The Catholic Church is a Force for Good in the World - Full Version

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  • Опубликовано: 14 сен 2015
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    __________________________
    Stephen Fry and Christopher Hitchens battle it out with Archbishop John Onaiyekan and Ann Widdecombe over the motion "The Catholic Church is a Force for Good in the World" in our debate from 2009.
    Stephen Fry's clash with Anne Widdecombe was turned into an an iq2 Short, which can be seen here: • Stephen Fry vs Ann Wid... .

Комментарии • 33 тыс.

  • @atheistman279
    @atheistman279 5 лет назад +3686

    Bishop's points:
    1) The Catholic Church is nice because my dad believed in it.
    2) We do charity.

    • @aretrograde7745
      @aretrograde7745 5 лет назад +296

      Ya I would agree, the bishop's points were not very strong. I don't think he knew who his opposition was. He wasn't there to give a homily, he was there to go to war.

    • @frantisekzverina473
      @frantisekzverina473 5 лет назад +120

      Dont forget repeating church IS good as a dogma

    • @AreMullets4AustraliansOnly
      @AreMullets4AustraliansOnly 5 лет назад +187

      And 3: there are lots of catholics

    • @holymaryfullofshit3790
      @holymaryfullofshit3790 5 лет назад +48

      @@AreMullets4AustraliansOnly jup interesting how he points that out thinking its an argument for beeing good. i mean how?

    • @hiimspee828
      @hiimspee828 5 лет назад +48

      @@aretrograde7745 It makes me wonder if he has ever heard people so denounce his church, indeed if knows much of it's history.

  • @johannesbrahms9528
    @johannesbrahms9528 5 лет назад +3565

    This wasn't a debate... It was double homicide.

    • @luisurgelles2631
      @luisurgelles2631 4 года назад +44

      True, only people with evil hearts murder the innocent.

    • @frankskoda-simmons3432
      @frankskoda-simmons3432 4 года назад +20

      So, let's comemorate with the Piano Concerto number 1.

    • @drrydog
      @drrydog 4 года назад +7

      dayum

    • @wolfthequarrelsome504
      @wolfthequarrelsome504 3 года назад +5

      @Ron dude.. The truth can never be put down.

    • @OwlFight
      @OwlFight 3 года назад +54

      I think it is unfair for the side that was against: one of the speakers did not speak in his native language, and the other one has a voice that make me want to skip ahead a bit... I think they should have found an elequant catholic bishop/priest.

  • @williamcartier3639
    @williamcartier3639 7 месяцев назад +51

    Additionally, the studies that were cited saying that condoms do not prevent HIV were outliers. The overwhelming medical consensus is that condoms are 90% effective in preventing HIV.

  • @antdah
    @antdah 7 месяцев назад +466

    Ann Widdecombe truly is one of the most convincing proponents for secular atheism in Europe.

    • @kpl-CA
      @kpl-CA 7 месяцев назад +1

      A.W.'s entire speech was pomposity, vanity, arrogance, ego....and spittle decorated personal attacks against Hitch.
      But evidence? Nope.
      She's an example of Catholicism that will disgust and repulse any reasonable person.
      All she had to do was show the world the truth of her religion, and by revealing her vicious nature, she managed to drive thousands away.
      Good job, champ.

    • @andrewleah1983
      @andrewleah1983 6 месяцев назад +17

      “Secular atheism” Is an oxymoron.

    • @RazorRamonElJefe
      @RazorRamonElJefe 6 месяцев назад +51

      I'm religious but man, her defence was so contradicting I got second hand embarrassment just listening to her.

    • @DrPsychoSexy
      @DrPsychoSexy 6 месяцев назад

      Atheism is not a religion, just like not-believing in Santa Claus or smurfs is not a religion. If anything, 'secular atheism' is closer to a pleonasm.

    • @username7777771
      @username7777771 5 месяцев назад +22

      @@RazorRamonElJefe If you are in the same belief system as ann you should perhaps reconsider

  • @adamhunter1223
    @adamhunter1223 7 лет назад +5921

    So...a catholic priest and Dolores Umbridge got Hitchslapped and Deep Fry'd. That's what I get from this.

    • @chrisrye5
      @chrisrye5 7 лет назад +51

      haha preach

    • @WTFM
      @WTFM 7 лет назад +9

      xD

    • @jevicci
      @jevicci 7 лет назад +9

      Who's Dolores Umbridge?

    • @adamhunter1223
      @adamhunter1223 7 лет назад +84

      Harry potter villain

    • @BigM33100
      @BigM33100 7 лет назад +142

      She's a villian from Harry Potter who was ultra conservative and a total cunt.

  • @jingjieong2260
    @jingjieong2260 3 года назад +875

    Let's face it, you're here to listen to Hitchens and Fry while reading the comments

  • @Casmaniac
    @Casmaniac 9 месяцев назад +74

    Man, just listening to Hitchens and Fry really helps me restore some sanity in these crazy times full of misinformation and extremists

    • @GlowingMpd
      @GlowingMpd 9 месяцев назад +6

      👍

    • @TerlinguaTalkeetna
      @TerlinguaTalkeetna Месяц назад +1

      Yeah, one has to find some way to feel some joy and relief from what now is! Reason and intelligence is fun, wish more folks would improve their neighborhood by trying it out. Asking a bit much to find it in the comment sections these days.

  • @lyndaanneshop
    @lyndaanneshop 9 месяцев назад +91

    Fourteen years later and the Catholic Church still doesn't get it.

    • @afterlate8866
      @afterlate8866 2 месяца назад +3

      And you do?

    • @theworldaccordingto4555
      @theworldaccordingto4555 26 дней назад

      Neither does Ann Widde. She is about as Christian as Abu Hamza. She is much much more an Old Testament believer... She is a religious extremist. She has little in common with the teachings of the New Testament.

    • @seanpritchard582
      @seanpritchard582 15 дней назад +1

      No. They pretend not to get it!

  • @gav25x
    @gav25x 5 лет назад +1912

    I would like an apology for Ann's voice

    • @Jordan-mc8ig
      @Jordan-mc8ig 5 лет назад +89

      Nails on a chalkboard

    • @vincentpol
      @vincentpol 5 лет назад +46

      It's one thing if you're a false singer, but a false speaker?

    • @Revan9729
      @Revan9729 5 лет назад +50

      Me to,but more so,I would like an apology for her presence.

    • @deansligh3759
      @deansligh3759 5 лет назад +23

      I was looking for this comment, just to thumbs up

    • @Plant_Parenthood
      @Plant_Parenthood 5 лет назад +49

      She sounds like an old set of windshield wipers

  • @samiyahcorelli7688
    @samiyahcorelli7688 3 года назад +655

    Sometimes I think my voice is annoying so I listen to Ann Widdicombe to make myself feel better

    • @kkgauthier
      @kkgauthier 3 года назад +28

      Imagine her trying to speak seductively. I would pay good money to see that.

    • @billisaac326
      @billisaac326 3 года назад +8

      @@kkgauthier Especially to David Beckham.

    • @0142Jason
      @0142Jason 3 года назад +45

      She sounds like a Monty Python character.

    • @anonUK
      @anonUK 3 года назад +6

      @@0142Jason
      Strangely, her retirement from politics started about the time the now late Python Terry Jones sadly lost the ability to speak. Coincidence?

    • @taurtue
      @taurtue 3 года назад

      @@0142Jason Haha exactly. Sounds like a Python's guy trying to sound like a woman.

  • @johnhudson5414
    @johnhudson5414 7 месяцев назад +155

    Stephens face when Anne says " its not about condoms, its about the physical relief of the poor". amazing comedy

    • @sabrinaschulz9825
      @sabrinaschulz9825 5 месяцев назад +11

      I burst out laughing!

    • @wolfthequarrelsome504
      @wolfthequarrelsome504 Месяц назад

      I get your point ( do you find that's funny too?)
      A human is a thinking creature, at least some of us are anyway. But we're always presented with a choice.
      You can choose the "narrow path" of self discipline to what you believe lead to right reason. Or let your mind wander in every direction.
      It's called "a moral compass" or lack thereof.
      Sexual immorality is a wild beast if you let it gain control of your thoughts.
      It will do more damage to yourself and others than you can ever imagine in your present naivety.

  • @robertenglnad8029
    @robertenglnad8029 8 месяцев назад +337

    Stephen Fry is one of the most powerful speakers I have ever heard and yet there is never an ounce of maliciousness in anything about which he speaks. I wish I had his grasp of the English language and knowledge.

    • @tbrowniscool
      @tbrowniscool 7 месяцев назад +18

      This is S Tier English, incredible selection of words to accurately get his point across with no filler. Incredible speech and full of passion and zeal.

    • @DB-qw6xq
      @DB-qw6xq 7 месяцев назад +5

      Fry has been extremely nasty about religion and in particular the Christian faith!

    • @tbrowniscool
      @tbrowniscool 7 месяцев назад +1

      @@DB-qw6xq Good! Religion is delusional

    • @haydencarn8737
      @haydencarn8737 7 месяцев назад +23

      @@DB-qw6xq Would you call the people who call Epstein a pedo "nasty"?
      No, because they are just correct, and so is he.

    • @dtkp33355
      @dtkp33355 7 месяцев назад

      @@haydencarn8737What happens to your argument here if @DB-qw6xq does call Epstein's critics "nasty"?

  • @chriswaterlow7580
    @chriswaterlow7580 2 года назад +1900

    Believe it or not, I was one of the main camera operators working on this debate and had the job covering the main shot of each speaker. Although it took place some time ago I still remember it vividly as a 'tour de force', particularly from Messrs Hitchins and Fry. I will not be forgetting this in a hurry!

    • @mushkamusic
      @mushkamusic 2 года назад +62

      I would have loved to have been there, just an absolute tour de force from Hitchens & Fry.

    • @elliottpilton8577
      @elliottpilton8577 2 года назад +52

      Wow, awesome work. Thabk you for your skill.

    • @londoncalling151
      @londoncalling151 2 года назад +3

      Who are you?

    • @oliclay1348
      @oliclay1348 2 года назад +17

      Thats so cool. I would have been electrified by stephens speech and presence

    • @rabidgremlin8367
      @rabidgremlin8367 2 года назад +23

      To witness such a speech in your lifetime from this man must have be awe inspiring

  • @peterhall728
    @peterhall728 Год назад +1656

    Fry and Hitchens take the English language to its absolute pinnacle. It is a joy to listen to them.

    • @Inigo_The_Son
      @Inigo_The_Son Год назад +34

      Meanwhile, here in the USA..... By age 5, my daughters (now adults) were already correcting their teachers on the proper use of "I" and "me." After a few years, we had to tell them to just hold their tongues, because none of their teachers ever learned to speak English properly. It is such a treat to hear people who have truly mastered the language. I think I know our language better than most, but Christopher's vocabulary is so immense that he often forces me to consult the dictionary. I should also point out that the Bishop has excellent command of the language, though his subject matter is simply nonsense.

    • @genghiskhan7041
      @genghiskhan7041 Год назад +13

      I especially like Hitch's very poorly disguised contempt for the Church :D

    • @peterhall728
      @peterhall728 Год назад +13

      @@genghiskhan7041 I don't think he tried to hide it at all actually. It was out there. Front and centre.

    • @bpitch1071
      @bpitch1071 Год назад +25

      The Catholic Church cannot be a force for good, as it’s foundation principles are antithetical to all good. It is a system of power, and coercion.
      Individuals within the organization can be a force for good, but that is in spite of the organization, not because of it.

    • @Inigo_The_Son
      @Inigo_The_Son Год назад +29

      @@bpitch1071 I am actively involved with a charity providing education in Africa. Our basic task is to overcome all the damage done by the catholic church over the past few hundred years.

  • @paulcarroll5871
    @paulcarroll5871 9 месяцев назад +141

    I love how during Anne's argument, Christopher is just quietly writing a tome of rebuttals

    • @joemathis6551
      @joemathis6551 9 месяцев назад +1

      Yes, as I said, above, I would love to see all the notes.

    • @tracygallagher4632
      @tracygallagher4632 8 месяцев назад +25

      Did you see Anne widdecombe constantly speaking over Hitchens & Fry? The only reason she failed to interrupt them was her mic was turned off.

    • @wolfthequarrelsome504
      @wolfthequarrelsome504 Месяц назад

      ​@@tracygallagher4632yes.... But she's still alive and thriving today while Hitch is toast and Fry is a drooling idiot.

    • @thegoodgeneral
      @thegoodgeneral Месяц назад +3

      That’s how a debate should be. You listen to what your opponent says and you take notes to properly come back to address their points.

  • @griznatle
    @griznatle 6 месяцев назад +28

    The saddest part is the two pro church people walked away from this, not learning that they need to change, but blaming the other side.
    Own your mistakes, fix your errors.

  • @kalewalker8381
    @kalewalker8381 4 года назад +1812

    “Its hard to be told I’m evil, because I am full of love.” That hit hard

    • @jacksynth271
      @jacksynth271 4 года назад +21

      yeah boy love, he's a sick man

    • @bjornyesterday2562
      @bjornyesterday2562 4 года назад +185

      @@jacksynth271 judge much?

    • @langa77777
      @langa77777 4 года назад +9

      Borderfox would you like some boy love? I can boy love you any time you’d like mate.

    • @jacksynth271
      @jacksynth271 4 года назад +8

      Mitchuation all you creeps and peados coming out of the woodwork to defend rich and famous creeps and peados because you think they can somehow validate your pathetic existence. You think you're the enlightened ones because you regurtitate what some Oxford educated nonce says. Use your brain for once, Hitchens and his ilk are fake intellectuals who make their living off being contrarions as if they know better than the everyone else. Their audience comprises of New Age degenerates like yourself who advocate all sorts of moral depravity. Professing to be wise they became fools

    • @zer-op2gq
      @zer-op2gq 4 года назад +297

      @@jacksynth271 cast all the stones you wish; just don't hide behind child rapists to hold your high ground

  • @ismu34
    @ismu34 5 лет назад +753

    1:23:15 was a really good one
    "you accused Hitchens of judging the church by the standards of the time, but surely the truth in your doctrines is eternal or its not"

    • @feartheghus
      @feartheghus 4 года назад +1

      L B there are plenty of good reasons to lie

    • @neiloch
      @neiloch 4 года назад +21

      @L B "made murder immoral" yeah because it was okie dokie free for all before the catholic church. No one any where got in trouble for killing people on the grounds its not a nice thing to do. They sure as hell made strides in the art of protecting their followers from the punishments of child rape, though.
      The point is there isn't a SINGLE good thing they or any religion did that couldn't have been done WITHOUT religion. Their wholly unique contributions range from unnecessary to outright crimes against humanity.

    • @dearatlas4222
      @dearatlas4222 4 года назад +6

      @@neiloch Neiloch religion was the foundation of society. It was the explanation before science existed, it was what brought people together. Technically religion created today's society if you take it from history perspective. So.. today's society wouldn't exist without religion. I think just this was a good thing and you can't just say ''no it didnt'' because 4000 years of history are some sort of proof to me.

    • @MrTheanimekiller
      @MrTheanimekiller 4 года назад +28

      Dear Atlas right if religion didn't create today's society we would be so much further ahead and not still debating whether religion is good or bad or if we should stop the fundamentalist that are trying to make America a theocracy.
      Would have killed a lot less free thinkers and witches too. Man the satanic panic wouldn't have happened. we wouldn't have people trying to teach creationism homophobic bigotry in school and being surprised when the parents stand up against it and sue.
      History shows that when religion takes over many humans die and your rights are greatly infringed upon. When you have a theocracy based on a "religion of peace" humanity, morals, and treating others as you would treat yourself die and in their place is resurrected suspicion, superstitious ignorance, anti science, immoral silencing of any dissent, and misogynistic rules against women

    • @dearatlas4222
      @dearatlas4222 4 года назад +2

      @@MrTheanimekiller We dont know if society would be further ahead. You can guess at best but you can't be sure. But surely the advance of religion in ancient societies is completely logical. No matter how many times you go back religion will always be a foundation.

  • @TerlinguaTalkeetna
    @TerlinguaTalkeetna 4 месяца назад +100

    I return to this on Jan 4th 2024 and it brings me no end of joy and real hope for a brave new year. We have seen the way to change our troubled world. It's with grace, heart, intelligence , and courage. Strive on, brothers and sisters.

    • @wolfthequarrelsome504
      @wolfthequarrelsome504 4 месяца назад

      To which side of the debate do you refer?

    • @T.N.H.
      @T.N.H. 4 месяца назад +16

      Well they said "intelligence" so that should tell you

    • @souler__
      @souler__ 2 месяца назад +1

      You think the world as a whole learned something from this random debate, enough to give you hope for it? Wait, no, YOU learned a lesson from it that tells us how to fix the world? How do you even boil down the myriad of issues to, what, just religion? Reason? Empathy? Strive toward what? Whatever this is, it sounds more delusional than religion to be honest. Not to mention incoherent, I have to strawman you to see any substance in the statement.

    • @finn6364
      @finn6364 2 месяца назад +1

      ​@@wolfthequarrelsome504hes just wishing all of us a good new year
      Dors it matter which side hes on??

  • @metal665lica
    @metal665lica 8 месяцев назад +17

    1:45:32
    "Ever since I discovered that my god-given male member was going to give me no peace, I decided to give it no rest in return."
    Christopher, we miss you dearly.

  • @benbearrobinson
    @benbearrobinson 6 лет назад +2875

    im for the motion that Christopher Hitchens was a force for good in the world. sadly missed.

    • @lespaul5734
      @lespaul5734 5 лет назад +89

      si The only correct statement you made is that he supported the Iraq war. The rest is pure dishonesty, or a complete strawman of his opinions... It’s pathetic how people still use childish and dishonest debating tactics!

    • @kennethking8091
      @kennethking8091 5 лет назад +64

      ​@@si4632 He supported the Iraq war, yes. He did not start it nor fire a single weapon. I don't know his marital history or extra marital affairs that may have possibly taken place. Even so, how can you compare that to the absolute disgraceful behavior of so many catholic priests? At the time of this debate it was bad. This year it was revealed that there are hundreds of priests that committed these terrible cases of abuse with thousands of young boys. How dare you.

    • @si4632
      @si4632 5 лет назад +11

      @@lespaul5734 he left his wife for a rich jew and he died from throat cancer caused by alcoholism all facts

    • @kennethking8091
      @kennethking8091 5 лет назад +48

      @@si4632 The problem in the church is that priests have been molesting young children and then the higher ups covered it up and continued to do so as was revealed this year. You response makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

    • @kennethking8091
      @kennethking8091 5 лет назад +38

      @@si4632 What kind of argument is that? You are not very articulate. No wonder you needed to post a RUclips video to speak for you. You still are not making sense.

  • @bradgower4428
    @bradgower4428 3 года назад +754

    Hitchens: *Walks to the podium*
    The rest of the room: Why can I hear boss music?

    • @thomasmurrell7781
      @thomasmurrell7781 3 года назад +8

      For some reason i seemed to hear the theme tune from 'Rocky' in my head lol

    • @kabirchattopadhyay533
      @kabirchattopadhyay533 3 года назад +30

      *Hitch walks in*
      Okay. Damn that is an impossible boss....But its alright, maybe if I just use all my health potions and buffs, with a bit of luck I may be able to...
      *Fry joins him*
      Okay I'm dead. Might as well just logout now to avoid the embarrassment.

    • @indoor_gangster
      @indoor_gangster 3 года назад

      something by Parliament-Funkadelic would be fantastic!

    • @user-jx2ei1kh4q
      @user-jx2ei1kh4q 3 года назад

      @@kabirchattopadhyay533 what the f are you lot on about

    • @zaypierson6255
      @zaypierson6255 3 года назад +1

      Hitchens is a fool and so is the bishop.. Catholicism IS NOT CHRISTIANITY

  • @beneustice9328
    @beneustice9328 8 месяцев назад +76

    Holy sh*t.
    That last vote left me speechless. That's wasn't even close lol. We need more of these two gentlemen collabing. Well done!

    • @antdah
      @antdah 7 месяцев назад +20

      Sadly, Hitch has been dead now for well over a decade.

    • @mpetrie
      @mpetrie 4 месяца назад +3

      Whoever did the mathematical percentage differences needs to be fired, though. They weren't even close to being accurate.

    • @TalesStahl
      @TalesStahl 3 месяца назад +1

      ​@@mpetrie i was confused for a moment too. The percentage is from the total not from the original voters. They lost 410 people that is ca. 20 % of the 2126 people that voted. Its mathematically right but an awefull way of showing the change. They went from 32% Support to 12% Support.

    • @mpetrie
      @mpetrie 3 месяца назад +1

      @@TalesStahl Ohhh.... okay, then that makes sense. But yes... it was a bizarre way to show it. Thank you for the clarification.

    • @thegoodgeneral
      @thegoodgeneral Месяц назад

      A little difficult to get them to collaborate again with dear old Hitch dead and buried.

  • @jamesgidman3263
    @jamesgidman3263 5 месяцев назад +70

    I was astounded when confronted by a direct question by the moderator, with no where to run to and hide, the archbishop simply said ‘that is not the right question to ask’ - absolutely disgraceful - and laughable.

