Skeptic Michael Shermer Gives the Devil His Due

Debate: Atheists vs Christians (Krauss + Shermer vs D'Souza + Hutchinson) - YouTube

The following video was a debate where I got to admit that Lawrence Krauss and Micheal Shermer won this debate. It does not make Atheism right, but it does show that some atheists can win debates. I think that the reason why the Christians in this debate lost it is because they didn't defend or explain the Bible. That is why they lost. They practically gave the debate away if you want to show that Science does not refute God.


Debate: Atheists vs Christians (Krauss + Shermer vs D'Souza + Hutchinson) - YouTube

Neil deGrasse Tyson at the Beyond Belief Conference, 2006

                             Image via WikipediaI like Dr Neil deGrasse Tyson. He is a great astrophysicist and is great at communicating science, history, and philosophy. I don't agree with him on everything but I enjoy listening to him. In 2006, he gave the following speech at the Beyond Belief Conference which was attended by the likes of Dr Sam Harris, Dr Lawrence Krauss, Dr Michael Shermer, and Dr Richard Dawkins.





In the speech he describes his feeling that being religious is science stopper. He says that "revelation stops inspiration." I disagree. No doubt that Tyson is correct about Newton's brilliance. But intelligent design is not just to be invoked for when we reach our limits. In my opinion, those pioneers of western science would be the first to credit God for the stroke of insight that allowed them to make their discoveries. Intelligent Design is not meant to make you stop looking into understanding that design. I don't think Newton's religiosity at all undermined Newton. It inspired him.  I think the reason he didn't go farther because God didn't give it to him. God gave it to his successors. Thankfully, Dr Tyson does not go as far as Dawkins does underestimating and undervaluing people who believe in God.

THE APOLOGETIC FRONT: Atheist Michael Shermer discusses creation with AIG biologist Georgia Purdom

Mike FelkerMike Felker has posted a video in which Michael Shermer interviewed biologist Georgia Purdom who works for Answers in Genesis> I agree with Michael that it is a very interesting discussion about creaton - no name calling or insults. It is most definitely how all discussions should go. We should be able to disagree without being disagreeable. I'm shocked at Shermer's behavior because I've never thought of him as being able to carry on such a conversation in such a manner. Glad I was wrong about that. I still don't think the Biblical and scientific evidence supports a young earth but I definitely agree that God created all of it.At the same time it could have taken 6 seconds, 6 days, or 4.5 billion years - whatever God wanted to do.





THE APOLOGETIC FRONT: Atheist Michael Shermer discusses creation with AIG biologist Georgia Purdom

Does the Universe Have a Purpose? Audio Debate - Apologetics 315

Well here is the closest we will most likely ever get to William Lane Craig debating Richard Dawkins in a one-on-one debate. This one was a 3 on 3 debate. Guess Dawkins knew he needed the help; not that it helped his arguments. It didn't. But at times you take what you can get and this debate is notable because neither side of the debate topic, Does the Universe have a purpose?, are light-weights.
It was William Lane Craig, Douglas Geivett, and Rabbi David Wolpe answering "yes" with Richard Dawkins, Michael Shermer, and Matt Ridley on the other side. I really thank Brian Auten for posting the video and the audio and following his link I have also linked to comments from another brother-in-Christ I respect.



Does the Universe Have a Purpose? Audio Debate - Apologetics 315
Summary and Review of Does the Universe Have Purpose Debate (Dawkins v. Craig)

What Michael Shermer Wants, and Does Not Want, to Believe—on Pseudo-Skepticism and the Multiverse, part 1 | True Freethinker

Mariano recently posted an essay (part 1) discussing Michael Shermer's worldview and its inconsistency.

What Michael Shermer Wants, and Does Not Want, to Believe—on Pseudo-Skepticism and the Multiverse, part 1 | True Freethinker

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• Michael Shermer Returns to TED (randi.org)

Michael Shermer and Ben Witherington Discuss the Gospels | True Freethinker

Mariano has posted a couple of great  videos regarding Michael Shermer. In the first video Shermer and Dr. Ben Witherington discuss whether or not the Gospels are trustworthy. Shermer as an atheist comes up really short! Mariano does a great job explaining why Shermer is fundamentally wrong. You can read the post at the link below and i really wanted to share the graphic he posted summing up Shermer's inadequate argumentation - this time concerning whether scientists lost their jobs because of their position on Intelligent Design or not.






Michael Shermer and Ben Witherington Discuss the Gospels | True Freethinker

Debunking Christianity: Nightline Face-Off: "Does God Have a Future?"

John Loftus has posted a video that shows a discussion that aired on Television. It wasn't most of a debate. Samuel Harris and Michael Shermer wanted to argue that the God of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism is irrelevant and need to be forgotten. Deepak Chopra and Jean Houston agree! They disagree that religion and spirituality need to be cast off. Exclusivity of truth needs to be destroyed,according to all of them. I really disagree with all four of them!   When it comes to the Bible and God's sovereignty thay agee with one another. I wonder why they Christians, Jews, and Muslims were excluded from the conversation?

