The Eternal Debate
  by Steven Mahone

I'm a bit embarrassed to admit it, but I must confess that the recent "Does God Exist?" debate (held in Colorado Springs on August 6, 2000) was the first time I ever really heard both sides of the "God" issue discussed on equal ground. Not surprisingly, it didn't take long until the proceedings turned into a "Does the Christian God Exist?" debate, but to be honest, that question is probably even more relevant and it's just as interesting.

The venue was the quaint, turn of the century All Souls Unitarian Church that had a maximum capacity of two hundred or so that seemed appropriate for the intimate topic about to be tackled. It would have been very difficult to just crawl up into the woodwork and observe the events that were about to unfold - everyone there was quite aware of what the implications were and everyone there was going to be affected. When things finally kicked off (about 15 minutes late), the crowd was close to being equally "divided": my estimate was 60% freethinkers and 40% theists (the labels, of course, are not nearly as important as the varied philosophies that go with them).

The participants were Pastor Larry Siekawitch of The Vinyard Christian Fellowship, and (former pastor) Dan Barker, spokesperson for the Freedom From Religion Foundation. A score sheet, or even an analysis of who "won" may be interesting in itself, but it is also completely irrelevant. Any "final scores" that may have been awarded would offer no aid to understanding what either Dan or Larry said , but it would tell you much about the person issuing the tally. Most of the people who were there probably didn't expect a revelation from either side nor did they anticipate hearing something that they hadn't already considered. Most were there to think about themselves - what we believe and what we don't believe never seems to be fully appreciated by someone else.

Larry had the first 25 minutes and he spent fifteen of those on a decent and coherent job of invoking intelligent design theory as one case for a deity. His final ten minutes were a bit more perplexing and obscure. He had the audience close their eyes while he played a song that was intended to evoke an "emotional state" that would aid the listener in their quest to "know" that there is a deity out there who cares. It didn't do much for me, personally, but then again, it could have been the less than stellar sound system from circa 1981. Larry is a competent orator and his apologetics would have been better served without essentially forfeiting ten minutes of precious speaking time.

Dan has done this before and it showed from the start. His case was refined and succinct: How do you define God and how do you define the conditions necessary to know if he doesn't exist (a falsifiable hypothesis)? How can the concept of freewill be reconciled with the existence of an omnipotent and omniscient God? How do you resolve the incompatible dilemma of both perfect justice and perfect mercy emanating from an infinite deity? It's not that Larry didn't try to provide answers, it's that Larry CAN'T answer these questions. Neither can Dan. Neither can you. Nevertheless, the attempt is usually a decent and worthwhile endeavor.

The closing remarks were sincere. Larry spoke of miracles while Dan offered the observation that a surgeon's scalpel is no less compelling. Larry appealed to the emotional attraction of a deity and how it has changed his life, whereas Dan appealed to the logical consequences that a deity adds to an already complex "human condition." Larry, of course, has no proof. Dan, on the other hand, has proof but offers no certainty. The choice as to whether the atheist or the theist has the better argument is evident. What is not so easy for most, is making a choice at all. But perhaps that is not really as important as most of us have been led to believe.

The most fascinating portion of the evening was after the debate was over. The evangelists began mingling with those who have no interest in such things. There were arguments, counter-arguments, some talked passionately about what they thought, and some appeared to even be listening. It was encouraging to see a lot of handshaking going on. I guess that every event of this stature has a bit of irony associated with it. Just before the debate was to begin, the evening sun broke through the fifteen-foot high stained glass windows from behind the pulpit. It caused a distracting glare for nearly everyone in the audience. We all watched patiently as the attendants used poles and footstools to try and untangle the blinds that were above the windows without success. Then, a man came rushing down the aisle with a ladder in hand when someone in the audience shouted, "No need to pray folks, they found a ladder!" It drew a chuckle from even the most serious minded in the audience and it seemed to provide the appropriate metaphors needed to set the mood for the remainder of the night. A prayer and a ladder, indeed.

I spent three hours in church that Sunday. That's something I haven't done for quite a while and I would be willing to wager that it's one of the few times that I've attended a "service" where no one was in danger of nodding off. After the dust started to settle at the end of the evening, I started to wonder if Dan and Larry share what is essentially the same faith after all. There is no doubt that the details of what they believe has little in common, but when you get down to the essence of it, don't they both expect "justice" and "redemption" to prevail in the end? For Dan, it happens to be self-fulfilling; For Larry, a deity will take care of the details.

The question of whether there is or isn't a God will remain with us in perpetuity. Regardless of the correct answer to such a ubiquitous question, I suspect that what is precious and what is beautiful to each of us here and now, will pretty much remain unchanged either way. Like the song says, "Ten miles behind me, and ten thousand more to go." The nice thing is that none of us has to make the journey alone.

Send us an Email

Or write to us at:
Freethinkers of Colorado Springs
P.O. Box 62946
Colorado Springs, CO 80962-2946
Phone: 719-594-4506