My "Does God Exist?" debate with Dr. Ronda Chervin - now available on Youtube!

My recent recorded "Does God Exist?" debate (held on August 19, 2012 vs. Dr. Ronda Chervin) which was recorded for a special episode of the NEPA Freethought Society Podcast is now available on Youtube. A remastered high-quality downloadable and streamable audio-only file is scheduled to be released as a podcast on the first Wednesday of September. This was my second recorded debate of this kind.



Dr. Chervin presented variations of Aquinas' third and fifth ways in her opening statement.
I presented the evidential problem of natural evil, Stephen Law's 'Evil God Challenge,' and the problem of theological fatalism.

Thanks to all who supported, promoted, and watched the debate. Jason Gogola (behind the camera) and Karla Porter (the debate's moderator) helped with the organization and worked hard to make this happen. An extra special thanks goes out to my opponent, Dr. Chervin, for providing a good debate.

Comments, questions, and feedback -- always encouraged -- can be posted here. I will be participating in events like this in the future, so constructive criticism will help improve the quality of debates like this. Consider also sending e-mail and thanks to Dr. Chervin at ChervinRonda (at) gmail (dot) com. Feel free, also, to sound off on the event's Facebook page which still has ongoing discussion!

I will be dedicating some upcoming blog posts concerning this debate in which I will further develop the arguments I presented, restate and expand my objections to my opponent, and comment on some issues which were raised in the question and answer session. Stay tuned by following the blog label 'NEPAGodDebate' and keeping watch on my blog.

An interesting note which should be known...
At a point in the question and answer session, moderator Karla Porter was asking questions which were not delivered by persons in the live chat. For whatever reason, the chatroom crashed and -- while it was still open -- questions were not easy to read considering the blinding speed of the chat. In the future, we will ask that questions be sent via another medium instead. I appreciate, though, that so many people viewed! Crashing the chatroom is a good sign of interest :)

Information on participants:

Ronda Chervin received a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Fordham University and an MA in Religious Studies from Notre Dame Apostolic Institute. She is a widow, mother, and grandmother. Ronda converted to the Catholic Faith from a Jewish, though atheistic, background and has been a Professor of Philosophy and Theology at Loyola Marymount University, the Seminary of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and Franciscan University of Steubenville. She is an international speaker and author of some fifty books about Catholic thought, practice and spirituality. Ronda is currently a Dedicated Widow of the Holy Eucharist forming a small community of dedicated widows. Dr. Ronda is currently teaching philosophy at Holy Apostles College and Seminary in Cromwell, Connecticut. Her website can be found at www.rondachervin.com.

Justin Vacula received bachelor's degrees in Philosophy and Psychology, a minor in Professional Writing, and the distinguished W.A. Kilburn Memorial Award for Philosophy from King's College. Justin Vacula is an outspoken atheist, activist for the separation of church and state, a speaker, writer/reporter, blogger, and host of the NEPA Freethought Society Podcast. He is currently enrolled in Marywood University's graduate-level Mental Health Counseling program. Vacula holds leadership roles as the co-organizer, spokesperson, and a board member of the NEPA Freethought Society. Justin has appeared on various radio shows, television networks, and podcasts. Vacula will be speaking at the upcoming September 28-30 Atheist/Humanist conference in Harrisburg. His website can be found at www.justinvacula.com.

Karla Porter works with organizations that want to achieve employer of choice status, are interested in attracting candidates who will develop into employee brand advocates that drive growth and continued success, embrace diversity, desire a culture of innovation and excellence, want to enrich the community, and reward superior performance with celebrity. Porter is one of four organizers behind the upcoming NEPA BlogCon 2012 conference at Luzerne County Community College taking place on September 29. Her website can be found at www.karlaporter.com.

An a priori rejection of miracles?

I uploaded a short Youtube video (rather than writing a blog post) concerning miracles.

Here's the video description:

Do atheists/skeptics/secularists have an a priori rejection -- one before any sort of experience of investigation -- of miracle claims? If so, is this justified? Is this a bad thing? How do 'believers' of all stripes justifiably jump from "I don't know/I can't explain this" to "it's a miracle" ...and then ascribe the miracle to a specific source? I'm willing to accept miracle explanations if given good reasons, but what I have heard so far has been very insufficient.

"Atheist Air Hug" - Lyrics and Music!

Thunderf00t -- perhaps a harbinger -- gave me an
Atheist Air Hug in the VIP section at the Reason Rally!
Notice the lack of touching. 

In 2009 and still to this date, various atheists (and likely even Christians) have gained a great deal of entertainment from the song "Christian Side Hug" in which a rap group sang about how what they called 'front hugging' is inappropriate because, according to the lyrics, it makes for an "awkward" situation and is inappropriate. Other lyrics talked about keeping the mind "pure" and "away from sin." Instead of 'front hugging,' the song proposed that Christians put their "hands in the air and let that shoulder hang" so they can "leave room for the Holy Spirit."

