The two arguments in the debate could not be more different, but Badger Catholic and the Atheists, Humanists and Agnostics student group showed respect for each other while debating several topics on Tuesday evening.

The event, organized by the Wisconsin Union Directorate Society and Politics Committee, drew about 350 people at Memorial Union.

Jack Comeau, a UW junior and director of the WUD Society and Politics Committee, said planning for the event started last spring and the planning involved ensuring each side was comfortable with questions so they “didn’t feel like any side was being targeted.”

Sam Erickson, a UW junior and president of the Atheists, Humanists and Agnostics  said instead of believing anything, we should use critical thinking to challenge certain myths and beliefs.

Responding to a question on whether there is “such a thing as universal morality,” Badger Catholic board member Kevin Mauer rephrased the question as whether there are questions with universal answers.

Mauer emphasized the need for a universal standard for morality.

“For example, you cannot defend a woman’s right to have an abortion without referring to some universal moral principle,” Mauer said. “Appeals to rights are not relativistic. They are universalist.”

In reply, Chris Calvey, the founder of UW’s Atheists, Humanists and Agnostic organization said atheists are not moral relativists.

He said he doesn’t think something becomes morally acceptable just because a lot of people are doing it.

“How are we to know which one gives the correct answer to universal morality? Religions are not helpful at all in creating the universal moral system,” Calvey said.

Regarding whether laws restricting abortion are harmful to women, Margaret Babe of Atheists, Humanists and Agnostics said places that ban abortions lead to abortions being done with unsafe procedures, but places where abortions are legal have registered doctors who perform the abortions.

Rachael Schumacher, the vice president of Students for Life and a special panelist for the Badger Catholics, said large amounts of children die every day from abortion. She said an unborn child has its own specific individual DNA, and DNA is the only criteria for the definition of life.

Erickson, the Atheists, Humanists and Agnostics president, said he was very pleased with the turnout for the event and also pleased with the way the debate went.

“It blew away my expectations,” Erickson said. “I thought it went really well and all the planning paid off. Both sides were also very respectful.”

Amanda Recktenwald, a UW senior and president of Badger Catholic said she also praised the university’s support for the insightful discussion.

“We can see from tonight that discussion is something we really value here at the university and it’s great that we can have a debate on faith and spirituality in general,” Recktenwald said. 

Correction: Joey DeGuire was misspelled in a previous version of this post and Rachel Schumacher’s title was previously listed in this post as a Badger Catholic Peer Mentor; she is the Students for Life vice president. Updates have since been made.