Sakshi is ready to sign this agreement at a neutral place on a mutually convenient date. Let only the date, venue, and time be decided. Will the Niche of Truth be ever ready for a debate on fair and equal terms?
PROPOSED AGREEMENT BETWEEN SAKSHI APOLOGETICS NETWORK AND NICHE OF TRUTH FOR PUBLIC DEBATE
After a mutual correspondence between SAKSHI APOLOGETICS NETWORK and Niche of Truth, it is agreed upon by both parties, to conduct Open Public Educational Debates on two days. Both, SAKSHI APOLOGETICS NETWORK and NICHE of TRUTH expressed during personal discussion and correspondence, their main intention for the Open Public Debate, as education about Christianity and Islam to the masses based on the provision provided by the Indian Law of gathering people with peaceful intention and proselytizing them the Religious Truth as supposed by the speakers representing their respective religions. In order to make the event an academic success and maintain a format of peaceful conduct, both SAKSHI APOLOGETICS NETWORK and NICHE OF TRUTH have officially agreed on the following points to be the code of conduct by both the organizations, before, during, till and at least after the debate is also over, these points are as follows:
1. SAKSHI APOLOGETICS NETWORK and NICHE OF TRUTH have agreed to jointly organize two academic and educational Open Public Debates between, Rev. Dr. Johnson T/ Bro. Jerry Thomas (speakers from SAKSHI APOLOGETICS NETWORK) representing Christianity on the subjects of the debates advertised and Jb. MM Akbar/Jb Muhammadali Master (speakers from NICHE OF TRUTH) representing Muslims for the same events.
2. The Topics of OPEN PUBLIC Debates are:
Day 1: Wahi of Quran: Is it from Divine/ God?
Day 2: Is Bible the Word of God?
3. That the format of the two debates shall be such that:
A. Each topic would begin with a 60 minutes presentation from each side’s speaker.
B. These would be followed by a 30 minutes rebuttal from each side’s speaker.
C. A Question & Answer session of sixty minutes, open to the participants, will follow the presentations and rebuttals.
D. Each question from the participant shall be for a maximum of two minutes. Each question shall be answered by the speaker for a maximum of 5 minutes.
E. On the First Day, the Moderator shall allow the first question to be posed to the Speaker from the Niche of Truth which should be answered within a maximum of 5/10 minutes. This will be followed by the question to be posed to the speaker from the Sakshi Apologetics Network. This format of the presentation, rebuttals and question and answer session shall continue till the end of the entire session and shall be for both the days. Equal number of questions shall be posed to speakers from both the sides.
F. After the question and answers session, there shall be a concluding note for 5 minutes on the first day by the Niche of Truth speaker and on the second day by the Sakshi speaker.
4. The date of the First Public Debate is: XXX (previously October 3, 2009)
5. The date of the Second Public Debate is: XXX (previously October 3, 2009)
6. Authoritative Texts: Niche of Truth and SAN can leave it to the freedom of speakers from both the sides to quote from any sources which the speakers consider it as reliable and authentic. (We are ready for the compromise on this as mentioned, if Niche of Truth agrees for it).
7. The language for the debate is Malayalam. 8. The Venue for the Public debates is: (TBD)
9. The debate commences with the Moderators from both SAKSHI APOLOGETICS NETWORK and NICHE of TRUTH climbing stage. For the First Day, the primary moderator would be from the Niche of Truth working along with the SAN Moderator. On the first day, the NICHE of TRUTH moderator will invite the speakers from both the sides and other representatives (not more than 6 representatives from each side including the Chief Guest from both sides, if any) to the dais. On the second day, the primary moderator would be from SAN working along with the Niche of Truth Moderator. On the second day, the SAN moderator will invite the speakers from both the sides and other representatives to the dais.
10. The representatives from both the sides may assist their respective speakers in public reading, cross-checking and assisting with other references.
11. On the First Day, Quranic recitation will be given first for 10 minutes. This will be followed by the Holy Bible reading for an equal time. On the second day, the order of reading the scriptures from both sides will be reversed.
12. On the first day, the NICHE of TRUTH moderator would announce the topic for the first the day, will read out the format of the speeches and rules and regulations to be maintained by the audience to maintain the peaceful decorum of the session as agreed by both parties. On the second day, SAN Moderator would announce the topic for the second day, will read out the format of the speeches and rules and regulations to be maintained by the audience to maintain the peaceful decorum of the session as agreed by both the parties.
13. On the first day, Niche of Truth moderator would introduce (or invite someone else to introduce) the NICHE of TRUTH Speaker and followed by SAN Moderator introducing (or invite someone else to introduce) the SAN Speaker to the audience. On the Second day, SAN moderator would introduce (or invite someone else to introduce) the SAN speaker first followed by the Niche of Truth moderator.
14. That the order of the presentations for the debates shall be, such that: In the first and second debates, the Christian speaker would make the first presentation. The Muslim speaker would present next. The rebuttals would also follow this order.
15. In main presentation, rebuttal and Q&A sessions, any or both participants from each group can present the subject. But he /they should not exceed the time limit allowed to his/their group in each session. (pl. note clause 16 also)
16. If any of the speakers exceeds his time (on both the days), then an equal time should be given to the other side speakers too. However, it is the duty of moderators from both the sides to remind the speakers and warn them of any excessive time and may wish to stop the microphone if it exceeds beyond 5 minutes.
17. Niche of Truth Moderator and SAN Moderator can read out any important announcements for an equal time after the concluding note.
18. This will be followed by a vote of thanks on the first day by a Muslim representative and second day by a Christian representative.
19. The funding and organizing of the public debates, except for the advertisement and video recording, shall be borne jointly and equally by both the parties. There shall be a committee formed with a minimum of three representatives from both the sides to jointly handle all the expense.
20. Both, SAKSHI APOLOGETICS NETWORK and Niche of Truth are ful
ly authorized to advertise the events using all legal means of communication. Only the photography (if any) given officially by SAN and NICHE of TRUTH shall be used by both the sides.
21. SAKSHI APOLOGETICS NETWORK and Niche of Truth will advertise by their own names.
22. In case of spelling mistakes on the advertisements done by SAKSHI and that are related to anything of NICHE OF TRUTH, then, such material/mode of advertisement shall be immediately withdrawn and publicity should be re-done after the correction is made.
23. In case of spelling mistakes on the advertisements done by any of the parties then, such material/mode of advertisement shall be immediately withdrawn and publicity should be re-done after the correction is made.
24. Both SAN and NICHE of Truth can video/audio record the program and have their own set up with equal space and place for both and without blocking the audience and other party.
25. The editing of the video recording shall be done without any material change in the content and shall be released only with complete recordings of presentations, rebuttals, question and answer session and concluding notes from both the speakers. The transcript shall be published in any format, with the said conditions only.
26. Both Niche of Truth and SAN shall provide equal number of volunteers, 25 each from both the sides. Niche of Truth should control in the best of its abilities the Muslim audience and SAKSHI APOLOGETICS NETWORK should control to the best of their abilities the Christian audience. Volunteers shall put the batch with the respective name of both the parties.
27. Niche of Truth and SAKSHI APOLOGETICS NETWORK has the freedom to keep stall at the venue on equal spaces for display and sale of their materials without obstructing the path of the people to the venue.
28. There shall be separate entrance and separate exit to the venue on both the days of the debate for the speakers from both the sides.
29. The audio system for the venue shall be jointly handled by SAKSHI and NICHE OF TRUTH so that quality, volume etc will be equally audible for speakers from both the sides.
30. The registration details of the participants shall be jointly collected by SAKSHI APOLOGETICS NETWORK and Niche of TRUTH and shall be shared to both the parties for any their database.
31. SAKSHI APOLOGETICS NETWORK and Niche of Truth should be very clear that the entire session is meant to educate the Christian and Muslim viewpoints on the topic of the debate. As such, any argument through comparative religion etc., put forward by both the speakers during their presentation in the debate and during the rebuttal and question answer session is not liable for any legal case nor be considered as religious blasphemy nor blasphemy in general and neither any such charges of any sort be bought against them.
32. Any other important point can be added, modified and/or deleted from these points subject to agreement from both the parties. Fairness, justice and equality to both the parties are non-negotiable in any such change.
For Sakshi Apologetics Network:
Sign:
Date:
For Niche of Truth
Sign:
Date:
Two Adult Witnesses from Both the Sides:
1.
2.
3.
4.
