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DEBATE: ‘This House Welcomes the Decline of Organised Religion’ (10th Oct 2019, Durham Union, Durham University, UK)

By Abdullah al Andalusi on October 9, 2019 • ( 1 )

The Durham Debating Union are hosting a debate at Durham University on the motion ‘This House Welcomes the Decline of Organised Religion’ this coming Thursday 10th October 2019. The debate will see myself debating alongside the renown Christian scholar Richard Swinburne, against the leader of the radical feminist group, FEMEN, Inna Shevchenko, as well as a spokesperson for the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain (CEMB).

This will be Durham Union’s first event of the (academic) year, and is open to all to come along and see what they do!

This will be the second debate I’ve participated in at the Durham Union, the previous debate was held in 2015, titled: ‘This House is Proud to be Patriotic’ (see video here).

Time: 20:30-22:30

Event Venue: Durham Union Chamber, Pemberton Buildings, Palace Green, Durham DH1 3EP

On the motion (‘This House Welcomes the Decline of Organised Religion’) will speak the following of those proposing it:

Proposition

Inna Shevchenko: Leader of FEMEN, the worldwide movement of topless activists that protest against the patriarchy. After being tortured by the KGB in Belarus and having the President of Ukraine call for her arrest, she received asylum in France.

Maddy Copley: Outreach Officer for the Durham Union, Maddy has previously served as Debates Competitions Secretary, convening the Durham IV, the Durham Open and Durham Schools, the world’s largest residential schools debating competition.

Sadia Hameed: Spokesperson for the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain and an award-winning campaigner for women’s rights, focusing on ending honour based violence and casework for asylum seekers.

Opposition

Professor Richard Swinburne: One of the most influential religious philosophers of the last fifty years, receiving academic and popular acclaim for his work arguing for the existence of God. He is a prominent Christian Apologetic.

Abdullah al Andalusi: co-founder of the Muslim Debate Initiative and an Islamic speaker. He has spoken internationally on theology and philosophy, defending the belief systems of the classical Sunni schools of thought.

Balvinder Sidhu: ITV Presenter, as seen on Good Morning Britain. Balvinder is an award-winning journalist, having been crowned Asian Woman of Achievement in 2018 and Journalist of the Year, and is committed to making the media more diverse.