A student-packed Erickson Hall Kiva fell from a dull roar to dead silence Thursday night when Michael Newdow began his initial argument in a debate of the most volatile matter - the existence of God.
Newdow is known for the case he brought to the U.S. Supreme Court when he sued to have the phrase "under God" removed from the Pledge of Allegiance.
The case was dismissed this summer.
"What I think happened tonight was a dialogue," said Tim Brown, a leadership member of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and an international relations sophomore.
"It's good to challenge the Christians - it's good to challenge them with alternative arguments, and it's good to challenge the atheists."
The debate was sponsored by InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and the MSU Freethinker Alliance.
Mike Simons, a computer science sophomore and board member of the Alliance, said members were glad to have Newdow present their side of the debate.
"He can put forward the ideas we think are most valid - that people should look at things more rationally and not just take things that they're told," Simons said.
Pastor Cliffe Knechtle was Newdow's opponent. Knechtle periodically debates the validity of Christianity.
The two men debated for an hour before opening the floor to questions.
Newdow was soft-spoken as he said there is no scientific evidence that proves God exists.
"If you look objectively, you're going to realize that those reasons you take as evidence that God exists will not stand up as well as expected," Newdow said.
The argument of proof via the scientific method spoke to members of the audience, atheist and Christian alike.
"It's hard because I believe in what they were saying about setting up arguments to prove what you (already) believe," said Julie Wuerth, a communication senior, who is Christian.
But Knechtle argued there is evidence that God exists - the origin of the universe, love, order and design in the world, moral law, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Knechtle's booming voice and theatrical hand gestures imparted his conviction in the arguments.
"The only way there can be a moral absolute is if there is a mind prior to the human mind that decides what is just," Knechtle said. "Moral relativism isn't true."
Newdow said he demonstrated how a single moral right and wrong do not exist by polling audience opinions on the controversial issues of gay marriage and abortion.
"How can you believe in moral absolutes when we just saw that people have different opinions," Newdow said.
He demonstrated the conflicting and changing positions of moral absolutes in light of the Chechen terrorist actions in Russia.
"God's the guy that killed everyone on earth with the flood, that's a lot worse than the people in Russia," he said.
"There are no moral absolutes."
More than 300 people attended the event, most of whom came with solid beliefs, in God or not, and few were swayed.
"The topic itself didn't work as a debate because you cannot prove one way or another, or sway a majority because of opinions being so strong," said Erica Photiades, a music education junior and member of the Alliance.
"But I was interested in what both of the speakers had to say on the subject (and) I think it was pretty informative."
