But then again, who wants to be see people being respectful, trying to make good agruments, even while disagreeing? Certainly not the media…….

Well….I kinda do, actually. It may not entertain some people as much as a smackdown, but it might serve a more worthwhile purpose. In general, we’ve become one big collective Star Jones, telling everyone who disagrees with us to “talk to the hand, ’cause the face ain’t listening”. How does this do anything other than coursen us, and close us off to ideas that aren’t our own? Are we so insecure about what we believe that it can’t stand up to a little scrutiny from those who disagree with us?

For those of us who are people of faith, is our faith so shallow, flimsy and narrow that we feel it so threatened that we need to shout down people who may even only slightly see it another way.

Furthermore, what’s so bad about having it pointed out to me that I may not be right about every single thing?

What’s more important, the actual truth (whatever that might turn out to be), or whether or not it conforms to what I think it should be?

We’re in a lot of horrible messes in this country, specifically due to people being so blinded by ideology they could not accomodate the possibility of the existence of facts that did not conform whatever worldview they happened to embrace.

Ultimately, debating the existence, or non-existence of God is a bit like looking for fun in Tulsa. It gets you nowhere, and makes your head hurt. Eventually, someone ends up with a black eye…

It seems to me there are vital, creative, vigorous people on both sides of the faith/atheism divide who share common ground on a great many practical, day-to-day issues. It seems to me that the whole God thing is just another means for the powerful in this country to keep people squabbling with each other so they can keep that power….

The audience was mixed, but it seemed most of them thought the RSS did a much better job too. I heard how Kirk and Ray treated Hemant and it disgusted me. These types of debates will get people nowhere, but they seem to make great ratings boosters. The more civilized, open dialouge between Richard Dawkins and Richard Harries is a much better indicator of the talks we should be having. But then again, who wants to be see people being respectful, trying to make good agruments, even while disagreeing? Certainly not the media…….

In the end, all it does is work to paint both atheists and believers as ignorant, hateful morons who harbor a belief that their camp posesses a monopoly on the truth.

Good point. I don’t think RSS was hateful so much as very obviously frustrated b/c I think they wanted an actual “debate” and all they got was preaching. However, I don’t usually agree with a lot of their methods either.

As a Christian (a Quaker, specifically), the debate strikes me as without any merit for a few reasons.

First, it’s Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort trying to ‘scietifically’ prove the existence of God. If actual SCIENTISTS can’t do this, what makes Cameron and Comfort, who have no scholarly background at all, think they’re the guys for the job?

I read a comment on another blog that said “Kirk Cameron can’t even prove the existence of Kirk Cameron….” I’m inclined to agree.

Ray Comfort is so dense light bends around him.

Secondly, I get the feeling that the two people from Blashemy Challenge are as equally challenged in their own sphere.

Thirdly, the debate serves no practical purpose. It does not put food in people’s mouths, a roof over anybody’s head, nor does it inspire either side to overcome their differences to work together to achieve these or any other worthwhile goals.

Furthermore, the nature of the debate does not invite more reasoned, educated and less strident voices to engage in a more meaningful discussion of the subject matter.

In the end, all it does is work to paint both atheists and believers as ignorant, hateful morons who harbor a belief that their camp posesses a monopoly on the truth.

Karen said: Ask Hemant about the hateful way that C&C treated him on their radio show. They called him all kinds of names and insulted him after he was no longer on the line to even defend himself. They do the same thing to the poor schmucks they meet on the street – tell them they are sinners, and that they’re going to hell, that atheists are horrible people, etc. That’s not very “caring” behavior.

When Ray and Kirk talked to people on the street, in what manner do they tell people that they are sinners and that they are going to hell? Do they yell and scream at the top of their lungs, “YOU ARE A WICKED SINNER!!! GOD HATES YOU AND YOU ARE GOING TO HELL!!” or do they politely say, “Everyone is a sinner. Everyone deserves to go to hell. Those without Christ will go to hell.”?

Karen said: Ask Hemant about the hateful way that C&C treated him on their radio show. They called him all kinds of names and insulted him after he was no longer on the line to even defend himself. They do the same thing to the poor schmucks they meet on the street – tell them they are sinners, and that they’re going to hell, that atheists are horrible people, etc. That’s not very “caring” behavior.

When Ray and Kirk talked to people on the street, in what manner do they tell people that they are sinners and that they are going to hell? Do they yell and scream their heads off or do they say, “Everyone is a sinner. Everyone deserves to go to hell. Those without Christ will go to hell.”?

it’s that they, and other Christians like myself believe that GOD knows what’s best for all of us and has revealed that in the BIble.

It’s that you folks assume you have all the right answers for us… without even listening to us… that’s the problem.

You assume that just because you believe something that you’re right and everyone else is wrong and going to burn in hell forever for having the timerity to have different beliefs from you.

Just as atheists like those on this site want to teach what they believe, because they believe it is true.

Not in the least. We atheists are here posting on an atheist website which you came to by your own accord. We aren’t pushing ourselves onto others. I don’t say “Drop your own beliefs and agree with me or you’ll burn forever in eternal torment, and the Creator of the Universe agrees with me!” I don’t go posting on Christian sites to tell people why they’re wrong and they better stop having their own opinions and start agreeing with me before they die and suffer untold torment.

All I say to Christians on sites where there is open and welcoming dialogue is “your beliefs are cool with me. I’m not a believer, if you want to dialogue here I can tell you why not for me, with the hope of creating better understanding.”

This site, and Off The Map, where I blog, is about dialogue, not diatribes. It’s more about listening and less about talking. The Way of the Master is like a kind of pre-rolled script that Comfort and Cameron have. You list the ten commandments and then ask them if they’ve lied, or lusted or stole something as a child.

Nothing proves their inability to listen and their utter disrepect for other people’s paths and beliefs than the fact that they think that a pre-rolled script is satisfactory to meet an individual’s spiritual needs.