@@dg8620 he's a greedy hypocrite, talking about spiritual richness whilst grabbing as much material richness as he possibly can. The man is a fraud and a liar with zero moral credibility, another two-faced false prophet.
@@davepowell7168 No one said he was.infallible and being human he could be wrong and he would be the first to admit it but.that doesn't make him wrong.about everything.
@@nealgrimes4382 l enjoyed his role as an eloquent religious antagonist, however after the debate with his brother (ref. Hitchins v Hitchins 2011)changed my mind. Unsurprisingly nobody was dumb enough to sell Hussein anything harder than enough to irritate lsrael The project Babylon gun (Sheffield steel?) was a masterpiece of Bull (refs available) The geopolitical motives were clear and in print by 2000 and the guy wasn't a fool. RlP Dr David Kelly . First person recorded to have committed suicide from severing the ulnar artery alone ? Co-proxamol was present. A man of great integrity
@@nealgrimes4382 l agree with your comment but bullshit is best spread by assets with a long history of being rational, intelligent and right. In Christopher Hitchins case he doesn't have to answer to God. I suspect that there may be some filtering in the recycling of human sentience (the soul?)and Christopher was good at his work. I have a personal grudge against religious indoctrination and still enjoyed much of his style of humour but this guy knew of US foreign policy (PNAC) before 2000. You're aware of his bloodline
The points are very easy to address, Mr Blair was just laughably underprepared. No idea why he’s debating Hitchens on a topic he knows little to nothing about, other than his ‘name’ gets bums on seats.
Blair is a smooth talking snake oil fanatic. His tactic is to pick one positive aspect of his position and drum it home repeatedly. Notice he actually sidesteps the debate by ignoring Hitchens points and merely repeating his own mantra. That’s what he always did as a politician. It makes him seem like a calm, decent, benign individual when he’s really quite a nasty piece of work.
Hitchens bypassing the customary "thank you for having me here" and going right to the offensive just makes me smile. This man cared only for the truth.
@@mark-ishTrue, the Nuns taught me as a boy that man was created by God in his image. I, as I age now know that God and Gods were created by man in the image of man.
Christopher is strong ---- how wonderful that he gave this debate so much intelligence and energy despite being sick with cancer. Excellent points all around. Wonderful performance by both.
I discovered him a few years ago as well (I’m 36 now), and brother, you are in for a RUclips rabbit hole of a lifetime. Enjoy every minute. He reads his book, “God is not Great” which is also on RUclips. I’m jealous of your first-time experiences with Mr. Hitchens, but happy you’ve arrived at the party!
I discovered him about a year or so ago and I’ve certainly had a different outlook upon discovering . I truly hope his message and ethos spreads and stands the test of time.
@@DepakoteMeister yes but beliefs are a factor in determining the truth. There is a game in which a contestant is told increasingly ridiculous statements and has to guess whether they are true or false. The trick is the more "believable" stuff is generally made-up and the craziest ones are often real. Now based on the knowledge you can get from various sources it's up to you to decide what you *think* is true. A person who says God is real isn't lying because they actually believe that.
@@hasan_z Beliefs are not a factor in determining truth, facts are. And no one suggested believers are lying. We humans are so easily fooled, and none of us are exempt. Some of us are less easily fooled. The biggest difference between believers and non-believers is that non-believers don't claim to have all the answers and are willing to alter their views to fit with new evidence as required.
Comparing the way these guys speak, one could even feel, in some strange way, that they are using two different languages with two distinct sets of words and phrases. Hitchens was a linguistic phenomenon, wasn't he?
@@davepowell7168 True. Hitch ran his mouth endlessly without knowing what he was talking about. A professional rabble rouser like Trump -- just on the other extreme.
@BarryDong... Created superior to 8.5 million other species on Earth and created the rulers of this planet... Created with gifts, talents, nobility, and in the image and likeness of God... Not only that -- but God died for the sins of humankind so that we may have eternal happiness in Heaven. Such things are fairly generous for a Celestial Dictator.
@@RadagonTheRed If that were only true, you'd be one of many atheists who've seen the light. Raised in a militant atheist family, Sy Garte became a respected research biochemist with an anti-theistic worldview-and he had no intention of seeking a God he didn’t believe in. That is, until the very science he loved led him to question the validity of an atheistic worldview. These questions led him to wonder about the true nature of the world, and eventually the Holy Spirit guided him to a belief in God, and in Jesus Christ …. Alister McGrath, a historian and biochemist scientist who believed in evolution. A professor of science, he became a Christian apologist …. Francis Collins is an American physician-geneticist and atheist who discovered gene diseases and led the Human Genome Project. He investigated many faiths, and though he resisted, the evidence was clear. He converted to Roman Catholicism …. John Gurdon, a developmental biologist is known for his research in nuclear transplantation and cloning. He’s a Nobel prize winner in Physiology Medicine. He converted from agnosticism to Christianity …. John Eccles, a neurophysiologist and a Nobel Prize winner in Physiology Medicine was an atheist who converted to Christianity …. Rosalind Picard was raised as an atheist and converted as a young adult. She is a scholar and inventor who founded MIT’s Affective Computing Research Group. She has received the highest professional honors accorded for engineering skills. She converted to Christianity …. Famed astronomer, Allan Sandage, was an atheist who converted to Christianity, stating, "I could not live a life full of cynicism. I chose to believe, and a peace of mind came over me” …. Blaise Pascal was raised in a secular environment and contributed to scientific advancements in mathematics, mechanical engineering, physics, fluid dynamics and probability theory. He proposed the probabilistic argument God known as Pascal's wager, to justify belief in God and a virtuous life. Not only scientists but highly educated people in general become Christians: …. Gilbert West was an eminent English poet who studied at Oxford. He tried to debunk the resurrection of Jesus but could not. He became a Christian and wrote the book ‘Observations on the History and Evidence of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ …. Simon Greenleaf, a chief founder of Harvard Law School, referred to Christianity as a silly myth. After being challenged by students based on historical evidence, over several decades, he became a believer in Jesus Christ and Christianity .… Albert Henry Ross an Englishman lawyer and journalist. He criticized the Bible and believed in Darwin. He wrote a book to disprove the resurrection of Jesus. Instead, he became a Christian …. Anthony Flew was a famous spokesperson of atheism before Dawkins and Hitchens. The world was shocked when he suddenly admitted God exists in 2004 and wrote a book about it. He based it on scientific, empirical, and philosophical evidence. If you’re an objective thinker who pursues objective truth obsessively, and in a rational way, eventually you’ll become a Christian …. Devout Muslim Intellect Nabeel Qureshi investigated Christianity for 15 years trying to disprove it in favor of Islam. Although he had believed firmly in the God of Islam for decades, after examining the evidence he uncovered, he decided to leave Islam for Jesus Christ and Christianit …. Lee Strobel is an investigative journalist. He was an atheist and tried to prove the Bible was not valid. The evidence he acquired changed his mind, and he became a Christian …. Jordan Peterson, an astute and rational intellectual and world-famous philosopher. He said the Bible has proven to be more durable than stone or an empire, and it’s a life-changing academic and historical text. He credits it with his conversion to Christianity.
Tony Blair: the perfect politician, fudging, grandstanding, spraying sound-bites, slight-of-hand; did he even write his script I wonder. Maybe. Christopher Hitchens: a surgeon with a scalpel, meticulously holding entrenched beliefs up to scrutiny, one after the other. And they all come up short. 'We don't need divine permission to know right from wrong'. 'Created sick and ordered to be well.' (What a concept!) We need another Christopher Hitchens. Desperately.
What a debate ! 🔥 Christopher Hitchens was great thinker and most resolved mind. Prime Minister Tony Blair as always very eloquent and calculated in his submissions. Such clarity and resolved minds. Christopher Hitchens could easily have been a peer to the great Greek philosopher, Socrates, had they lived in the same time space. What a beautiful mind and great thinker and debater he was. This world needs more critical thinkers like Christopher Hitchens. Love from Zambia ❤🇿🇲🔥
Blair: “People of faith can accomplish good things sometimes!” Hitchens: “Point taken. But religion is still not a force of good in the world and here’s why.” Blair: “But people of faith can accomplish good things sometimes!” Rinse and repeat. Except one of the two is going to come up with new material and the other isn’t. Anyone with a shred of honesty and a sufficient number of brain cells can tell which is which.
Catholicism isn't exactly new. Unless of course you are referring to Hitchen, which would be strange since he isn't defending claim, much less a belief, here. Also, have you ever noticed how people, who don't have any good arguments, appeal to "common sense" rather than make their case for their actual beliefs?
A man with UNcommon sense! I've watched many Hitchens debates. I believe this was his finest! However, Blair was pretty good also in his opening remarks. Were I part company is in the idea that good things can only be spawned by a belief in something unbelievable. If co-operation theory replaced religious instruction in primary and secondary school then surely the world would be a better place.
@@TheYuvimon I'll repeat and correct a typo! A man with UNcommon sense! I've watched many Hitchens debates. I believe this was his finest! However, Blair was pretty good also in his opening remarks. Where I part company is in the idea that good things can only be spawned by a belief in something unbelievable. If co-operation theory replaced religious instruction in primary and secondary school then surely the world would be a better place.
Love for Hitchens from Freetown Sierra Leone. I learned a lot about how to think from Hitchens that I did from the classroom. How I miss his brilliance 💔
15th December 2011 - the day the world became a dumber place. I often wonder if Christopher's family read these comments to see how much he will always be loved and missed in equal measure.
I'm not an atheist, I'm moslem and plan to stay that way, Yet I can't help but agree with almost everything MrHitchens said.Religion is sepose to be a force for good yet it almost never is.
Best way to become an atheist is to read the religious texts critically. Take the Christian bible. I can name 3 stories where children died as a direct result of the god from that book. 1- Noah’s Ark - when god flooded the Earth to wipe out all of mankind except for Noah’s family and some animals, it wasn’t just adults he was killing. 2- the tenth plague of Egypt - firstborn sons. He could have just killed the Pharaoh and his men, but decided this was more appropriate! Eventually killed them by closing the parted seas on them anyway, meaning the firstborns died for nothing! 3- the story of Job (pronounced Jobe) - Job’s children died in this story out of God’s pure ego to win a bet with the devil that Job would still love him after losing everything. This story is messed up and the most awful reason for any child to die! I challenge you now to read the Quran cover to cover with a critical mind. I guarantee you’ll find flaws. Not because it’s written by god, but it’s most certainly and obviously written by man. Once you’ve read through it, drop me a line with your thoughts and most troubling verse that makes you think maybe it’s not the best thing to write in the religious text?
Whatever your view - great to see and hear a proper debate with people respecting the others view and allowing their voice to be heard without hatred and constant interruption. Both speakers did a great job. Hitchens was a superb speaker and is sorely missed.
Yeah this is very rare these days! You watch Hitchens vs a load of Americans, there will be shouting, interrupting, etc! Watch anything with Piers Morgan, I don’t think a single one of his guests can get a word in! I’ve never really liked Tony Blair, but gained a little respect for him in this as he gave a lot of respect. Hitchens for the win though!
