# Debates with William Lane Craig **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 1, 2011, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debates-with-william-lane-craig/566021 "2011-01-01T04:26:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2011, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debates-with-william-lane-craig/566021/21 "2011-01-03T19:34:25Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > No, that was Larry Sanders. You’re thinking of the Kentucky Fried Chicken guy. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2011, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debates-with-william-lane-craig/566021/22 "2011-01-03T20:22:13Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > I’m not going to take a position as to whether or not Dio would beat WLC, but I will point out that, if I’m understanding correctly, we’re discussing two different formats here. > > WLC may shine in live debates, but an online forum is a different thing. You have time to research and think about your responses. This would make it much easier to call WLC on bullshit facts and bad logic. Good summary, people have been misunderstanding. Dio and a multitude of other competent posters would pound WLC to a blubbering wreck on this site. If he were to try to replicate his on-stage technique he’d be branded a troll within two pages. His posts would be pulled apart and evidence demanded for his claims. If he can’t substantiate them in clear language and concepts he’d be rightly ridiculed. (and being a theologian means that you never use a sentence when a paragraph will do) Most importantly…his words and claims remain so can be scanned for meaning at our leisure (and there is no emoticon for “smoke and mirrors” so he’d be shit out of luck there) He is only good on stage because what he does is a performance, and a skilled one certainly but one with no more connection to reality than James Bond. The staged debate plays into his hands, it is a format that favours the fast not the facts. ---
**Author:** ![Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superfluous_Parentheses)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2011, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debates-with-william-lane-craig/566021/23 "2011-01-03T21:40:38Z")
I’ve seen very little of WLC’s debating tactics, but he seems to me extremely “careful” in how he’s framing the debate- to the point where I pretty much stop watching 5 minutes after he’s opened his mouth because he’s propping up very nicely posited straw men left right and center when given half a chance - but when actually going against someone like that in a live debate (not this forum) I’d be very impressed if Dio could stand up to him for even one round let alone “destroy him”. If you have to do that in real time it’s extremely hard to do. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2011, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debates-with-william-lane-craig/566021/24 "2011-01-03T21:55:33Z")
That’s his primary tactic is framing the premises is very friendly terms. In his resurrection argument, for instance, he basically insists that it be taken as a given that the disciples claimed to have seen a physically resurrecetd Jesus, then knocks down a series of strawman arguments like “mass hallucination” to conclude they must have been telling the truth. Getting his opponent to accept the premise is already three quarters of the battle. I don’t know why they accept him on it. If I recall correctly, he refused to debate Ehrman unless Ehrman would accept the empty tomb claims at face value. ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2011, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debates-with-william-lane-craig/566021/25 "2011-01-03T23:15:47Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I don’t know why they accept him on it. If I recall correctly, he refused to debate Ehrman unless Ehrman would accept the empty tomb claims at face value. Your second sentence details the why. If his opponent won’t accept his criteria, there is no debate. This is what happened in his debate with Carrier. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2011, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debates-with-william-lane-craig/566021/26 "2011-01-04T02:31:22Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > [Some transcripts here](http://www.reasonablefaith.org/site/PageServer?pagename=debates_main&printer_friendly=1). Hey, **Dio** , howzabout warning a fella when registration is going to be required? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2011, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debates-with-william-lane-craig/566021/27 "2011-01-04T02:37:43Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Hey, **Dio** , howzabout warning a fella when registration is going to be required? Sorry. I got the link from another board, and didn’t check it well. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debates-with-william-lane-craig/566021.md?page=1)