Over three hundred people were in attendance on Friday, February 27th, in MacMillan Hall to see Dr. Malcolm Murray and Dr. Joe Velaidum debate the most sensitive of topics: God's existence.
The debate was a joint presentation by the UPEI Student Union and UPEI Political Studies Society. The debate, first in a series of joint productions of the UPEISU and UPEI PSS, was impressively well-attended. Many, including organizers, were surprised at the vast numbers that came out on a Friday night. Anticipating a turnout of about 200, only 230 chairs were laid out in the room. Matthew Morrison, Vice President Executive of the Student Union, was thrilled with the turnout. "I was over the moon," he said, beaming. Co-organizer Daniel Roper was also pleased with the turnout. "We wanted to attract people from different faculties with something that we felt people would be interested in ... I think it displayed that students, given the right activity, will come."
According to Roper, the two profs were chosen based on their popularity and knowledge of the subject. Murray, associate professor of philosophy, defended atheism, while Velaidum, chair of the Religious Studies department, argued on behalf of a postmodern, monotheistic god.
Given their doctorates and intrinsic wisdom, neither professor expected to solve the problem in the given time. Murray explained afterward, “it was a chance to debate on an academic level and reflect on the issue.” The debate itself was 60 minutes long and focused on a variety of issues born of God's nature and logical probability of existence. The questions, ranging from “if an all-loving, all-knowing, all-powerful God exists, why is there so much evil in the world,” to simply, ”define existence.” were devised by the organizers, students, and other professors. Because Velaidum argued on behalf of God conceived as love, as a thing that is GREATER than a thing, it was not so much a debate (both agreed that God did not 'exist') as a presentation of differing views. Although the two were arguing on behalf of their personally held convictions, they have both batted for and against God in the past.
While both sides hashed it out with gusto, there was general consensus that there was no clear winner. Ripe was an air of disappointment in the crowd as time wore on and it became clear that God would not be appearing in his defense. Both professors agreed, however, that the debate was not one where a winner could be declared (save for a surprise guest). Students were mixed on who won the debate, mostly opting to sit on the proverbial fence. "It was an intellectual debate so no one won. I know that's not what your looking for but thats all you're going to get," quipped third year Religious Studies major Robbie Saada to a Semantic reporter. Others were more supportive of a particular stance: Patrick Callbeck, a third year business student, sided with Murray. "I thought the debate went well, but I was kinda disappointed with the position Joe took. It didn't really allow for as intense of a debate as most were hoping for. In the end I thought Malcolm came out on top. I believe his arguments were more convincing, while Joe seemed to say the same thing over and over."
In Velaidum's youth, he, like many children, was resentful about his forced attendance at Sunday School in his youth and even flirted with atheism before ultimately finding God during his undergrad. "I went through an atheist phase," he said. Conversely, Murray grew up in what he calls an “uncommitted atheist family”. Later, his brother would become a devout theist and encouraged him to read the bible. “I was never a committed theist,” said Murray, “but I swapped back and forth.” The author of the forthcoming book, “The Atheist's Primer,” he has long since ceased swapping sides.
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