Dear Mr. Gillies,

I admire your response, and tried something similar in one of our debates (we had three) but it was -- I think unfairly -- dismissed by C.H. The challenge has less force than I believe he thinks it does.  Ah, well.
  Nonetheless, I appreciate the good word.  I spent a year at U. of Edinburgh in college many years go, adn Scotland holds a special place in my heart.  Didn't always understand McDiarmid, but loved him and Scott and Hogg and Muir, and of course Burns...
 All the Best,
RDW

Rabbi David Wolpe



From: DONALD GILLIES

Sent: Wed 12/17/2008 7:22 AM
To: Rabbi David Wolpe
Subject: A Scottish Response to Christopher Hitchens' Two Challenges

        
        Dear Sir,
        
        I write to say how much I enjoyed watching the debate you had with Christopher Hitchens recently, as posted on Youtube. I am a Christian and of course had much that I agreed with from your side of the debate.
        
        A couple of months or so before your own debate, Mr Hitchens debated with Professor John Lennox in Edinburgh. At that time, I took the opportunity to write Mr Hitchens on the subject of his two challenges. The letter is copied below. I would value your thoughts on my approach.
        
        I don't know if the communication ever got through to him, but in any case I hope that it may help give people an interesting perspective on the issues raised.
        
        Yours,
        Donald Gillies.