Richard Dawkins - will he debate the existence of God?

[Nathon Detroit]

Today on the Richard Dawkins forum I formally challenged Richard Dawkins to a debate to be simulcast on both forums (TOL and RichardDawkins.net)

Below is what was posted on his forum....

I would like to extend an offer to Richard Dawkins.

My forum (which I will not name unless you ask me to) would like to set up a formal debate between one of our members (a published author, TV and radio talk show host), and Richard Dawkins.

It could be a 10 round moderated debate and be simulcast (i.e., posted on both forums - ours and yours). We could schedule the debate to work within Mr. Dawkins schedule.

The topic could be:

Does God Exist?

I am sure the debate would get huge amounts of attention and benefit both of our forums greatly. At the end of the debate both authors could have the right to re-publish the debate and sell it as a resource if they saw fit (unedited of course). Richard Dawkins could benefit greatly by this debate by having the opportunity to prove to thousands (possibly millions) of fundamentalist Christians that he is right and they are wrong. Fundamentalist Christians probably are not Mr. Dawkins best demographic when selling his books but he could certainly reach them through this debate.

Our forum is one of the oldest theology forums on the net and if you search for theology forum in Google you are sure to find us. (cough... #1 cough...)

Please consider my offer and feel free to contact me or have a representative contact me so we could work out the details.

Thank you in advance for your consideration.​

http://www.richarddawkins.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=44904

 

[chickenman]

Very cool! Can't wait to see the response. I bet Bob's mouth is watering at the thought of this possibility.

 

[Maximeee]

Ohh! So cool! :banana: I wonder what he'll say :think:

 

[TomO]

:think: I have to admit....that is something I would be very interested in seeing....

 

[Granite]

Hmmmm. Interesting!

 

[The Berean]

Cool! Another opportunity to expose Dawkins for the fool that he is! :banana:

 

[Granite]

:yawn:

I'm sure with such an attitude visible on TOL he'll be begging to take Knight up on the offer...

How many people wanna bet that if Dawkins can't do it for whatever reason a ton of people here will assume he's "afraid" to debate? Because I can hear that deafening roar already.

 

[Nathon Detroit]

:yawn:

I'm sure with such an attitude visible on TOL he'll be begging to take Knight up on the offer...

How many people wanna bet that if Dawkins can't do it for whatever reason a ton of people here will assume he's "afraid" to debate? Because I can hear that deafening roar already.

Granite with all due respect TOL's attitude isn't even CLOSE to the attitude on their forum (trust me on this one).

Their forum is most vile, profane, perverted forum you will ever see.

Our forum is a thousand times more welcoming than their forum, I really mean that and I think even you would agree if you read the threads that I started over there yesterday.

 

[Granite]

Granite with all due respect TOL's attitude isn't even CLOSE to the attitude on their forum (trust me on this one).

Their forum is most vile, profane, perverted forum you will ever see.

Our forum is a thousand times more welcoming than their forum, I really mean that and I think even you would agree if you read the threads that I started over there yesterday.

Well I see little wrong with appropriate profanity, but I'll take your word for it.

 

[Quincy]

This would be most interesting indeed. I just hope that the people on both sides can be mature and let it take it's course. Listen to both sides and then in a mature manner debate what is the outcome. To bad I won't even use my deductive skills to decide the chances on that happening, yet I do hope that it does, because that would be something to behold.

 

[chickenman]

He's not talking just about profanity. As soon as they sort of guess that a poster is a Christian, many of them are immediately very rude and beligerent. Not a very nice and welcoming crowd, in general. Though some of them are.

 

[SUTG]

It'll never happen.

 

[Nathon Detroit]

This would be most interesting indeed. I just hope that the people on both sides can be mature and let it take it's course. Listen to both sides and then in a mature manner debate what is the outcome. To bad I won't even use my deductive skills to decide the chances on that happening, yet I do hope that it does, because that would be something to behold.

I think that both participants would take it very seriously.

 

[Sweet Pea]

I think that both participants would take it very seriously.

I think you're right, and I hope Dawkins isn't put off by the "attitude" toward non-believers because I think it would be an interesting debate indeed.(I haven't checked out your link yet, but he might not be put off by hostility if it's really rampant on his site).

~SP

 

[FellowServant]

:yawn:

I'm sure with such an attitude visible on TOL he'll be begging to take Knight up on the offer...

How many people wanna bet that if Dawkins can't do it for whatever reason a ton of people here will assume he's "afraid" to debate? Because I can hear that deafening roar already.

I wouldn't think that. People's schedules seem so busy and full today that it wouldn't surprise me if Mr. Dawkin refused at this time.

I would love to see this debate. I had not heard of Richard Dawkin until yesterday. I've been at the official website looking things over to see exactly who he is. He seems to have a huge following.

 

[DoogieTalons]

I would love to see this debate I really would, however I don't think it's going to happen.

He's an Oxford Don of science he rarley needs to discuss this stuff with religious types I think the God Delusion made his position clear. I don't speak for him nor do I particulaly "know" him but it's my impression. I think I know if the argument went "creationist" he would just back out. He seems to lend credence to the argument in the eyes of the fundies just by being involved in it.

I don't think badmouthing an esteemed scientist is going to help either Berean.

As for that other forum, it may seem to Knight to be a cess pit but play time is rough over there for a religious person. It's just thier rules. I know this. If any migrate they will generally play by your rules as much as they can.

I don't partake in the forums much on RDF I just visit it every day for the front page news.

That said. I think it would be a great discussion.

 

[Granite]

Agreed. It'd be great, but I suspect Dawkins is happy to let his work speak for itself.

 

[Nathon Detroit]

I would love to see this debate I really would, however I don't think it's going to happen.

Ya never know until ya ask though eh?

As for that other forum, it may seem to Knight to be a cess pit but play time is rough over there for a religious person. It's just thier rules. I know this. If any migrate they will generally play by your rules as much as they can.

I realize all that, I was just letting Granite know that our forum is far more welcoming to the opposition then their forum is. Granite had made the comment that maybe Dawkins would be "put off" by the harshness here on TOL.

That said. I think it would be a great discussion.

Indeed.

 

[Nathon Detroit]

Agreed. It'd be great, but I suspect Dawkins is happy to let his work speak for itself.

Probably so but its too bad if he doesn't accept because it would be great entertainment. There is value in that.

I think an argument is way more credible when it is tested.

A man's work might be interesting to read but how how credible is it? Should we buy what he is preaching simply because he said so? Lets test it against the opposition and see what happens.

 

[Stripe]

:thumb: