Atheism vs. Religion debate at Colorado campus

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Boulder, Colo., Dec 20, 2008 / 07:26 am (CNA).- Two influential speakers will face off next month at the University of Colorado in a debate titled: "What’s so Great About God? – Atheism vs. Religion." The debate, organized by the school’s Aquinas Institute for Catholic Thought, will feature Dinesh D’Souza and Christopher Hitchens presenting their cases for and against organized religion, its influence on world history and impact on current events.

The debate is scheduled to take place on Monday, January 26 at 7 p.m. at the University of Colorado – Boulder. Organizers are expecting a crowd of 2,000 to hear Christopher Hitchens, author of God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything; and Dinesh D'Souza, author of What's So Great About Christianity to debate the impact of religion on society.

"We are thrilled to host an event featuring two of the most outspoken and influential individuals in the contemporary debate on religion," said Father Kevin Augustyn, director of Campus Ministry at the St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Center in a press release. "One of the primary goals of the Aquinas Institute for Catholic Thought is to promote dialogue on the most important and pressing issues of our time and this debate is an effort to do that on CU's campus."

Father Peter Mussett, the Campus Chaplain at the university’s Catholic Center explained to CNA that these discussions are important in a university setting "to engage the ideas present in the secular world. This debate will continue the expansion of our visible presence on campus witnessing to [the University of Colorado] that the Catholic Church does not shy away from discovering the truth in a public way."

The debate will be hosted by the Aquinas Institute for Catholic Thought which was created to serve as the intellectual outreach arm of the university’s Catholic Center. Each month, the institute brings lectures and debates to the university community to discuss the "pressing issues of our time," explained Fr. Mussett. "We have found this to be a tremendously successful avenue for outreach on campus and in promoting the richness of the Catholic Intellectual Tradition."

Tickets for the January debate are available for $10 at www.ticketswest.com.

For more information, please visit the Catholic Center’s website.

Comments: 13

Subscriber comments:

Published by: plm
Detroit/Mi/USA 01/15/2009 04:03 PM EST

"Christopher Hitchens and William Lane Craig will be debating the existence of God on April 4, 2009."

Cool. Thanks for the heads up.

Published by: Jay77
Canada 01/14/2009 11:26 PM EST

"Besides, do you think Hitchens would debate Dr. William Lane Craig? I Think not!"

Think again. Christopher Hitchens and William Lane Craig will be debating the existence of God on April 4, 2009.

Published by: plm
Detroit/Mi 01/12/2009 06:30 PM EST

"Could we find someone better than D'Souza to represent faith"

D'Souza will be just fine. He is a very intelligent and articulate debater. He's debated Hitchens before. Besides, do you think Hitchens would debate Dr. William Lane Craig? I Think not! Dawkins when asked if he would debate Craig claimed that he didn't know who Dr. Craig was and thus would not debate him. Suuure you don't Dawkins.

Published by: Frank
Fairfax/VA/USA 01/11/2009 12:55 AM EST

BigD,

Atheism is a religion? Definition of religion: a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny.

Please take a class in logic before making absurd statements.

Published by: Bruce Kerr
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 01/04/2009 06:38 PM EST

I am sorry but all you atheists do need some kind of reality check. Atheism is faith based and your assumption of self evident truth is a delusion. Atheism may "simply lack belief in a supernatural deity" but certainly does set up the individual in this role (induvidual deism). Either the God who created us or the Gods we create for ourselves.
I agree with David Reuthinger's point; Atheism Vs religion is a non debate. IMHO The atheists assumption that there is some kind of self evident truth which makes them "right" and beyond a measure of faith is very dangerous. This can evolve into the assumption of "right" Vs the privelage of belief and probably evolve further into the assumptiom of "right" Vs Wrong. The atheist denial that theirs is a religious belief can undermine the concept of freedom of belief.
This is all causing two more questions for me.
First; there are obviously implications for the concept of symetry between religion and politics, though probably better discussed in another forum. And secondly; whether organised religions have in the past, forgotten their belief is based in faith and fought with this assumption of "right". I can't help notice how much like religion, were the isms of Fascism and communism.

Published by: SHarris
Fresno, CA 12/31/2008 11:12 PM EST

JP, you're correct that atheism itself is nothing but the absence in belief of a god. This does not, however, mean that atheists do not have a belief system nor do they not adhere to any type of ideology. The problem with atheism is that it opens people up to any and all ideologies, even those that may be harmful (e.g. communism) which no atheist can deny. Sure it may have been the Marxist ideology that may have caused these communists to kill one another, but what could have opened them up to such an ideology other than by rejecting any ideology established by God?

And George, if atheism isn't a "rejection of god", then what is it? According to Webster's dictionary, atheism is defined as 1) "a disbelief in the existence of deity" 2) "the doctrine that there is no deity".

Published by: Lurker
MS 12/30/2008 09:13 AM EST

Could we find someone better than D'Souza to represent faith? He's going to be mauled by Hitchens. I've seen him up against Steven Colbert, for goshsake, and come off looking like a lightweight.

Published by: Samuel Skinner
SJ 12/26/2008 03:16 AM EST

"Atheism is a religion. Otherwise it would not be entitled to protection under the First Amendment. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." The Supreme Court has already defined secular humanism, which incorporates atheism into its creed, as a religion. "

The Supreme Court has also made the finding that slavery was okay. They aren't infallible.

Note that Islam incorporates atheism to all other religions in its profession of faith- "There is no God... but Allah".

"This is hypocrisy, and it must be stopped; if the atheists' problem is with "religion," they need to stop claiming freedom of expression under the First Amendment, or that they are somehow to be treated differently or better in the eyes of the law than theists are."

