http://www.debate.org/debates/?order=1&sort=&category=Religion Customize this RSS feed by going to http://www.debate.org/rss/ en-us 2009-11-20T21:21:53-08:00 2009-11-20T21:21:53-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/should-public-schools-set-aside-a-time-to-pray-or-meditate/1/ (Voting Period) I believe that public schools should set aside a time to pray or meditate, because according to the pledge of allegiance it says one nation under god. That tells us that this is a free country to do whatever we want as long as it does not compromise with the law. But in my opinion we are smarter to figure out, all I'm asking for a minute to pray or meditate for every student regardless of their religons affilation. http://www.debate.org/debates/should-public-schools-set-aside-a-time-to-pray-or-meditate/1/comments/ 2009-11-19T07:47:23-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/The-Following-Arguments-for-the-Existence-of-God-are-Valid-1K/1/ (Voting Period) Note: the "1J" notation in the Topic title is simply for searching purposes. [Definition - Existence] http://dictionary.reference.com...... 1. the state or fact of existing; being. *NOTE* I am not debating whether or not a God exists in one's MIND, but rather in REALITY. [Definition - Valid] http://dictionary.reference.com...... 1. sound; just; well-founded 2. Logic. (of an argument) so constructed that if the premises are jointly asserted, the conclusion cannot be denied without contradiction. *NOTE* Stemming from the second definition, I don't intend for my opponent to create a syllogism. Simply put, my opponent needs to construct an argument of which I can't successfully defeat (of course, this is to the opinion of the voters). So in other words, it needs to be logically valid and sound. Let's try to avoid semantics, and get a good hearty debate going. Additionally, I require that my opponent argue for whatever deity they are proving with http://www.debate.org/debates/The-Following-Arguments-for-the-Existence-of-God-are-Valid-1K/1/comments/ 2009-11-15T17:46:49-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/Logic-Analysis-These-arguments-disprove-the-existence-of-God./1/ (Debating Period) I thank my opponent in advance for accepting this debate. Logic is often a poorly used commodity where religion is concerned; whether arguing for or against the supernatural, many fallacious arguments are posited and accepted as truth. I stand against the idea that the spiritual can be proven or disproven by physical evidence, or that any system of reasoning that claims to have answered this question is failsafe. I challenge all reasoners to prove their assertions in formal debate. I contend that the arguments my opponent will post against the existence of God are not logically sound. RESOLUTION: These arguments disprove the existence of God. DEFINITIONS: By accepting this debate, you agree to accept these definitions for this debate. God: the one Supreme Being; perfect, omnipotent, omniscient; the creator and ruler of the universe. His known attributes include goodness, holiness, wisdom, independence from His creation, immanence within His http://www.debate.org/debates/Logic-Analysis-These-arguments-disprove-the-existence-of-God./1/comments/ 2009-11-18T13:48:54-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/The-Existence-of-God/5/ (Debating Period) Definitions God: any of various beings conceived of as supernatural, immortal, and having special powers over the lives and affairs of people and the course of nature; deity, esp. a male deity: typically considered objects of worship; in monotheistic religions, the creator and ruler of the universe, regarded as eternal, infinite, all-powerful, and all-knowing; Supreme Being; the Almighty Exist: to have reality or actual being; to occur or be present Sources: http://www.yourdictionary.com I will be arguing that God does not exist. I will let my opponent present his arguments first. http://www.debate.org/debates/The-Existence-of-God/5/comments/ 2009-11-20T11:30:23-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/The-Kalam-Cosmological-Argument-for-the-Existence-of-God-is-Sound/1/ (Debating Period) My goal in this debate is to demonstrate that the Kalam cosmological argument is sound. My OP will be a very general outline and defense of the KCA, and I will leave it to my opponent to deliver and develop his specific criticisms in his OP before I go in depth, lest I attack straw men that are not a part of my opponent's argument. [1] The Kalam cosmological argument for the existence of God is one of the most popular arguments of natural theology today. Its foremost contemporary defender is philosopher William Lane Craig. Other proponents include Mark Nowacki, J. P. Moreland, and David S. Oderberg. According to atheist Quentin Smith, "A count of the articles in the