Dawkins Picks up the Mantel but Refuses the Responsibility

Dawkins, are you serious?  “I do not take on Creationists, and I don’t take on people who’s only claim to fame is that they are professional debaters.”  Aside from bucking the question, he is essentially claiming that he will not take on anyone like himself.  Dawkins didn’t become famous because of his biological work, he became famed because he started debating people who weren’t versed in the art of rhetoric.  The audience member who asked the question, even admitted that Dawkins was renowned for his apologetical expertise, likewise Craig is his contemporary in every respect.  It seems Dawkins is clinging to his cowardice.  Of course our good friend Mr. Loftus  weighs in:

I suspect Dawkins is merely mocking Craig. He surely knows who Craig is by now. He’s using the now famous Courtier’s Reply in response. Everyone knows that Dawkins does not have a philosophical/theological background so he would probably lose such a debate (at least in the minds of most Christians), just as Christopher Hitchens lost his debate with Craig, especially since Craig is a master debater

Now let me get this straight…’everyone knows that Dawkins does not have philosophical/theological background’.  Funny seems the audience member believes Dawkins is the leading apologizer for Atheism – a form of philosophy.  Last time I checked Craig, when debating his opponents, tries his best to use strict philosophy rather then theology.  Seems there is a contradiction between what Loftus thinks Dawkins is and how the rest of the intellectual community perceives him.  Loftus if you go around debating bishops and other members of the church publicly on an issue, you can’t be choosy, you’ve declared yourself a philosopher.

Tags: Atheism, Creationism, Dawkins, Hitchens, John W. Loftus, New Atheism, Theism, theology, William Lane Craig