@@seanreeder5784 your right about Morgan. He doesn't let anyone get a word in unless he agrees with them. I also think he has some infatuation with Meagan and harry! I think Tony Blair was brave having a debate with Christopher.
Some of Christopher's finest moments here, thanks mate. I never tire of the truth, the real one and only truth, organised God fearing religion is the source of all evil.
"Finally"? It's been said and believed by thinkers since very ancient times. Please see the Wikipedia articles named "Secular morality" and "Secular humanism" and you will find many examples. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secular_morality and en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secular_humanism
Those who kept clapping for Blair’s charity claims, are the same ones who are mesmerized & fooled by con men like Jimmy Swaggart & Kenneth Copelands of the world !
In the full length vid, Blair's ENTIRE argument was, "Sure, religion has destroyed BILLIONS of lives...but some believers also do charity....!" Stephen Fry did a wonderful send-up of this pathetic "argument/excuse" in his and Hitch''s debate against the catholic church: The accused speaks at his trial, "Why do you keep bringing up my crimes...? You never bring up the fact that I always give my father a birthday present...!"
Dated as it is now I think I will come back to this for years to come. In my opinion Hitchens was superior but Blair represented his position well. Each orator was defending the dignity and humanity of their side; Hitchens on the ability of humankind to overcome the shackles of intellectual servitude and "stand at our full height" and Blair defended the good of the inspired to advance the world by sincere love through true faith. The debate will stand for me as a testament to the power of a well reasoned debate- i.e. raising our intellect by the contemplation of different points of view in pursuit of a higher goal, sorely lacking in the present day USA. Thank you Munk family for using your prosperity to give the world this gift.
@sheisegall3832. I intended to make an informed comment after watching this amazing debate. After reading your reply, I believed that you have eloquently stated what I would have wished to have said. Well done.
My beautiful Hitch, although it breaks my heart 💞, I will never stop watching and learning from my mentor. I so miss Hitch😂 but I thank him for his brilliant mind. #IgotHiTcHEd
I admire his left-brained capacity for getting his message across to try and win an argument at all costs; I think it's a shame that he never tried to forge a link between his head and heart.
Listening to Blairs opening gambit I could pin point exactly what Christopher was going to pull apart and of course he did. The world needs a Christopher Hitchens now.
The only reason Blair converted was because, as catholicism says "you can commit any crime or any sin you like, as long as you say sorry before the church." People never forget and you will never be absolved Blair.
The fascinating story is how Blair went from being the New Messiah to the Devil Incarnate in a few short years. To be fair, he put in the spadework to ruin his legacy. How Hitch towers over him - intellectually and morally.
Thank you Christopher Hitchens for doing what you did. Tony Blair really is some sort of Gollum.... perhaps consumed internally by the enormity of his own crimes... during his premiership, he took precisely the role of the clerics/arbiters of divine will that Hitchens so well describes...denial is a powerful thing. He's so desperate to believe in something... perhaps the alternative leaves him unable to accept the enormity of his own actions..... a tragic figure indeed.
I can't help but think every person who debates Hitchens knows they're not only beaten but that he's right. They are just too scared of the dictator in the sky.
You find Blairs 'argument' compelling? His argument is simply that religion and religious organisations carry out some charity work these days so let's forget the untold millions killed by every type of faith across the world...
Excellent comment. Blair's examples were indeed facile, but easy to understand: typical politico speak to an audience desperate to feel itself intelligent.
Thanx so much for this, I did not know about it. As soon as I read the title, I thot "Tony, you in danger gurl". hahaha. The Hitch Ruled the Stage, as per usual.
It's interesting that Atheists don't have to keep revising their views and apologising for past misdeeds which is exactly what religions do all the time. Being good because you're good, rather than being good because you're afraid of being caught and /or punished is much better. It is sad that Christopher is no longer with us, but his legacy will live on.
My experience was extremely negative! I was attacked by a larger man within a block of my home. I said, “I don’t have any money!” I was answered with, “ I’m not after your money!” As he whispered sweet nothings into my ear I said, “t 27:29his is no way to go about it!” and thankfully he did. My Methodist minister blamed ME for being attacked! Hence, I left that church-forever!
Yep. But Blair much more so I think. Hitchen's stance in Iraq was wrong imo, but it was his only serious mistake. And then only an opinion... not an invasion.
Wow. I saw the title and thought, "Wait THE Tony Blair? What on earth does he think he is? Taking the Hitch?" Just goes to show the hubris of this politician.
Atheism is not a religion by any stretch of the imagination, it is the absence of religion and the acceptance of reality. Ignorance is a gift to realists as it makes the wise strive for knowledge. Religious faith teaches people to be satisfied with ignorance, because religious faith requires the suspension of reasoned thought.
Summary: Some religious people are bad; some religious people are good; some atheist people are bad; some atheist people are good. Someone should objectively quantify how much good and how much evil religion did. Lives taken vs lives saved. Wealth generated vs wealth destroyed. Knowledge produced vs knowledge suppressed. It would be a lot of work, to be sure, but it might be possible.
Mr Blair does not argue the existence of God, but rather he argues that organized religion does more good in the world than bad. Mr Hitchens (RIP) argues there is not God and rather than follow organized religions based on the existence of a "God", use logic, science, and common sense to live our lives.
Can't believe Blair thought he had any chance of winning a debate with Hitchens
True but he did a lot better than most. He's very eloquent
@@dg8620 he's a greedy hypocrite, talking about spiritual richness whilst grabbing as much material richness as he possibly can.
The man is a fraud and a liar with zero moral credibility, another two-faced false prophet.
I can’t believe Blair thought he had any credibility being a mass murderer who had to be given immunity from future prosecution.
