Huzzah for coherent Christian debaters!

I listened to the Hitchens vs. Roberts debate on Hugh Hewitt (here) for the first time a couple nights ago and spent the next few days fairly depressed at how badly Roberts (the theist) got beaten. Hitchens often relies on his impressive linguistic skills and diversionary tactics to leave his opponents in a rhetorical stupour, but Roberts seemed to have a somewhat difficult time with the arguments period. Hitchens made some legitimate points, but he thrashed Roberts most with his superior argumentation.

I just finished listening to the next part in the debate series, this time between Hitchens and White (here) and am very pleased to report that White fared much better. The debate seemed to end similarly to most debates between two reasonable and well informed people: neither party scored a decisive win, but both left having made very good points and having given each other new ideas to consider. If I had to say who I thought came out on top, I would have to admit that I think White made the most compelling arguments, but that might just be because I am on his side ideologically. I found White's comments on language in the second half especially interesting and convincing.

For a different take on the outcome of the debate (and a bit of a laugh), just check the wonderful message boards over at Richard Dawkins' website (here). They had a field day deriding the Roberts debate when that got posted; however, in their appraisal of the White debate many seem content to attack statements that White didn't actually make, mock what they misunderstand him to have meant, or merely dismiss him. If for nothing else, the site is worth a visit because of the smarmy photos of Dawkins that appear in the upper right of the screen. I think I refreshed the page 20 times just to see Dawkins' impressive range of smug facial expressions.