philosophy journals shows that more articles have been published about Craig's defense of the Kalam argument than have been published about any other philosopher's contemporary formulation of an argument for God's existence." [2] The KCA is formulated as follows: 1. Whatever begins to exist http://www.debate.org/debates/The-Kalam-Cosmological-Argument-for-the-Existence-of-God-is-Sound/1/comments/ 2009-11-18T21:47:10-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/Logic-Analysis-These-arguments-prove-the-existence-of-God./1/ (Voting Period) I thank my opponent in advance for accepting this debate. Logic is often a poorly used commodity where religion is concerned; whether arguing for or against the supernatural, many fallacious arguments are posited and accepted as truth. I stand against the idea that the spiritual can be proven or disproven by physical evidence, or that any system of reasoning that claims to have answered this question is failsafe. I challenge all reasoners to prove their assertions in formal debate. I contend that the arguments my opponent will post for the existence of God are not logically sound. RESOLUTION: These arguments prove the existence of God. DEFINITIONS: By accepting this debate, you agree to accept these definitions for this debate. God: the one Supreme Being; perfect, omnipotent, omniscient; the creator and ruler of the universe. His known attributes include goodness, holiness, wisdom, independence from His creation, immanence within His creatio http://www.debate.org/debates/Logic-Analysis-These-arguments-prove-the-existence-of-God./1/comments/ 2009-11-17T10:37:57-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/The-Existence-of-God-is-Possible/1/ (Voting Period) My goal in this debate is not to demonstrate the existence of God, but simply that his existence is _possible_. By God, I mean a being with "the greatest possible array of compossible great making properties." [1] In order for my opponent to win, he must show that it is God's existence is impossible, that is, it entails a logical contradiction (Like a married bachelor or square circle). All that is required of me is to show that the concept of God is logically coherent (That is, free of contradiction). _________ SOURCES [1] - Thomas V. Morris, "Our Idea of God: An Introduction to Philosophical Theology" (Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press. 1991) 35. http://www.debate.org/debates/The-Existence-of-God-is-Possible/1/comments/ 2009-11-17T09:49:14-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/Logic-Analysis-These-arguments-are-valid-for-the-existence-of-God./2/ (Voting Period) I thank my opponent in advance for accepting this debate. Logic is often a poorly used commodity where religion is concerned; whether arguing for or against the supernatural, many fallacious arguments are posited and accepted as truth. I stand against the idea that the spiritual can be proven or disproven by physical evidence, or that any system of reasoning that claims to have answered this question is failsafe. I challenge all reasoners to prove their assertions in formal debate. I contend that the arguments my opponent will post for the existence of God are not logically valid. RESOLUTION: These arguments are valid for the existence of God. DEFINITIONS: By accepting this debate, you agree to accept these definitions for this debate. God: the one Supreme Being; perfect, omnipotent, omniscient; the creator and ruler of the universe. His attributes include goodness, holiness, wisdom, independence from His creation, immanence within His creat http://www.debate.org/debates/Logic-Analysis-These-arguments-are-valid-for-the-existence-of-God./2/comments/ 2009-11-15T10:27:32-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/GodSands-is-wrong-when-he-tells-others-whether-theyre-Christians-or-not/1/ (Voting Period) I just read what GodSands and other people wrote on this thread: http://www.debate.org/forums/education/topic/2854/1/ It looks like GodSands knows who is Christian and who is not, based on what he thinks people do that is forbidden in Christianity, and what he thinks they do willingly, not because they perhaps have a hard time warding it off. Perhaps he should understand that there is a thing called repentance, and when people sin they can repent, and sinning does not make them non-Christians. Rather, it just proves that they're sinners, and so is everybody according to the Bible, and that is why everybody should ask God to help them repel the devil's whispering. I challenge GodSands [he did not accept this debate, so I challenge anybody] to a debate, based on what he said. I strongly disagree that people aren't Christians just because they sin, especially because my interpretation of the Bible tells me that GodSands sins too. For example, he thinks that