Some miscellaneous things I’ve been needing to do for awhile…

First, John Loftus is asking people to endorse the idea that he debate William Lane Craig. I’m giving my endorsement here. Craig’s refusal to debate Loftus, is, to a large extent a demonstration of how ridiculous his schtick is. Craig insists that by (mainly) debating people with Ph.D.s, he’s debating qualified people, but having a Ph.D. has nothing to do with (1) having actual public speaking skills (2) having a good knowledge of arguments for and against the existence of God. Craig regularly debates people who have neither of these, and it’s shocking to see him refusing to debate someone who has both in large quantities. There really isn’t any major figure more qualified to debate Craig, not just because Loftus has the speaking skills of a former preacher and has written what may be the best critique if Christianity currently available. Loftus also has one qualification people like Richard Carrier lack: he actually plans to try to win.

As an aside, John: if this debate ever does happen, I’d be happy to give you any help you like preparing. Also, I hope Andrew of Evaluating Christianity is willing to give you some help that isn’t premised on involvement in the junior high debate scene.

In other news: recently, Randy Olson e-mailed me to inform me that… well… this post is currently one of the top Google searches for his name. Olson politely asked me to take the post down. I was seriously considering doing so, until I re-read what I wrote and realized I still stand behind all of it, and a even kinda grateful that Olson reminded me I had written it.

Finally: there’s a new edition of the Carnival of the Godless that I haven’t linked to yet.