Should nonbeliever groups have debates with religious people?
My local freethinker club agreed to a debate with a local pastor ostensibly about evolution. While our representative acquitted himself very well and honorably, the pastor used the opportunity to proselytize, and IMO failed to either stay on the subject or address the subject in any intellectually coherent way. The audience on both sides walked away from the discussion believing that their representative had won decisively. If anyone did change their minds, we never heard about it.
If you've the stomach and endurance for it, the whole thing in unedited form can be viewed here:
Our guy has tons of knowledge about the subject so you might actually learn something (I sure did!) but there's also wading through the pastor's turns at the mic.
Do you think that anything useful or beneficial was accomplished? Note that I'm not particularly interested if the church or the pastor or that "side" benefitted one way or the other, I'm interested in whether it seems that we atheists benefitted from the exchange in any way.
0
Enjoy being online again!
Welcome to the community of good people who base their values on evidence and appreciate civil discourse - the social network you will enjoy.Create your free account
7 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.
halton peel's rep in a debate versus muslim xian and jew did so well . so elegant and gave no cause for anger on any side but the xian was a total muppet and was trying to provoke a fight, bloody typical.
markdevenish
Level 7
Jan 4, 2018
0
It's an exercise in futility for the most part. It's nice to hear some other views, but it's pretty much guaranteed to reinforce each others beliefs. It can be entertaining if you're bored lol
Ever watch the debates on YouTube between Christopher Hitchens and religious people? It's pretty entertaining. He did a cross country debate with a certain Christian whose name I forget. They made a DVD etc.
Piece2YourPuzzle
Level 8
Jan 4, 2018
0
Where’s the fun in not making fun of the religious?
Gatovicolo
Level 8
Jan 4, 2018
0
Just like the original Skopes trial, it's all entertainment.
LucifersPen
Level 7
Jan 4, 2018
0
Complete waste of time and energy. No debates should have taken place. You can't convince a believer. Save yourr breath.
sassygirl3869
Level 9
Jan 4, 2018
1
You may not convince the opponent, but you may sway an onlooker. Frex there may be a questioning kid in the audience for whom this is the first experience of the fact that non-believers do not routinely eat babies.
Enjoy being online again!
Welcome to the community of good people who base their values on evidence and appreciate civil discourse - the social network you will enjoy.Create your free account
Share this post
Categories
Agnostic does not evaluate or guarantee the accuracy of any content. Read full disclaimer.