Eddie Tabash
Edward Tabash, more commonly referred to as Eddie Tabash, is an American lawyer and political/social activist. Tabash is an atheist and a proponent of the strict separation of church and state. Politically, Tabash is a secular leftist who vehemently opposes the religious right.[1] In addition, Tabash believes that abortion should be a legally permissible and is an outspoken critic of the pro-life position. He indicates he is "the most public pro-choice male activist" in Southern California.[2]
He chairs the Board of Directors for the Center for Inquiry.
He debated the prominent Christian apologists William Lane Craig, Peter van Inwagen, J.P. Moreland, Greg Bahnsen and Richard Swinburne.
Tabash, whose father was an Orthodox Jewish rabbi and whose mother was an Auschwitz survivor, previously practiced Eastern/New Age religion before becoming an atheist.[3][4]
Contents
Eddie Tabash vs. Christian apologists debates
- Greg Bahnsen vs. Eddie Tabash debate
- William Lane Craig versus Eddie Tabash Debate
- Is the Supernatural Real? Eddie Tabash vs J.P. Moreland
- Dr. Phil Fernandez vs. Eddie Tabash debate
CARM on Eddie Tabash
See also: Atheism and the origin of the universe
Matt Slick, the president of the Christian apologetics organization Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry (CARM), poses this question to Tabash:
| “ | Mr. Tabash, in your debate with Phil Fernandez..., you said, “We can’t even speak of a cause [of the universe] because there was no time and space for sequential causation to play out before the big bang occurred.” However, in your debate with Todd Friel at 17:52, you said, “There seems to be no reason why an initial uncaused state of the universe cannot be the self-explanatory cause of everything else.” So, with Mr. Fernandez you say that you can’t even speak of a cause, yet with Friel you say that the cause is uncaused. Can you explain why you contradict yourself in these two different debates?[5] | ” |
Eddie Tabash on the American atheist movement
See also: American atheism and Atheists and the endurance of religion and Decline of the atheist movement
Tabash said at the 2010 Michigan Atheists State Convention:
| “ | In every generation there has been a promising beginning of a true vanguard movement that will finally achieve widespread public acceptance for nonbelief. Yet, in each generation there has been an ultimately disappointing failure to actually register the naturalistic alternative to supernatural claims in the public consciousness...
Now given the confounding extent to which religion is entrenched in our society, it could take a minimum of 100 years of sustained, intense effort to even begin to cut into the current monolithic stranglehold that religion has on American mass culture, [6] |
” |
Tabash's proposal for gains in atheist acceptance unrealistic
The likelihood that American atheists will engage to 100 years of sustained, intense effort as far as atheist activism is remote (See: Atheism and apathy and Views on atheists).
Pew Research reported about the American public::
| “ | In the 2014 Religious Landscape Study, self-identified atheists were asked how often they share their views on God and religion with religious people. Only about one-in-ten atheists (9%) say they do at least weekly, while roughly two-thirds (65%) say they seldom or never discuss their views on religion with religious people. By comparison, 26% of those who have a religious affiliation share their views at least once a week with those who have other beliefs; 43% say they seldom or never do.[7] | ” |
Also, a 100-year sustained and intense effort of atheist activism would require a high degree of cohesiveness and cooperation among atheists. Tabash said in a speech to the Michigan Atheists State Convention, "Since we are a bit of a cantankerous, opinionated lot...".[8] See also: Atheist factions and Atheism and social skills
In addition, demographic trends point to the atheist population in the United States plateauing in the 21st century as far its proportion of the American public (see: Demographics and trends in American secularism).
Furthermore, due to various historical events/trends, the atheist movement saw a number of setbacks during the latter portion of the 20th century and beyond. As a result, it has lost a considerable amount of confidence (See: Decline of the atheist movement and Atheists and the endurance of religion).[9]
Education
Tabash graduated graduated magna cum laude from UCLA in 1973. Subsequently, he obtained a law degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles in 1976.
See also
Notes
- ↑ The Religious Right: Stronger Than Ever Before - Eddie Tabash
- ↑ Seely, John (1999-07-07). "Power in Motion". LA Weekly.
- ↑ Atheodicy and the Impossibility of God: Auschwitz and Evil: My Experience Growing Up as the Son of a Survivor by Edward Tabash
- ↑ Confessions of a former mystic by Edward Tabash
- ↑ Debate questions for Mr. Eddie Tabash
- ↑ Atheists Speak Up - Eddie Tabash
- ↑ 7 facts about atheists, Pew Forum
- ↑ Atheists Speak Up - Eddie Tabash - Part 2 of 4
- ↑ Shall the religious inherit the earth? - Eric Kaufmann
