[What follows arrived in email just under an hour ago. I highly doubt they'll mind my posting here in toto]
Just a quick note to let you know that the debate went wonderfully.
When I say "wonderfully," I have to qualify it. It was like an open air with an unreasonable and loud heckler. The "heckler" in this case wasn't just the two atheists we were there to debate, but the fifty atheists in the audience. As per ABC's stipulations, the audience was composed half-and-half -- fifty Christians and fifty atheists. The Christians were very quiet and polite -- the atheists weren't. It was very apparant who was who in the audience. It seemed that no matter what we said, it was completely ignored by Brian and Kelly (the atheists) and then followed up with their anger, mockery, and insults. But as with a good open air, the heckler is simply a platform to speak to the crowd who is listening. In this case there is a crowd of millions who will hear clear, concise evidence for the existance of God. How incredible. So I am delighted, because of what we were able to say.
Below is the press release and the information you need to watch the debate Wednesday. Thanks for your prayers.
God bless,
Ray Comfort
A 100-year-old Baptist church in the heart of New York was the venue Saturday for an ABC debate on the existence of God. Actor Kirk Cameron and best-selling author Ray Comfort "faced off" against two atheists from the "Rational Response Squad," in a debate moderated by ABC Nightline's Martin Bashir.
"We were delighted ABC gave us the opportunity to present our case," said Comfort, "but we were taken aback by the aggressive nature of the debate. The audience was evenly divided between believers and atheists. The believers were very polite and quiet, while the atheists were extremely vocal. 'Nasty' is an appropriate word. We felt life a couple of goldfish in a pool of hungry Piranhas, and were getting a sense of what the early Christians must have felt in a Roman coliseum."
In the debate, Comfort presented proof for the existence of God, while Cameron offered evidence to show that the theory of Darwinian evolution is unreasonable and unscientific. They pointed evolutionists to www.IntelligentDesignVersusEvolution.com, where they're offering $10,000 to anyone who can provide a genuine, living transitional form supporting evolutionary claims. The debate also addressed such questions as "Who made God?" and "What about the heathen in Africa who've never heard about God?"
"The atheists made it very clear they didn't like what we said," Cameron explained. "They were full of mockery and sarcasm, belittling the many great scientists and intellectuals who recognize the existence of a Supreme Being. But the average American isn't viciously anti-God. In fact, polls show that more than 90 percent believe in His existence. Our hope is that the program will cause people to think deeply about the evidence presented, and challenge them to consider this most important issue of life."
While Comfort and Cameron will have to wait until Wednesday to see what the public thinks of the debate, they report that they've already received encouraging email from one audience member who commended their presentation: "Good job last night! Although I received my invitation to the show via the atheist camp, I must confess that I was impressed with the two of you (and that I was embarrassed by at least two atheist audience members, whose hostile questions bordered on heckling--I admired your calm and courteous responses). ...I find the 'Design means there was a Designer' argument to be perfectly logical. I just have yet to come across convincing evidence that this Master Designer of the Universe inspired the Judeo-Christian Bible.'"
Another encouragement, Comfort added, was that both mothers of the two atheists in the debate are Christians--one of whom was in the front row of the audience. Comfort stated, "Both sincerely thanked us for our stand, and said that they were earnestly praying for us."
The entire debate will be streamed Wednesday, May 9, at 1:00 p.m. EDT ( 10:00 a.m. PST) on http://abcnews.go.com/nightline/, then again at 2:00 p.m. EDT (11:00 a.m. PST) on http://abcnews.go.com/abcnewsnow/, and an excerpt will be aired that night on ABC's Nightline.
We will have the debate available for viewing online from our video sharing accounts. The videos will be available for viewing after ABC streams it live on their website Wednesday, May 9. You can visit the following link to find the video when it is available. Keep checking after ABC streams it live.
You may actually find yourself cheering Sharpton if you read that story...
As to Team Kirk, sorry to hear about the hecklers - that doesn't help anyone usually. However, THIS sentence:
"...and were getting a sense of what the early Christians must have felt in a Roman coliseum"
is a bit silly. Anytime US Christians compare themselves to actually oppressed peoples, it tends to make them hard to take seriously.
With that aside, is there a transcription of the debate? I'd like to see it.
Silly or not, to let that statement deter you from taking them seriously? Come on, you didn't have much of anything nice to say about Cameron and Comfort in a previous post, are you sure your sentiment here isn't colored by your distaste for their 'evangelistic style'?
As for a transcript... unless ABC releases one, I don't expect to see one, but who knows? The debate will be aired in it's entirety online, however, and will probably be available as a download at WayoftheMaster. but I'll look, nonetheless, for a transcript. I'd actually like to have one myself.
I believe the fire and brimstone approach to Christianity is a disservice to the Bride of Christ. I think it drives people away in droves. I was alerted to "The way of the cross" by co-workers who watch the show as a comedy.
The Religious Right plays the Oppression Card a little too frequently for my tastes. If this were the first time I'd heard that sort of claim, I'd have shrugged it off. Instead, I've heard it frequently and seemingly increasingly these last few years.
It seems to be part of an attempt to divide our nation and not in a good way.
But I would like to see a transcript. Maybe he'll surprise me and give reasonable answers.
Psalm 105:15 says, "Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm." Now, while contextually 'touching not the anointed of God' referred to the kings of Israel, the New Testament speaks of the anointing of God upon those called to His will.
Disapprove if you wish, but don't mock. I disagree with you often enough on matters of faith, but I haven't mocked your service to Him, such as it is. The fact that your congregation does the things it does is a good things, however much I disagree with its stance on a number of issues.
Perhaps you mistakenly botched the name of their ministry, that's fine. But the fact that you and ER once called me on the use of quotations, I'm returning the favor. Let your co-workers mock the show, or rebuke them as you should, but please don't compound your error by joining in. Remember that we must give account to God for EVERY idle word.
Make light of Mr. Comforts allusion to 'Christians' and 'the Coliseum', fine, but don't mock.
THAT'S mockery. Deal with the beam.
How was Dan mocking? What's the name of the show? What's the connection to Dan's use of quote marks in the phrase "the way of the Cross"?
Here's what strikes me angry as blue-blazes about you and Dan. Regardless of what I post, if 'Christ' is mentioned even once the two of you criticize and find fault with it. On rare occasion you, at least, find something to agree with. Even rarer is an agreement from Dan.
If you guys don't like what I post, stay away. I don't post the things I do for you two anyway.
Don't like it? Then leave off... Shoo.
I'd rebuke my workers if there was anything to rebuke. They found the show's approach to faith ridiculous and irritating and I can't say that I disagree.
If I think that shows such as this are driving folk away from Christ, why wouldn't I raise red flags, telling people who are thus repulsed, "But wait! That's not what Jesus is about at all! You've read Jesus, you know what he stands for. Don't let the few who follow Him who get all weird keep you away from Jesus!"
It's evangelism, brother.