    • @Leszek.Rzepecki
      @Leszek.Rzepecki 5 месяцев назад +5

      Yeah, I thought that was pretty funny!

  • @johnfraser3921
    @johnfraser3921 7 лет назад +2333

    Hitch and Fry together?
    The opposition didn't stand a chance!

    • @rebelaxesix3496
      @rebelaxesix3496 7 лет назад +49

      Nope. They would have had a far better chance bobbing for fries & coming out unburned because Fry & the Hitch definitely put the burn on their ass.

    • @JustSomeGoy
      @JustSomeGoy 7 лет назад +31

      ask any religious person if they fear death, if death means heaven why would anyone be scared? they can just ask for forgiveness if they didn't before they died, suicide would be fixing our population problem...and our idiot problem

    • @brendanbutler1238
      @brendanbutler1238 7 лет назад +10

      That's right, the opposition didn't stand a chance with that level of artful deception and the British public's ignorance.

    • @thorsten8790
      @thorsten8790 7 лет назад +27

      Religious people are afraid of death. They won't admit it, but they are.

    • @brendanbutler1238
      @brendanbutler1238 7 лет назад +7

      People who believe the sun is going to rise tomorrow are just afraid of it not rising. They won't admit it, but they are.

  • @monkeyspankerful
    @monkeyspankerful 7 лет назад +171

    Oh no. The Bishop was a very bad salesman.... I really didn't hear a reason why the Catholic Church is force of good. It was a dull, lifeless presentation.

    • @kozhedub
      @kozhedub 7 лет назад +48

      I would have a hell of a time defending the church too

    • @00Kunai
      @00Kunai 7 лет назад +1

      All of you are lemmings

    • @jan3211200
      @jan3211200 5 лет назад +5

      Is it weird i heard "my father was brainwashed into a cult member and im also brainwashed"

    • @ragingmollusk2640
      @ragingmollusk2640 12 дней назад +1

      dull and lifeless like the church

  • @michaeldobson107
    @michaeldobson107 8 месяцев назад +74

    This was a slaughter. They quite literally could not have chosen two of the worst "Defenders of the Catholic Church" if they tried. Anne Widdecombe is incredibly hard to take. A cold woman who reminds me of the Evil Stepmother in a Disney animation, and the poor, hapless Bishop who obviously has zero debate skills and relies on homilies. And just a side note, listening to Stephen Frye speak is an utmost pleasure.

    • @obnoxiouspriest
      @obnoxiouspriest 6 месяцев назад +22

      Couldn't agree more. Kind of broke my heart when the bishop said his family was one of the first converts from whatever their indigenous beliefs were. The Catholic Church is truly soul sucking.

    • @marpfel
      @marpfel 4 месяца назад +5

      Well, English is not his first language, maybe not even his second or third, so I'm willing to cut him some slack for that. Nevertheless, they could have picked someone better.

    • @paramidge8935
      @paramidge8935 3 месяца назад +2

      I think - post colonialism that English is, for all practical purposes, his first language.@@marpfel

    • @DavidGreen_au
      @DavidGreen_au 2 месяца назад +1

      Interesting point about the Bishop. He was well out of his class in this debate.
      And Anne was not capable of casting a good impression on anything.
      Their debate side was doomed to failure from the start.

    • @wolfthequarrelsome504
      @wolfthequarrelsome504 Месяц назад

      Funny thing the Anne is still politically active in her 80s and the bishop likewise within the church.
      Whereas Hitchens is long dead and Fry is a drooling wreck. Both much younger also.
      Being wrong is a burden repayable not just in the next life, it appears.

  • @colinjacobs176
    @colinjacobs176 3 месяца назад +11

    This debate is slightly more one-sided than the World Cup qualifier where Australia beat American Samoa 31-0.

    • @ThomasMurrell-xr4mt
      @ThomasMurrell-xr4mt 3 месяца назад

      Why was it more one sided, explain

    • @GlowingMpd
      @GlowingMpd 2 месяца назад

      @@ThomasMurrell-xr4mt
      If you don’t get it, I think you need to watch it beginning to end about 4 times🤷🏼‍♀️👋😇

    • @GlowingMpd
      @GlowingMpd 2 месяца назад +1

      👍

  • @Arsenic71
    @Arsenic71 3 года назад +1836

    Hitchens and Fry are a force for good in the world. Rest in peace Christopher, you will never be forgotten.

    • @sundayseahorse
      @sundayseahorse 3 года назад +33

      R.I.P is a Christian expression, ya fool.

    • @misterrex684
      @misterrex684 3 года назад +128

      @@sundayseahorse and your ,,christian holidays'' are pagan, ya fool.

    • @sundayseahorse
      @sundayseahorse 3 года назад +4

      @@misterrex684 Some are, I never said they weren't don't jump the gun, ya moron. Away out and dance round a tree ya troglodyte.

    • @suomusintti
      @suomusintti 3 года назад +32

      @@sundayseahorse Is it a problem if non christians use it?

    • @misterrex684
      @misterrex684 3 года назад +21

      @@sundayseahorse yeah, all are of pagan origin but they changed some so much they ended up beeing boring (christian) and not pagan. At least im now allowed to dance, make beautiful paintings, play games and studie science, which the church suppressed. Go to your catacombs and pray for forgiveness, ya moron. And stop telling others to steal christian values, because christianity does/did that constantly with other religions.

  • @Sharwul
    @Sharwul 8 лет назад +308

    *Opening statements:*
    Archbishop John Onaiyekan: 2:14
    Christopher Hitchens: 14:05
    Ann Widdecombe: 34:45
    Stephen Fry: 48:11

    • @helmethead72
      @helmethead72 8 лет назад +6

      +Sharwul Doesn't that reveal the intellectual content of the contributors??
      The Catholic Church has hundreds of billions of euros, or dollars or pounds in it's vaults. What would the Prince of Peace have to say about this??

    • @Sharwul
      @Sharwul 8 лет назад +3

      LOL

    • @keiranbradley3222
      @keiranbradley3222 8 лет назад +3

      +helmethead72 " I've just been tortured then nailed to a tree & i'm in need of some serious medical attention, can you give me some cash for the hospital " !!!!. i think he would say something along those lines.

    • @helmethead72
      @helmethead72 8 лет назад +4

      Keiran Bradley Interesting to discover that not long after this verbal thrashing by Christopher and Stephen, the Archbishop was made a cardinal by Pope Benedict and served at conclave which brought about the arrival of Pope Francis. The same Pope who is now the world's favourite leader, neat job by the Vatican eh? Get rid of the child abuse appeaser and get rid of all the accusations in one fell swoop.

    • @keiranbradley3222
      @keiranbradley3222 8 лет назад +2

      helmethead72 The Hierarchy of RCC is indeed as the sleazy the political whores of the secular camp, they are pathetic.

  • @williamcartier3639
    @williamcartier3639 7 месяцев назад +14

    The Bishop said an outright lie in his closing statement. Referring to the role of Catholicism in the Rwandan genocide, he said most Rwandans were Muslims. In fact, only 10% are Muslims. Most perpretators were Christian, and primordially Cathlolic, and led by priests and nuns.

    • @AlexsGoogleAccount
      @AlexsGoogleAccount 4 месяца назад +7

      The Archbishop said a lot of outright lies.
      Just one year before this debate, he backed anti-gay legislation in Nigeria that:
      1. Criminalizes anyone in a same-sex marriage or civil union, with a 14 year prison sentence.
      2. Criminalizes all public displays of affection between same-sex couples, with a 10 year prison sentence.
      3. Criminalizes anyone who performs a same-sex marriage or in any way assists a gay couple to enter into a civil union, with a 10 year prison sentence.
      4. Criminalizes all pro-LGBTQ organizations and anyone who participates in them, including gay bars, societies, and advocacy groups, with a 10 year prison sentence.
      5. Allows charges can be brought against anyone who advocates for LGBTQ+ rights. This can even extend to relief groups for HIV/AIDS outreach.
      6. Allows charges can be brought against co-habiting homosexuals, even if there is no evidence of sexual activity between them.
      Catholic leaders in Africa today (and across the whole world historically) are driving mass incarceration of gay people and their allies, giving them life sentences and even exectuing them. And time and time again the Vatican has refused to denounce it.

  • @dennyworthington6641
    @dennyworthington6641 Месяц назад +5

    "Religion began when the first scoundrel met the first fool." Voltaire

  • @beardedemperor
    @beardedemperor 5 лет назад +245

    The entire Q&A section was a train wreck. "I'm going to take two dozen questions, please keep them to 15 seconds, then I will ask the panel to deal with them all in one go over a couple of minutes."
    Who thought that was a good format?

    • @oldskoolorion9648
      @oldskoolorion9648 5 лет назад +32

      Exactly my thoughts.. amateurish approach which should and could have been executed far better by the organisator. Written questions should have been send in and preselected for the panel and the time wasted going over the audience could have been allotted for extra rebuttals for the panel pro and con, in regards to issued raised by their first timeslot statements.

    • @oldskoolorion9648
      @oldskoolorion9648 5 лет назад +14

      nevertheless impressive insights and statements by Hitchens and Frye - those alone made it a great watch :-)

    • @bobjoe109
      @bobjoe109 5 лет назад +20

      Yeah, the worst part was how she would take a random number of questions between like 2 and 10 and then expect them to reply to them all. Also it's clear they didn't plan enough time for questions lol.

    • @neiloch
      @neiloch 4 года назад

      Seems like a format set up so each person has a better chance of having a strong argument by almost skipping the ones they find hard and concentrating on the ones they like. Debate by buffet or some shit. maybe it was set up as an attempt at a handicap in favor for Archbishop John Onaiyekan and Ann Widdecombe since the organizers knew they would get crushed.

    • @thegoodgeneral
      @thegoodgeneral Месяц назад

      Yeah, they should have had someone curating audience questions.

  • @MrThus1234
    @MrThus1234 Год назад +934

    Fry's delivery of "then what are you for?" from 1:25:55 - 1:26:02 is one of the most powerful moments of any debate I've ever seen.

    • @wolfthequarrelsome504
      @wolfthequarrelsome504 Год назад +11

      Easily answered.
      But fry showed his frustration at the teaching of the church which he knows doesn't condone his homosexual activity.

    • @ourotayuun
      @ourotayuun Год назад +84

      It's honestly something that's stuck with me for years since I first watched this. It's the most succinct and scathing condemnation. Rewatching this tonight, I thought maybe I'd misremembered and embellished the moment in my own mind, but no. It now, as before, reads to me with such... consternation, indictment, even pleading. This singular moment... is such a perfect expression that it breaks my heart.

    • @wolfthequarrelsome504
      @wolfthequarrelsome504 Год назад +2

      @@ourotayuun
      He's obviously angry with the righteous position of the church on immoral sex which he himself champions.
      His bad.

