Friday, February 20, 2009

A Compliment from a Surprising Source I Hadn't Seen Before

My arch-critic Richard Carrier:

I'm no longer sure. The more see of their arguments and speeches and debates the more cynical I get about their honesty. It becomes hard to maintain once you put all the facts together. So far there is only one apologist I know whom I actually trust as honest: Victor Reppert. I think he tells the truth as he sees it and doesn't make sh*t up or play rhetorical games or get angry when he runs out of arguments. That doesn't mean I consider all others to be dishonest, since most I simply don't know well enough to say either way. But those I do know a lot about (e.g. Habermas, Geivett, Craig, etc.) I just don't trust--or in some cases, actively distrust. Sadly, I've had so many experiences with dishonest Christians I can't afford to give any Christian the benefit of a doubt, so it's fair to say the liars have really hurt their cause.

I don't share his dismal view of my fellow apologists. I really do think that apologetics should be a matter of reflecting as carefully and honestly as possible on the issues, and if your reflections support your religious, then you ought to be able to say so, and why so.

Anyway, I do appreciate responses of this sort to my efforts.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

When will the two of you debate?

Anonymous said...

Carrier did a Kent Hovind-style quote-mine on N.T. Wright during his debate with Mike Licona and calls christian apologists dishonest?

Dick, come back to reality.

Anonymous said...

Vic Reppert: doesn't make sh*t up.

dvd said...

Richard Carrier just "dished" Habermas there, but when he appeared on the Infidel Guy with Habermas, it was Richard Carrier who sounded like he was just making "sh*t up".

Dan said...

you've gotta get "[I don't] make shit up" trademarked... You can be the first professional philosopher with a slogan. Think of the draw to your works that would catalyze.

Victor Reppert said...

I'll have to have him put that on the blurb of my next book.

Andrew T. said...

I'm no Carrier, but I echo his sentiments; that's why I continue to post here and link from my blog and the like.

Perezoso said...

Doc Reppert does allow spirited debate, and unlike many theo-blogs, he allows the heathen unbelievers to belch their pagan iniquities; on many theo-blogs simply mentioning say a Darwin or Nietzsche results in moderation/deletion. So, VR gets some credit for that, though I think the blog's still slanted to the believers. At least it's CS Lewis hype instead of, say, the calvinist Wehrmacht of triablogue.

Andrew T. said...

That could be another tag-line: "Kind of like tribalogue, only less obnoxious, less Calvinist, and far less likely to be enamored of presuppositionalist wordplay."

Victor Reppert said...

Why would anyone expect my blog not to be slanted in favor of what I do believe, as opposed to what I don't??

Bjørn Are said...

If they thought you were dishonest;-)

Anonymous said...

New tagline for Dangerous Idea:

"Doesn't Make Shit Up"

Eric Koski said...

"tribalogue" (smirk)

Blue Devil Knight said...

I agree with Carrier in spirit, if not literally. Clearly Reppert isn't in the 'haughty holier than thou' camp of apologists. Give them a few years of schooling and look out then they go off the deep end with their arrogance. Not Victor.

Ilíon said...

R.Carrier: "The more see of their arguments and speeches and debates the more cynical I get about their honesty. It becomes hard to maintain once you put all the facts together. So far there is only one apologist I know whom I actually trust as honest: Victor Reppert."

I really don't enjoy believing ... or stating ... that other persons are intellectually dishonest. Yet, the belief is unavoidable, at times; and in my experience Mr Carrier really does need to look to the board in his own eye before he starts accusing others of having sawdust in theirs.

Anonymous said...
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Ilíon said...

Reformed Baptist, was that Mr Carrier? I was thinking that that was Mr L-----.