Session 3 Discussion
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Colorado Christian University *
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Philosophy
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Feb 20, 2024
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What can you discern about each person’s lens through which they are seeing the world based upon their arguments?
The debate has two worldviews that you can detect right away as each person speaks. Hitchens sees things through his atheism viewpoint; his prime reality is physical material evidence, while Lennox sees things through his Christian viewpoint where God is his prime reality. Hitchens from the beginning let us know his viewpoint when he mentions, “today we can see the assumptions of this civilization and, in fact, it’s continued survival and prosperity being threatened in several ways by a recrudescent in various form of what I’ll call theocracy” (Hitchens vs. Lennox, 2017, 9:46). It is very evident that he is against anything to do with God and his teaching. He believes that so much of Christianity pollutes people’s thoughts and lives.
Lennox let his Christian viewpoint be known when he stated, “abolishing religion, after all, to get rid of its abuses about as intelligent as abolishing science to get rid of pollution or abolishing money to get rid of greed” (Hitchens vs. Lennox, 2017, 26:50). He makes clear that he is a Christian and not ashamed of it.
How is that lens affecting how they understand reality?
Hitchens view is as a naturalism, only looking for physical/material evidence. “Naturalism projects the view that ultimate reality is material. The physical universe is all there is. There is nothing beyond or separate from that which we can see, touch, and measure” (Phillips, Brown, and Stonestreet, 2008, p. 24). Hitchens is fixed on believing in what he can see or touch. He also throws in Al-Qaeda with Christianity, saying that religion is evil and violent.
Lennox has a more cheerful look at life than Hitchens stating, “God doesn’t compete with science. Science didn’t put the universe there, God did. God is the explanation of why we could do science” (Hitchens vs. Lennox, 2017, 35:12). As Phillip, Brown, and Stonestreet (2008) states, “It is through God’s Word that we may properly understand God’s world” (p. 94). He sees
the world through a biblical worldview where God is the foundation.
Based on what we have learned so far in this class, who had the more compelling argument,
and why?
John Lennox had the more compelling argument, which he was able to support with both perspectives. Quoting prominent sciences who are and are not Christians brings more credibility to his argument. He mentions how "Christian teaching is foundational to European civilization" (Hitchens vs. Lennox, 2017, 28:22). Lennox quotes Jurgen Habermas, a mythological atheist saying, "Christianity, if nothing else, is the ultimate foundation of liberty, conscience, human rights, and democracy, the benchmark of western civilization" (Hitchens vs. Lennox, 2017, 28:29). Meanwhile, Christopher Hitchens only argues how bad Christianity's teaching is for science and society. His viewpoint of Europe is, "As a separation of church and state, that these things are both sufficient and necessary conditions for Europe to flourish, to grow and to expand and to spread itself" (Hitchens vs. Lennox, 2017, 9:05). In his views, he shows us that his worldview is that "firm and determined reassertion of secularism as a core principle of our
democracy and our internationalism" (Hitchens vs. Lennox, 2017, 23:29). His views are straightforward as what he wishes Europe would be, a secular country. The Bible did warn us that, "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong" (1 Corinthians 16:13, NIV). Praise God for men like John Lennox, who will stand firm in their faith.
Lennox has a more cheerful look at life than Hitchens stating, "God doesn't compete with science. Science didn't put the universe there, God did. God is the explanation of why we could do science" (Hitchens vs. Lennox, 2017, 35:12). As Phillip, Brown, and Stonestreet (2008) states, "It is through God's Word that we may properly understand God's world" (p. 94). He sees the world through a biblical worldview where God is the foundation.
References
Debate: Can Atheism Save Europe? Christopher Hitchens vs John Lennox
. CaptionSync Smart Player™. https://smartplayer.captionsync.com/play.php?
vid=1529009912mkamp_pp_e88aefda3843. Holy Bible, New International Version
.
(2011). Zondervan. (Original work published 1973)
Phillips, W. G., Brown, W. E., & Stonestreet, J. (1996). Making sense of your world: a biblical worldview
. CCU Electronic Resources
(2nd ed.). Sheffield Pub. https://textbookbutler.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781879215832/cfi/2!/4/4@0.00:0.00.
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