    • @Rio-zh2wb
      @Rio-zh2wb Год назад +146

      @@wolfthequarrelsome504moron

    • @anushkasekkingstad1300
      @anushkasekkingstad1300 Год назад +79

      @@wolfthequarrelsome504 which aspect of homosexual sex do you imagine to be immoral and why do you consider it so?

  • @OMGILOVEBANANAS
    @OMGILOVEBANANAS 9 месяцев назад +47

    If I were a gay man I would have spent the entirety of my life trying to get Stephen Fry to marry me. Holy shit. And hats off as always to Hitch, too, he is sorely missed these days.

    • @GuitarBloodlines
      @GuitarBloodlines 9 месяцев назад

      he's only missed by pseudo intellectuals and nu-atheists

    • @SunlessSage
      @SunlessSage 9 месяцев назад

      ​@@GuitarBloodlines That's kind of harsh, especially considering he left behind friends and family.

    • @thomasmurrell6908
      @thomasmurrell6908 9 месяцев назад

      @@SunlessSage Did you expect anything better from a Catholic, their history tells the truth of what they are.

  • @user-ln1yz2ow5t
    @user-ln1yz2ow5t 8 месяцев назад +9

    It always amazes me how the Catholic Church refers to the horrors they have inflicted on people as "mistakes" and "being human". Vom.

  • @MountainRhode
    @MountainRhode 11 месяцев назад +262

    It's been said a lot, but it's like watching supercomputers battle fridge magnets

    • @billlyons7024
      @billlyons7024 9 месяцев назад

      Good one.

    • @MarlboroughBlenheim1
      @MarlboroughBlenheim1 2 месяца назад +8

      That's harsh on magnets

    • @signwriter1
      @signwriter1 26 дней назад +1

      @@MarlboroughBlenheim1 My son who is 31 now has never accepted any form of religion, and he tells me - never argue with a person of religion - you are wasting your time - he is a very wise man.

    • @MarlboroughBlenheim1
      @MarlboroughBlenheim1 26 дней назад +1

      @@signwriter1 except there are many who have deconverted after listening to the arguments against it - which is why atheists do debates. It's not about persuading the opponent. It's about the people listening in the audience.

  • @lavawingsplays1627
    @lavawingsplays1627 Год назад +884

    Hitchens swinging at the Catholic Church for Stephen Fry here, will remain one of my absolute favorite memories of our human species. RIP Christopher, and thank you for your heart and wisdom.

    • @wowisthatgami8293
      @wowisthatgami8293 Год назад +12

      For shame! For shame!

    • @NetworkSneed
      @NetworkSneed Год назад +1

      wdym "RIP" ?

    • @guardingdark2860
      @guardingdark2860 Год назад +17

      @@NetworkSneed RIP is an acronym for "Rest In Peace"

    • @NetworkSneed
      @NetworkSneed Год назад +1

      @@guardingdark2860 dk what he means by 'resting' he's dead.

    • @guardingdark2860
      @guardingdark2860 Год назад +33

      @@NetworkSneed It's a poetic phrase, it's not meant to be literal.

  • @drewlovelyhell4892
    @drewlovelyhell4892 3 месяца назад +8

    It's an interesting contrast.
    I could listen to Fry or Hitchens for hours,
    But ten seconds of Anne Widdicome makes me wish I was deaf.

  • @jovialbivouacker99
    @jovialbivouacker99 3 месяца назад +13

    Tell my ancestors, who were murdered by the Spanish Inquisition or forced to convert to Catholicism, that the church is a force for good!🤬

    • @wolfthequarrelsome504
      @wolfthequarrelsome504 Месяц назад

      Were they murdered after they were forced to convert or before they converted, in which case they weren't forced to convert?
      See how stupid your opposition to the truth had made you?

    • @elegast1819
      @elegast1819 Месяц назад

      Tell that to the ancestors of the neighbouring peoples that massacred your ancestors until the Church brought them the True Faith.

  • @drdre4397
    @drdre4397 3 года назад +161

    Fry quoted Ann's own remarks and proved she used incorrect information. Hitchens and Fry ripped apart these two.

    • @fransmith3255
      @fransmith3255 3 года назад +12

      Haha! Never debate theology against a very devout and intelligent atheist. They often know the bible and can quote it better than the devout religious person. How often does that happen, lol!!!

    • @wolfthequarrelsome504
      @wolfthequarrelsome504 3 года назад +2

      He got it wrong. So he tore nothing except his own argument. She never mentioned "nation" state.

    • @michaeldobson107
      @michaeldobson107 3 года назад +4

      ​@@wolfthequarrelsome504 Irrelevant. Widicombe and the Archbishop were lambs to the slaughter, pure and simple, (regardless of your belief or disbelief.) The Atheists sent along two of their strongest speakers and intellects, while the Church sent along an Archbishop and Anne Widicombe. The outcome was preordained.

    • @EdgeOfEntropy17
      @EdgeOfEntropy17 3 года назад

      @@fransmith3255 You base this on one debate? I implore you to watch any debate with James White against atheists and then see if you come away with that same outlook. The atheists in those debates make fools of themselves because they THINK they know more than White.

    • @fransmith3255
      @fransmith3255 3 года назад +2

      @@EdgeOfEntropy17 Hehe, made fools of themselves?? They WON the debate! That's hardly 'made fools' of themselves. The audience, even much of the self-stated religious people, voted for Steven Fry's team. Did you actually watch the video? The audience viewpoint was tested prior and after the debate - people in the audience who agreed with Steven's side actually INCREASED post debate, lol! Just because you don't agree with their viewpoint, that doesn't automatically mean they made fools of themselves. You need to learn to look at situations such as these without your religious bias. We all have biases, but you need to put your personal biases aside when judging these situations. Religious people also sometimes make great points, but these two, on this night, were just completely outclassed. Against other less capable debaters, perhaps they would have come up top, but not in this case, and no unbiased mind could fail to see that.

  • @thephidias
    @thephidias 6 лет назад +196

    "the only ones obsessed....anorexics and morbidly obese.....and that, in a nutshell, is the catholic church". this is one of those fry moments that will last eternally. chapeau.

  • @artofwong
    @artofwong 8 месяцев назад +10

    When you see Hitchens taking notes with a wry smile on his face, you know you're gonna be boiled alive.

  • @acemak14721
    @acemak14721 8 месяцев назад +11

    The saddest part about this is, the archbishops ancestors “found” the religion he’s promoting thru force and subjugation. Smmfh

  • @joefagan9335
    @joefagan9335 3 года назад +528

    Don’t miss next competition where Bishop and Anne take on Federer and Nadal at Wimbledon

    • @eminem2
      @eminem2 3 года назад +27

      Perfectly portrays the missmatch, thank you!

    • @DocTight
      @DocTight 3 года назад +5

      hahahahhaa :D

    • @kylehardy8562
      @kylehardy8562 3 года назад +23

      I think they’d stand a better chance

    • @seancullen99
      @seancullen99 3 года назад +14

      They may actually score a point in that one.

    • @spencera1129
      @spencera1129 3 года назад +4

      Haha well put

  • @gravematter1
    @gravematter1 8 лет назад +134

    The only thing that never got a proper comeback from Hitch and Stephen was the idea that in countries where condoms are promoted HIV cases don't reduce. I just kept wanting them to say something like, "yes, in AIDS-ravaged countries condoms are promoted by under-funded organisations. However, in the same countries, the over-funded Catholic Church preaches that condoms cause AIDS." But now I've got that off my chest I can relax. Even if no-one actually reads this.

    • @papercup2517
      @papercup2517 6 лет назад +9

      I read it, and I thank you for clarifying the point.

    • @sarveshlobana8573
      @sarveshlobana8573 6 лет назад +2

      yup, i read it too and now i feel enlightened :)

    • @thibaultmallier3756
      @thibaultmallier3756 6 лет назад +1

      Read and agreed my friend, and I felt the same. Thanks for that.

    • @wolfthequarrelsome504
      @wolfthequarrelsome504 3 года назад +5

      To say that condoms causes AIDS is illogical nonsense
      and you just said that.
      Promiscuity causes AIDS.

    • @nedwhitney4123
      @nedwhitney4123 3 года назад +2

      Five years later: it's still being read 😊

  • @koookeee
    @koookeee 7 месяцев назад +42

    You can admire Hitchens. But if you do not love Fry, you know not love.

    • @kimlog7476
      @kimlog7476 26 дней назад +1

      An international treasure

  • @TheLesserWeevil
    @TheLesserWeevil 6 месяцев назад +54

    Imagine being asked to debate against Fry and Hitchens and deciding that it's a good idea.

    • @Loddfafnisodr
      @Loddfafnisodr 5 месяцев назад

      Agreed, one shouldn't waste time debating with shitlords.

    • @iansmith2013
      @iansmith2013 5 месяцев назад +5

      Came here to say exactly this. Even the mere fact that I am to be debating against them would make me think again about what I believe in.

    • @evas.6003
      @evas.6003 5 месяцев назад +1

      Eek aye, you'd almost feel sorry for them. Almost....

  • @freddyharvey2405
    @freddyharvey2405 3 года назад +1502

    Ann: our opponents always bring up these things
    Stephen: we bring these things up because they matter

    • @ferdinandries7232
      @ferdinandries7232 3 года назад +75

      Stephen had the kindest message

    • @maxINaus
      @maxINaus 3 года назад +16

      Nothing matters if we're here by random chance.

    • @NeonUlti
      @NeonUlti 3 года назад +111

      @@maxINaus not true, its just not unconditional, for instance i am here by random chance, but id die in an instant to protect my family, because although completely random, they raised me, they took care of me, they taught me and made me the person i am, the randomness of the universe means we get to give things value from our own perspectives, not just things are special because an almighty god created them.

    • @konvicti94
      @konvicti94 3 года назад +28

      black lives matter

    • @AdmiralBison
      @AdmiralBison 3 года назад +27

      because the Catholic Church keeps sweeping it under the rug.

  • @SaetherOfficial
    @SaetherOfficial 5 лет назад +845

    Christopher Hitchens: *talks about the churches atrocities during ww2, their horrible position in Rwanda, their condemnation of gays and their pedofile priests*
    Ann Widdecombe: "it is interesting that he had to go all the way back to the crusades to find something wrong"
    Uhm.. Did you fall asleep or something?

    • @TortillaChip521
      @TortillaChip521 4 года назад +79

      The fact that the atrocities of the Catholic church date back several hundred years should be eye-opening

    • @91Durktheturk
      @91Durktheturk 4 года назад +12

      The catholic church did not commit atrocities during ww2. Rather, it was nazism, an atheist ideology that committed all these atrocities. Further, in the 20th century we also had communism, maoism, fidel Castro, pol pot, who all slaughtered millions based on an atheist ideology.

