Modesty is one of my great virtues, and that is why I am always worried when people praise me too much. I'm starting to become concerned I'll end up like that atheist megalomaniac Nietzsche, whose autobiography Ecce Homo contains such chapter titles as "Why I Am So Wise" and "Why I Write Such Good Books."
This past weekend I debated atheist Christopher Hitchens, author of God Is Not Great, at the FreedomFest conference in Las Vegas. Hitchens is probably America's leading atheist and is widely regarded as unbelief's best debater. Richard Dawkins raves about Hitchens' oratorical prowess. Entering the debate, the odds seemed stacked against me: the organizers warned me that the vast majority of the 1,000 libertarians in the audience would be in Hitchens' camp.
Yet when the debate was finished the moderator called for a vote on "who won the debate." By a show of hands, I did! In order to be magnanimous, I said that what really mattered was how many people were on each side prior to the debate. But Hitchens burst in to say that he would have lost anyway! Later several atheists came up to me and said that although they were rooting for Hitchens, they had voted for me because they felt I had prevailed decisively.
I also spoke at a special luncheon event at FreedomFest. My talk was introduced by atheist Michael Shermer, the eidtor of Skeptic magazine and author of Why Darwin Matters. Shermer commented that with the passing of William F. Buckley, I am one of the leading defenders of conservatism and freedom in America. He also added, "Whatever your beliefs, you should read Dinesh's book What's So Great About Christianity. It is the best defense of Christianity that has ever been published."
In addition to dealing with atheist accolades, I also have to contend with the same from fellow conservatives and Christians. The July-August issue of the American Spectator contains a review of my book written by Matthew Kenefick. With the title, "C.S. Lewis, Move Over," the reivew begins this way: "In his new book What's So Great About Christianity Dinesh D'Souza stakes his claim as one of the great Christian apologists." The review ends thus: "In any case, D'Souza has written a book that both G.K. Chesterton and C.S. Lewis would have appreciated and that perhaps even Billy Graham and Pope Benedict XVI could agree is a masterpiece of modern apologetical writing destined to set the standard for years to come."
With comments like this, I am in serious danger of getting a big head and losing my reputation for self-effacing modesty. I suppose I should take consolation from the fact that I have some vitriolic detractors on this blog. But what credibility do these poor fools have with their unimaginative insults and wishful "Hitchens owned you!" declarations? Then an audience biased in favor of Hitchens votes me the winner and Hitchens himself admits that he lost the debate!
Atheists like to think of themselves as akin to champions of the round earth, confronted by religious ignoramuses who keep insisting that the earth is flat. But is it even conceivable that a round-earth advocate should lose a debate to a flat-earth advocate? To put the question differently, if atheists are truly the party of reason, and believers like me are truly the party of "blind faith," how come reason keeps getting its butt kicked?
Reader Comments ( Page 5 of 22)
61. thats all folks good to hear from you all.
brobert at 11:13PM on Jul 14th 2008
62. TJ-
Just a clarification. The FLDS are the "original" Mormons, and only gave up polygamy as an admission to statehood, and to avoid persecution and possible extermination by the "true Christians".
As for sci-fientology. The weirder sects of Mormons sort of believe that stuff too. Several professional acquaintances offed themselves during the whole "Heaven's Gate" thingy.
Dogma gone awry.
Robert at 11:13PM on Jul 14th 2008
63. I love the commenters on your blog Dinesh.
They seem to be mostly the intellectual parasites who loiter arount at dawkins.net that can't handle that the chosen turd they leach off are in fact overspecialised academic buffoons.
I look forward to seeing the footage of your last debate and i will wonder what excuse Dawkins will come up with next to stay locked up in hogwarts.
allabaster at 11:51PM on Jul 14th 2008
64. Dinesh I think you are wonderful. So clear. So kind. Thanks for your efforts to try to communicate the beauty of God through your gifts of speaking, writing and charitable demeanor. I must say I am entertained by the writhing contempt and gnashing of teeth you seem to bring out in people, at least the people intent on denying that an intelligence higher than our own exists. The creatures from 'Lord of the Rings' comes to mind. Seriously.
Where, oh where, did our intelligence come from? Who made the seeds of the trees that gives us clean air to breathe, shade from the sun, delectable fruits? What about the vegetables of every kind that gives us the nutrition we need to live and function? What about the animals and delicious seafood that feed us? The rubber trees, the cotton plants, the oil for fuel, the ores and minerals we use, the water to drink, the wood for homes, reeds for baskets.. our herbs, spices, teas, or our coffees that we absently sip during the day? Where does this all come from? Man cannot create these things. They require seeds. Which are.. unbelieveably amazing in and of themselves! What about the phenomenal natural order of things, its amazing beauty, perfection and complexity? Where did our creativity, our selflessness in tragedy, our capacity for love and need for relationship come from? Why have people from all times and places, even so remote recognize that there must be Something or Someone to cause an order so perfect and beautiful?
Do you really, deep down, believe that a relatively minute handful of people out of human history have the right idea when they themselves have no real answers or reasonable explanations for their beliefs? And deem themselves to be so wise? To deny the experience that great numbers of witnesses throughout the ages have experienced and who have taken great pains to pass on in the wisdom, experience and historical relevance of people, events and times..
