Christopher Hitchens on the immorality of Christianity

[CareFreeWherever]

i love how passionate he was about this. so brilliant

[louthegiantcookie]

I am a Christian - in that I believe in the Christian God - but since I was a child I had these very same feelings. That God cannot possibly be benevolent. I remember telling people this at Sunday school, they said Satan was speaking through me. Huh.

[mugable]

@louthegiantcookie at least you're using your brain to form your own thoughts. well done. there's still hope for you.

[bazblackadder]

Brilliantly said by Hitchens. Answered prayers and the concept of a benevolent God in general are total BS and this is uncompromisingly proven here.

[LairMistress]

This is one of my favorites of Hitch's video clips; he has stated elsewhere that the Fritzl case is one story that he "can't get out of [his] mind." I've felt the same way about it; when the story broke, it kept me awake nights a number of times. Does anyone have a link to the complete debate that this clip was taken from..?

[petelovesrat]

the second last guy to the left seems really nonchalant to what hitchens is saying.

[honorabili]

He annihilates these people that were trying to defend prayer for this woman that was raped since birth by her father, had children with them, and they were raped.

[lupischuckle]

HITCHENS IS BITCHENS!!

[SirFakeName]

You know I think I'll say something like that to someone who's been through a traumatic experience and says they "thank god" for getting through it. I bet you they'd take a swing or two at me. Even though it's what they claim to believe.

[wotg]

One of Hitchens best. 

[radd973]

that's one example

[SamBarronSleep]

If she was locked in a dungeon for her entire life, she wouldn't have known enough to pray. God would be completely unknown to her. It's even arguable that she would not find much wrong with the man's action. Cave allegory.

[sjsparky]

@SamBarronSleep She was imprisoned at age 18. She knew.

[bryansteeksma]

@SamBarronSleep Thats not the point. The point is that if you presuppose that God exists, and if you use "the plan" as a way to explain the state of the world, all of these hideous atrocities are done with God and his brigade of angels standing by indifferently. Presupposing that we live in a world where God DOES exist, it does not matter at all if she was aware of his existence.

Believe it; she pleaded, and begged, and wished for release. What did she do to deserve 24 years of silence?

[thisisonesweetworld]

We love you Christopher Hitchens, we really really do.

[j0hnjp]

A bit radical-sounding for me, but his point is spot on.

[Florrie19]

How could anyone ever say that? how could anyone ever say that was "God's Will" or "meant" to happen.

God's heart is so misunderstood! :( its so sad.

That was never how it was meant to be, our perception of God is so warped and distant from his heart, its so sad.

[bryansteeksma]

@Florrie19 And what do you know about Gods heart? Can you claim wit authority to KNOW that it wasn't Gods will? Or are you saying this just because you cannot imagine a sentient being acting with such moral abandon?

Tell me. How do you know Gods heart?

[wotg]

@bryansteeksma

Well sir it is for those who claim to know God and converses with God to prove his/hers/its exsitence.

Do you know Gods heart? And if so why is not that information revealed to me?

[bryansteeksma]

@bryansteeksma Im not claiming to know gods heart. Im countering the assertion that he is benevolent and omnipresent.

[Unit63]

My favorite Hitchens example. As I remember watching the rest of the conference elsewhere, there was no defense even attempted by the others. The more you examine the "god-has-a-plan" excuse, the more it sounds like Wimpy in the Popeye cartoons> "I'll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today."

[idSuperego]

This is probably the angriest I've seen Hitchens. The way he repeats "nothing!" and at the end when he asks how they can live with themselves...its very stirring.

[josenros]

@idSuperego The Fritzl case is about as ghastly and appalling as primates can get, and you can always rely on Hitchens to become rightfully indignant at such things, given his history and pledge to defend underdogs against tyranny and capricious rulers.

[thescorpionking2020]

such an awesome arguement religion gets owned again

[henrikstaaf]

fuck religion!!!!

[FreneticArray]

Such a powerful, moving argument from Hitchens. Bravo!

[swampdonkey152000]

Damn! That guy got schooled.

[amindbody]

not to mention concentration camps and female genital mutilation.

[Gwisss]

"So she could get a better deal in another life."

is it me... or did Christopher Hitchens sound like David Bowie there...

[MrCarelo]

hey yeah