D'Souza, Hitchens ready to spar over God
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Debaters gearing up for Monday's Macky showdownBy Lance Vaillancourt (Contact)
Thursday, January 22, 2009
BOULDER, Colo. — Does religion poison everything, or does the world need faith in God now more than ever?
That's one of the questions famed conservative author Dinesh D'Souza and atheist writer Christopher Hitchens will explore during an event at the University of Colorado next week.
The two men discussed their Monday night appearance -- a debate dubbed "What's So Great About God? Atheism vs. Religion" at Macky Auditorium -- in separate phone interviews Thursday.
"Religion was our first attempt at philosophy -- and the first and worst theories of explaining things have been religious," said Hitchens, author of "God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything."
To that end, Hitchens said he believes the archaic thinking buried in religious fundamentalism can be traced from modern times throughout history as a catalyst for human atrocity.
"It's particularly important now because of the very dire possibility that a person with a messianic worldview would get a hold of an apocalyptic weapon," Hitchens said.
D'Souza, an author and scholar named by the New York Times as one of the most influential conservative thinkers in the country, said Hitchens' point dismisses the intellectual landscape of religion.
"Religious tensions around the world have given atheism a boost because they say, 'Look, this is what religion does in the world -- it's not just irrational, it's also dangerous,'" D'Souza said. "We're at a time where intellectual defenses (for religion) are important because that's the only way to engage this new atheism."
D'Souza's strategy for the debate, then, will be to square off with Hitchens intellectually as the two men support their arguments with evidence from a variety of disciplines.
"He's a very unpredictable character, and so am I," D'Souza said. "In a debate about God, the topic easily migrates from one field to the next -- so our arguments will swing from history to philosophy to science, and back."
Considering Hitchens and D'Souza have known each other for 20 years, both speakers mentioned that it will be an important strategy to keep the other on his toes -- which also will make the event much more interesting for the audience.
"What we try to do is meditate on old arguments and give them new fire and new angles," D'Souza said. "When you have some surprises in store for each other, it keeps the debates enjoyable for the participants -- which is us."
For Hitchens, questioning the existence of God is an important role, but he has no grand vision of ending that age-old argument once and for all.
"I wouldn't be interested in living in a society where there was no dispute," Hitchens said. "There have always been opposing views, and there always will be.
"My job is to sharpen them, clarify them, and -- with any luck -- make them a bit more amusing."
News Link:
http://www.coloradodaily.com/news/2009/jan/22/dsouza-hitchens-god-atheist-debate-boulder/
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What: "What's So Great About God? Atheism vs. Religion"
When: 7 p.m. Monday
Where: Macky Auditorium, University of Colorado campus, Boulder
Cost: Free for students, $10 for non-students
www.thomascenter.org
I am an Ex-Christian.
Have any of you ever watched one of the D'Souza debates on youtube? I got really frustrated watching him just mangle logic and flip and twist through all his arguments. I'm not willing to put myself through that again. Is this just me, or does anyone else feel the same?
(SmallChristian, tahnk you for letting me know I do have the option though.
It's always good to know what's available. )
"I am that I am." - Proof that the writers of the bible were beyond stoned.
"Anyone can repress a woman, but you need 'dictated' scriptures to feel you're really right in repressing her. In the same way, homophobes thrive everywhere. But you must feel you've got scripture on your side to come up with the tedious 'Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve' style arguments instead of just recognising that some people are different." - Douglas Murray
Screw them. Lets's get to the importent things in life..............
................ JillSwift we want the girl-on-girl avatar you had from anime. AND WE wont settle for anything less.
"Very funny Scotty; now beam down our clothes."
VEGETARIAN: Ancient Hindu word for "lousy hunter"
If man was formed from dirt, why is there still dirt?
Dumbsoso will get his clock cleaned.
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
Check out my poetry here on Rational Responders Like my poetry thread on Facebook under Brian James Rational Poet, @Brianrrs37 on Twitter and my blog at www.brianjamesrationalpoet.blog
Nope, I'm in a harajuku mood and that's that.![](/sites/www.rationalresponders.com/modules/fckeditor/fckeditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/016.gif)
"Anyone can repress a woman, but you need 'dictated' scriptures to feel you're really right in repressing her. In the same way, homophobes thrive everywhere. But you must feel you've got scripture on your side to come up with the tedious 'Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve' style arguments instead of just recognising that some people are different." - Douglas Murray
As I am sure Hitchens already is aware, debating logic and reason with D'Souza will be like playing chess with a pigeon. He'll knock over the pieces, crap on the board and fly home to his flock claiming victory. On a more ad hominem note, the guy had relationships with both Ann Coulter and Laura Ingraham... nuff said.
Thank you so much for that vomit inducing immage. I can safely commit suicide now without fear of guilt.
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
Check out my poetry here on Rational Responders Like my poetry thread on Facebook under Brian James Rational Poet, @Brianrrs37 on Twitter and my blog at www.brianjamesrationalpoet.blog
That's actually in driving distance for me. But I doubt I could subdue the urge to hurl my own feces at D'Souza. So I'll probably stay home.
Nobody I know was brainwashed into being an atheist.
Why Believe?
Oh my, I love the pigeon metaphor....such an accurate and hilarious illustartion. Spot on !
I love watching Hitchens, but I utterly cannot stand D'souza, and frankly I can't even being to understand how Hitch has been able to tolerate him through all the debates they've had in the past, and yet he still debates him now.
The worst ever was watching D'souza "debate" Dan Dennett. And by "debate", I mean throwing a tantrum like a four-year-old, but with adult words. The stark contrast with the calm, jolly peacefulness of Dan Dennett's Santa Claus vibe only made him look more like an ass.