Debunking Christianity: Nightline Face-Off: "Does God Have a Future?"

Debate: Christianity Good for the World? - D'Souza vs Shermer

I recently watched a debate between Dinesh D'Souza and Michael Shermer. I was great! The debate topics was "Is Christianity Good for the World?" Shermer tried to apply all of arguments to religion in general, basically handing the debate to Dinesh on a platter. I though D'Souza did an awesome job going after Shermer and pressing him on key points. In effect neither of their arguments were new, but always interesting. Morality and it's source always comes up in discussions such as these. Shermer and the like-minded are ready to equivocate problems with accepting homosexuality with slavery, racism, and sexism as backward ideas that need to be rejected. The thing is the Bible never condones slavery, racism, or sexism...and the fact that we as a society reject these repugnant evils now means that we are now more in line with what the Bible says more than that now we are doing better than the Bible. Shermer cries out that he doesn't see anything wrong with homosexuality or gay marriage. He doesn't see the harm. Duh! That is why we need God to tell us what is right and what is wrong because we can't see the big picture.

I was particularly offended when Shermer said that Christians reject homosexuality because of only one Biblical passage and refused correction saying that it doesn't matter. Those other passages explain why gay marriage is harmful and why we need to avoid homosexuality for own good. Dinesh did not get a chance to address this fully because I believe he was trying to avoid being side tracked.








Is Christianity Good for the World? Part 1

YouTube - Penn & Teller Bullshit - The Bible - Fact or Fiction

Here is a video from Penn and Teller's show. It was on ShowTime so it does contain some profanity. In this episode they attempt to prove that the Bible is wrong - inconsistent and false! Michael Shermer and Paul Maier are interviewed kind of in a faux debate. Penn most definitely hates the Bible and insults believers every chance he can. Shermer is given more time to make his points than Maier and I don't think Maier is given the same weight. Some ideas brought up in the show arew definitely the same tired drum but not new. It is asserted over and over again than we have no evidence for the Jews in Egypt or the Exodus. Or Adam. Or Noah. Contrary evidence was not presented. For example it was remoarked that it made no sense for Noah to be able to gather up two of every kind of animal and put them on the continents we know they live today. Forgetting that in Noah's time, there was only a single continent and that Noah brought the ancestors of the animals today. For example, Noah did not bring 2 Saint Bernards and 2 dobermans, he brought two dogs that were the common ancestor to each of them. Onm point Penn brought up was how horrible that God killed the firstborn of Egypt. He seemed to have forgotten that the Egyptians had murdered all the male Hebrew children when Moses was as baby. It was justice. Egypt had it coming.

The equivocation between Jesus and Elvis was funny...in a pathetic way. Penn and Teller threw out all the evidence for the reliability of the Gospels. But at least they did say that there is enough evidence to accept that Jesus historically lived and was crucified. Unfortunately, they also try to argue that there were other messiahs at the time of Jesus. Shermer throws out Apollonius as an example. I did a post comparing truly if our ideas of Jesus came from Apollonius here. Not a good argument at all. And as for Jesus' miracles being demeaned to being like the magic acts of Penn and Teller, I wanna see them raise a man from the dead who was dead 3 days - or do a single healing miracle. No? Didn't think so.






YouTube - Penn & Teller Bullshit - The Bible - Fact or Fiction Part 1

Dr Kent Hovind debates Dr Michael Shermer

Image via Wikipedia

I enjoyed this debate. Is interesting. I don't agree with Kent Hovind on everything...especially the dragons stuff. But I think he answered Shermer pretty well. I lost all respect for Shermer when he said unicorns are in the Bible. That's an argument you use when you are desperate and don't have anything to stand on. IF he truly thinks that the Bible is trying to say that unicorns exist he not only misses the point of the passage but he also misses the fact that no modern English translations even have the word unicorn in them  because there are better ways to translate the Hebrew word. While I think Hovind makes mistakes in his Biblical interpretation, he is way more spot on than. Shermer.Looking over my blog I realize that Shermer does not come up often. My friend Mariano has a lot on Shermer if you want more information at his blog Atheism is Dead.





Dr Kent Hovind debates Dr Michael Shermer

Apologetics 315: Origins of Life Debate MP3 Audio: Meyer, Sternberg, Prothero, Shermer

 Here is a great debate! I've been looking forward to seeing debates regarding Neo-Darwinism vs Intelligent Design. We need more of these. We need to see debates where both sides presents their sides - evidence! This one is a keeper!

Apologetics 315: Origins of Life Debate MP3 Audio: Meyer, Sternberg, Prothero, Shermer