“Does The Universe Have A Purpose?”

I watched Rabbi David Wolpe debate Christopher Hitchens a while back and even though Hitchens seemed a bit soused, he still kicked Rabbi Wolpe’s tuchis (apparently there was a re-match I haven’t seen).  I would have thought that he learned to stay away from such debates, but apparently he did not.

On November 13, Wolpe joined William Lane Craig and R. Douglas Geivett in a debate against scientists / atheists Matt Ridley, Michael Shermer, and Richard Dawkins on the topic “Does the Universe Have a Purpose?”

First of all, let me say that David Wolpe has a wonderful reputation for his open-mindedness.  He even took some flack for it in 2001.  As Wikipedia describes it:

Wolpe became the focus of international controversy when he gave a Passover sermon that discussed the historic validity of the Exodus from Egypt.

You’d think a guy with that ability to show some integrity would be embarrassed to be on the stage facing off against brilliant scientifically minded men, right?  But a theist is a theist, so rather than standing with the smart progressive guys, he stood with the homophobic evangelicals.  My respect for him is about gone.

I haven’t watched the whole debate yet.  Embedding’s been giving me a headache, so here are links to both debates:

Wolpe vs. Hitchens

Matt Ridley, Michael Shermer, and Richard Dawkins vs. William Lane Craig, David Wolpe and R. Douglas Geivett