The #CreationDebate ended a little bit ago, as did the post-event interview with Piers Morgan on CNN.
I’m still sitting here trying to sort through all that I (we?) just witnessed and experienced. (I’m also wondering how bad a level-2 snow emergency is and what it means for those traveling home after the debate there in Kentucky)
My quick-and-somewhat-random thoughts:
1. That wasn’t fun.
I didn’t enjoy watching the debate tonight. Not sure why I imagined I would, initially, but I didn’t sit here with a smile on my face or warm feelings in my gut. I expected to ‘enjoy’ watching and taking notes. I didn’t. It may have been the ‘overload’ or the (as I expected) continual skirting of issues instead of staying on topic.
2. That wasn’t much of a ‘debate’.
The format wasn’t to my liking. The initial 5-minute introductory statements were followed by 30-minute presentations by each presenter were followed by 5-minute ‘rebuttals’ and then another 5-minute rebuttal for the initial rebuttal to be rebutted. (lost yet?) What followed then was a sequence of Q&A featuring written-questions from the audience presented to each presenter followed by a 5-minute answer from presenter #1 and a 1-minute answer by presenter #2. This went back-and-forth to be fair, but seemed difficult to follow and there were a few times that even the presenter had to ask for the question to be re-read because the initial answer-er went off-topic. I wished for more back-and-forth opportunities between the two presenters, and I feel they would’ve both excelled in an opportunity to dialogue with a moderator stepping in to give guidance to who has the floor to keep the time-constraints in line. It was much more presentation and much-less ‘debate’ in my opinion.
3. I’m still a young earth creationist and some of my peers are Bible-believing, God-fearing evolutionists.
I’m doubtful that ANY minds were changed tonight (on either side). This was a common-expectation going in to tonight’s event. There will be factions on either side touting ‘victory’, but I think deep down both sides know this is an ‘agree to disagree’ argument.
That’s just the quick-off-the-brain thoughts post-event.
I did take notes of the entire event and I look forward to reading follow up articles and posts about other people’s take on the event tonight.
My notes are available by clicking here.