http://www.debate.org/debates/GodSands-is-wrong-when-he-tells-others-whether-theyre-Christians-or-not/1/comments/ 2009-11-16T16:57:18-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/There-is-sufficient-evidence-for-the-existence-of-super-ordinary-actors-on-Earth./1/ (Voting Period) There is sufficient evidence for the existence of super-ordinary actors on Earth. It seems to me that the arguments between believers and non-believers comes down to arguments about the evidence. Thus first I do not wish to argue about spiritual existence nor about any cause for the evidence, but just about whether the particular evidence indicates extra-normal cause and in general what constitutes evidence and sufficiency of evidence. Thus I will be pointing at evidence that could be explain by non-spiritual cause, the refutation of which will require a plausible natural cause and that weight of the argument must exceed the weight of the extra-ordinary argument. As far as the ‘people are liars' or the hidden agenda argument, I like to apply the 10% rule, which says that even if you discount 90% of applicable evidence, I will hold that at least one person is telling the truth and will wish to have that truth explained. Please forgive the leading dots being http://www.debate.org/debates/There-is-sufficient-evidence-for-the-existence-of-super-ordinary-actors-on-Earth./1/comments/ 2009-11-02T06:37:34-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/The-Jesus-of-History-Probably-Existed-D/1/ (Post Voting Period) Introduction: I will make my case and address the most common arguments presented by the mythological Jesus camp. The Historicity of Jesus as reported by extrabiblical sources, biblical sources, and basic logic: The Case of Tacitus: 1. Tacitus was an early Roman historian who wrote early in the 2nd century. In his writings we have a reference to Jesus as the founder of Christianity and his being crucified under the thumb of Pontius Pilate. Unfortunately much of Tacitus' work has been lost, including portions from 29-32 AD – an area which would have included Jesus' trial had he recorded it (1). The Tacitus quote is as follows: "Hence to suppress the rumor, he falsely charged with the guilt, and punished Christians, who were hated for their enormities. Christus, the founder of the name, was put to death by Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea in the reign of Tiberius: but the pernicious superstition, repressed for a time broke out again, not only http://www.debate.org/debates/The-Jesus-of-History-Probably-Existed-D/1/comments/ 2009-10-24T19:24:54-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/The-Existence-of-God/6/ (Voting Period) Definitions God: any of various beings conceived of as supernatural, immortal, and having special powers over the lives and affairs of people and the course of nature; deity, esp. a male deity: typically considered objects of worship; in monotheistic religions, the creator and ruler of the universe, regarded as eternal, infinite, all-powerful, and all-knowing; Supreme Being; the Almighty Exist: to have reality or actual being; to occur or be present Sources: http://www.yourdictionary.com... I will be arguing that God does not exist. I will let my opponent present his arguments first. http://www.debate.org/debates/The-Existence-of-God/6/comments/ 2009-11-12T14:55:35-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/Motion-This-House-will-remove-all-relics-of-saints./1/ (Voting Period) This debate will follow a parliament form of debating. ____________________________________________________ Status Quo: 1. Relics of saints are being exposed for veneration in different churches, and are kept and safeguarded by people called "Relic custodians" (Latin: Ss. Reliquarium Custos) for private veneration, sometimes for public veneration. 2. Relics of saints can be obtained by presenting a letter of request to a religious order or to the treasury of relics of the Vicariate of Rome, and a small donation (which is optional) to cover the cost of postage and the container of the relic. 3. Relic Trafficking is very rampant in the internet. Relics of saints are being sold in online auction sites, antique shops and thrift stores. These relics are usually stolen from churches in Europe or from convents and monasteries. Relics are also being faked and sold in the black market as real relics. 