Always Ready Ministries, a Skyline College-based group of Christian apologists, hosted this debate on the Skyline College campus, billing the debate as "David Fitzgerald (Atheist) vs. Chang Yuon (Christian)."
Chang won the coin toss and began his opening remarks with an acknowledgement that the burden of proof was on his side. He knows his Bible, and he pointed out many examples of how the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) "harmonize' with each other by offering different takes on the life of Jesus. Dave, however, hammered away with example after example of how the Gospels contradict each other (and not just on some minor points). Chang accused Dave, as an open atheist, of having a "bias" against the Bible. Dave agreed, and promoted the idea that bias is a good thing: approaching everything with a critical eye is important. Dave asked if Chang, and the Christians in the audience, approach, say, The Book of Mormon and the Bhagavad-Gita with bias.
In closing arguments, Dave very effectively asked Chang to repeat one of his closing arguments that implored people to read the Bible with strong faith and to not let the contradictions keep them from the underlying truth -- but to replace mention of "Bible" with "Book of Mormon." The point was made without Chang having to do that at all.
Is The New Testament Reliable? I came in thinking "no," and left with the same conviction.