Free expression also covers political activies. Additionally they are asking for secularism which is mandated by the first amendment, not a superior position.

"Atheism is mutually exclusive to every other religion, and is therefore also a religion. "

Except animism. And buddism. And taosim. And...

"
In my opinion, Atheism is a religion based upon lies. These lies have led to the deaths of more people than any of the other religions. In North Korea, Cambodia's Khmer Rouge, present-day China, and the former Soviet Union, millions of people were and are being killed for upsetting the state's religion of Atheism by believing in God. "

And these are lies how?

Published by: Lisa
NJ 12/22/2008 09:21 AM EST

Given the failing of our public schools to teach on the subject of the Constitution one can only conclude that Atheist/Secularist take the opportunity to purposely distort the US Constitution to press their agenda. To the Atheist/Secularist equal treatment means suppression of religion. NO WHERE in the Constitution is it written that there is a separation of church and state. Religion is mentioned in two places; Amendment I and Article VI. By imposing atheism on non-atheist and by limiting peoples exercise of religion on public property the government is in clear violation of Amendment I (Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof). The Judiciary branch of the government will continue its perversion of Amendment I and in our lifetime people of religion (read Christians) will loose their freedom of speech. The litmus test that Obama stated he will implement for SCOTUS is a clear violation of Article VI. But of course, he knows that and so do the atheist (abortionist in particular).
Back to the subject; If you live in the Boulder area try and see the debate. Dinesh D’Souza is awesome and always wins!! God Bless him. Plus if Dinesh mentions Mary or Mother Teresa you might get to witness Hitchen’s “hiss from Hell.” Bless yourself if you witness this; it’s a very scary and distinct view of the spiritual warfare taking place all around you.

Published by: JP
Birmingham, AL 12/21/2008 02:04 PM EST

Both of the above comments by BigD and Reuthinger are incorrect in their interpretation of history, and of what atheism is. It is simply lack of belief in a supernatural deity, not a dogmatic set of rules to follow. Atheism/Freethinking/Secular Humanism, etc. are by definition not dogmatic or faith-based and therefore are not religions. They are, however, different beliefs and I believe that would be the reason for the Supreme Court declaring Secular Humanism as a "religion" if Reuthinger is correct. It's more to protect the rights of non-believers as well as those from a religious standpoint. All we as secular people want is equal treatment under the law and for the separation of church and state mentioned in our Constitution to be upheld. Which in many cases, it has not in the past 8 years. (To say the least. Bush isn't the only one doing his best to blur the line between religion, i.e. Christianity, and government.)

With regards to the atrocities mentioned by BigD, communism as an economic and political philosophy sufficed as the state religion and lack of belief in a god was not the direct cause for those horrible actions. Do you ever read headlines such as, "Atheists massacre Agnostics over doctrinal differences". Of course not! However, with inter-religous conflicts such as Shia vs Sunni, Catholic vs. Protestant, Muslim vs. Hindu/Sikh, Christian vs. Muslim, Orthodox vs. Reform, Muslim vs. Jew...I could go on...religion/belief is the underlying causal force.

Published by: George Wolf
Gaithersburg, MD, USA 12/21/2008 11:53 AM EST

Rate: Regular

As an atheist about all I can reply is the traditional, "If atheism is a religion then baldness is a hair color." I also see the naked prejudice of the writers against atheists. Their criticisms have much to do with NOT knowing much about atheism, except what has been told to them by others prejudiced against atheism.

In particular, I again see the rather naive assumption that belief in a religion requires a belief in a god. Such is NOT the case; many forms of Buddhism and Confucianism have no such requirement. As to Marxism, it rejects belief in a god, but behaves in all other aspects just like a religion at its worst.

The killings and repression associated with the last century's state communism most resemble the Holy Inquisition that terrorized parts of Europe in the late Middle Ages, the Kempaitai "Thought Police" of Japan that enforced emperor worship before and during World War II, the Mutawa Islamic religious police of Saudi Arabia and some other Middle Eastern countries.

In spreading such propaganda, the writers are using exactly the same techniques used by Marxists to promote their ideology.

For me, atheism is not the "rejection of god" or any other such nonsense. I prefer to put it this way; "It's very easy to invent claims with no evidence so unless you have good evidence, your beliefs are a tragic and dangerous waste of time."

Published by: David Reuthinger
United States 12/21/2008 10:13 AM EST

Rate: Regular

I object to the title of this debate.

Atheism is a religion. Otherwise it would not be entitled to protection under the First Amendment. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." The Supreme Court has already defined secular humanism, which incorporates atheism into its creed, as a religion.

Part of the atheists' strategy is to enjoy the benefits of the First Amendment while redefining the word "religion" to mean theism. By doing so, they seek to displace theistic religions in the public mindset. This is hypocrisy, and it must be stopped; if the atheists' problem is with "religion," they need to stop claiming freedom of expression under the First Amendment, or that they are somehow to be treated differently or better in the eyes of the law than theists are.

Published by: BigD
Connecticut 12/20/2008 09:52 PM EST

Rate: Good

This event is a non-debate: Atheism is a religion despite the protestations and fear of its followers to this label. It is a system of beliefs and practices which one uses to explain its adherent's world view. It is not like some bowling club which any Christian, Jew, or Muslim, could also belong. Religions are mutually exclusive: if one belongs to one, then they do not belong any of the others. Atheism is mutually exclusive to every other religion, and is therefore also a religion.

In my opinion, Atheism is a religion based upon lies. These lies have led to the deaths of more people than any of the other religions. In North Korea, Cambodia's Khmer Rouge, present-day China, and the former Soviet Union, millions of people were and are being killed for upsetting the state's religion of Atheism by believing in God.

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