# The Happy Heretic wants to debate a Christian **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 11, 2003, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-happy-heretic-wants-to-debate-a-christian/181003 "2003-06-11T00:48:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-happy-heretic-wants-to-debate-a-christian/181003/1 "2003-06-11T00:48:20Z")
In The Happy Heretic’s current monthly column at [http://www.thehappyheretic.com/current.htm](http://www.thehappyheretic.com/current.htm), she says: > [@](#): > > I would like a Christian debating partner (or a team that speaks with one voice) who would be willing to debate me and have the full debate posted on my site as one of my monthly columns. She has more conditions, and the debate topics are limited to the questions that already appear in the current column. (These questions tend to be rants against a certain narrow sector of conservative Christianity whose influence is felt out-of-proportion to its numbers.) I know there are some pretty sharp Christians on this board. Would any of you like to take her on? Or debate her questions here? ---
**Author:** ![Ben\_Hicks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbce88/32.png) [@Ben\_Hicks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ben_Hicks)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-happy-heretic-wants-to-debate-a-christian/181003/2 "2003-06-11T01:42:47Z")
No offense if you like her or anything, but she seems like a bit of an idiot. The Ten Commandments argument is just plain farcical, of the 2 abortion arguments she throws out one (the partial birth one) is a strawman and the other displays a woeful lack of, well, pragmatic common sense as much as anything else. As for the public prayer thing, doesn’t that apply only to fundies? I think we can all agree fundies are idiots. Who cares what they think? Her page is also replete simplistic analyses and silly comments like: > [@](#): > > As we waited for one of the dumbest wars in history to commence, **not that there have been any smart ones** Sprechen sie Deutch, Fraulein? :rolleyes: Frankly, I’d rather stay here and debate some smart atheists. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-happy-heretic-wants-to-debate-a-christian/181003/3 "2003-06-11T01:50:56Z")
Yeah, her articles seem to put brainpower on the second-tier rack in favor of working herself into a lather. Perhaps she’s never debated a Christian with a brain before – having only been exposed to the hick variety of Fundamentalists. Which is why this sounds like a good opportunity to giver her a sobering dose of **real** debating. ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-happy-heretic-wants-to-debate-a-christian/181003/4 "2003-06-11T02:31:53Z")
I refuse to pay any attention to a website that attempts to make my computer monitor look textured, or implies that they text was written with a fancy quill pen. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-happy-heretic-wants-to-debate-a-christian/181003/5 "2003-06-11T11:03:58Z")
I think I might be up for it. ---
**Author:** ![bifar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@bifar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bifar)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-happy-heretic-wants-to-debate-a-christian/181003/6 "2003-06-11T11:33:08Z")
Go Mangetout! ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-happy-heretic-wants-to-debate-a-christian/181003/7 "2003-06-11T11:42:33Z")
It is done; here’s my email: Emails redacted per request Hi Judith An online acquaintance informed me of your search for a Christian online debate/discussion partner. I would be quite interested in taking part in this. A little about myself: My name is Mike, I am in my mid-thirties, a family man and I live in Southern England. I am a long-standing member of the Methodist Church, I consider myself a Christian - I would not describe myself as a fundamentalist or conservative though, indeed I think I’d be quite unable to address many of the pointed questions/statements posted on your current page, for example “Why are you so insistent on public prayer?” - I’d have to honestly and simply answer “I’m not”. Anyway, if you’d find it at all useful to have my input, such as it is, I gladly offer it. Regards Mike PS, I’m well aware that debates in this arena run hot and so I have created this email account specifically for the purpose of this dialogue; I will attempt to honestly reply to everything that arrives here for as long as I am practically able, but I reserve the right to close down the account if abuse (from third parties) starts to become a serious problem. [/quote] ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-happy-heretic-wants-to-debate-a-christian/181003/8 "2003-06-11T13:37:51Z")
75% likely Mangetout gets no response 20% likely he gets a response to the effect of “You aren’t what I was looking for.” 5% likely she accepts. “Judith” isn’t looking for a debate, she’s looking for some dumbass she can tear apart. ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-happy-heretic-wants-to-debate-a-christian/181003/9 "2003-06-11T13:38:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ben Hicks \* > \*\* > > As for the public prayer thing, doesn’t that apply only to fundies? I think we can all agree fundies are idiots. > > \*\* Well, I think I’m a fundie, and I know I’m not an idiot. I believe, as do fundies, that God created man on the 6th day, that the flood really did happen, and Jesus will return someday. however, unlike all other fundies, I am to the left politically, and have no problem with gay marriage (Canada just had one today!) So…am I an unusual fundie? ---