If I had to pick one word that I thought captured fully the character, demeanor, and appearance of Dinesh D'souza, the word would be... "needle-dick".
Dinesh D'souza is the definition of a needle-dick.
A place common to all will be maintained by none. A religion common to all is perhaps not much different.
If I may interject some empathy here, D'Souza has nothing to worry about from me, at least. I think humans, under the right curcumstances will extend their hand out in compassion to those they dissagree with.
I have no doubt, being that both he and I are raised in country with common law, that if either of us were to pass by a car accedent where people were severely injured, both of us would stop and help and neither of us would ask what the person's belief was before administering help.
Do not get me wrong. I think he is full of shit and peddling pure myth. But what makes us both human, is not that we should be forced to like each other, but that neither he or I will escape death.
I may not like him, the person, but he is still a human. He has the same range of emotions and is capable of the same actions of good or bad that I am.
I would simply advise to both believers of all religions, and non-believers to learn to seperate the issue of claims from the issues of the emotions and actions we all are capable of.
He cant prove his claims anymore than if I claimed that I could fart a Lamborginni out of my ass. But, he is not Ted Bundy or Jeffory Dahmar, by any stretch. And as such, he may piss me off with his claims, but to leave him bleading in the street would make me as heartless as if he did the same to me.
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
Check out my poetry here on Rational Responders Like my poetry thread on Facebook under Brian James Rational Poet, @Brianrrs37 on Twitter and my blog at www.brianjamesrationalpoet.blog
Neither of these guys are my favorite debaters. Watching D'Souza makes me want to claw my own eyes out, and I've seen Hitchens look kinda drunk at some of those.
From what I've seen, Hitchens does some of his best work when wasted.
"I do this real moron thing, and it's called thinking. And apparently I'm not a very good American because I like to form my own opinions."
— George Carlin
Why anyone would want to be in the same TOWN as D'Souza, let alone the same room, is beyond me. I'm not sure I'd be able to resist the urge to pop his head off his useless shoulders.
Enlightened Atheist, Gaming God.
I understand any and all anger aimed at bad claims and use of bad logic. But I always have to preface expressions of such as merely being venting. Words like this inevitably and needlessly are taken as bigotry.
Everyone, at some point in their life, even when not disscussing religion, looks to a family member, co worker, or friend who utters an absurdity and we think to ourselves, "I'd like to knock some sense into you".
Having said that, I get it. I'd like to myself, "knock some sense into people who make absurd claims". But the reality is that if we are to live above their standards, we cant act out in phyisical violence to get our point across.I know that is not what you ment, I am merely putting in a disclaimer for any moron who would suggest such.
I KNOW I KNOW, I know that you know that I know that you know
"Get to the point Ralfy Boy"
"Norton......how would you like to "
(anyone remember that comedy skit by Eddy Murphy?)
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
Check out my poetry here on Rational Responders Like my poetry thread on Facebook under Brian James Rational Poet, @Brianrrs37 on Twitter and my blog at www.brianjamesrationalpoet.blog
Just for grins
, I'd like to see Hitchens unexpectedly fly into a drunken rage and attack D'Souza with a folding metal chair or something...not really hurt D'souza or anything, but you know, like those episodes on reality tv where a couple of politicians in Taiwan just start bitch slapping each other during a debate. Who would ever expect that ?
YOU BLASPHEMER! Hitchens is a tea tottaler and wouldn't drink any swill containing "spirits". And on a related note, when Jimmy Buffet sings about Margarretas, we all know he is talking about "virgin" Margarretas".
"Cheese Humor In Paradise"
I am not mad at Hitchens for tipping the bottle, but I would suggest that he put some time between his personal habits and work. That and for someone who banties about 50 cylible words like a fish in water, how does he justify the title "Portable Atheist"? That thing makes the Yellow Pages look like a skin graft.
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
Check out my poetry here on Rational Responders Like my poetry thread on Facebook under Brian James Rational Poet, @Brianrrs37 on Twitter and my blog at www.brianjamesrationalpoet.blog
Let me clarify "Portable Atheist". I am by no means slighting the content, merely how "Portable Atheist" was selected as a title?
"Letter To A Christian Nation" By Sam Harris was quick and to the point., so the title of that book reflected the "quickness" of the implication of the title.
The length of "Portable Atheist" as implied, does not imply in depth comentary, but rather quick reference "Cliff Notes". But it did not reflect the actual valid in depth commentary the book rightfully included.
Believe me, my problem was not the content, but merely the book itself did not match the implication of the title.
The content was not my problem, I merely thought that the title of the book was unfitting.
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
Check out my poetry here on Rational Responders Like my poetry thread on Facebook under Brian James Rational Poet, @Brianrrs37 on Twitter and my blog at www.brianjamesrationalpoet.blog
You make a good point man, but I know my tolerance limits regarding anger. That guy strikes me as being of the type smart enough to know better, but intentionally working for the cash factor. I couldn't be in the same room listening to him for very long without raising a ruckus.
Enlightened Atheist, Gaming God.
Brian,
Did someone hijack your account? You seem so... calm in your responses. : )
-Triften
Yea, I am "calm" like the eruption of Vesuvius in 79CE was "calm". Fortunatly my "lava" and "ash" is mere bitching and wont harm anyone, although it is my hope that it gets people thinking.
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
Check out my poetry here on Rational Responders Like my poetry thread on Facebook under Brian James Rational Poet, @Brianrrs37 on Twitter and my blog at www.brianjamesrationalpoet.blog