    • @Great.Dane.
      @Great.Dane. 4 года назад +81

      @@91Durktheturk Interesting then, that the German soldiers had belt buckles with the inscription: "Gott mit uns". Quite atheist yes...
      Their ideology was not fueled by belief or disbelief in god however.
      Communism on the other hand was definitely fueled by atheism to a certain extent. There are many shades of communism, but the only kinds that have been turned into governments were mostly authoritarian, in countries with great poverty, great unrest and/or with a history of great repression of it's people. The Russian zar while a Christian did not do much good for the Russian people either.

    • @91Durktheturk
      @91Durktheturk 4 года назад +10

      @@Great.Dane. ***Interesting then, that the German soldiers had belt buckles with the inscription: "Gott mit uns". Quite atheist yes...***
      Which is what German soldiers had on their belt for long before Nazism started. The German army was also a seperate institution from Nazism. You can therefore not conclude based on a belt that nazism was not atheist. Also, plenty of historical evidence that Nazism was basically an atheist creed, Hitler’s views as an atheist are well known and documented, as well as the atheist views of other high ranked Nazi’s. You would have to ignore all that evidence.... It is also well documented that the Nazi’s had plans to eradicate the church.
      ***Their ideology was not fueled by belief or disbelief in god however.****
      Actually it was. It was based on beliefs that could only exist in an atheist framework, such as social darwinism, eugenetics, beliefs that were shared with progressive atheists in other countries in the 1930s, such as Britain.
      ***Communism on the other hand was definitely fueled by atheism to a certain extent. There are many shades of communism, but the only kinds that have been turned into governments were mostly authoritarian, in countries with great poverty, great unrest and/or with a history of great repression of it's people.***
      In the beginning of the 1900s you could say about most countries that they had a history of repressing their own people. So not a very useful standard don’t you think? Also, funnily enough, Russia was a democracy after the February revolution, before Germany, frightened by that prospect of a powerful democratic Europe, send Lenin back to Russia. The rest is history..... Also, communism is authoritarian by its very nature.
      ***The Russian zar while a Christian did not do much good for the Russian people either.***
      That really depends on the tsar. Peter the Great did lots of good things for Russia, and was deeply religious. Tsar Alexander the II was also a great tsar, who did many good things for the Russians. The last tsar however was incompetent.

    • @rmdomainer9042
      @rmdomainer9042 4 года назад +35

      @@91Durktheturk "The catholic church did not commit atrocities during ww2"
      How about after? All that kiddy-fucking has gone on into modern time. And the Catholic church was instrumental in spiriting genocidal maniacs abroad, like Franz Stangl, to find asylum in fascist states in South America and the Middle East.

  • @Calmos65
    @Calmos65 8 месяцев назад +65

    Archbishop's speech was literally out of a school classroom, nice sounding emotive language without any actual substance (I think he provided one actual statistic of 26% to back up the claim that the church is actually doing something) and then hilariously linking every single point back to the punchline "the church is a force for good" as if trying to score extra marks from the teacher 😂

    • @Psychokeal
      @Psychokeal 5 месяцев назад +2

      😂😂I am watching this for the first time and what you just said is exactly what came to my mind before I saw your comment

    • @craigmckenzie4967
      @craigmckenzie4967 Месяц назад

      His closing argument is just irritating. He’s saying “we need to find out what the church actually says about condoms and women and homosexuality” as if he isn’t an archbishop?? Why can’t he clear the air? Then he claims that it was the Muslims who caused the Rwandan genocide when there were CATHOLIC bishops and priests on public radio actively supporting the slaughter? Brutal.

  • @jtapia0
    @jtapia0 3 месяца назад +9

    So the priest's arguments to demonstrate that the church is a good institution are:
    -Because otherwise he would not be part of it (and he has been in it for many years, without regretting it)
    -Because his family is believers
    - Because there are believers everywhere you look
    - Because he does charity
    ? Is this the best that this institution can defend itself with?

  • @atheistman279
    @atheistman279 5 лет назад +91

    "If the Catholic Church is not eternal,then what are you for?" Absolutely brilliant by Stephen Fry.

  • @voiceover2191
    @voiceover2191 2 года назад +306

    Hitchens as sharp as a razor blade tore the church to pieces, but it was Fry who reached out to my soul and moved it to its core, because while Hitch disassembled from a intellectual standpoint, Fry did as well but also poored his soul into it, conveying indeed how personally important this topic is to him and therefore moved me. What an absolute treasure this man and what a priviledge to hear him speak at any time including this one.

    • @late8641
      @late8641 2 года назад +16

      I can't get enough of Fry. When it comes to rhetorics and making language an artform, Fry is second to none.

    • @johnfox9939
      @johnfox9939 Год назад +5

      I couldn’t agree more, well put, Sir !

    • @wolfthequarrelsome504
      @wolfthequarrelsome504 Год назад

      @@late8641 I'm not quite sure what you mean, is it in an kind of a Bertrand Russell kind of way?
      (Russell was also a homosexual and freemason but I have no evidence that he was a practising homosexual and fraudster like your hero, fry)

    • @wolfthequarrelsome504
      @wolfthequarrelsome504 Год назад

      how does he rate on truth and honesty?
      How about family values? 😆

    • @2LucasKane3
      @2LucasKane3 Год назад +14

      @@wolfthequarrelsome504 One can have family values without god. Also, they are open for debate and values always change. Only in the dogmatic narrow view of religion must values remain the same no matter how far society progresses. But of course, these same people see progress as something bad. I however am glad, that we are now at a time where we can have people live out their lifes as they see fit within the boundaries of law and not religion. I am happy that people can express their sexuality however they see fit as long as it is with another consenting adult. I am happy that today, the word family can have any meaning and not just man and woman. Religion always restricts and never frees.
      You ask for truth and honesty? We life in an age where truth can be determined by science and is no longer a matter of bronze age books written by backwards sheepherders. One can look at many apologist videos here on RUclips to see that truth and honesty is a tool rarely used by those who are religious. Religion is a poinson and a cancer of this world and I am happy when it is finally cut out.

  • @watermelonhelmet6854
    @watermelonhelmet6854 8 месяцев назад +12

    Bringing Stephen Fry to a debate is like bringing a rocket launcher to a boxing match.

  • @crypticTV
    @crypticTV 9 месяцев назад +33

    15:40
    16:40 slave trade
    18:10 vs orthodox christians
    19:40 requested
    20:20 Hitler's birthday celebration
    21:00 half apologies
    21:55 children r*pe
    24:15 24:28 Antisemitis
    25:25 violence in service of truth
    27:27 antisemetic
    28:30 Rawanda christianity caused genocidee
    29:00 Condoms
    29:45 homophobia
    31:00 Remission from hell
    31:30 Crime for paradise
    33:15 Infallible pope
    34:45 Anne
    36:15 antisemitism
    38:25 SS German
    38:35 Jews and Romans
    48:43 Church Aid
    48:10 Stephen Fry
    51:30 Purgatory money
    55:40 Tomas More - torcherd for
    56:45 SAnti women
    57:15 Vatican and Islamic countries vs women's sexual choice
    58:20 Don't talk to the police
    58:40 Friend of the Pope
    1:00:30 Homophobia

    • @arthursamenu5327
      @arthursamenu5327 7 месяцев назад +1

      Great job!

    • @AlexsGoogleAccount
      @AlexsGoogleAccount 4 месяца назад +5

      At 1:27:21, Archbishop John Onaiyekan says:
      "To come to the position of the church on homosexuality, we recognize that there are people who have homosexual tendencies and they consider themselves as such. The church also says that the homosexual acts are wrong, but that doesn't mean that those who are engaged with it are condemned outright because each person has his own personal story. There is room for that."
      Just one year before this debate, John Onaiyekan proudly backed a strict ban on homosexuality in Africa.
      Homosexual sex acts were already criminal with a 14-year prison sentence, but the new ban Onaiyekan supported:
      1. Criminalized anyone in a same-sex marriage or civil union, with a 14 year prison sentence.
      2. Criminalized anyone who performs a same-sex marriage or in any way assists a gay couple to enter into a civil union, with a 10 year prison sentence.
      3. Criminalized all public displays of affection between same-sex couples, with a 10 year prison sentence.
      4. Criminalized anyone who participates in any pro-LGBTQ organization including gay bars, societies, and advocacy groups, with a 10 year prison sentence.
      5. Criminal Charges can be brought against anyone who advocates for LGBTQ+ rights under this rule, even extending to HIV/AIDS outreach.
      6. Criminal Charges can be brought against any co-habiting homosexuals, even if there is no evidence of sexual activity or a relationship between them.
      What do you mean Onaiyekan when you say "that doesn't mean that those who are engaged [in homosexual acts] are condemned outright"?
      Just one year ago YOU supported measures to lock them all up, to lock up all of their allies, and lock up anyone who speaks out in their favor.
      How can they develop "[their] own personal story"?
      Where is the "room for that." when you want them to be imprisoned for decades for anything tangentially related to their existence (no sex acts needed).

  • @donufro
    @donufro 3 года назад +298

    45:35 "And condoms; they came in the end." If she meant to make that pun, it would have been a groaner. But because she obviously had no idea, it's gold.

    • @thomasmurrell7781
      @thomasmurrell7781 3 года назад +12

      I must admit i let out a laugh when she said that.

    • @seankelly378
      @seankelly378 3 года назад +4

      Whether conscious or not , she did deliver it perfectly like Leslie Nielsen 🤣

    • @derekfranklin1868
      @derekfranklin1868 3 года назад +3

      Does she have to use one on her vibrator or does blindfolding it suffice?

    • @maxinator80ify
      @maxinator80ify 3 года назад +4

      I love Stevens face during the following sentences.

    • @WilliamsDinis
      @WilliamsDinis 3 года назад

      Brilliant

  • @maxhess3151
    @maxhess3151 3 года назад +196

    "For shame, if you could feel it." - Hitch

    • @wolfthequarrelsome504
      @wolfthequarrelsome504 3 года назад

      What actually is*shame?
      The disapproval of the majority?
      That makes the majority right, of course.

    • @chrissonofpear1384
      @chrissonofpear1384 3 года назад +7

      @@wolfthequarrelsome504 The it's not right to perhaps force captive women to marry? Or to have loopholes to keep some... servants... for life...?

