Throwdown: God vs. Flying Spaghetti Monster

Allow me to make amends and post some photos:

For the benighted and huddled masses, from L to R we have: Christopher Hitchens, Atheist Extraordinaire; Dan Caplis, Moderator, and, umm, Radio Host Ordinaire?; and Dinesh D’Souza, Catholic-Con Ninja.

Kevin Jones at Philokalia Republic has an extensive and thoughtfully-critiqued recount of the debate here. He obviously comes from the Catholic side, but he’s got some good classical philosophy points in there.

My thoughts? Well, I’m a sucker for zing-worthy rhetoric, so that (in car salesman speak) prequalifies me for head of the Hitchens Fan Club- Boulder Diaspora.

That does not mean I thought the Brit the winner. I don’t think there was one. I feel strongly that it’s impossible to argue someone in to or out of a religious faith. The mind often hears what it wants, and no more so than in the case of transcendent or spiritual affairs. So even if you have a devastatingly clever point or theory, one that I might even concede as correct, the actual act of faith, doubt, or agnosticism is unreachable to that freshly-spanked-eager-to-change intellect. One can never predict what is the word, act, or image that finally sends himself to or away from a religion.

That being said, D’Souza had some good points as well. The only quibble I had with either person, however, was with D’Souza. In his closing remarks, he made the accusation to Hitchens (and by proxy to all nonbelievers) that he clung to atheism, not out of his need for evidence, but because the atheist is fundamentally uncomfortable with the prospect of a judging God. In other words, atheists claim “there is no God” because they don’t want Jehovah/Allah/Yahweh/Vishnu cramping their style.

That’s a pretty harsh and condescending tone for D’Souza to take, IMO, and I don’t think that broad attacks on what amount to individuals’ own thoughts suit either side. A little more moral empathy and humility would have become Mr. D’Souza, especially considering the camp he was charged to defend.

Besides that line, I greatly enjoyed the entire 3 hours. One of the perks of livin’ in a college town…

P.S. I did, true to my word, ask if Hitch or D-Sooz were interested in continuing the debate afterwards over a few pints. Hitchens responded that he’d most definitely be in a bar after the debate, but he later told me that he’d be heading back to Denver that night. No dice.

So close…