While I am on the other side of him on this debate, I greatly admire his willingness to do this and his effort at debating in good will.
He actually did a good job. I am a new atheist, but we got a few things wrong in retrospect. Got to love Hitchens, though.
Hitchins will rightly be remembered as an intellectual giant but we shouldn't forget he was incredibly funny. RIP Chris.
He didn’t like his name shortened
Since the start Blair gave up on trying to say that religion is good, he just tried to make it sound like it isn't as bad as Hitchens says it is.
Blair has gone fully to the dark side, seeking redemption through the confession box. Pathetic level of profound hypocrisy
Christopher hitchens was one of the most well versed and informed orators of our times. RIP Christopher you are sadly missed!
And he held himself in incredibly high regard. Humility was never a word associated with Christopher Hitchens.
You are asking Christopher to rest in peace???? (!).
He has gone to see his Maker.
I wonder how that has affected his beliefs.
@@wheelsofafrica Maker!?. What a strange belief you have.
@@wheelsofafrica We evolved from lower species. We were not created by some magical God.
How I wish that Christopher Hitchens was still with us. A great and sad loss.
WMDS in lraq? He was an established twonk
@@davepowell7168 No one said he was.infallible and being human he could be wrong and he would be the first to admit it but.that doesn't make him wrong.about everything.
@@nealgrimes4382 l enjoyed his role as an eloquent religious antagonist, however after the debate with his brother (ref. Hitchins v Hitchins 2011)changed my mind.
Unsurprisingly nobody was dumb enough to sell Hussein anything harder than enough to irritate lsrael
The project Babylon gun (Sheffield steel?) was a masterpiece of Bull (refs available)
The geopolitical motives were clear and in print by 2000 and the guy wasn't a fool.
RlP Dr David Kelly . First person recorded to have committed suicide from severing the ulnar artery alone ?
Co-proxamol was present.
A man of great integrity
@@nealgrimes4382 l agree with your comment but bullshit is best spread by assets with a long history of being rational, intelligent and right.
In Christopher Hitchins case he doesn't have to answer to God.
I suspect that there may be some filtering in the recycling of human sentience (the soul?)and Christopher was good at his work.
I have a personal grudge against religious indoctrination and still enjoyed much of his style of humour but this guy knew of US foreign policy (PNAC) before 2000.
You're aware of his bloodline
@@davepowell7168 It was the only bad decision he ever made imo. But don't throw the baby out with the bath water...
Blair can see things that are invisible and undetectable, like those “Weapons of mass destruction”………
🤣
Ha yesssss! Forgot about those!
Well unfortunately Hitchens was also a huge supporter of the Iraq war.
Even Blair enjoyed Hitchens performance even though he got his butt kicked
Justin Sands Yeah, when C.H died Blair showed a huge amount of respect to him.
To be fair to Blair, everyone who agrees to debate Hitchens gets their ass kicked
@@FrankieHchannel Hitchens supported the invasion of Iraq and Blair certainly appreciated that.
@@AlvenmodFoto I heard Richard Dawkins say in an interview that "If you're offered to debate with Hitchens, just say no".
@@jamesanthony5681he was openly capitalist so yeah that seems to add up lol
Tony Blair was just repeating the same argument over and over, never tackling the core issues raised by Hitchens.
is it because he's first and foremost, a politician ?
@@MrDaiseymayI think he was a lawyer before that.
Because he can’t. No one can effectively answer those questions with reason alone.
The points are very easy to address, Mr Blair was just laughably underprepared. No idea why he’s debating Hitchens on a topic he knows little to nothing about, other than his ‘name’ gets bums on seats.
My thoughts exactly.
Blair is a smooth talking snake oil fanatic. His tactic is to pick one positive aspect of his position and drum it home repeatedly. Notice he actually sidesteps the debate by ignoring Hitchens points and merely repeating his own mantra. That’s what he always did as a politician. It makes him seem like a calm, decent, benign individual when he’s really quite a nasty piece of work.
Hitchens bypassing the customary "thank you for having me here" and going right to the offensive just makes me smile. This man cared only for the truth.
The truth, as he saw it, sadly.
@@norwegianblue2764the truth as supported by facts, whereas belief is supported by cult members.
@@mark-ishTrue, the Nuns taught me as a boy that man was created by God in his image. I, as I age now know that God and Gods were created by man in the image of man.
This is the debate equivalent of watching Muhammad Ali fighting me. Hitch was something else.
Yes! Or Djokovic playing a match against my 11 year old.
Christopher is strong ---- how wonderful that he gave this debate so much intelligence and energy despite being sick with cancer. Excellent points all around. Wonderful performance by both.
Like so many in this world, Blair needed religion for politics, ego and for greed.
Like so many snake oil salesmen, they hide behind religion.
And to cleanse the guilt within his soul
Sureee @@markscreen5509
Impeccable Hitchens! His eloquence and knowledge on this subject is terribly missed! Tony Blair had no chance on this debate.
he had no knowledge on the subject, only poor clichés
Blair was very poor here, said not one thing that made me view religion in a more positive light. Only there for his fee.
With all the death and destruction blair inflicted on the world, there is no surprise he's "found" religion.
And yet he won.
@@sheilamacdougal4874
Really? How did you score that?
Im 32 years old, and Im just discovering Hitchens, sad to know he passed away almost 12 years ago, RIP.
You are in for a great ride! The man is a legend for a reason. Enjoy going through the doors of knowledge that Christopher will open for you
I hope you discover past Christopher Hitchens as well.
