Christopher Hitchens on Australian Q&A panel, October 1st 2009 2 of 7

[BritishArrow]

Hello Sally Warhaft!

[greggb777]

What you're seeing here is a brilliant orator and polemicist (Hitchens) with an inherently inarguable point to make: the falsity of religion. The cards are stacked for him without much of the audience being aware.

[wowamonn]

Hitch, Hirchslaps 'em all in one go! ROLOL!

[uberhikari]

For all who are interested, the guy who I was talking about is Walid Shoebat.

[uberhikari]

Does anybody know who that Walid guy is? He sounds like a rather intelligent fellow, and with Hitchens, is obviously the smartest person on the panel.

[DukeTwicep]

Did that woman smoke pot or why is she babbling nonsense?

[folkhippy]

Massive, room-echoing HitchSlap starting at 2:17

Listen to her desperately attack and squirm. "I'll get to the end of the sentence if it kills you!" She was so thrown off her horse she resorted to interrupting him after every few words.

[nonseans]

Is it the most illiterate audience they could get? somway funny...

[wandarah]

@Seanze329 That's a shame, they stuck his name up in relatively large videos in the first video.

[reafdaw01]

Man. Why would he quote Hitchens quoting Marx. What a moron.

[ExNihiloJimmy]

I'd love to throw molecular acid on everyone on that panel except Hitchens.

[dangerics]

Always the same. When religious people run out of points (which happens quickly) they accuse the reasonable person of smearing and name calling. What a bunch of douchebags.

[AleximusMaximus]

lol, I can't believe they all burst out laughing and clapping when they thought he was complementing his own quotation, when in fact he was quoting Karl Marx.

How the fuck did so many people not know that was Marx? :-/

[equsnarnd]

So Fabianism and Socialsim don't want to depend on the whim of the rich to give to the 'deserving' poor (wonder why the qualifier?). So what does Hitchens then prefer to the whim of the rich? The guns of the pathological. Yes, we're taking your money and your assets and your life and your energy to give to these needy cause we who are your moral superiors and if you don't agree with have a nice jail cell waiting for you.

[DirtyDirtracer2006]

that dumn bitches "evangelical atheism comments" was so stupid my brain exploded

[Bobahat]

What is Sarah Jessica Parker doing in an Australian debate show?

[xentech]

@Bobahat rofl she is really annoying me.

[sirjoebloggs]

Just don't mess with the Hitch.

[glorbstah]

@FJYardley

I reckon every 'Western' country has its slick islamists like the man you are describing, politically correct smooth talkers yet islamists to the core, who never spoils a chance to play the muslim victim card.

[enotdetcelfer]

Anal beads lady needs to STFU when other people are trying to get their 2 cents in.

[MrBabs12345]

Hitchens unloading intellectual bullets into these panelists is just brilliant to watch.

[lehks]

Is that Anne lady drinking water or...?

[Masterphan]

As soon as there is a contact between two people, whether it be secular or religious, there are subconscious evaluations going on that lead people to what is best for themselves. If you do something to someone and it has a negative effect on that person, they know it's negative whether they know religion or not. If it is a positive effect, then you would know right away. You don't need religion in order to acquire morals. In order to survive as a race, you have to work together.

[mahdatonta]

Unfortunate that there were so many people on the panel. Hitchens must tire of the same silly questions asked over and over again. It is apparent, most haven't read his book.

Even with four or five against him, Hitch leaves them all looking so foolish.

[markp10311969]

@mahdatonta "Arguing with fools, proves only that there are two." what does that say about your sacred cow?

[mahdatonta]

Since I have no sacred cow and did not call anybody a fool, I suppose your little gem says more about you than about Hitchens. Looking foolish and being a fool are different things. Good luck with your reading comprehension classes.

[markp10311969]

@mahdatonta You do have a sacred cow, his name is Christopher Hitchens, you've willingly forfeited your duty to INDEPENDENT THINKING, by becoming an apostle of Mr. Hitchens. Don't get me wrong as far as human idolatry is concerned he's a good choice, funny, urbane, bright, correct in his conclusions on many subjects etc.. it just that my independence means more to me than to ignore how Mr. Hitchens rely s on tired slogans in his struggle with an unusually bright panel.

[mahdatonta]

@markp10311969 You seem to be the apostolic one. You think you know all about me. Actually, you know nothing. When Hitchens published his "god Is Not Great" I found much to agree with since I had made many of the same conclusions over forty years ago. At the same time, I disagree almost entirely with Hitchens when it comes to his politics and defense of US wars on Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. If you actually read my first post you might not look so foolish yourself.

[markp10311969]

@mahdatonta It's interesting to observe how you chain your thoughts together. There is no cohesion in your statements/arguments.

