-known Atheists who ever stooped to calling him an "intellectual invertebrate" or dozens of other labels Dinesh has frequently used in the past. Notice here I addressed D'Souza's behavior and statements on their own merit, and did not sum-total him with a childish label. That's a form of intellectual honesty that D'Souza and *some* of those who blindly defend him, have yet to apprehend.
6. The title of this post is "Are Atheists Now Scared to Debate?"
But then you spend 4 1/2 paragraphs detailing where and when you are going to debate atheists.
-Michael Shermer last week.
-Walter Sinnott-Armstrong on April 21st
-Dan Barker on April 22nd.
-Peter Singer on April 25th
-Christopher Hitchens on July 12
You answered your own question!!!! These guys aren't scared of you, and why should they be?
David at 1:48AM on Mar 17th 2008
Chris Aable at 6:36AM on Mar 17th 2008
19. I guess the Obama blogs weren't doing as well as Dinesh expected.
I'm not sure why he thought a column devoted to his "tour" schedule would do any better though.
Ryan Anderson at 6:50AM on Mar 17th 2008
20. What a flood of expected trite old arguments!
I used to be one of you. Your view of life is limited to your capacity to reason. Reason was the God of the 19th century. I understand all your arguments because I used to use them myself. By the way, I'm not a "Christian" and neither were the originators of "Christianity". I probably don't agree with much this Cristian blogger says either, but I like cutting stupidity off were I find it. Yes, we are all apes, but some are devolving whilst others are evolving. Most atheists, like you bunch of monkeys here, have no idea what the nature of awareness is and therefore no idea what the nature of reality is. You are the slaves of your own "rational/logical" thoughts, running around in circles. Your Heroes, like Dawkins, are getting ridiculed in the scientific community already. Soon you will realize just how foolish you are. Wake up and move with the times.
Daniel at 7:09AM on Mar 17th 2008
21. By the way, Dinesh, as a Christian conservative Republican, how do you regard one of the most important written debates of our time? Do you REALLY regard the Federalist Papers as wimpy?
See, Dinesh, you really aren't as bright as you think you are. You CONSTANTLY trap yourself in your own webbing. You're barely worth the effort nowadays because you're more interested in showing off than you are in pursuing the truth. You're more interested in selling the product than you are in the product itself.
Paul at 7:13AM on Mar 17th 2008
22. The "God" you guys are denouncing is the fairytale god in your own imagination (sadly this fairytale is shared and actually believed in by most religious people). God is not an old bearded guy living somewhere in space. God is the totality of all that is Real. God is Life itself. If you read all the Holy Books from that angle it is perfectly clear what it all is really about.
Daniel at 7:18AM on Mar 17th 2008
23. Daniel.
You say you are not a Christian, and not an atheist. I am curious where are you coming from?
Jerry Brown at 7:23AM on Mar 17th 2008
24. Danial...MOVE AWAY FROM THE LSD! And don't EVER touch that stuff again! It can turn your mind to mush!
Paul at 7:26AM on Mar 17th 2008
25. I thought a good, or rather a real, Christian man would be more humble, less personal in his attacks, less gloating. Next thing you know, a nazi will be pope!
America's Most Gangsta at 7:51AM on Mar 17th 2008
26. In my book, America's Most Gangsta, race relations and the city of New York are deconstructed to the point where you just may not be able to put them back together!
Who is America's MOST Gangster?
Read my book and find out!
America's Most Gangsta at 7:52AM on Mar 17th 2008
27. Bravo Dinesh bravo!
You are the best and the brightest. That is why all of these poseurs are scared to debate me...I mean, you!
Tsar Nicholas II at 7:54AM on Mar 17th 2008
28. They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them.
- Proverbs 28:4
Dinesh, thanks for contending with the wicked to defend the faith!
I bought your book, WHAT'S SO GREAT ABOUT CHRISTIANITY, after watching your debate with Christopher Hitchens that has been posted on your web page. Great job! I look forward to seeing more of that posted on your web site.
What you blogged here about Peter Singer sounds ironic, if one purports to actually believe in evolution. A "Survival of the Fittest" Darwinist is now saying it is unfair that humans are the winners, the fittest, compared to the animal kingdom, so humans should voluntarily step down to allow animals, the losers, a chance to catch up? If that is his basic message, then he is not rational, nor does he abide by "Survival of the Fittest," but rather he exposes his own self-hatred of humans. Like most atheists, he sounds a bit cuckoo.
Rev 3:16 at 8:30AM on Mar 17th 2008
29. Military Fatalities: By Time Period
Period US UK Other* Total Avg Days
6 902 45 9 956 2.33 410
5 933 32 20 985 2.39 412
4 715 13 18 746 2.35 318
3 580 25 27 632 2.93 216
2 718 27 59 804 1.9 424
1 140 33 173 4.02 43
Total 3988 175 133 4296 2.36 1823
To View Period Details Click The Period Number
Time Periods Defined
U.S. Deaths Confirmed By The DoD: 3987
Reported U.S. Deaths Pending DoD Confirmation: 1
Total 3988
DoD Confirmation List
Latest Coalition Fatality: Mar 15, 2008
Post Iraq Deaths Not Confirmed By the DoD
Name Date
Wasielewsk, Anthony Raymond 08-Oct-2007
Cassidy, Gerald J. 25-Sep-2007
Richards, Jack D. 29-Jul-2007
Salerno III, Raymond A. 16-Jul-2006
Smith, John "Bill" 01-Oct-2005
Note: The soldiers listed above died from wounds received in Iraq, however, the DoD has not included their deaths in their official count.
19-March-2008 6 Years of Illegal Occupation of
Iraq Begins, What Will You Do?
American Idol, Nascar, Golf, Movies as others sons and daughters are murdered, have a good time.
http://www.ivaw.org
Dinesh, I pose a question, since I lean "Too Far To THE LEFT" Dinesh said to Rhoda. Please could anyone help explain why the murder of our Military continues daily is wrong or Left or Right, I prefer to be anywhere except "MIDDLE OF THE ROAD".
That being said, D, your chosen Religion is RC, new laws or whatever you call them put into motion by the Pope, a Mortal Man you listen to, which indeed breaks the 10 Commandments, as a Roman Catholic you are no longer permitted to Pollute, RC has gone Green, that's great, as well as disallowing a person to be obscenely wealthy. Has he really thought this out, this Pope whom I'm sure is a lovely man, Vatican City and such???? Richest country in the world! Will they rid themselves of their wealth? Perhaps help victims in Iraq? No? Darn, thought, Pope = GODS WORD for y'all, time to become a Jesuit since they do not denounce worldly goods.
Next time you promote a book on FAUX NEWS please give my best to BOR, Krystol(do not know how his spells it, horrid cretin) and CULTER. Please tell Annie Gaza has been under seige and Occupation for 60 years now, maybe a bit of Hegemony????
EVERYONE ENJOY THEIR DAY!!! PLEASE THINK OF CINDY SHEEHANS SON SPC. CASEY SHEEHAN MURDERED IN IRAQ AT 23
OF COURSE, CELESTE ZAPPALA WHOSE SON WAS MURDERED AS WELL AND KEEP ON HAVING A HAPPY SMILEY FACE DAY!!!
rhodalee at 8:45AM on Mar 17th 2008
30. Oh, and Dinesh, be sure to open your next debate with your "gates of Hell" AIDS joke...that should be a real crowd pleaser.
Then you can quit pretending to be a decent human being.
Davidg at 8:47AM on Mar 17th 2008