4. Many people have little or no knowledge on what a sac http://www.debate.org/debates/Motion-This-House-will-remove-all-relics-of-saints./1/comments/ 2009-11-12T12:06:50-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/The-Bible-contains-errors-and-contradictions-and-it-can-therefore-not-be-the-word-of-God/1/ (Post Voting Period) Many Christians believe that the Bible is the word of God. The Bible according to them is perfect because it comes from God. However, many people have claimed that many verses are contradictory to each other, e.g. one giving a specific number of Solomon's stalls, other one giving another number, yet they are telling the same story. Many people have also claimed that the Bible contains scientific errors. I have spent a lot of time reading those verses in context, and I have found out that they are talking about the same things at the same time, which means that they are contradictory to each other. Many verses that contain scientific errors seem to be free of errors when reading the English translation, or the translation in many other language besides Hebrew and Greek, but when reading the translation of some words in Hebrew, it is clear that there are errors. It would be more understandable if a verse from the Old Testament was contradictory to a verse in t http://www.debate.org/debates/The-Bible-contains-errors-and-contradictions-and-it-can-therefore-not-be-the-word-of-God/1/comments/ 2009-10-17T14:13:07-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/The-religious-indoctrination-of-minors-is-a-form-of-child-abuse/1/ (Voting Period) Adults who sexually interfere with minors, be they parents, friends of the family, teachers, priests or complete strangers are rightly punished when their crimes are uncovered. However, in addition to the sexual molestation of children, there are three other forms of child abuse: physical abuse, emotional abuse and neglect. http://www.nspcc.org.uk/HelpAndAdvice/WhatChildAbuse/whatischildabuse_wda36500.html My contention is that adults who indoctrinate children with religious propaganda, whether they be parents, teachers, preachers or anyone else and whether they be Christian, Jewish, Muslim or a follower of any other faith based belief and whether they are at home or at school or at a place of worship or any other public place, are guilty of emotionally abusing children. Please review the embedded YouTube clips of kids at ‘Jesus Camps'. Can you honestly say that brainwashing children at such early stages in their lives has improved those children's me http://www.debate.org/debates/The-religious-indoctrination-of-minors-is-a-form-of-child-abuse/1/comments/ 2009-09-21T15:08:45-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/Religion-is-in-general-beneficial-for-society/1/ (Voting Period) Hello LD style debate http://www.debate.org/debates/Religion-is-in-general-beneficial-for-society/1/comments/ 2009-10-18T00:37:51-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/The-God-of-Christianity-is-probably-real./1/ (Voting Period) I have made it my goal in this debate to demolish the intellectual and moral pretenses of the Christian religion. Of course this demolition will have to take a back seat to the resolution that awaits us. I consider Christianity to be a wicked, depraved, and intellectually bankrupt cult that consistently perpetuates blatant falsehoods and is responsible for outrageous amounts of needles suffering- even whilst it maintains an air of superciliousness. Two thousand years is far too long far any illusion to be sheltered from the light of reason. The time of its destruction is before us. My antagonist will simply be arguing in favor of the existence of the God of Christian theism, no more and no less. ======== Contention 1: Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. ======== Whatever can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence. Or as Carl Sagan famously put it "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence". Witho http://www.debate.org/debates/The-God-of-Christianity-is-probably-real./1/comments/ 2009-09-20T12:31:51-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/I-am-your-God/1/ (Voting Period) I am your god. http://www.debate.org/debates/I-am-your-God/1/comments/ 2009-08-24T16:37:43-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/Morality-does-not-exist/1/ (Voting Period) Morality does not actually exist it is simply peoples opinions and biological instincts. We can not truly say then that a person is immoral even murderers. Morality is subjective not objective. There is no evidence that one must not murder another purpose. I am not claiming that we shouldn't follow moral or ethical codes but we must remember that it is a subjective phenomena brought about by instinct and culture. http://www.debate.org/debates/Morality-does-not-exist/1/comments/ 2009-11-12T21:35:59-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/Abortion-is-wrong/8/ (Post Voting Period) This is a real debate, unlike stevos. I will argue that abortion is wrong in all cases. You will argue that it is ok, but not ok after a certain point (late-term abortions). This first round is just a clarification. I will begin my arguments at the second round. http://www.debate.org/debates/Abortion-is-wrong/8/comments/ 2009-10-23T10:43:43-08:00