I discovered him a few years ago as well (I’m 36 now), and brother, you are in for a RUclips rabbit hole of a lifetime. Enjoy every minute. He reads his book, “God is not Great” which is also on RUclips. I’m jealous of your first-time experiences with Mr. Hitchens, but happy you’ve arrived at the party!
I discovered him about a year or so ago and I’ve certainly had a different outlook upon discovering . I truly hope his message and ethos spreads and stands the test of time.
@@paulwilliams5500 Id like to read his book too, its hard to get where I come from (Honduras), but ill try to look for it on RUclips, thanks Man.
Hitchen debating a war criminal 😂
Such hypocrisy.
I was thinking the same . But even the devil believes in God
@@hasan_z What devil? What god? They are both beliefs.
@@DepakoteMeister yes but beliefs are a factor in determining the truth. There is a game in which a contestant is told increasingly ridiculous statements and has to guess whether they are true or false. The trick is the more "believable" stuff is generally made-up and the craziest ones are often real. Now based on the knowledge you can get from various sources it's up to you to decide what you *think* is true. A person who says God is real isn't lying because they actually believe that.
@@hasan_z Beliefs are not a factor in determining truth, facts are. And no one suggested believers are lying. We humans are so easily fooled, and none of us are exempt. Some of us are less easily fooled. The biggest difference between believers and non-believers is that non-believers don't claim to have all the answers and are willing to alter their views to fit with new evidence as required.
Comparing the way these guys speak, one could even feel, in some strange way, that they are using two different languages with two distinct sets of words and phrases. Hitchens was a linguistic phenomenon, wasn't he?
We all know Hitchens outwitted Blair rather seamlessly..this is an obvious. There's no match..nobody can argue for religion and win anyhow.
Mr Hitchens your elliquence and intellect were brilliant and shall be missed.
*eloquence, but petty corrections aside, he is indeed missed.
The Beast Bloody hell, i was 15 when I wrote that. seems a life time. Dearest Hitch though, miss him more everyday.
@@ExSkitzophrenic I bet you’re missing him the most right now.
@@ExSkitzophrenic how old are you?
WMDS in lraq?
Established twonk
Christopher Hitchens. What a beautiful and brilliant mind.
And what an honest thinker
Christopher Hitchens is greatly missed.
@JonGUK ... I don't miss him.
He was an established fearmonger. WMDS in lraq?
@@davepowell7168 True. Hitch ran his mouth endlessly without knowing what he was talking about. A professional rabble rouser like Trump -- just on the other extreme.
Mr. powell, I think you are naive!
@@arthurstevens4351 No weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. No reason for fear or war. Now we need that money -- and what we provoked is Al Quaeda
*"Created sick and ordered to be well."* - Wow, that really hit home with me. So right.
thats not the half of it
@BarryDong... Created superior to 8.5 million other species on Earth and created the rulers of this planet... Created with gifts, talents, nobility, and in the image and likeness of God... Not only that -- but God died for the sins of humankind so that we may have eternal happiness in Heaven. Such things are fairly generous for a Celestial Dictator.
@@bobgarrett7134 You're absolutely right. When I posted that comment I had lost my faith, but I have since found it again.
@@RadagonTheRed If that were only true, you'd be one of many atheists who've seen the light.
Raised in a militant atheist family, Sy Garte became a respected research biochemist with an anti-theistic worldview-and he had no intention of seeking a God he didn’t believe in. That is, until the very science he loved led him to question the validity of an atheistic worldview. These questions led him to wonder about the true nature of the world, and eventually the Holy Spirit guided him to a belief in God, and in Jesus Christ …. Alister McGrath, a historian and biochemist scientist who believed in evolution. A professor of science, he became a Christian apologist …. Francis Collins is an American physician-geneticist and atheist who discovered gene diseases and led the Human Genome Project. He investigated many faiths, and though he resisted, the evidence was clear. He converted to Roman Catholicism …. John Gurdon, a developmental biologist is known for his research in nuclear transplantation and cloning. He’s a Nobel prize winner in Physiology Medicine. He converted from agnosticism to Christianity …. John Eccles, a neurophysiologist and a Nobel Prize winner in Physiology Medicine was an atheist who converted to Christianity …. Rosalind Picard was raised as an atheist and converted as a young adult. She is a scholar and inventor who founded MIT’s Affective Computing Research Group. She has received the highest professional honors accorded for engineering skills. She converted to Christianity …. Famed astronomer, Allan Sandage, was an atheist who converted to Christianity, stating, "I could not live a life full of cynicism. I chose to believe, and a peace of mind came over me” …. Blaise Pascal was raised in a secular environment and contributed to scientific advancements in mathematics, mechanical engineering, physics, fluid dynamics and probability theory. He proposed the probabilistic argument God known as Pascal's wager, to justify belief in God and a virtuous life.
Not only scientists but highly educated people in general become Christians: …. Gilbert West was an eminent English poet who studied at Oxford. He tried to debunk the resurrection of Jesus but could not. He became a Christian and wrote the book ‘Observations on the History and Evidence of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ …. Simon Greenleaf, a chief founder of Harvard Law School, referred to Christianity as a silly myth. After being challenged by students based on historical evidence, over several decades, he became a believer in Jesus Christ and Christianity .… Albert Henry Ross an Englishman lawyer and journalist. He criticized the Bible and believed in Darwin. He wrote a book to disprove the resurrection of Jesus. Instead, he became a Christian …. Anthony Flew was a famous spokesperson of atheism before Dawkins and Hitchens. The world was shocked when he suddenly admitted God exists in 2004 and wrote a book about it. He based it on scientific, empirical, and philosophical evidence. If you’re an objective thinker who pursues objective truth obsessively, and in a rational way, eventually you’ll become a Christian …. Devout Muslim Intellect Nabeel Qureshi investigated Christianity for 15 years trying to disprove it in favor of Islam. Although he had believed firmly in the God of Islam for decades, after examining the evidence he uncovered, he decided to leave Islam for Jesus Christ and Christianit …. Lee Strobel is an investigative journalist. He was an atheist and tried to prove the Bible was not valid. The evidence he acquired changed his mind, and he became a Christian …. Jordan Peterson, an astute and rational intellectual and world-famous philosopher. He said the Bible has proven to be more durable than stone or an empire, and it’s a life-changing academic and historical text. He credits it with his conversion to Christianity.