    • @alexandergrimm1195
      @alexandergrimm1195 3 года назад +1

      @@chrissonofpear1384 no no no... those arent servants sir we prefer to call them priests and nuns they work for us and do whatever we tell them to as long as we say "the master your god commands you"

    • @luckyloveless2340
      @luckyloveless2340 3 года назад

      ruclips.net/video/Hp3_kbwWsPU/видео.html

  • @judegrindvoll8467
    @judegrindvoll8467 6 месяцев назад +28

    Imagine believing that it was possible to transubstantiate a wafer and wine into the body and blood of Christ, but a flesh and blood woman cannot REPRESENT Christ. Imagine being taught that male and female were made in God’s imagine, that Christ was God made flesh, yet still women cannot represent God through the priesthood. It’s fascinating from an atheist’s perspective how so much Catholic dogma disintegrates with no other argument than pointing out the contradictions within their own sacred text.

    • @markrichter2053
      @markrichter2053 5 месяцев назад

      Good logic. It’s very sad though.

    • @wolfthequarrelsome504
      @wolfthequarrelsome504 Месяц назад

      How are transubstantiation, a definition of the 12th century and the 6th century tradition of the non ordination of women to the priesthood even remotely related, for you to form that conclusion?

  • @MartyMusic777
    @MartyMusic777 7 лет назад +80

    It amazes me that Widdecombe's first argument against Christopher is to say that he used an historical argument about the Church to make his point, then ignores, or at least mostly ignores, him pointing out the unspeakable horrors committed by the Church in the past twenty years. It was entirely pathos-driven, and I couldn't take another word of her argument seriously.

    • @stanislavzoldak2198
      @stanislavzoldak2198 7 лет назад +9

      Hitch's reaction to that at 35:27 was priceless.

    • @mkprocter882
      @mkprocter882 5 лет назад +1

      yeah she really was as bad as possible in the whole debate, I could've made better cases for the Catholic Church and I'm an atheist ffs

    • @andrewleah1983
      @andrewleah1983 6 месяцев назад +1

      You can only ever argue historical points as the future hasn’t happened yet. It’s a stupid argument.

  • @quertyuiop8872
    @quertyuiop8872 4 года назад +130

    2:12 Archbishop John Anaiyekan
    13:13 Christopher Hitchens
    34:08 Anne Widdecombe
    47:55 Stephen Fry

    • @vijay10ryan
      @vijay10ryan 4 года назад +5

      Hitch and Fry spoke for years compared to what the others spoke

    • @naveen82376
      @naveen82376 4 года назад +5

      But that wasn't the God of the Bible. Hitler was a Pantheist. To him nature is god. Hitler was a fan of Nietzsche. He was a social darwinist who believed in eugenics. Those were Hitler's inspiration who, not the God of the Bible who has commanded getting angry with a person is equivalent to murder. More people were killed by atheistic communist regimes than the atrocities committed by any religion. I am not condoning the atrocities committed by the church: the worst was Spanish Inquisition: 6000 killed over 300 years. That's wrong and reprehensible. The church should always be reminded of all the atrocities committed historically, and Christians should be humble. But atheists should maintain some modesty: just remember what happened in China under Mao, stalin in USSR and other demagogues across Europe and other countries.

    • @wsreferencia
      @wsreferencia 4 года назад +8

      @@naveen82376 Amazing how everything you've said is plain wrong, so much nonsense on the same comment. All fascist regimes had a strong link to the vatican, the very first treaty Hitler did was with the catholic church. Communism just replaces the invisible god you believe in with a visible one, Mao's regime being a great example of that. Also, no one has ever killed in the name of "nothing", however, the inquisition, the cruzades and a great number of genocides were commited in the name of god. You are in for a lost cause.

    • @naveen82376
      @naveen82376 4 года назад +2

      @@wsreferencia please point out what I've said is factually. Please have a look at "Hitler's Religion: The Twisted Beliefs that Drove the Third Reich by Richard weikart." It details how much Hitler hated Christianity. The communists were atheists whose actions were the result their atheism: because they are accountable to no one. Here is a report from IBT in 2016: A senior Chinese advisor on religious affairs has said the country should promote atheism throughout society, in remarks that appear to reflect a deepening campaign to reinforce traditional Marxist values in China - and could add to concern about official attitudes among believers in the country’s five officially recognized religions." Even now China detains millions of religious people. More people have been killed by atheistic regimes (mainly because of their hatred for religion) than any religion. Atheists have been murderous tyrants when they got power.

    • @darealpimpofdasouth
      @darealpimpofdasouth 4 года назад +6

      @@naveen82376 Communism and atheism are not the same thing there is not such thing as an atheist regime. Communism was the driving force in those regimes, I find it strange that the only time the word atheist even comes up in these topics is when it is linked to words like communism, almost like it wouldn't stand on it's own.

  • @richardwait1206
    @richardwait1206 8 месяцев назад +61

    Stephen Fry is brilliant in this debate.
    What a stunning speaker

  • @Meg.01
    @Meg.01 5 лет назад +1560

    I know this is an old debate, but it honestly still fills me with rage that half of Ann’s argument boils down to “we weren’t the only ones!” Or “everyone else was like it too!” It’s no excuse, a force for good in the world would not stoop to everyone else’s low levels, would it? Surely it would lead by example!

    • @saggguy7
      @saggguy7 5 лет назад +114

      It would certainly lead by example if it were truly the mouthpiece of god on earth, as they claim to be

    • @DominiqueSuberville924
      @DominiqueSuberville924 5 лет назад +30

      I also rewatch it every so often. Fuels the passion

    • @olahedberg8613
      @olahedberg8613 5 лет назад +105

      I also enjoyed how she said that the catholic church should not be expected to behave better than society. I thought the whole thing was about how the religion is the only salvation and anything divergent is wrong. Theyre supposed to have the answer, but they keep changing their minds.

    • @adamtaylor1739
      @adamtaylor1739 5 лет назад +55

      Especially bad when you remember the Catholic church claims to have the divine on their side

    • @KingNefiiria
      @KingNefiiria 5 лет назад +49

      @@SpaceCattttt Aye, but if you're going to purport that you are a force for good in the world, that you are THE force for good in the world, you MUST hold your entire group to higher standards, and be very strict and disciplined in weeding out the chaff. There is no excuse for letting hundreds of thousands of children be raped by ministers and priests, whom are all supposed to be celibate, and not even the least bit interested in sex, nor is there any excuse for the atrocities that the Catholic church has done, both in the near and far past.

  • @jh5220
    @jh5220 3 года назад +842

    “The Church is not about military force” unless we’re retaking Jerusalem am I right lads!?

    • @dfstarborn
      @dfstarborn 3 года назад +14

      The Catholic church is not Christian and will never be Christian.. The Catholic harlot will always be pagan luciferian Rome masquerading as a religious cult when in reality she's a highly organized satanic military organization and fascist at that with all the world leaders in her pocket.

    • @jh5220
      @jh5220 3 года назад +99

      @@dfstarborn Well that escalated quickly

    • @wolfthequarrelsome504
      @wolfthequarrelsome504 3 года назад +9

      @@dfstarborn what church are you with, Daithí?

    • @dfstarborn
      @dfstarborn 3 года назад +3

      @@wolfthequarrelsome504 I believe in the gospel according to the scritpures in the King James bible. 1 Cor 15:1-4, Rom 1:16 KJV So I guess I'd be an enemy of the luciferian Pope who hates fundamentalists who believe the infallible word of God.. Baptist fundamentalist who believes that Jesus eternally paid for my sin debt which is precious blood meaning i'm eternally pardoned from the lake of fire where all Jesuit catholics are going if they don't repent.

    • @wolfthequarrelsome504
      @wolfthequarrelsome504 3 года назад +19

      @@dfstarborn I m delighted to read that protesting though you are.
      But just consider that there would be no KJV if there were no catholic church because the bible comes to us because of that same church.

  • @TheMarlinspike
    @TheMarlinspike 4 месяца назад +11

    It's rare that Hitch gets upstaged, but he did here. Hats off to Stephen.

  • @normalguycap
    @normalguycap 10 месяцев назад +141

    I think this is astounding how this was all organized and presented. I wish all our entertainment/programming was like this. We need more of this and less stupid movies and shows. That voting presentation with the display of numbers is incredible and important.

    • @marknutter2533
      @marknutter2533 6 месяцев назад

      What I gained from the voting was...most of the audience was against the CC to begin with and enjoyed the performances of Hitchens & Fry more. It had little to do with truth. The Catholic Church, aggregated, is the largest charitable organization on Earth. How could the bishop & MP lose? The bishop made the point in the closing (after the vote): much of the debate was not on point. How unintelligent. 🤔

    • @jaimefernandez2624
      @jaimefernandez2624 6 месяцев назад +9

      @@marknutter2533 sorry you misspelled that, you meant to say "the catholic church, aggregated , is the largest criminal organization on earth."
      "most of the audience was against the CC to begin with and enjoyed the performances of Hitchens & Fry more. It had little to do with truth" in general in most debates most people dont change their minds, but this one is an exception to that. look at the number at the end again, all undecided people and half more than half of the people who were in favor of the motion where convinced to change their vote.
      this debate is THE example of when debates do convince people.

    • @normalguycap
      @normalguycap 6 месяцев назад +1

      @@marknutter2533 That's what I thought. Talk ignorant vague crap, get schooled, never follow up. And you'll still never change your mind despite all the historical facts against you.

    • @BlueSummers101
      @BlueSummers101 6 месяцев назад +4

      @@marknutter2533 There are many points that I could make and many areas that I could go down to completely refute your stance.
      However I will chose just one, if the Catholic Church truly is a 'force for good' then please explain to me it's role in the staggering amount of child abuse cases and exploitation of children all around the world.

    • @klaasvaak8009
      @klaasvaak8009 5 месяцев назад

      except for the q&a section, very wastefull of time

  • @BSE1320
    @BSE1320 4 года назад +661

    Hitchens was Hitchens but Stephen Fry was particularly fired up for this one.
    "THEN WHAT ARE YOU FOR?"
    Another one:
    "It's like a Burglar in court. 'Of course you'd mention THAT Burglary, and THAT manslaughter....you never mention I give my father a birthday present!'"
    Hitchens was fairly amused by that analogy too.

    • @inkwellflood8276
      @inkwellflood8276 4 года назад +2

      They were speaking for many, good on them, 🤘🏻🎩

    • @wolfthequarrelsome504
      @wolfthequarrelsome504 3 года назад

      I'm not surprised that fry knows what happens in court... With his record.

    • @BSE1320
      @BSE1320 3 года назад +36

      @@wolfthequarrelsome504
      He went to jail for credit card fraud at 17, and paid his debt to society.
      Considering the catholic church shields child molestors...I don't think you should bother arguing about moral superiority.

    • @wolfthequarrelsome504
      @wolfthequarrelsome504 3 года назад

      @@BSE1320 agreed . However.. How reputation for honesty is shot

    • @wolfthequarrelsome504
      @wolfthequarrelsome504 3 года назад

      Here's what we're for ... The salvation of souls . even your mangy one.

