Does God Exist? ( Hamza's Opening Statement - 1 of 4 )
  • 12 years ago
Does God exist? What evidence supports the existence of God? Representing the Muslim perspective was Hamza Andreas Tzortzis, Brother Hamza is an international public speaker on Islam. He is a writer with articles, essays and commentaries on political philosophy, the philosophy of religion and society. Hamza is an intellectual activist actively engaging on issues pertaining to religion, social cohesion and politics. Hamza is also a researcher with a recent publication on non-Muslim perceptions on Islam and Muslims. Hamza regularly participates in debates and symposiums with leading intellectuals, public speakers and academics on topics concerning western and Islamic philosophy, politics and current affairs. For example he participated in a debate with the president of American Atheists, Dr. Ed Buckner on "Islam or Atheism?", he also debated the editor of the Philosophy Now magazine Rick Lewis, entitled God: Delusion or Truth? and he participated in a debate with the best selling author, philosophy lecturer and chair of the British Humanist Association's Philosophers Group Peter Cave on Can We Live Better Lives Without Religion? More recently Hamza debated the highly acclaimed professor, Simon Blackburn, who is one of the leading atheist and humanist academics in the world. The debate was held in the historic Cambridge University debating chambers. Hamza regularly appears in the media explaining and demystifying Islam and providing unique perspectives on current affairs. He has appeared on the BBC, BBC Arabic, BBC Radio 4, Press TV, Islam Channel, Nile TV, Ummah TV, Iqra TV, TV3 (Malaysia) and National Public Radio of America. Hamza lectures all around the world on topics related to Islam, philosophy and politics. He is a regular speaker at universities across the UK and he is one of the main initiators of the contemporary emergence of Muslim public speakers using Islamic and Western philosophy to shed light on Islam and demystify its way of life. Representing the Humanist side was Dr. Philip Nathan: Dr. Nathan is the public speaker for the North East Humanists (NEH), the UK's largest Group of it's kind outside of London. The Tyneside Group of the North East Humanists was founded in 1957, but organised secularism in the North East had been active from the 1860s. Together with the Teesside Group we adopted the name North East Humanists in 1997. Humanists are concerned with values and moral issues from a non-religious viewpoint and with the achievement of a more open, just and caring society. Through National and International Humanist, Ethical and Secular movements, we have representation with the U.K. Government, at the European Union and at the United Nations. The Topic of Debate: Does God Exist? Hamza Andreas Tzortzis (www.hamzatzortzis.com) vs. Dr. Philip Nathan ( www.northeast.humanists.net ) ( The Constantine Lecture Theatre, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, UK July 18th 2009 ) 
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