@@bobgarrett7134There is no such thing as sin, just human stupidity and cruelty.
Tony Blair: the perfect politician, fudging, grandstanding, spraying sound-bites, slight-of-hand; did he even write his script I wonder. Maybe.
Christopher Hitchens: a surgeon with a scalpel, meticulously holding entrenched beliefs up to scrutiny, one after the other.
And they all come up short.
'We don't need divine permission to know right from wrong'.
'Created sick and ordered to be well.' (What a concept!)
We need another Christopher Hitchens. Desperately.
If Blair said “Good Morning” to me I’d have to check my watch.
Spot on.
Awww, Hitch. I could listen to you for days on end. You will NEVER be forgotten.
Who is he?
@@steffanhoffmanndon't be lazy, google is your friend
What a debate ! 🔥
Christopher Hitchens was great thinker and most resolved mind. Prime Minister Tony Blair as always very eloquent and calculated in his submissions. Such clarity and resolved minds.
Christopher Hitchens could easily have been a peer to the great Greek philosopher, Socrates, had they lived in the same time space. What a beautiful mind and great thinker and debater he was.
This world needs more critical thinkers like Christopher Hitchens.
Love from Zambia ❤🇿🇲🔥
Blair: “People of faith can accomplish good things sometimes!”
Hitchens: “Point taken. But religion is still not a force of good in the world and here’s why.”
Blair: “But people of faith can accomplish good things sometimes!”
Rinse and repeat. Except one of the two is going to come up with new material and the other isn’t. Anyone with a shred of honesty and a sufficient number of brain cells can tell which is which.
A fascinating debate between a man with a new belief and a man with common sense.
Catholicism isn't exactly new.
Unless of course you are referring to Hitchen, which would be strange since he isn't defending claim, much less a belief, here.
Also, have you ever noticed how people, who don't have any good arguments, appeal to "common sense" rather than make their case for their actual beliefs?
A man with UNcommon sense! I've watched many Hitchens debates. I believe this was his finest! However, Blair was pretty good also in his opening remarks. Were I part company is in the idea that good things can only be spawned by a belief in something unbelievable. If co-operation theory replaced religious instruction in primary and secondary school then surely the world would be a better place.
@@TheYuvimon I'll repeat and correct a typo!
A man with UNcommon sense! I've watched many Hitchens debates. I believe this was his finest! However, Blair was pretty good also in his opening remarks. Where I part company is in the idea that good things can only be spawned by a belief in something unbelievable. If co-operation theory replaced religious instruction in primary and secondary school then surely the world would be a better place.
Love for Hitchens from Freetown Sierra Leone. I learned a lot about how to think from Hitchens that I did from the classroom. How I miss his brilliance 💔
15th December 2011 - the day the world became a dumber place. I often wonder if Christopher's family read these comments to see how much he will always be loved and missed in equal measure.
I very much doubt it, but it’s a nice thought.
I find it incredible that Tony ‘Blood on his hands” Blair can talk about ‘ Accomplishing good things. ‘…
Despicable man
Both have short term memory when hearing the body count.....and the result of millions of displaced refugee's.
Yep. A hideous hypocritical empty vessel of a human
Hitchens , gone too soon.
There will be those, of course, who will claim, that it was Gods Will.
@@MrDaiseymay about as credible as claiming it was spidermans will
I was in Toronto at the time, but managed to miss this Munk debate. I’m now viewing it from Delphi, Greece. Thanks for the upload. Brilliant!
Blair brought a knife to a gunfight. RIP Hitch.
In defence of Blair, I've seen few people debating Hitchens with an adequate arsenal of weapons. He simply was that well armed, and indeed, RIP.
But the bullets were blank.
@@AndrewHindley Sorry, that went straight over my head.........
There were no bullets on the gun though
I suspect Blair has a condition known as "Married Into Wife's Church."
It happens to a lot of people.
I won't accept ANY excuse for his evil
In this bizarre World we live in Christopher Hitchens is not only wanted but he is needed and missed hugely.
Grow up 😂 he was a bitter and confused man and the world doesn’t need people preaching Jesus didn’t exist
I'm not an atheist, I'm moslem and plan to stay that way, Yet I can't help but agree with almost everything MrHitchens said.Religion is sepose to be a force for good yet it almost never is.
Our world would be a far more peaceful place without religion. Islam included.
The Middle East was a relatively peaceful place until Islam was created.
Best way to become an atheist is to read the religious texts critically. Take the Christian bible. I can name 3 stories where children died as a direct result of the god from that book.
1- Noah’s Ark - when god flooded the Earth to wipe out all of mankind except for Noah’s family and some animals, it wasn’t just adults he was killing.
2- the tenth plague of Egypt - firstborn sons. He could have just killed the Pharaoh and his men, but decided this was more appropriate! Eventually killed them by closing the parted seas on them anyway, meaning the firstborns died for nothing!
3- the story of Job (pronounced Jobe) - Job’s children died in this story out of God’s pure ego to win a bet with the devil that Job would still love him after losing everything. This story is messed up and the most awful reason for any child to die!