  • @drbunheada224
    @drbunheada224 3 года назад +174

    I never noticed how laughable Widdicombe's argument of, "the time was bad therefore the church wasn't exceptionally bad" is in regards to child abuse.

    • @wolfthequarrelsome504
      @wolfthequarrelsome504 3 года назад +1

      I think she was referring to the middle ages. People like you are hung up on child abuse.
      Is there something you'd like to tell us?

    • @kendrajade6688
      @kendrajade6688 3 года назад +55

      @@wolfthequarrelsome504 We dislike people who abuse children. That's what we'd like to tell you.
      You, meanwhile, seem hell-bent on defending those people.

    • @NeonUlti
      @NeonUlti 3 года назад +21

      @@wolfthequarrelsome504 i think its say you didnt understand the comment about how it doesnt matter what time in ou rhistory it was including the middle ages thats no excuse for anyone to abuse children. Also saying people who hate the idea of any form of child abuse are "hung up on child abuse" is beyond a joke, if i thought like that id be ashamed of myself.

    • @ianmac214
      @ianmac214 3 года назад +19

      @@wolfthequarrelsome504 Go defend pedos somewhere else.

    • @allancouceiro9255
      @allancouceiro9255 3 года назад +13

      @@wolfthequarrelsome504 I think we should all be "hung up" on child abuse, mate. It's hardly appropriate to just sweep it aside.... unless you're the catholic church, that is.

  • @johnpeschke7723
    @johnpeschke7723 8 месяцев назад +10

    history is absolutely important. Without history we learn nothing about our past, present or future.

  • @advocate_of_HAKAI
    @advocate_of_HAKAI 3 месяца назад +5

    It's annoying that hardly anybody has any questions. They're all just stating their own opinions. Colour your questions with your opinions rather than just throwing statements.

  • @nic12344
    @nic12344 2 года назад +97

    Widdecombe in a nutshell :
    "We're bad, but you are too, so we are good."

    • @raisumit476
      @raisumit476 2 года назад +1

      Hahahahaha...

    • @adenjones1802
      @adenjones1802 2 года назад +3

      We were bad but now were good, movin into your neighbourhood

    • @sylwiamarszalek4679
      @sylwiamarszalek4679 Год назад +2

      Can’t stand that woman

    • @PriscillaAustin
      @PriscillaAustin Год назад +2

      @@sylwiamarszalek4679 She started speaking and i started reading the comments, her tone is so annoying.

  • @emteemac
    @emteemac 4 года назад +65

    Hitchens: "Just drop the mic, Stephen. It's time to go to the bar."
    Fry: "No... I've got a bit more."

  • @toni4729
    @toni4729 6 месяцев назад +8

    I don't think the Archbishop had any idea what he was in for. He no doubt thought God was on his side.

  • @1001Balance
    @1001Balance 4 месяца назад +8

    Good to see how ruthless people like Ratzinger are being exposed.

  • @EspinalPhotography
    @EspinalPhotography 3 года назад +707

    “I am obsessed with sex... ever since I discovered that my god given male member was going to give me no peace, I decided to give it no rest in return”
    - Christopher Hitchens

    • @wolfthequarrelsome504
      @wolfthequarrelsome504 3 года назад +14

      You admire that?

    • @juliandedicatoria3728
      @juliandedicatoria3728 3 года назад +64

      As it should be

    • @wolfthequarrelsome504
      @wolfthequarrelsome504 3 года назад +3

      @@juliandedicatoria3728 Borh were homosexuals with an active history.

    • @guesswho1573
      @guesswho1573 3 года назад +65

      @@wolfthequarrelsome504 sounds like someones jealous

    • @guesswho1573
      @guesswho1573 3 года назад +44

      @Steve Meikle i think the point is that since it doe no one harm it doesnt matter, we all have our own senses of right and wrong, you can choose to do whatever you want with your "male organ" (its called a penis by the way) aslong as it doesnt affect anyone else in a harmful way.

  • @stuartaylen
    @stuartaylen Год назад +49

    Ann Widdicombe really was a great argument for the negative.
    Her condescension and arrogance were palpable.

    • @Mr_Mz518
      @Mr_Mz518 7 месяцев назад +2

      That's always her way, she's a one trick pony!

    • @elegast1819
      @elegast1819 Месяц назад

      @@Mr_Mz518 "Palpable arrogance" was a feature of more than one debater lol

    • @Mr_Mz518
      @Mr_Mz518 Месяц назад

      @@elegast1819 that's only the tip of her iceberg though

  • @oscarmudd6579
    @oscarmudd6579 8 месяцев назад +9

    The religious' motto: Only we matter.

  • @NinaAnthonijsz
    @NinaAnthonijsz 7 месяцев назад +20

    One of my biggest dreams is to one day become as eloquent, intelligent, imaginative, creative and kind as Stephen Fry.

  • @Marina-pe1gx
    @Marina-pe1gx 5 лет назад +1226

    How lucky are we to be alive in the same time as Stephen Fry?

    • @hagenjpm6700
      @hagenjpm6700 5 лет назад +38

      Marina Panteli So lucky, but not lucky enough to include Christopher Hitchens :(

    • @darrengray3782
      @darrengray3782 5 лет назад +3

      Not for long.

    • @Marina-pe1gx
      @Marina-pe1gx 5 лет назад +2

      @@darrengray3782 why?

    • @darrengray3782
      @darrengray3782 5 лет назад

      Well he was ill and he seems to have disappeared, I think that we will get the news soon, could be wrong, but if I was a betting man...

    • @Marina-pe1gx
      @Marina-pe1gx 5 лет назад

      @@darrengray3782 I think he had the cancer removed, didn't he?

  • @GreatBigBore
    @GreatBigBore Год назад +568

    For anyone who wants to study in-depth:
    1:38 Archbishop
    12:55 Hitchens
    33:58 Widdecombe
    47:33 Fry
    1:07:49 Vote
    1:09:45 Questions 1
    1:16:58 Questions 2
    1:22:07 Questions 3
    1:28:15 Questions 4
    1:36:05 Vote
    1:37:30 Fry
    1:40:32 Widdecombe
    1:45:20 Hitchens
    1:50:10 Fellow humans, THIS. IS. MORALITY.
    1:51:23 Archbishop
    1:57:16 Vote

    • @barbie6391
      @barbie6391 Год назад +12

      Thank you!

    • @davidr1431
      @davidr1431 Год назад +44

      i wonder how many people revisiting this skip the archbishop and widdicombe initial speeches. having heard them once, once is enough.

    • @tomevans5630
      @tomevans5630 11 месяцев назад +2

      Thank you 😊

    • @elmoblatch9787
      @elmoblatch9787 9 месяцев назад +6

      Just omit everyone except Hitch and Fry and you'll be fine.

    • @Anonie324
      @Anonie324 9 месяцев назад +26

      @@davidr1431 The archbishop is tolerable, but Widdecombe was cursed with an *extraordinarily* difficult voice to listen to, about as querulous, whiny, and shrill a timbre as I've ever heard in a person. The fact that she proffers tired reactionary drivel with petulant and entitled language doesn't help.

  • @chigg76
    @chigg76 5 месяцев назад +5

    I almost feel bad for the bishop. You can tell he's a good guy at heart, and English isn't his native language. And then you just watch Christopher Hitchens getting introduced. He's takes a nice sip of his drink, and then it's like watching a nuclear bomb destroy an anthill. Then it's followed up by a second nuclear bomb with Fry.

  • @Windsweptgold
    @Windsweptgold 7 месяцев назад +4

    I remember at school during scripture the minister asked who had been baptised or confirmed. I did not put my hand up, I was the only one in the class without my hand up. The minister had me stand up and asked again if I had and I said no I had not. His response was " Then you have no name in the eyes of God" Now at the time that hurt me a lot as I went to church and wanted to be a nun. When I got home I told my dad and he was not impressed. It was also that moment I started to question so next week at scripture I started to ask questions and the minister would reply You just have to have faith. Now do I feel the church is a force for good, not just the Catholic but any, no I don't. If you get something out of it great but don't make out people are only good because the church tells them to be. If they have to have a fear of something happening to them when they die, something cant be proven then so be it. I'll be a good person because I am a good person.

  • @captainmakai
    @captainmakai 4 года назад +1823

    Isn't it fantastic that we can debate such subjects, freedom of speech at its finest.

    • @thebatmanover9000
      @thebatmanover9000 4 года назад +36

      Not after 2021.

    • @jackminton352
      @jackminton352 4 года назад +8

      thebatmanover9000 what does that mean?

    • @thebatmanover9000
      @thebatmanover9000 4 года назад +41

      @@jackminton352 Christian theocrocy.

    • @torro8234
      @torro8234 4 года назад +13

      Only in the US my friend

    • @dylanjones268
      @dylanjones268 4 года назад +94

      @@torro8234 Many free countries all over the world experience the same freedoms.. some more so.. than the US. Please stop being ignorant. Whether it is laziness, choosing to ignore or outright denying facts. Just stop.

  • @pelonp3691
    @pelonp3691 6 лет назад +692

    I almost feel bad for the black dude, he had no idea what he got himself into

    • @dicktrickle875
      @dicktrickle875 5 лет назад +25

      lol ikr

    • @SS-qp2ex
      @SS-qp2ex 5 лет назад +49

      One thing I would have added is the low level of intelligence of religious people

    • @elcheapo9444
      @elcheapo9444 5 лет назад +108

      That's just a mean, hateful comment. He is not speaking in his native language and it is hard to express yourself in a foreign language.

    • @nathanjora7627
      @nathanjora7627 5 лет назад +77

      Jay S, it’s only another reason why it was a bad idea for him to go into this debate.

    • @elcheapo9444
      @elcheapo9444 5 лет назад +60

      @@nathanjora7627 I agree with that. But there's no reason to suggest that he is intellectually disadvantaged.

  • @raphaellacondeixa6400
    @raphaellacondeixa6400 10 месяцев назад +8

    Defending the worst institution ever is already hard but doing it in a language that isn’t your first is even harder. Kinda feel bad for the guy

    • @allthatchas
      @allthatchas 7 месяцев назад +2

      He is from Nigeria, English is the official language there.

    • @raphaellacondeixa6400
      @raphaellacondeixa6400 7 месяцев назад +3

      @@allthatchas oh my bad he is really struggling just because of the church then that's even worst

    • @sapphire4310
      @sapphire4310 5 месяцев назад +2

      I think he just sucks at debating, you can see how out of his depth he is in the closing statement lmao

  • @Pennybrookeify
    @Pennybrookeify 6 месяцев назад +9

    It seems the more educated we become, the better we understand the natural world through science, the less we need religion. Change is slow but constant.

