Wednesday, 29 May 2013
The Rational Catholic....needed
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| by Vivian Forbes (1927) for Parliament’s History of the “Building of Britain” © Palace of Westminster |
Which brings me to the point of debate with atheists and even fallen-away Catholics. As a former teacher of
argumentation and debate, I taught my students to look at both sides and argue point by point.
This is the classical way of debating. One must understand the opponents' points of views before engaging in debate.
Most modern people do not know how to argue from reason. They have knee-jerk reactions, and very low
levels of rational discourse. Logic has not been required in secondary education for two generations in the States.
Many of the huge cultural problems which will be and are facing Catholics today are owing to the lack of the
ability to argue one's point from reason. We have been let down both by Catholic politicians and Catholic clergy
on the moral issues of the day in this fair land of common law.
Argumentation was part of the training of and used by some of the great martyrs of England, Wales,
Scotland, and Ireland. I think especially of SS. Thomas More, Edmund Campion and Oliver Plunkett.
You can read the transcripts. One may call their methods "apologetics", such as Campion's Brag.
The knew how to put forth the Catholic position and engaged those of opposing beliefs.
Doncha' think we need to teach our children and grandchildren how to engage the enemy with the question
and answer method of Thomas Aquinas, for one example?
I always start by asking questions, such as "Well, what do you think of this?"
Learn how to debate before you will not be able to do so, before freedom of speech disappears in Great Britain
and in America.