If you actually read parts of the bible, there is a depth of understanding, wisdom and power is uncannily clear and illustrative, and speaks to the heart with amazing power. It seems that at least it should be given a fair shake before you decide that the idea of God is a joke and entirely silly. Unless of course, you really are a demon posing as a human to convince others that they are not alone. Read CS Lewis "The Screwtape letters." Pure entertainment.
It seems to be a very large gamble to take with your life with the eternal in mind. Personally, I would rather err on the side of God and maybe risk some scorn from mere humans than to be His enemy, unless you enjoy being miserable. Because, that is what life really is like when your back is turned. We were not meant to be miserable, but to fully realize our unique human personhood and to help in advancing life to its fullest potential, through relationship on every level. My best wishes to you for a change of heart.
Maya at 12:01AM on Jul 15th 2008
65.
Very funny Maya, I've always seen the "Lord of the Rings" as an allegory of christianity and the darkness that christianity fosters on world thought. The ring wielders being father, son and holy ghost; Sauron and his minions being organized religion.
JefFlyingV at 12:15AM on Jul 15th 2008
66. I guess I mean, while I agree with the frustration that you feel, to be so harsh is to concede the high ground to the theists. And believe me, they'll jump on it and claim that it was always theirs. I'm in the process of learning myself that the harshness and anger is truly counterproductive. It not only doesn't hurt them nor convince them of anything except that they were right about us all along, but it lessens US by allowing ourselves to become base.
Ever listen to the conservative sychophants on the radio? It's their stock in trade. Read this freaking column, Godless. Thinly veiled hatred and bigotry. And if you get angry defending yourself, you're the bad guy.
Fuck em'.
The golden rule, is treat people the way you want to be treated.
Which is all well and good, if everybody did it.
Treat people the way they treat you.
We all respect and treat Botts civilly, because it's reciprocal.
ex-christian at 12:36AM on Jul 15th 2008
67.
JefFlyingV
That would be pretty funny if that was how J.R. Tolkien meant it to appear. But considering he was a very religious and intellectual man, I doubt it.
Now, since I haven't done any analysis on this story, I made the assumption that the demonic looking creatures were agents of the netherworld, serving their demonic master in a relentless pursuit of absolute power.
maya at 12:39AM on Jul 15th 2008
68.
The interpretation of "The Lord of the Rings" is what I thought when I was a 12 year old reading the series for the first time, knowing nothing of JRR Tolkien. But the interpretation still stands 38 years later.
JefFlyingV at 12:44AM on Jul 15th 2008
69. GHB,
Thanks for the tug on the leash. My blood sugar must have been a little low. Part of my frustration is that, in the words of Tom Stoppard, I have a need to express myself that exceeds my ability to do so. I don't much understand the physics/ astrophysics of the arguments, but I do know that when people start talking about the volcanic eruption in Alaska and End Times, I am incredulous at the near ecxtacy with which they describe "God's punishment" for A) Gay Marriage, B) general promiscuity, C) non-practice of a particular dogma set, and so on. You would think that if an all-powerful god was that pissed he/ she could do better than to scare a dozen or so ranchers on the outskirts of civilization. I mean, I have no problem with, let's say, gay marriage. In San Jose where I live, it was sunny and 82 degrees yesterday. The grilled ribeyes and corn came out perfectly. So, what was God's message to me? Anyway, I appreciate that you stepped in.
Bob at 12:59AM on Jul 15th 2008
70.
50, Jeff? I imagined you slightly younger...early 40's?....wait, that's me.
I do agree with your assessmeant of Tolkien's works.
If, as maya says, ugly creatures are demonic, DD could well be Satan....if satan existed.
On a lighter note...riding was great today!
mac at 1:04AM on Jul 15th 2008
71. "Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets."--Jesus Christ, as quoted in Luke 6:26.
emelpe at 1:03AM on Jul 15th 2008
72. I wish that you would police your blog's comments more strictly. I don't mind when folks stalk you to disagree, but anybody leaving profanity and hate should be banned. Liberal web sites don't allow even half the hatred that you allow to appear against you on your own blog.
Uh Rev you should check out the young Turks, there is probably a link at the bottom of the page. Plenty of foul mouthed conservitives there, I'm pretty sure that's the majority of his readers.
tmo at 1:22AM on Jul 15th 2008
73. What did you know about organized religion at 12 years old? I think unorganized religion is even scarier. We are talking about spiritual direction and the life of souls..I am grateful that there can be found a clear linear path, a historical and common directive, to include all and serve, in the name of God, with a spiritual consistency, in Christianity. I am grateful for the collective effort, thought and contemplation of so many to greater understand the teachings of Christ and the mysteries of faith. I appreciate the great visibility of Christianity in the world, in serving the forgotten, hungry and poor. It helps me understand that there is a greater good that we live for and it is not for selfish ambition or power seeking that sincere people sacrifice and serve in the name of God. I respect that.
I would make the assumption that God is a God of order and not chaos-- considering the natural order of things.
Maya at 1:29AM on Jul 15th 2008
74. tmo,
Functional Urban Caucasion Knowledge
Youthful Organization Unity.
sparrow at 1:34AM on Jul 15th 2008
75. Didn't Dinesh claim that surely there was some sort of "heavenly influence" that affected mankind about 5,000 years ago in a recent column? Just curious if he can explain why the "heavenly influence" didn't seem to affect the Negroes in Africa as much as it did other races. Just curious . . .
Paul Edwards at 1:47AM on Jul 15th 2008