1. You can't be moral without God!

Comment #81445 by cutmyearoff on October 24, 2007 at 6:20 pm

One of my favorite question that really gives believers a pause . . .

If god spoke to you, whether through signs or a voice, as he spoke to Abraham and asked you to slit your childs throat, would you? (Remember we can't know the mind of god.)

I've actually had answers to this that were yes. Then I follow up with . . . Wouldn't you agree that it is wrong to kill children? Then why are you giving up the ability to think for yourself?

2. Sam Harris Strikes Back

Comment #45969 by cutmyearoff on May 29, 2007 at 9:52 pm

If I remember correctly. Chris really threw out the stink bombs - he called Harris a racist, bigot, believing in telepathy, etc. To anyone familiar with Harris' writing Hedges threw out some silly stuff. There was even a moment in the debate where the moderator Scheer tried to pin Harris down about why Israeli Jewish mothers aren't making their children into suicide bombers as they use the dreaded old testament torah. I think, if I understood everything correctly, that Harris could've discussed how religion has poisoned everyone with a belief that this "land" is divinely ordained so to speak. Towards the end there were catcalls from a fella next to me who kept screaming "MODERATE! MODERATE!" at Scheer.

I agree with the poster about the point of the reduction of gods from Poly to Mono as well.

As far as this idea is to engage moderates - well I agree they are the ones for which there is hope of seeing the light of reason. However I don't think for one minute that any of this should be dumbed down, or handled so delicately as to diminish the nature of things. Great social movements like Feminism and Civil Rights had great people at the helm who took the brunt of harsh criticism because their message was profoundly unpopular. As Harris says, either you have good reasons to believe or you don't. We should all strive for intellectual honesty and call it out when it isn't.

jason

3. Sam Harris Strikes Back

Comment #45819 by cutmyearoff on May 29, 2007 at 10:53 am

I attended the debate between Hedges and Harris at UCLA. Hedges spent too much time arguing against positions that Harris didn't hold. Hedges often spoke about "anti-war" platitudes - missles killing kids in Gaza with Dayton OH written on them. His voice would crescendo as he was stating these platitudes playing to the anti-Iraq sentiments of the crowd. Also very tired of hearing Hedges resume over and over as well about living in the Middle East. Harris made some interesting responses about polling that were a little obscured so I hope to hear them
again on the broadcast. Harris was hands down the most fascinating, calm and profoundly clever debater. Having read all his articles and books I was delighted to hear what seemed to be spontaneous and new clever analogies. He is sharp as a tack.

An interesting note. Afterwards was a book signing and Harris had a huge line. Hedges left early and was walking around asking if anyone wanted him to sign their book. I also asked Mr. Hedges when he passed by me in the Harris waiting line why he spoke about so many irrelavent platitudes and he just said to me "Everybody has their factions."

jason