I challenge you now to read the Quran cover to cover with a critical mind. I guarantee you’ll find flaws. Not because it’s written by god, but it’s most certainly and obviously written by man. Once you’ve read through it, drop me a line with your thoughts and most troubling verse that makes you think maybe it’s not the best thing to write in the religious text?
@@allstarwatt7246 Especially Islam
You are not a Muslim
The seriousness and rigidity of the people on Blair's side says it all 😀
Christopher Hitchens is a GIANT. I hope society will get on his shoulder so we could see farther.
Whatever your view - great to see and hear a proper debate with people respecting the others view and allowing their voice to be heard without hatred and constant interruption. Both speakers did a great job. Hitchens was a superb speaker and is sorely missed.
That is a lovely way to put this and so true. If only the world was this way
Yeah this is very rare these days! You watch Hitchens vs a load of Americans, there will be shouting, interrupting, etc! Watch anything with Piers Morgan, I don’t think a single one of his guests can get a word in!
I’ve never really liked Tony Blair, but gained a little respect for him in this as he gave a lot of respect. Hitchens for the win though!
@@seanreeder5784 your right about Morgan. He doesn't let anyone get a word in unless he agrees with them. I also think he has some infatuation with Meagan and harry! I think Tony Blair was brave having a debate with Christopher.
Some of Christopher's finest moments here, thanks mate. I never tire of the truth, the real one and only truth, organised God fearing religion is the source of all evil.
Religion is the source of 'all ' evil ?!
That's very obviously not true !!
(I'm atheist btw)
hilarious irony
I'm sorry you feel that way, and God loves you in spite of it.
FINALLY SOMEONE SAID IT. Religion isn't needed to learn morals. Thank you Hitchens. RIP
Exactly.. why would the religious politician feel that faith in a god is needed in order to do charity?
"Finally"? It's been said and believed by thinkers since very ancient times. Please see the Wikipedia articles named "Secular morality" and "Secular humanism" and you will find many examples. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secular_morality and en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secular_humanism
So, how come the secular conclusion is; 'Human Rights is Nonsense upon stilts'?
@@philflip1963 you are just making an unsubstantiated generalization.
Tony blair couldn't spell the word MORALS.
We miss you Christopher Hitchens. RIP.
Those who kept clapping for Blair’s charity claims, are the same ones who are mesmerized & fooled by con men like Jimmy Swaggart & Kenneth Copelands of the world !
In the full length vid, Blair's ENTIRE argument was, "Sure, religion has destroyed BILLIONS of lives...but some believers also do charity....!"
Stephen Fry did a wonderful send-up of this pathetic "argument/excuse" in his and Hitch''s debate against the catholic church:
The accused speaks at his trial, "Why do you keep bringing up my crimes...? You never bring up the fact that I always give my father a birthday present...!"
Dated as it is now I think I will come back to this for years to come. In my opinion Hitchens was superior but Blair represented his position well. Each orator was defending the dignity and humanity of their side; Hitchens on the ability of humankind to overcome the shackles of intellectual servitude and "stand at our full height" and Blair defended the good of the inspired to advance the world by sincere love through true faith. The debate will stand for me as a testament to the power of a well reasoned debate- i.e. raising our intellect by the contemplation of different points of view in pursuit of a higher goal, sorely lacking in the present day USA.
Thank you Munk family for using your prosperity to give the world this gift.
Hitchens Never murdered millions of innocent Human Civilians, you mug.
@sheisegall3832. I intended to make an informed comment after watching this amazing debate. After reading your reply, I believed that you have eloquently stated what I would have wished to have said. Well done.
6:00 definitely not dated
Listening to Hitchens' singing intellect, besides whom Blair is just muddling along, brought tears to my eyes.
My beautiful Hitch, although it breaks my heart 💞, I will never stop watching and learning from my mentor. I so miss Hitch😂 but I thank him for his brilliant mind.
#IgotHiTcHEd
I admire his left-brained capacity for getting his message across to try and win an argument at all costs; I think it's a shame that he never tried to forge a link between his head and heart.
The War Criminal (Hiding behind the Pope's filthy robes) Vs The Intellectual Warrior!
The intellectual warrior was on Blair's side when it comes to the Iraq War.
@@Phil_Mitchell America, with the help of Britain, invaded Iraq to steal their oil.
Particularly in those times of religious delirium all over the world, we missed him so much.
What do you need hitchens for, to cushion the religious rift as a fart cushion?😂
@@mikesmith8313
To continue slapping down religious freaks with delusions of importance.
Admit it, you skipped the Blair bit as well.
Used the time to read comments 😂
Correct
I skipped most of Hitchen's responses.
Listening to Blairs opening gambit I could pin point exactly what Christopher was going to pull apart and of course he did. The world needs a Christopher Hitchens now.
Apparently not, as we have you.
I agree with the previous commenter; “stop talking about what a good man should be; be a good man “
Rest in peace, Mr. Hitchens!
The only reason Blair converted was because, as catholicism says "you can commit any crime or any sin you like, as long as you say sorry before the church." People never forget and you will never be absolved Blair.
The fascinating story is how Blair went from being the New Messiah to the Devil Incarnate in a few short years. To be fair, he put in the spadework to ruin his legacy. How Hitch towers over him - intellectually and morally.
Ever heard the saying "wolf in sheep clothing". Blair is evil to the core.
Thank you Christopher Hitchens for doing what you did.
Tony Blair really is some sort of Gollum.... perhaps consumed internally by the enormity of his own crimes... during his premiership, he took precisely the role of the clerics/arbiters of divine will that Hitchens so well describes...denial is a powerful thing.
