The Great Debate
I decided to take a one post break from the marriage topic and discuss what I experienced last night. Last night, theWell, Seacoast’s college/20 somethings ministry, hosted a debate at the College of Charleston. The debate was between Dr. Herb Silverman and Jack Hoey Jr. The topic was the Existence of God and when broken down, the questions that were to be answered were (1) Does God exist? and (2) Does it matter?
I had the honor of being the moderator of the debate, which simply meant that I got to sit closer to Jack and Herb while they discussed the topic at hand. This was my fourth debate that I have either attended or watched online. I thought I would simply share a few thoughts that I gathered from the debate.
Thought One: I Need To Increase My VocabularyÂ
Both Herb and Jack were masters at using language last night. In their 12 minute opening statement, both men used words that took me moments to process, making my understanding of what they were saying, just a few clicks behind where they were in the conversation. I realized that my vocabulary is tiny, which is really no surprise to me or anyone who reads this blog.
Thought Two: It Is Possible For Differing Opinions to Have a Civilized Discussion
Although there were times when the debate became heated, there was never any point, in my opinion, where Dr. Silverman or Mr. Hoey became aggressive or angry with one another. Both men had great respect for one another and were having a civilized discussion on what they believed. They didn’t agree on many points, but they did show the respect that is needed to have such a discussion.
Imagine if we, as believers, approached our conversations with those who differed from us, with the same respect these men approached one another. I believe conversations would progress, truth would be found, lives would be changed.
Thought Three: Circular Reasoning Is Not Effective Reasoning
Within the debate, it seemed apparent to me that circular reasoning was being given to answer particular questions. The problem with circular reasoning is that it is a fallacy. You can never prove anything by using circular reasoning, except of course, that you will never prove anything.
I think the same tactic that I watched being used last night is used, by people of faith and people without faith, all the time. I have seen Christians, Atheists, Agnostics, Muslims, Mormons, and many other religious people use circular reasoning to “prove†a point. The problem is…the point can never be proven if the premise of the argument is the conclusion one has already come to believe.
Thought Four: Many Christians Believe Everything They Have Been Taught
As I listened to Jack Hoey Jr. explain many of his beliefs, I realized that some of the things that he was stating were not going to be well received by some Christians. At one point, Jack made the statement that he believed that Genesis 1 could not be taken literally or else it would contradict chapter 2. When he made this statement, I know there were some Christians in the crowd that thought he was proclaiming heresy.
Why would they think such a thing? Because, they have been taught that Genesis 1 needs to be translated literally.  Now, what I am not saying is whether or not I agree with Jack, but what I am saying is that if you can’t listen to someone’s viewpoint and then take their thoughts and do the research yourself, then you will always remain immature in your faith.
God did not call you to have your momma’s faith or your church’s faith, but rather faith found in a deep pursuit of knowing God and His Word. Don’t just believe what you have been taught…look it up, do the research, pray for wisdom and ultimately, you will find truth.
So there it is, my thoughts, just a few, on the Great Debate from last night. Thankful to have been a part of this experience. Thankful to have become better acquainted with Dr. Herb Silverman. Thankful to have Jack Hoey Jr. in my life. Thankful for how God spoke to me through these men discussing and debating His existence.
