“The Great Debate: Atheism vs. Christianity”
was broadcast via satellite to hundred of thousands in 1,500 churches across
the United States and Canada. The debate was by turns impassioned and low-key,
courteous and contentious.
Although those in the crowd were mostly churchgoers, they greeted Newdow with
respectful applause and listened silently as he explained why he believes Christianity
is “mythology.”
Newdow, who apologized at the outset for his lack of knowledge in areas like
philosophy and theology, took an unswerving scientific approach, repeatedly
stating that the burden was on Knechtle to prove the existence of God, rather
than on Newdow to prove the nonexistence.
…”Why doesn’t God appear?” he
said. “If God is good, why do we have famine? Why are there 20,000 murders per
year in the U.S.? Why is Conan O’Brien on late night TV?” he said, to chuckles
from the audience.
Actually I don’t think that “The problem of Conan O’Brien”
was addressed by St. Aquinas or C.S. Lewis. Why does a good and all powerful
God allow Conan O’Brien? This is a mystery of a free market economy.
If the burden of proof is by scientific fact, what is the scientific evidence
of nothing becoming the universe? What experiment has been perfomed to prove
the possibility of this? If you have to rely on the belief that one day with
enough knowledge that scientists will be able to prove this as true, than you
rely on scientific faith.
I appreciate the fact that Mr. Newdow is trying to debate
the issue. Serious courteous debate that doesn’t fall into attacks is definitely
something to be applauded. It is much better to be an atheist striving towards
the truth than an agnostic that doesn’t think there are any arguments either
way.
