Proposed New (Great Debate) Topics

Already responded. I will debate nuggins. My assertion is we have plenty of scientific evidence giants existed.

I think that sounds interesting. I am not sure of which books exactly off the top of my head, and I suspect we would be discussing theology or philosophy as much as science, but it might do great.

I could just do my own responses perhaps rather than bring on another book. That may make it easier. Btw, this isn't the most interesting topic but the idea is interesting. However, this may be a wide-ranging "debate", perhaps more a discussion, considering the range covered, but that's right up my alley.Also, while I DO appreciate your defense of me, I think perhaps you guys ought to see that publicly mentioning someone, particularly highly educated and accomplished people, only have a glimmer of rationality comes off as particularly disrespecful, though I see you mean it as a recommendation. My point is that within the evo camp, the level of disrespect for critics is extremely high and imo, extremely unwarranted.Most of the educated people that reject evo tenets are not ignorant of what evos teach, and many of us used to be on the other side. It's be nice if people here remembered that.

I'll watch the video or read the book and make a decision then, but I am toying with offering another book as an alternative worldview, "The Power of Intention" by Wayne Dyer. It's more a self-help, spiritual principle, New Age type book, but the principles for the most part he discusses are spiritual principles taught by Jesus.I disagree with the lack of emphasis on the Cross and suffering, but the book espouses an interactive reality created by our interaction with God, whome he calls a field of Intention and our Source, with our beliefs, faith and actions. You might have seen the guy on PBS.I think it may be refreshing to include the book or video series since it's really not religion-specific, but is more about spirituality that exists for all in any religion, ostensibly. I, of course, am not quite as ecunemical as he is, but I do think the realities of people and the spiritual dimensions are the same, but that we all need the Saviour and cannot expect to do it all on our own.But it's a positive view on "religion" and theism that may work to further the discussion.

I'll watch the video or read the book and make a decision then, but I am toying with offering another book as an alternative worldview, "The Power of Intention" by Wayne Dyer. It's more a self-help, spiritual principle, New Age type book, but the principles for the most part he discusses are spiritual principles taught by Jesus.I disagree with the lack of emphasis on the Cross and suffering, but the book espouses an interactive reality created by our interaction with God, whome he calls a field of Intention and our Source, with our beliefs, faith and actions. You might have seen the guy on PBS.I think it may be refreshing to include the book or video series since it's really not religion-specific, but is more about spirituality that exists for all in any religion, ostensibly. I, of course, am not quite as ecunemical as he is, but I do think the realities of people and the spiritual dimensions are the same, but that we all need the Saviour and cannot expect to do it all on our own.But it's a positive view on "religion" and theism that may work to further the discussion.

I didn't mean an alternative topic. I thought you wanted an alternative book along with Harris' book on the same thread.No problems on the characterization....just wanted to clarify something, for others as well.Let's do the topic as you suggest, but I will be travelling some for a few days starting tomorrow, and so we may have to talk more earnestly friday or something. Maybe I can look at the video this week, and the book over the weekend or something.

I can see any postings, btw, even when on the road, but I may not respond until back at home or the office since it's hard to type all this stuff on a blackberry.

You could mail it but no, expecting a return in the whirlwind of stuff around here is a long shot.....better not to waste time and money, and I just buy it.I am pushed now for a couple of days at least. I'll watch the video and talk on friday. The book I am talking about is not a scientific defense of theism, but I'd recommend it to you personally, just so you can see a bit of where I am coming from in terms of the view of reality.Some things won't be settled because I beleive and Christianity imo recognizes that God set it up so that in order to move deeper into reality, it takes faith, and faith in some respects is hostile to the scientific method. It's not that the faith perspective doesn't match the facts. It matches them perfectly, but it's more than that. It governs the facts and physical reality, and that's something in which it takes faith to even understand. Without even understanding the concept, it's especially hard not to think it's insane and doubt it.Man is in an unusual predicament, but there are enough mercies to carry us along if we just realized it.