The Great (upcoming) Debate

I enjoy reading a blog called "Vox Popoli". The author, Theodore Beale, uses the Nom de plume Vox Day, and is a very savvy and independently wealthy dude that dabbles in science fiction writing. Actually fantasy writing, to be more precise.

He enjoys calling himself a "scientist and Christian Libertarian", his latest metamorphosis being into a "Japanese scientist and Christian Libertarian".

He comes from the school of thought that says God created Adam out of clay and Eve from one of Adam's ribs. He relishes in applying logic and reason to his arguments, using dozens of books and very astute authors in his support for his side of the story, and has an open challenge to debate anyone in the ID/creationist battle for hearts and minds, or whatever it is they are fighting over.

Well, someone named Scott Hatfield has "cheerfully" accepted his challenge, so Vox has set up the ground rules(Round one to Vox) for this event and the time it is to commence.

I will read with my usual anticipation of humor, intentional or otherwise, that will be prevalent in this debate, one to be conducted in a Christian blog, rules graciously provided by the Japanese scientist Christian Libertarian author.

I have no idea who Scott Hatfield is, nor do I care. What I am really interested in is what premise Vox will be using to base all his rationale and logic on. Since the best logic in the world is worthless if based on an flawed or incorrect premise, this becomes key.

Scholars and theologians around the world now acknowledge that the biblical tales of creation, of Adam and Eve, the Tower of Babel, the Deluge, the Garden of Eden, were based on texts written down millenia earlier in Mesopotamia, mostly by the Sumerians.The Sumerians, in turn, clearly stated that they got their knowledge of these events from the very old(pre historic) writings of a people they called the Anunnaki.

Clay tablets, tens of thousands of them, have been unearthed in the last hundred and fifty years that have now been successfully translated, revealing earlier versions of all these tales of creation.

So is would seem to me that the Vox should identify which particular version of all this he intends to use as a premise for his side of the argument:

-1) The Jewish version of these tales written down in what we refer to as the Old Testament, obviously "borrowed" from the Sumerians, and then rather selfishly credited to their own particular god:

-2) The Sumerian version of these tales, whom they readily admitted they were not the authors of, tales they say they got from a race called the Anunnaki:

-3) The Anunnaki version of these tales, pretty well shrouded and lost in the fog of time.

All three choices seem pretty shaky to me, but let's see what he comes up with, and what he will use as the foundation for all his logic.

Let's hope they stay focused, something seldom done.