Certainly, debating creationists live in front of an audience is something to be approached with caution. I've seen some excellent thought on how the best way one of the evolution side can go about it, but I don't have a link at hand.
As best I recall, some of the relevant aspects are:
1) Know your opponents past history. The big name creationists have a routine they follow debate after debate.
2) Don't let them get away with a Gish gallop. When presented with such, I would respond with something like "Well, you just served up a heaping pile of baloney. Given the proper experts and enough time, all your points could be massively refuted. Alas, in the context of this debate, we have neither a broad supply of experts nor the needed time. Shall we start by narrowing things down to a specific point?"
Now, facing a young Earth creationist (YEC), my personal choice (being a quasi-geologist) would be to hammer on "there is massive evidence that the Earth is not remotely as young as your perspective". As I see it, refuting a young Earth does much to harpoon young Earth creationism.
Moose
Added by edit - A couple of possibly interesting relevant links:
Arguments - How to Debate a Creationist
How to Debate a Young Earth Creationist
Edited by Minnemooseus, : Add links.
Professor, geology, Whatsamatta U
Evolution - Changes in the environment, caused by the interactions of the components of the environment.
"Do not meddle in the affairs of cats, for they are subtle and will piss on your computer." - Bruce Graham
"The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness." - John Kenneth Galbraith
"Yesterday on Fox News, commentator Glenn Beck said that he believes President Obama is a racist. To be fair, every time you watch Glenn Beck, it does get a little easier to hate white people." - Conan O'Brien
"I know a little about a lot of things, and a lot about a few things, but I'm highly ignorant about everything." - Moose
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