Difference in beliefs

Headlights streamed and gleamed down Jordan Avenue last night as people poured into the IU Auditorium parking lot to witness the Great Debate on the existence of God.\nStudents clumped together on the steps of the Auditorium, chatting about their expectations. One group of gentlemen was jokingly placing bets on who would win.\nBloomington resident Brian Darnell, 20, said he didn't believe either side could actually "win."\n"Each speaker will say something to contradict the other and, in the end, only God can impress his existence upon the hearts of people in ways that no human can," Darnell said.\nEven though many people came with already-formulated opinions on the existence, or lack thereof, of a god, the auditorium was packed for the debate.\nModerator Tim O'Connor began Round 1 by prevaricating with a reminder that "this is a formal debate -- no cheering and definitely no jeering during statements, and no partisan applause…" \nFirst up was Dr. William Craig, author of "Jesus Christ's Resurrection: Fact or Figment?" He argued under the premise that atheism is all speculation and no evidence.\nFollowing this statement with a series of scientific explanations, he occasionally drew blank and puzzled looks from the audience. His main reason was that the beginning of the world couldn't start from nothing and the universe can't be infinitely old because infinity exists only in a person's imagination. He dubbed the Big Bang theory "nonsensical" and "implausible." \nHe didn't say the existence of God was necessarily right, but that it was more probable that atheism was wrong.\nDr. Keith Parsons, author of "God and the Burden of Proof," responded by arguing that the existence of a god was all speculation and no evidence. His main reasons were that human consciousness depends solely on the brain (not a soul), that pointless evil exists and that people never have an actual experience of God. \nHe pointed to anthropomorphism as the reason why humans are determined to find their own image in everything, even if it means fabricating a supreme being in their likeness.\nCraig said that if students take one thing from the debate, it is to understand that the belief in a god is an intellectually viable option for university students today. \nParsons added that the lack of belief in a god is equally viable. \nJunior Joshua Griswold, a member of Campus Crusades for Christ who helped organize the debate, said it was a good experience because it motivated people to think about their spiritual lives.\n"This debate gave an equal opportunity to hear both sides, so people could feel non-threatened and question what they believe," Griswold said.