Upcoming Debates and Talks September 6, 2010

Upcoming Debates and Talks

By Guest Contributor
September 6, 2010

I’ve gotten a few emails about upcoming events that might be of interest to those of you in the areas, so here you go:

Tuesday, September 7th, 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $25.

In Birmingham, AL, Christopher Hitchens will make a public appearance to debate the author of “The Devil’s Delusion: Atheism and Its Scientific Pretensions” (and a guy seen in Ben Stein’s Expelled), David Berlinski. The topic is “How Atheism Poisons Everything.”

More information can be found here and here.

According to Lori Lenz, who is doing press for the Fixed Point Foundation and who confirmed Hitchens’ appearance late Thursday, Hitchens is “bored” with his cancer treatments and is looking forward to going to Alabama for the debate.

…

Sunday, September 12th, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Free of charge.

The Ethical Humanist Society of Chicago will have Robert Price, professor of theology at Coleman Theological Seminary and a host of the Point of Inquiry podcast, speak on “The Gospels: History or Literature?”

More information can be found here.

…

Friday, October 1st, 2:15 p.m. Free of charge.

At Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, The American Humanist Association’s president, David Niose, will debate the Pastor of Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho (and Hitchens’ opponent in the documentary Collision), Doug Wilson.

The topic? “A Debate on Christianity and Humanism: Which is the better path for culture, law, and government?”

That event is sponsored by The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies.

More details can be found here (PDF).

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  • chris

    Hemant, I must admit I am slightly surprised that you are recommending anything by The Ethical Humanist Society of Chicago. Their treatment of Gregory Koger is nearly the definition of unethical. I will not support them until they have taken action to rectify that situation.

  • Greg

    The topic is “How Atheism Poisons Everything.”

    That surely has to be the easiest thing ever to argue against? All you have to do is state the definition of atheism, and point out that it is impossible to get a causal statement from a lack of belief. Debate over.

    If the title was something like “How Secularism Poisons Everything”, then at least the person proposing it could have a chance at making an argument. That, and it suggests from the blurb that that’s what the title actually should be… :rolls eyes:

  • What Greg wrote.

    The second “A Debate on Christianity and Humanism: Which is the better path for culture, law, and government?” is similarly easy to derail. Humanism and Christianity aren’t mutually exclusive. Secular humanism might operate without religion but humanism has no such constraints. Even so some Christians can be and are secular humanists, their faith is simply something that is personal to them. An influence to be sure but one that doesn’t interfere with the objectives of humanism.

    Also unless 100% of the culture is the same branch of Christian then it is fairly straightforward to point out that it is unfair on everyone else. Just pick an extreme Christian sect to highlight how other Christians would feel about having laws dictated from that particular interpretation.

    Easy peesy lemon squeezy.

  • Jon Moles

    I agree with @chris. Is this a situation where someone in the Chicago area could attend and attempt to ask why the “Ethical” Humanist Society of Chicago would treat Gregory Kroger in such a horrific manner?

  • Danny wuvs kittens

    Isn’t Christopher Hitchens the guy that’s going to be dead soon?

  • Eric

    We are all on our way Danny, proceed accordingly.

  • Also…Richard Dawkins is speaking @ Duke University on Sunday, Oct. 3. Tickets are free (but they did “sell out”). Some people may have extras though!

  • abadidea

    What? A non-Christian here in Lynchburg? Hide the chillins!

    Unfortunately, I suspect my attendance would be a big tip-off to the theistic parental unit.

  • 18atheist

    I am new to your sight and I would like to talk to you more about atheism and your outlook on it. I am an 18yr old atheist from NY and I currently reside in Charlotte NC. I have an exit project to do to be able to graduate high school in January. My topic is atheism in america and its due in December. If you or anyone on this blog are interested in being in being interviewed or just putting in their two cents my e-mail is: LakimaJackson@yahoo.com…Thank you