Think small debate
Think small debate
With all due respect to Bob’s counter offer for a guest slot on his show, I see too many drawbacks. First is that there are pertinent scientific arguments that are much better presented with visual aids. Second, a formal debate gives both sides equal opportunity to develop their ideas without interruption from the opposing side. Third, as was evident in the February debate, even giving each side a full 30 minutes for their opening presentation and a follow-up 20 minute rebuttal period was almost too brief to do much more than skim over parts of the subject matter. Bob’s current 30 minute shows are too short to even accommodate a single full opening presentation of the sort that were given in February.
I have been thinking over the logistics of the debate. Holding it in Denver would essentially eliminate me bringing a support group for my side. As you mention, there are marketing issues if you want to draw a large audience, and I don’t have any particular credentials that would be effective in that respect. But I am not bothered with the realization that my audience may be small, and may be largely adversarial. I would hope to correct some scientific ideas that I think Bob is misrepresenting. Bringing people already in agreement with me might make me feel that I am not alone, but much of what I would say they already know and agree with, so it would be of little benefit to them. I would hope that Bob’s audience would come to understand the science more clearly than the poor presentation of it Bob has fed them.
Perhaps we could reach a mutually agreeable intermediate arrangement. For example, (and I have no idea if this would be commensurate with your church schedules), I would be willing to hold the debate with primarily just interested members of the Denver Bible church as the audience, on a Sunday or at whatever time would be convenient. Even though it would be much scaled down in size from the February debate, I would still ask for essentially the same time allocation (30 min opening, 20 min rebuttal, and Q&A time) so we are talking about a 3-hour block of time. I would want the proceeding videotaped by both sides. I would require both video and sound for my presentation. I can arrange to bring my own video projection and sound equipment if needed. Bob or his staff would need to make arrangements for a suitable location.
Since the core of the debate revolves around science, and realizing science is not a field most people understand well, I would endeavor to keep the presentation at a level understandable by the average person, but not sacrifice scientific accuracy in the process.
Pass this by Bob and see what he thinks.