How Can we be Better Debaters?

[Jester]

I'd love some discussion on how we might do better at debate, both in general and in addressing the specific issues that seem to occur frequently on the site.

I'll put my thoughts in the first response. Please add as you see fit.

[ST_JB]

How can we be better debaters?

These are my personal guidelines in debating against non-Theist.

1. Do not argue or engage in a debate with non-Christian or theist on the subject of Theology. I believe that we must reserve the discussion on Theology and all that pertains to Theology for believers alone. . . .

I just noticed this and I wanted to give my few cents.

Since I joined this forum, my views have changed significantly; and I consider that to be a good thing.

However, because I'm unorthodox, several of my coreligionists here have both stated and implied that I am a false Christian during my time here on the forums because of my unorthodox views concerning theology and accepted religious assumptions.

It is my strong belief that if one cannot rationally defend their particular theological views - (not prove but, provide a logical reasoning for why one believes in them) to a non-believer, than one should not believe in said beliefs themselves.

Why is it that upon conversion that one must accept established doctrines without question as "true," especially if such views cannot be defended or rationalized in any way shape or form against arguments of non-believers?

I mean, I can understand a believer's unwillingness to debate with a non-believer in a vain attempt to prove his believes as fact, when such requires faith -- i.e., belief that God exists.

However, I fail to understand why believers (as the several Christians who I have debated with in the past have done) refuse to even discuss theology with fellow Theists and Christians such as myself, let alone non-theists.

Where is the logic in this? "Oh, you don't accept such-and-such as true, so there's no point in discussing it."

This has happened to me on multiple occasions with various users here -- not only did I find it to be rude, I found it to be dishonest. If anything it helped me to let go of some of my old assumptions about religion and expand my views on matters of faith.

Anyways, just my two cents.

Personally, it is not that I am eluding the part where I have to face the challenges of the non-theist regarding my belief in God. Otherwise I wouldn't be here.

For me, there is no point in debating God and all matters pertaining to God with people who do not believe in God simply because, Theology is all about God. It is not about whether God exists or not. It is about God's existence and His work.

If anyone wants to challenge the existence of any God, there are other areas where we can have discussions like in Philosophy and natural Sciences areas.

It is my personal belief that whosoever enters in a discussion on the subject of Theology but don not believe or acknowledge the existence of God falls into syllogistic traps and other syllogistic fallacies.

Consider this:

1. If there is God, He will not allow evil to exist, but God allowed evil to exist so there is no God.

2. If God is good, there will be no evil. But there is evil so God is not Good.


I do not argue against false logic.