**Author:** ![Mars\_Horizon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mars_horizon/32/2804_2.png) [@Mars\_Horizon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mars_Horizon)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-happy-heretic-wants-to-debate-a-christian/181003/10 "2003-06-11T13:55:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by vanilla \* > \*\*So…am I an unusual fundie? \*\* Yes 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-happy-heretic-wants-to-debate-a-christian/181003/11 "2003-06-11T13:57:01Z")
You’re unique **vanilla** (just like everybody else). Certainly not an idiot, in my opinion - all sweeping generalisations are wrong. **RickJay** - nail, head, hit. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-happy-heretic-wants-to-debate-a-christian/181003/12 "2003-06-11T14:47:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mangetout \* > \*\*It is done; here’s my email: \*\* Assuming she does take you up on your offer, do please keep us informed! I’d love to read a debate between this woman and a SDMB veteran like yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-happy-heretic-wants-to-debate-a-christian/181003/13 "2003-06-11T14:53:43Z")
Assuming she takes me up on the offer, hopefully she will also make good on her offer to publish the dialogue on her site and I’ll just be able to post a link. I’m trying not to be too cynical at this stage… ---
**Author:** ![APB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e8cbc/32.png) [@APB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/APB)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-happy-heretic-wants-to-debate-a-christian/181003/14 "2003-06-11T15:01:31Z")
You could start by explaining to her what a ‘latte machine’ is. [http://www.thehappyheretic.com/donations.htm](http://www.thehappyheretic.com/donations.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-happy-heretic-wants-to-debate-a-christian/181003/15 "2003-06-11T15:09:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mangetout \* > \*\*Assuming she takes me up on the offer, hopefully she will also make good on her offer to publish the dialogue on her site and I’ll just be able to post a link. > > I’m trying not to be too cynical at this stage… \*\* Hopefully she’ll take you on, I’ve seen what you can do, and I’m impressed to say the least. 😃 Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-happy-heretic-wants-to-debate-a-christian/181003/16 "2003-06-11T15:15:34Z")
You’re too kind, honestly. ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-happy-heretic-wants-to-debate-a-christian/181003/17 "2003-06-11T15:44:15Z")
Several years ago, she and I had a short run in. I told her that she should either lighten up or change the name of her site, since there was nothing **happy** about its content. She replied that she had a large following among college students that were questioning their religious beliefs. My answer was that it was not hard to find or impress college students engaged in such a search. If I remember correctly she told me to go have sexual relations with myself. :eek: Somewhere in that exchange it became clear that she attacks fundamentalist ideas, but actually has little use for anyone that believes there is a Higher Being.\*\*\*\*\* Her intent is to convert everyone to her atheistic beliefs. I personally think she has issues with her Lutheran upbringing. [ul]\***[sup] This is why I agree that it is unlikely that she will accept Mangetout. If she does accept, remember you’ve been forewarned and hopefully forearmed.**[/sup] ;)[/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Aro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Aro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aro)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-happy-heretic-wants-to-debate-a-christian/181003/18 "2003-06-11T15:47:44Z")
For what its worth, I contacted her earlier too (this morning) inviting her to bring her arguments to a thread on this board, rather than running it ‘behind the scenes’, as it were. I have yet to hear back from her either. Keep us informed on whats going on, **Mange**. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-happy-heretic-wants-to-debate-a-christian/181003/19 "2003-06-11T21:14:13Z")
I got a reply stating that I had been one of 45 applicants and she would let me know - I thanked her, but I suspect I may not be the right material. Good call on the invite to the board, **Aro** , although from what I’ve read of her site, she would find it tough going here (in the same sort of way that **Lolo** did (remember him?) ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-happy-heretic-wants-to-debate-a-christian/181003/20 "2003-06-11T23:28:32Z")
Good luck to you, **Mangetout** , although I think she may think non-Fundies aren’t nearly as much fun. By the way, to risk a hijack, you do realize I’ve got a fair number of relatives running around southern England. Next time I’m over visiting them, shall I see if I can include at least one non-relative? CJ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-happy-heretic-wants-to-debate-a-christian/181003.md?page=2)