Now, it seems that the atheist community -- especially after ridiculing "Christian Side Hug" -- might be in-line for some ridicule (and hopefully can take a joke) following the release of "American Atheists' Conference Code of Conduct." While well-intentioned and aiming for, as the document says, "providing a hrassment-free conference experience for everyone," the document has a curious paragraph which caught my eye. It reads,

Yes means yes; no means no; and maybe means no. Please take no for an answer for any request or activity. You are encouraged to ask for unequivocal consent for all activities during the conference. No touching other people without asking. This includes hands on knees, backs, shoulders—and hugs (ask first!). There are folks who do not like to be touched and will respect and like you more if you respect their personal space.

Hugging, as noted here, constitutes -- as one would easily guess -- "touching other people" and is also, as should be quite uncontroversially the case, an "activity" in which people are "encouraged to ask for unequivocal consent."

This document can easily warrant a lengthy blog post in my usual style of identifying a problem, defining terms, putting forth or responding to an argument, analyzing possible responses, and much more, but I am not interested in this at the moment.

Instead, I have fearlessly attempted to sing in the key, if you will, of "Christian Side Hug" and have made a parody song relevant to the atheist community that 'blogosphere insiders' and many outsiders should really enjoy...especially those in the dreaded oh-so-scary 'SlimePit.' I mean no harm to anyone and hope that people can take a joke. If you can't, please don't listen to the song or read the lyrics below the linked YouTube video. The file can also found as a .WAV file here if for some reason Youtube takes the video down or you would like another portal. This is not mean-spirited and, again, is satire/parody. Hopefully I and others can have some fun.



"Atheist Air Hug" lyrics (with added links for 'references')
Written and sung by Justin Vacula
www.justinvacula.com
Tweet with #AtheistAirHug

Gimme dat Atheist Air Hug
Dat Atheist Air Hug
Gimme dat Atheist Air Hug
Dat Atheist Air Hug
I'm a blasphemer
Filled up with feminism
Gimme dat Atheist Air Hug
Dat Atheist Air Hug

These are the AA [American Atheist] rules so
Ask permission, it's essential
Side hugs you must forget
You may be Schrodinger's Threat

Stop and listen
No knee, back, or no shoulder friskin'
I ain't that scared to call Silverman
You'll be ridin' home in original sin

We got our safe space
Conference organizer on speedial button
Code of conduct is in place
Cause we ain't frontin'

Now uh, you ain't no Watson
You ain't no Grothe
So rise up off me like elevatorguy with coffee

Now uh, don't use the side hug boy
That invades personal space
Friendly touching is inappropriate
You back up off her 'cause we
Wanna stop harassment
Have to always ask consent
That means it's you too skepchicks
No arms around him

Gimme dat Atheist Air Hug
Dat Atheist Air Hug
Gimme dat Atheist Air Hug
Dat Atheist Air Hug
I'm a blasphemer
Filled up with feminism
Gimme dat Atheist Air Hug
Dat Atheist Air Hug

Gimme dat Atheist Air Hug
Dat Atheist Air Hug
Gimme dat Atheist Air Hug
Dat Atheist Air Hug
I'm a blasphemer
Filled up with feminism
Gimme dat Atheist Air Hug
Dat Atheist Air Hug

We be walkin' like
We be Dawkins like
We be air huggin'
Every day and night

It's how we do fool
This ain't no Church
So don't be hatin' on me when I air hug

We livin' harassment-free
It ain't no thang
So put your hands in the air and don't let shoulders hang

I'm thinking poll-crashing
Cause y'all don't know me
I'm Pharyngulating like PZ! (oh)

So quit that touchin'
And slow down Greta Christina
Stop whining, Dear Muslima

Parallel logic people
Parallel logic people
Parallel logic people

Gimme dat Atheist Air Hug
Dat Atheist Air Hug
Gimme dat Atheist Air Hug
Dat Atheist Air Hug
I'm a blasphemer
Filled up with feminism
Gimme dat Atheist Air Hug
Dat Atheist Air Hug

Gimme dat Atheist Air Hug
Dat Atheist Air Hug
Gimme dat Atheist Air Hug
Dat Atheist Air Hug
I'm a blasphemer
Filled up with feminism
Gimme dat Atheist Air Hug
Dat Atheist Air Hug

I'm Stephanie Zvan
No hugging stance
Black and white and zero intolerance

But as for all of you
If I give no for an answer
No hands on knees, backs, shoulders or your AA time is through

But uh, some of y'all misogynist
Try to pull this trick
You pat on the back like a thug
But soon it turns into a hug

So if you end up touchin'
Then go ahead and report
When I air hug I respect their space of course

If an atheist walks up
With her hands spread wide
And she's shoulder bound with that look in her eye

You better turn to the side
Air pat her on her back
Cause Watson never hugged nobody like that
(Scream it)

Gimme dat Atheist Air Hug
Dat Atheist Air Hug
Gimme dat Atheist Air Hug
Dat Atheist Air Hug
I'm a blasphemer
Filled up with feminism
Gimme dat Atheist Air Hug
Dat Atheist Air Hug

Gimme dat Atheist Air Hug
Dat Atheist Air Hug
Gimme dat Atheist Air Hug
Dat Atheist Air Hug
I'm a blasphemer
Filled up with feminism
Gimme dat Atheist Air Hug
Dat Atheist Air Hug