rabbi wolpe versus sam harris

Rabbi Wolpe versus Sam Harris

Rabbi Wolpe vs. Sam Harris Debate

I thought this was a really great debate. The moderator did little to

interfere, Harris and Wolpe were visibly in fighting mode with hackles

raised, new territory was explored not covered so much in prior

debates, and Wolpe (though not remotely convincing) handled himself

pretty well and had some pretty clever things to say at times. Harris

meets the challenge well, and at the end you feel the audience is

sympathetic towards his views.

Judging from their reactions, I believe that the audience watching

this debate was left mostly with an attitude of- "There might be

something out there, but this religion shit is really not cutting the

mustard", which I think is a success. The pressure being put upon the

religious is working in dramatic fashion. The talking points are out

and about all over the media (despite incessant attempts to distort

Sam's position), and they are forcing the religious to become more

honest about the meaning of their faith.

It will not collapse overnight. What happens when you change your

position (as I've done a couple times), is you begin to discover on

your own the points which other people have already made to you. Your

own inner dialogue starts to challenge you with observations that feel

as if you made them up, despite the fact that they are the same ones

others have been telling you all along, you just weren't listening

deeply and you weren't capable of allowing them to sink in. Finally

you change your position on your own and credit yourself for having

thought it through in your own unique way. Only years down the road do

you realize that it was another person who really did the convincing.

And you'll never admit it publicly. Give it some time, you can mark my

words. The fruit of the recent books by Harris, Hitchens, and Dawkins

is still about 2+ years away. Suddenly alot of people will start

making an Exodus away from their faith, and it won't be clear what