On the Road with Atheism

Nate Wilson is tagging along as his father, Douglas Wilson, and Christopher Hitchens go on a debate tour, discussing whether or not Christianity is good for the world (thereby reprising their online debate from last year).

[T]o be honest, the most interesting moments have all been outside the formal events — discussions over meals, in cabs and elevators. Both men share a love of poetry (over lunch, they gave an antiphonal recitation of “Jabberwocky”), a love of the English language and the well-turned phrase, and have spent a good ten minutes spouting favorite lines from the British writer P. G. Wodehouse to mutual laughter. And both men have a respect for each other — though clearly not for their conflicting opinions of God and the nature of the world.

Douglas Wilson is also blogging about the tour, which is being filmed by a documentary crew.

Which, on a sidenote, reminds me of a comment I made a few weeks ago to Aaron, that in this day and age of films like Religulous and Expelled, what I’d really like to see is a film where experts, intellectuals, and authors from all sides — atheists, agnostics, and believers — just sit down and have a good, old-fashioned, passionate, and respectful debate. Sounds like I may have just found my film.