    • @elegast1819
      @elegast1819 Месяц назад

      Hahaha Just keep waiting, you will be amazed in the end.

  • @coreysmithson9685
    @coreysmithson9685 5 лет назад +75

    29:37
    Imagine being Stephen Fry, listening to one of the greatest orators of his era speaking truth to the most powerful institution in history, on your behalf, for the hatred against you and others like you. That ending line might be my favorite Hitch argument of them all

    • @wolfthequarrelsome504
      @wolfthequarrelsome504 4 года назад +1

      No one there is a great orator.

    • @wolfthequarrelsome504
      @wolfthequarrelsome504 4 года назад +1

      @Where Is Waldo hardly oratory at it's finest, though.
      Oratory requires facts.
      Hitchins is short in them. If your want to see oratory watch Frank Turek v Hitchens debate on RUclips.

  • @007sebbi
    @007sebbi 3 года назад +397

    If I understood Mrs Widdecombe correctly, she said whenever a christian did something horrible, it's a single person or you have to see it in the context of the time, and whenever a christian did something good, it's the church that encourage the person, am I wrong there? What a complete waste of time to debate with such persons.

    • @Doctor_Straing_Strange
      @Doctor_Straing_Strange 3 года назад +22

      Logic left the building

    • @rustycherkas8229
      @rustycherkas8229 3 года назад +21

      Do some reading about Ireland's "Magdalene Laundries". Kinda wish their existence had been brought up. Widdecombe tried to score points by suggesting "that was then, this is now" with centuries between. Just ain't so...
      Galileo was tortured, but 10 years earlier, Giordano Bruno was burnt at the stake for advocating the same Copernican 'theory'...
      Stephen didn't state it, but that church waited four centuries before it could admit Galileo (and Bruno) were right.
      "We CANNOT allow science to progress or speak as it will only prove the vacuousness of our tenets... It will prove we emperors have been peddling only lies."
      The debate is good, if the voting, before and after, was an accurate indication of a positive change in some people's attitudes.

    • @007sebbi
      @007sebbi 3 года назад +5

      @Strengt of Yahweh For example?

    • @rustycherkas8229
      @rustycherkas8229 3 года назад +19

      @Strengt of Yahweh
      A lot of the Christian "wrongs" require absolutely no context, and it is often the apologists who tell lies trying to cover-up, hide, deflect or "explain" the most repugnant, horrendous behaviors of their ilk...
      So what's your point?

    • @shroomer8294
      @shroomer8294 3 года назад +7

      @Strengt of Yahweh This is exactly what someone who’s biased would say.

  • @Inigo_The_Son
    @Inigo_The_Son 8 месяцев назад +35

    This is the most fantastic debate I have ever watched. Since it was first presented I have come back every couple months to watch it again. It only gets better with time.

  • @4OHz
    @4OHz 6 месяцев назад +22

    The Catholic Church states that abstinence is the best form of birth control, tell that to the Virgin Mary.

    • @wolfthequarrelsome504
      @wolfthequarrelsome504 6 месяцев назад

      Why do you think she's called "the Virgin"?😂

    • @ThomasMurrell-xr4mt
      @ThomasMurrell-xr4mt 6 месяцев назад +2

      @@wolfthequarrelsome504 Because she was selling it on the side, probably to Roman soldiers

    • @PrintProfessor
      @PrintProfessor 5 месяцев назад

      😂

    • @4OHz
      @4OHz 3 месяца назад

      @@ThomasMurrell-xr4mt - one would think. wouldn’t they ? The Holy Spirit or some Nazarene Harlot

    • @helenchelmicka7894
      @helenchelmicka7894 Месяц назад

      😅😅

  • @esdet105
    @esdet105 3 года назад +479

    After hearing Hitchens, I decided to leave the Catholic Church and I wasn't even ever a Catholic.

    • @andrewlailvaux1571
      @andrewlailvaux1571 3 года назад +3

      Catholics were never the true faith...biblically speaking.

    • @wolfthequarrelsome504
      @wolfthequarrelsome504 3 года назад +11

      @@andrewlailvaux1571 thats quite curious as the Bible that you biblically speak of is a Catholic book.

    • @andrewlailvaux1571
      @andrewlailvaux1571 3 года назад +9

      @@wolfthequarrelsome504 Haha sorry pal it is not. It is a Jewish book which the catholics perverted.

    • @andrewlailvaux1571
      @andrewlailvaux1571 3 года назад +3

      @@wolfthequarrelsome504 God only started dealing with the gentiles from acts it's completely Jewish up until that point. So sorry.

    • @andrewlailvaux1571
      @andrewlailvaux1571 3 года назад +1

      @@wolfthequarrelsome504 Rome is not the start of Christianity, that belongs with Israel where it really began.

  • @geordangundelfinger8922
    @geordangundelfinger8922 5 лет назад +140

    This is like Mike Tyson vs a blind child

    • @kenbellchambers4577
      @kenbellchambers4577 5 лет назад +1

      NO NO NO Geordan, not a blind child, a dead duck. (Please tell me what Gundelfinger means.) My name means a 'swell bedroom'.

    • @billofjazz
      @billofjazz 5 лет назад +1

      Or like bringing a butter knife to a gunfight....

    • @wolfthequarrelsome504
      @wolfthequarrelsome504 4 года назад

      Amazing... Jesus loves blind children... Maybe Mike Tyson too.

    • @liquidbraino
      @liquidbraino 4 года назад +5

      @Pat Aherne Cardinal George Pell loves blind children too because they can't point him out in a police lineup.

    • @darthmong7196
      @darthmong7196 4 года назад +1

      @@liquidbraino Dammit you beat me to it!

  • @rockytoptom
    @rockytoptom 11 месяцев назад +23

    To say any religion is a force for good, let alone an institution which has made trillions of dollars off of the deaths and misery of hundreds of millions of people over the course of almost 2000 years is insane. Religion is more powerful than any drug or addiction because it promises answers to things we can't even begin to comprehend with our minimal understanding of the workings of the universe. Without going too Socratic, if people use religion to do truly good things, that's good. But people have been doing good things without religion for millennia without religion.

    • @bobs182
      @bobs182 2 месяца назад +2

      Religion and politics are about power.

  • @markdignam5664
    @markdignam5664 11 месяцев назад +13

    The vote swing before and after was quite remarkable and proves to me that the arguments for the motion rang hollow on many levels

  • @bathtubbarracuda2581
    @bathtubbarracuda2581 6 лет назад +103

    This Widdecombe is exceptionally dim. She sure knows how to make herself look intellectual and adopt a snobbish tone of voice, but the substance is simply not there.

  • @medrict
    @medrict 7 лет назад +42

    The best statement EVER: "ever since I discovered my god given male member was gonna give me no peace, I decided to give it no rest in return"

    • @patrickkaggwa6328
      @patrickkaggwa6328 2 года назад +1

      @medrict.He can be a good role model for your children!

  • @wizardswine
    @wizardswine 6 месяцев назад +8

    Brilliantly executed by all, I know we still have debates like this, but rarely are they so civil and polite.

  • @malcolmgardner9308
    @malcolmgardner9308 10 месяцев назад +29

    Nearly 6 million people have now viewed this amazing debate ( obliteration) I love the thought that there are now millions of atheists because of the wonderful work of Hitch and Fry. Hitch you may have unfortunately passed but your work lives on thanks to this video.

    • @rafaeldonnelly3593
      @rafaeldonnelly3593 8 месяцев назад +1

      I think he rather put off a number of people

    • @Attham
      @Attham 8 месяцев назад

      A rather small minority, if any, considering the changes seen between the two votes.@@rafaeldonnelly3593

  • @wordtothewise9723
    @wordtothewise9723 3 года назад +143

    I love at 46:12, Hitchens reaches for his pen and paper and Stephen is smiling as he writes. It's like they both know Widdecombe is just about to hand them more ammunition for their argument.

    • @notaname8140
      @notaname8140 3 года назад +52

      @ANGELO IMMANUEL You're challenging a dead man to a debate? Hardly seems fair, Christopher still has a huge advantage, lol

    • @woutervanr
      @woutervanr 3 года назад +12

      @ANGELO IMMANUEL I also challenge everybody here to watch my content. Do leave a comment and like.

    • @magdaghirma
      @magdaghirma 3 года назад +3

      Thank you for pointing that out, made me chuckle..

    • @sagniksarkar2471
      @sagniksarkar2471 3 года назад +2

      Lmao dude straight up challenged a dead man to a duel of sorts XD

    • @chriskennedy7534
      @chriskennedy7534 3 года назад +6

      @@sagniksarkar2471 And he'd still lose

  • @TheGnurgen
    @TheGnurgen 2 года назад +118

    The first thing Ann did was accuse Hitchens of misrepresenting the catholic church, and in the very next breath she goes on to misrepresent his arguments. She said he had to go back to the crusades in order to try and disprove the notion that "the catholic church is a force for good" when even I can remember without going back that he spoke a lot about the protection of pedophile priests and the churches condemnation of homosexuals. Which she later tries to address, along with the nazi points, which im pretty sure was also quite a bit after the crusades and the sacking of Constantinople.

    • @mnomadvfx
      @mnomadvfx 2 года назад +7

      Or even inbetween now and the crusades.
      The various actions of the church in south America with the bishops that accompanied the conquistadors after 1492.
      Or fanning the flames of the medieval English religious troubles simply by denying Henry VIII a divorce - that has to be the greatest shot in the foot that the Catholic church has ever done to its own cause of a unified Christian faith.

    • @littleceasar9351
      @littleceasar9351 2 года назад +1

      There is nothing wrong with condemning certain acts. All value systems do that, whether it’s atheists condemning people for eating meat, or Christianity not approving of two blokes bumming each other.

    • @hexagonearther710
      @hexagonearther710 2 года назад +1

      @@littleceasar9351 yeah good point i too know of a lot of cases where people are executed and tortured because they ate meat. or whole countries of anti-meat maffia beating you up in the streets if they heard you ate a steak. even more so, the majority of people who are vegetarian are religious, do with that what you like. your argument consists out of 2 completely unrelated things trying to normalize yourp oint of view. another example of that would be like this: people can have thoughts, theists can think they already had a cup of coffee this morning and atheists can think that religion and all its aspects and history is a big sham made by a bunch of nonces wanting to garner power over the lesser educated people stuck in a loop of misinformation. just because both are thinking doesnt mean that theyre equal by any means

    • @proculusjulius7035
      @proculusjulius7035 2 года назад +10

      @@littleceasar9351 I've never condemned anyone for eating meat it's none of my business what you want to eat.

    • @Kopeleto
      @Kopeleto Год назад

      @@littleceasar9351 Hi, omnivore atheist here. Atheism doesn't necessitate condemnation of your diet.