How can I improve my oral debating skills?

In My Humble Opinion
1

I feel my beliefs on religion are fairly well thought out. Although I’m not always so sure. I’m technically an Athiest / Secular Humanist. Also throw in Libertarianism in there. I do not believe in God, nor do I subscribe to any religion. I respect other’s beliefs and am happy to let others live in the best way for them. My philosophy has been formed by my personal experience, and the information I’ve accumulated from various media, as well as what sits best with my gut.

That being said I am horrible at defending my view verbally. I think my oral debate skills are terrible. Tonight someone brought religion vs atheism up in conversation with a friend of mine and I wanted to contribute and defend my position. However I just freeze, and become anxious. Like I’m too sensitive to open myself up for attack, and scared to put my beliefs out there. I seize up, and become frustrated quickly.

Written debating is much stronger for me as it removes the human social component. I think I would benefit from stronger debating skills. Is this a thing I can work on? How?

2

Stand up comedy.

3

You can’t!

(Tip of the hat to MP Complaints Dept. ;))

Perhaps the most important thing is to disassociate yourself personally. If you take insults or unjustified arguments personally, you will get flustered and emotional. This is the kind of thing debaters and lawyers excel at. Heck, debaters have to successfully argue the opposing sides of propositions. The majority of apparent emotion is feigned, calculated to create specific reaction.

Another approach is to learn as much about the opponent’s side as possible. Just about all pro-religion arguments (and partisan arguments on most issues) can be viewed as variations on a very limited number of arguments. It can be effective to (accurately/fairly or not) to characterize the opponent’s words as something else. Don’t let your opponent choose the battlefield.

There are also all kinds of tricks you can use to get your opponent frazzled, to mischaracterize or ridicule his position. They can be very effective, but I assume you are interested in how best to present yourself in a relatively sincere exchange of views.

You have to decide what your goals are in the types of “debate” you wish to engage in. Some amount of spirited discussion is very useful in helping a person formulate his/her opinions; see how they stack up against various challenges. But once you realize what you believe, what is the point in continued debate?

Sorry to be a wet blanket, but I haven’t engaged in any religious/political/etc. debates for decades. Was PolSci major, on the college debate team, and 3 decades as a lawyer/judge. IMO, social debate most often is pointless. Do you really think you will persuade the other person? Or they you? Once you get past 30, if you have been paying attention it is pretty unusual to hear a new “argument” that will significantly change your mind. Not saying it doesn’t happen. I changed my views of capital punishment and gun ownership after age 30, but sorry, my religious views aren’t changing unless the big guy writes his name out in the stars or something.

Now, to differentiate from debate, there is value in being able to express matters you think important in as succinct and persuasive a manner possible. “Elevator speeches” to incorporate into discussions that fall short of debate. But as soon as the other person tries to ramp it up, my response is generally, “Hmm, that’s interesting. Would anyone else like another beer?”

4

Toastmasters can help with speaking skills, including extemporaneous speaking. It’s not a debate club by any means, but if you get anxious and freeze up when trying to communicate orally, it could be really valuable to you.

5

It might help to rephrase your retort into a question. For example, instead of saying ‘But I believe…’ you could say ‘It’s really interesting to hear your point of view. I know that some people think… what do you say to that?’

That way you’re not actually marking yourself as the person with the opposing view, and you’re keeping the conversation civil.

6

You won’t learn to debate topics like athesim on the SDMB, because you won’t get a chance - the thread shitters jump in and try to shout the other side down immediately, and play “atheier than thou” to get kudoes from the audience.

If you want practice, you will need to find a topic where you genuinely disagree with the consensus (here or elsewhere) and practice defending it. You don’t learn anything in an echo chamber.

Regards,
Shodan

7

Religion is about faith, not reason, so what is there to debate?

Are you shy about speaking up in general?

8

I can’t see debating religion. The only thing I find compelling (though never decisive) on either side of the “debate” is quiet certainty.

As far as politics is concerned, I try to adhere to a policy of “say one thing without anger”. Lately when I encounter folks who badmouth illegal immigrants I remind them of the vile things that were said about the Irish and Italians (and other European immigrants). They almost certainly have an answer for that, but that is where my “debate” ends. Travelling further down that road almost certainly ends in a shouting match. Most likely I have changed nothing, but maybe I have made them think a bit.

Typically whatever I say will come to me after a conversation has ended (I am not particularly quick witted). I resolve to use it in the next conversation, revising it over time.

9

I’ll bet if you looked hard enough you could find examples of people reasonably debating religion. But if you’d rather persist in this unfounded belief, and can stand the irony…

10

Seconding Toastmasters. Getting more comfortable with public speaking in general (including extemporaneous speaking, as mentioned) will help your ability to debate.

11

Debating its merits or lack thereof, its influence, its effect on the individual, interpretations of its texts, its origins, or anything along those lines, sure, but its truth, as the “religion vs. atheism” debate mentioned in the OP suggests? There is no reasonable basis for debate.

12

Sounds like stage fright. One of the best ways to overcome this is by practice. You must put yourself into situations where you have to make your point. You aren’t going to win ever debate but overtime you learn the skills. It’s like doing sales, if you have never done it before, it can be very hard to get started. But the way to have success is to continue to do this. Most people in their everyday life don’t have to defend their ideas, work or explain why the bill from their company is correct to an angry customer.

13

Let Lewis Carroll be your guide! From Alice in Wonderland:
*“You are old,” said the youth, “And your jaws are too weak
For anything tougher than suet;
Yet you finished the goose, with the bones and the beak—
Pray, how did you manage to do it?”

“In my youth,” said his father, “I took to the law,
And argued each case with my wife;
And the muscular strength which it gave to my jaw,
Has lasted the rest of my life.”*

14

Oral debating skills? Is that what the kids are calling it these days?