Christian/Atheist Dialogue in Chicago Tonight June 23, 2010

Christian/Atheist Dialogue in Chicago Tonight

By Guest Contributor
June 23, 2010

For those of you in Chicago, I’ll be doing a Christian/atheist dialogue with the good people at Elements[Chicago] tonight.

It’ll be a chance for Christians and atheists to ask questions about faith — via moderator — to me and a Christian from their side. It’s not a debate; it’s a conversation. Fun!

The details:

Where: Flourish Studio, 3020 N. Lincoln, Chicago, Illinois 60657

When: TONIGHT, Wednesday, June 23rd at 7:30 p.m. (It’ll probably go till 9:00 p.m.)

The event is free, there will be appetizers and wine, and you know you have challenging questions you want to ask. So come!

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  • Is there going to be a video of this posted eventually? I like these formats a lot, but the commute from Boston to Chicago is a bit much, at least for a Wednesday.

  • Anonymous

    I live in Florida, so I would like to have a video also.

  • No matter what you call it, it will be a debate. I’ve participated in similar “dialogues,” and most of the questions were veiled versions of “How can you be moral without God?” or “Why do you hate God?” or (the most infuriating) “Well, I’ll pray for you.” Maybe Hemant’s experience will be different. I’m sure he’ll let us know. Video, indeed, would be cool.

  • I’d love to come, but the commute from Holland to the States is a bit of a drag for a wednesday evening. Just kidding. Is there any change of you coming to Europe/Holland before long?

  • Jerzy Mike

    Andy – totally understand your concern

    I’m moderating the evening and really hope it isn’t a debate cause that isn’t the purpose of Elements[Chicago]. I hope questions from both sides are lucid, non-attacking and from a genuine desire to understand the other. If they aren’t, then the night is useless. There’s a real danger at any event when two opposite sides come together for each side to become even more unflinchingly entrenched in their own dogma, whatever it may be. I’m a proponent of legitimate question asking.

    We are working on getting some type of recording be it mere audio or audio/video.

    PS – whoever asks, “Why do you hate G-d?” is an idiot unless the person they are asking literally says, “I hate G-d.”

  • Ron in Houston

    Sounds like Jerzy Mike has his hands full.

    Think you can get them in a big circle at the end singing Kumbaya?

  • We are working on getting some type of recording be it mere audio or audio/video.

    Awesome. Thanks Jerzy.

    What I meant by my earlier comment is that a lot of the responses you’ll give to questions will resemble the responses you’d give in a debate-style setting. Calling it a conversation makes sense, but a debate is a kind of conversation anyway. I like debates, actually, because a lot of theists just haven’t ever heard arguments for positive atheism (and, perhaps, vice-versa).

  • Hemant has successfully participated in these types of non-debates before. Hopefully, the “other side” also has a willingness to not make it a debate. The moderator should also make sure that any questions from the audience don’t turn into a monologue/rant. Both atheist and religious audience members can be guilty of that.

  • Hitch

    For a dialogue it needs two. One can debate alone (alternating in time).

    Looking forward to hearing how it turned out.

  • So was it recorded? Where can I get that recording?

  • As far as I know, it wasn’t recorded… but I’m doing another in a few weeks and that one should be!

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