Category: 
January 13, 2009
[This is Dr Jacoby's cross-examination of Dr Shermer.]
The debate between international Christian speaker Douglas Jacoby and agnostic and skeptic Michael Shermer took place Saturday June 23, the highlight of the 2007 International Apologetics Conference, sponsored by the Apologetics Research Society. The debate topic: Does God Exist?
Dr. Shermer is one of the three or four most famous atheist / agnostic scholars in the world, author of 12 books and President of the Skeptic Society. He has held dozens of debates, appeared on Oprah, 20/20, Dateline, Tom Snyder, Larry King Live and The History Channel. Dr. Jacoby, director of the Athens Institute of Ministry, has spoken in hundreds of cities in some 80 nations.
This exciting event was held before a packed house, with an overflow crowd watching close circuit monitors outside the venue. Kedron Jones (Board member of ARS) was moderator and affable host. Shermer and Jacoby both bring their best analytical skills to this debate. The interchange is lively, with both speakers willing to concede points made by their opponent. You will benefit greatly from weighing the arguments put forth. Douglas’ clear and incisive arguments for the existence of God are persuasive. He argues from cosmology (both its creation and its complexity). and the unmistakable fact that moral absolutes are part of reality. Shermer makes the case that religions are socially constructed, historically dependent, and that the faith you adhere to and the god you believe in depend largely on when in history and where in the world you were born.
The two-hour debate is lively, engaging and instructional. You can watch each speaker’s opening, rebuttal, rebuttal summary, and conclusion here at YouTube. For the entire debate in one DVD, however, including the 40+ minute Q&A session, please visit www.douglasjacoby.com. The Skeptics Society website is www.skeptic.com.
To post further comments, please visit Jacoby’s forum at www.jacobyblogs.com.
Duration : 0:6:4
No related posts.
Horaayy..there are 25 comment(s) for me so far ;)
Ok, GOD is outside …
Ok, GOD is outside of the system….
prove it.
Can’t?
Well, it’s irrelevant.
“dont go to youtube …
“dont go to youtube. Its not good”
</3
These kinds of …
These kinds of debates can never end. It may shake people’s opinions, but an ultimate conclusion is hard to reach.
As Christian, i think it’s more spiritual about god than just facts and proves.
Believers are always asked why God exists, it’s not something we can list the reasons and convince you. People experienced God’s existence. Even though we tell the non-believers, it’s probably too ridiculous to consider. That’s why to me it’s a faith more than a proven fact. Just a thought
Those who believe …
Those who believe in Yaweh are the same who believed in Zeus in ancient Rome. Only when you step outside this can you see it for what it is. It is hard to strip away the conditioning that was done to us as a child and many will never be able to do it. Once you get rid of the fear of , the rest falls away so beautifully.
why is that a …
why is that a paradox? The big bang does not necessitate or support atheism. The big bang says that the universe had a beginning and that it’s not eternal. Many scientists had previously believed that the universe is eternal, and the big bang theory says otherwise. But the BB theory doesn’t somehow count against theism (or polytheism for that matter).
i was exploring …
i was exploring uranus, wiping out klingons, and fell into a black hole
The paradox is that …
The paradox is that so many people yell “Oh God” while enjoying the Big Bang.
You, dear reader, …
You, dear reader, I’m sorry I don’t agree. But, I won’t say: “know that there is a God” because I know that you currently don’t. And usu. man alone cannot convince another to go from no faith to have faith in God. You usu. come into it on ur own. So, i respect your position. I’m just sharing my faith cuz that’s what disciples do! But, we do have evidence (Nature, us, earth, love, hope, prayer etc..). You just currently require more of it.Thnks 4 makg Mark 10:29-30 true (6negs 4 me!)
You believe you …
You believe you know for certain. Knowing is philosophically impossible. That’s why science deals in theory and not Truth. There is no evidence against elves. It does not make them existence. Atheism is the lack of belief. You are positing the positive statement: God exists. We are not convinced. You have the same evidence (or less even) as the lochness monster or bigfoot or UFO’s or invisible mice in my attic. The default position should be disbelief, not belief. Why do you believe?
Many of the things …
Many of the things I ume you BELIEVE are equally, if no more unprovable, i.e. the origins of life evolving from pools of water some 900 million years ago. You in fact are a believer, you just put your faith in man’s ever changing THEORIES on life and we put our faith in a never changing, all powerful God.
bingo. Mr. Jacoby, …
bingo. Mr. Jacoby, i an impressed that you have the audacity to post this yourself. After having participated in this, (i mean you were THERE!) to even try and spin your arguments as “clear and incisive” OR “persuasive” demonstrates you are embarrassingly oblivious to whats going on.
We still love you though; we all make mistakes. That we learn from them is what counts!
regards!
If religion is …
If religion is relative= then God is relative= then morals are relative. The whole argument of absolute truth is relative to what Jacoby believes and this statement is relative.
The debate was …
The debate was terribly moderated. Did not allow debaters to exchange ideas when they had a response.
“I don’t know and …
“I don’t know and you don’t either. Nobody knows.”
Let me ask you …
Let me ask you people a question : lets say god exists , ok ? What does he have ANYTHING to do with bible ? How can it be word of god any more than mickey mouse comic books ? other that there is claim in the bible that says it is writen by god and no more ?
So far u have …
So far u have stated that there is no evidence for God. I have stated that there is no evidence against God. Let’s end it at that for now. Thank you for your opinion. (And yes, I believe and know that there is a God and I follow Him.) In the end, it’s between you and God. I’ve done my part.
If you can’t tell …
If you can’t tell us how you did it, then no one should believe you. (unless it was on video or something.) If believers can’t tell us HOW God did something then no one one should believe that God did it. (No one should BELIEVE a BELIEVER anyway. If they had evidence they wouldn’t have to beLIEve.) If God didn’t do it then we have no evidence that God did anything. We have no evidence that God exists. P.S. God can’t exist anyway for other reasons. You, dear reader, know that there is no God.
Again, just because …
Again, just because one cannot explain HOW God did it, doesnt mean that He does not exist. For example, I can say that I created the earth. I cannot tell you how I did it. But, yet, I exist.
lol @ don’t look at …
lol @ don’t look at youtube
Jacoby is not doing …
Jacoby is not doing a very good job.
I loved it when …
I loved it when Shermer said “I have the humility to say I Don’t Know” – that was music to my ears- I’m tired of so many religious people with supposed “answers” when they don’t have ANY honest answers. Shermer was refreshing and honest.
Jesus teachings are …
Jesus teachings are desturctive and amoral. Altruism and the message of self sacrafice is evil.
The believer can …
The believer can never win. Michael needed more practice before he did this debate. To many things went unsaid.
I disagree. Shemer …
I disagree. Shemer is good because when people claim that God did something, Shermer simply asks, “How did God do it.” If the believer can’t answer the question then he can’t prove that God did it. If God didn’t do it it then there is no evidence that God exists. If the believer can explain how God did it then it’s possible that any intelligent being could have done it and again there is no evidence that God exists. The believer can’t win.
Wow. I’m a staunch …
Wow. I’m a staunch Atheist and both of these men are horrible. The Theists is textbook and if I wanted to read his arguements, id go get st. augustine… Shermer needs to not take cough syrup by the gallon before he speaks. Both of them suck…