Dr. Bill Craig's Debates: Why do Atheists lose/run away from debating him?

[Nishant Xavier]

@Nishant Xavier

Here's an idea. Why don't YOU present your theistic claims in a new thread and then debate us? Do you have the courage to defend your convictions? 

Yes, I do. Thus, I started threads on (1) The Principle of Contingent Causation, (2) Empirical Evidence of Design in Nature, (3) Conscience and the Moral Argument for the Goodness of God, and lastly and lately, because of the expected objection that this doesn't prove the Christian God, (4) the Historical Evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Might start one on (5) Messianic Prophecies like Isaiah 53, written 700 years before Jesus Christ, that describes the plain fact of His Atoning Sacrifice as a Propitiation for our sins. That one Prophecy, perhaps more than any other, has helped cause Millions of Jews (and also some Muslims and Atheists, though along with other arguments as a cumulative case) to see that Jesus Christ really was the Promised Messiah of Israel, and Redeemer of the world, and who Christianity teaches that He is. There's a youtube video on Isaiah 53 from Tree of Life Ministries with some 3.5 MN views. It's definitely the most famous prophecy in the Bible, and a powerful evidence for the Truth of Christianity imo.

Dr. Craig himself, for some reason, does not really make much use (other than incidental) of Messianic Prophecies in his arguments. St. Thomas certainly does, and also the Early Church Fathers like St. Justin do. I appreciate Dr. Craig for his learning and erudition, apart from his passionate Christian Faith, and also respectful treatment of opponents who disagree. Craig's opponents often resort to ad hominem or personal attacks; a sign of having weak arguments or evidence for the actual Truth of one's own position. Craig himself almost never does. He just dismantles the opponent's arguments with counter-arguments of his own.

As for what someone else said, to be clear, I'm not claiming I know Craig or anything. Lee Strobel is Craig's friend and calls him Bill. And also, I've heard many people, even Atheists who criticize him, call him Bill Craig, colloquially. Hope that was clear. 

Now, those who want to claim Dawkins or someone is more credible than Dr. Craig, they should show some good defensible arguments Dawkins has made for Atheism. Every philosophy or opinion, whether it be belief or non-belief, needs to have some sort of rational justification to back it up. Suppose someone claims Anarchy is the best form of government (or non-government), and also that all who disagree must be either evil or stupid. And when asked to provide some sort of rational sort of justification for this extraordinary claim, replies, "since anarchy is the absence of govt, I don't need to". Sorry, that's not good enough. That's why when Dr. Craig correctly puts Atheists, on the spot, delineating 2 propositions he will defend in the course of his debates, (1) First, there are Good Reasons to think Theism is True (also one of the inspirations for the name I ultimately gave my website), and (2) Second, there are no Good Reasons to think Atheism is True. And then proceeds to expand on both, very few are able to competently answer. It was good to see the Craig vs Hitchens debate, it would have been interesting to see Craig vs Dawkins. When one has the Truth, one doesn't have to be afraid of anything, but rather should calmly and logically, by powerful arguments, demonstrate the Truth, by refuting falsehoods. It should be the easiest thing in the world for those who have the Truth and love the Truth and want Truth to prevail.

God Bless.