He's so desperate to believe in something... perhaps the alternative leaves him unable to accept the enormity of his own actions..... a tragic figure indeed.
Blair came prepared and delivered well, but hitchens on another level.
The great Mr. Hitchens!!!!
All I kept thinking was Blair is a war criminal. I also wonder if he is a genuine believer.
Blair = phony
RIP Christopher :(
😢💔😓
Jesus Christ I miss Christopher Hitchens
The only reason I can think of why Blair would agree to debate Hitchens is he must have misread the invitation and was expecting Peter.
I can't help but think every person who debates Hitchens knows they're not only beaten but that he's right. They are just too scared of the dictator in the sky.
If you believe in no god, how do you believe the universe started?
Hitchens is on fire :D very true and inspiring words
Inspiring ? As in 'in spirit' ? That goes against everything that Hitchens stood for.
@@Adipsia1 Word games aside, I don't ascribe to his theological views at all.
Looking at this now Hitch was so right about the issues in Palestine and Israel and the threat of a Muslim nuclear power.
Wow Hitchens in his later stages was a beast of another kind, leaving no stones unturned and giving no breathing space to stupidity of ignorance.
Hitchens..Thoughtful,provocative, meaningful and researched and then we had Blair..
'Considered rightly a Great Christian thinker '
Christopher Hitchens
CH burbled about lraq WMDS after invasion. Both twonks
...as well as upper middle class and has never wanted for anything.
5000 years ago people understood, what they "thought" was right or wrong. As for my neigbour: I speak with him every day.
I come back to this debate regularly. I find both arguments compelling. I leave it thinking about the issues presented.
You find Blairs 'argument' compelling? His argument is simply that religion and religious organisations carry out some charity work these days so let's forget the untold millions killed by every type of faith across the world...
"Religion began when the first scoundrel met the first fool."
Voltaire
Blair had less chance of convincing us as did the Queens so called favourite son during the laughable yet shocking Panorama interview😂
Excellent comment. Blair's examples were indeed facile, but easy to understand: typical politico speak to an audience desperate to feel itself intelligent.
6:00 onwards. Still relevant as of today - and will for centuries to come.
Thanx so much for this, I did not know about it. As soon as I read the title, I thot "Tony, you in danger gurl". hahaha. The Hitch Ruled the Stage, as per usual.
It's interesting that Atheists don't have to keep revising their views and apologising for past misdeeds which is exactly what religions do all the time.
Being good because you're good, rather than being good because you're afraid of being caught and /or punished is much better.
It is sad that Christopher is no longer with us, but his legacy will live on.
Tony Blair: " *Quack, quackity, quack* " ...
yep, the only thing missing, was his Soap Box.
Hee haw word salad of paternalistic patronizing platitudes. Clanking cymbal symphony.
My experience was extremely negative! I was attacked by a larger man within a block of my home. I said, “I don’t have any money!” I was answered with, “ I’m not after your money!” As he whispered sweet nothings into my ear I said, “t 27:29his is no way to go about it!” and thankfully he did. My Methodist minister blamed ME for being attacked! Hence, I left that church-forever!
The title should actually be “Hitchens hands him his ass back to Blair, and wipe the floor with him”
Funny, BOTH were wrong on IRAQ!
Yep. But Blair much more so I think.
Hitchen's stance in Iraq was wrong imo, but it was his only serious mistake. And then only an opinion... not an invasion.
They're so modest in their presence.
Wow. I saw the title and thought, "Wait THE Tony Blair? What on earth does he think he is? Taking the Hitch?" Just goes to show the hubris of this politician.
I haven't clicked the play button yet. I'm here to discover what the heck Tony Blair is doing debating Christopher Hitchens about God.
Christopher was a great thinker, very much missed
Atheism is not a religion by any stretch of the imagination, it is the absence of religion and the acceptance of reality.
Ignorance is a gift to realists as it makes the wise strive for knowledge.
Religious faith teaches people to be satisfied with ignorance, because religious faith requires the suspension of reasoned thought.
Summary: Some religious people are bad; some religious people are good; some atheist people are bad; some atheist people are good.
Someone should objectively quantify how much good and how much evil religion did. Lives taken vs lives saved. Wealth generated vs wealth destroyed. Knowledge produced vs knowledge suppressed. It would be a lot of work, to be sure, but it might be possible.
If there is a Hell, Blair has an express ticket. WMDs?!
damnit Christopher, get well, we need you too damn much, now more than ever
A debate between the head and the heart.
logic vs delusion
@@allstarwatt7246 30 years ago that would have been my stance too. Time has clearly made me more delusional. Good luck with the logic.:)
A wonderfully stimulating debate !
Blair is a candle to Hitch's Sun.
Nicely put my friend 👏
Mr Blair does not argue the existence of God, but rather he argues that organized religion does more good in the world than bad. Mr Hitchens (RIP) argues there is not God and rather than follow organized religions based on the existence of a "God", use logic, science, and common sense to live our lives.
Mr Blair was addressing the motion that "Religion is a force for good" Mr Hitchens was simply mocking religion.
In this debate, Blair was on a hiding to nothing. Hitch was the *clear winner* here.
One terribly immoral and a war criminal without a conscience and the other an outstanding Human with great compassion and sharp wit.
If there was a god, tony blair would be dead😂
Ah the irony of the war criminal Blair preaching religion
Christopher Hitchens handed this world leader his head on a plate and Mr Blair just thanked him for it, in the end.
It's such a pity that Hitchens is no longer with us. I miss his eloquence. 🙁
Blair brought a god to a knife fight with Hitch...
And he lost
Why were the audience laughing?
If they were talking about the invasion and destruction of Iraq they'd be in agreement !