The University of Colorado at Boulder hosts debate on atheism and religion
Over 2,050 people gathered in the University Of Colorado at Boulder’s Mack Auditorium on Jan 26 to witness a debate between writers Dinesh D’Souza and Christopher Hitchens.
D’Souza, catholic author of the book What’s So Great about Christianity argued that Christianity is the framework for individual respect and scientific inquiry. Hitchens, atheist author of the book God is Not Great argued that religious influence is inherently harmful.
The debate, “What’s so Great about God? – Atheism vs. Religion,” was sponsored by The St. Thomas Aquinas Center for Catholic Thought, and moderated by a Denver talk show host, Dan Caplis.
Father Kevin Augustyn, Pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, prefaced the debate by saying, “As Catholics, we are not afraid of intellectual debate. Faith and reason are not opposed to each other.”
Throughout the debate, Hitchens not only criticized organized religion, but proposed the alternative of a world without religion. “(If religion didn’t exist) would you really look at your neighbor differently? Would you then become a thief, a rapist? (If atheism was a global view) we would be in precisely the same place we are now.” Link to original.