Former Pastor John Loftus debates Christian Apologist Dinesh D'Souza

[webmdave]

 

http://exchristian.net/podcast/2010/02/former-pastor-john-loftus-debates.html

[Abiyoyo]

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http://exchristian.net/podcast/2010/02/former-pastor-john-loftus-debates.html

 

 

I listened to John's opener, and I agree with Dinesh, sounds like diarrhea. But, very appealing debate and I plan to listen to it entirely.

 

John's opener really disappointed me. I read the creditability of him, saw the education, and then heard very low level skepticism that would've been a newbie around here I would have chewed him up for dinner

 

So, hats off to you Dave, for me to say his argument was weak and see his education level, that tells me you have some seriously educated debaters in these forums (which I will take on ANY day )

[Kuroikaze]

 

 

I listened to John's opener, and I agree with Dinesh, sounds like diarrhea. But, very appealing debate and I plan to listen to it entirely.

 

John's opener really disappointed me. I read the creditability of him, saw the education, and then heard very low level skepticism that would've been a newbie around here I would have chewed him up for dinner

 

So, hats off to you Dave, for me to say his argument was weak and see his education level, that tells me you have some seriously educated debaters in these forums (which I will take on ANY day )

 

In a sense I agree with you as I do not think he afforded himself well in the debate, there are several things I would have said quite differently, but it is not a matter of education.

 

Debate is an art and the reality is that most atheists like myself tend to be a bit nerdy and introverted. People like Dinesh are rather extroverted and really good at public speaking.

 

They tend to win even though their side is completely bereft of facts because public debates of this type tend to be more about how good the speaker is at bullshiting his audience, and dazzling them with red herrings. Unfortunatly john was not very effective at keeping the debate on topic.

 

 

On the other hand Dinesh in a complete asshat. In the first 5 minutes of his opening statement he ridicules and insults Loftus repeatedly, and only barely touches on anything that Loftus actually said. Loftus never responds, and tries to take the high road by not doing the same, but IMO he should have called Dinesh out on his ad hom attacks, as they were quite unprofessional and not proper in a debate of this kind.

He also repeatedly creates straw men of Loftus' position which for some reason Loftus left standing instead of pointing out their inaccuracy. This one bothers me quite a bit because I have seen Dinesh in a few debates before and I know that he has had these strawmen pointed out to him as falsely representing the atheist position. The fact that he still uses them makes him dishonest.

 

Every time I hear Dinesh debate I want to reach through my computer and smack the smug from his face, I am not sure why but he annoys the hell out of me way more than any other apologist I have seen.

 

I think it comes down to this, did Dinesh win the debate? Yes, he did, but only buy being a lying sack of crap, so unfortunately, while wining the debate, he looses as life.