[markp10311969]

Respond to this video...Your vitriolic responses remind me of what Sam Harris said while filming the 4 horseman discussion, except in reverse. He said this about the religiously minded people who don't like having there assertions challenged, " there is this peevish and tribal and dangerous , reflexive response to having there ideas challenged, this is not the way rational minds operate."

[Crosskeys]

Shame the standard of the 2nd question couldn't match the 1st. "Well, what about religious charities?" What an old, rotten chestnut that is. Firstly, people can be good without religion - the fact that aid comes from a religious charity doesn't make it any better or morally superior. Secondly, it's quite the opposite; doing something good because you don't want to burn in hell rather than compassion for a fellow human being isn't good or virtuous, it's just selfish and cowardly.

[DancinJim]

I kind of agree. But I think that it's too easy to say religious people only do things out of fear of God, rather than wanting to be decent human beings. Often, it is just the minority of people that are swayed by the 'wrath of god'. Most people want to live giving lives anyway. Religion is often a guide of how best to do that. It's not a sign of a bad human being that they need some guidance now and then. That said, I don't believe. I just think it's an easy attack and not worth thinking about.

[Crosskeys]

Of course, it's a weak argument considering the strength of those which could be made. Yet, there is no act of charity or benevolence which can be performed by a religious person and yet cannot be performed by a humanist. That fact alone renders the 'missionaries' looking to help but preach while they're at it nothing more than glorified time-wasters. Just be good for goodness' sake, and if you really believe in helping others then get on with it and shu up about your own personal convictions.

[magnusjsolberg]

Do people HAVE to fucking clap in unison every time someone says something politically correct. "Emancipation of women" (wild applause). The Hitch makes a good point, but I know he hates the constant bullshit applause as much as anyone. How about booing the muslim instead? At least now you're making a personal statement.

[Baldurpet]

@ magnusjsolberg

He also received applause for saying "I'll get to the end of this sentence if it kills you" which is hardly PC, but I get your point.

[dickydoctor]

The worst thing about this is having to listen to that silly old cow and the verbal diarrea of that muslim

[seanearnest]

Hear, hear

[MaxwellBennett]

@dickydoctor the muslim isnt that bad but the women suck.

[shtosuka]

God dayum, Christopher Hitchens is so Badass! It's like seeing a crazy knock out or an amazing shot, but he does it all with words.

[Skale777]

Only thing Christopher delivers is a mouth full of hot air lol His debate with William Lane Craig showed exactly what his capabilities in thinking philosophically are. He's a layman.

[shashintokyo]

He destroyed WLC. WLC uttered useless, unprovable assertions combined with doublethink. WLC is nothing but a theologian (i.e., has a degree in mumbo jumbo).

[fomastephanovitch]

Hitchens loves Trotsky and Lenin.

He was the most insufferable proselytizing communist.

His new irrational bandwaggon is the justification for the war in Iraq.

[YellowCakeKid]

ill get to the end of this sentence if it kills YOU

love it

[fuckucxcukckc]

and it's a shame that audience member is a Christian, she was doable.

[fuckucxcukckc]

hitchens verbally bitch slapped anne.

[stephenpaquet]

To say the least.

[ArmedMichigander]

Am I getting older, or Hitchens a very youthful looking 60+ year old?

[martintod2006]

Everytime i see Hitchens, no matter where he is or what show he is on, he ALWAYS delivers.

This should be called Q+A starring Christopher Hitchens.

[kylejones7]

that bitch needs to stop interrupting

[courthero]

hitchens and the muslim guy could have had a good 1 on 1 without everyone else

[tottenhamjake]

Agree. The rest are lightweights and I am frankly dissapointed the ABC couldn't do better.

[Consophist]

hitchens raped all

as always

[j01tz0r]

What the hell is the lady talking about? I would have burst out laughing if I was sitting right next to her like Hitch.

[liquidhead]

in this segment it was like Hitchens v the world.

[revjimbob]

Hitchens won.

[NewtonsStudent]

I think Hitchens could have a decent shot if he debated the whole world.

[robotwookie]

My friend, I would be hard pressed to disagree with that statement

[jeremyshambles]

id put my savings on hitch vs. the solar system, but the moons of saturn might have a hitchens doppleganger. cheers

[PurushaDesa]

I think they might have been laughing at Hitchens attraction to the scabrous nature of the quote, rather than the idea of him praising the content of his own book. But he's right - it's a very nice, poetic summary of a depressing societal truth.

[jhohcable]

"I'll get to the end of this sentence if it kills YOU."

Gold. Although I was expecting his point about "name me a charitable action done by a religious person that couldn't be done by a non religious person," or the Hitchens' wager, because that's one of the best points ever made about religious charities and stuff.

[NewtonsStudent]

"answering the big philosophical questions" ..... sodomy?

[liquidhead]

it's a valid question. most opponents of gay marriage cannot help but correlate the relationship bond of marriage and sexual acts. why should god give a fuck about what goes on in private between consenting adults.

as a subject that is being talked about more and more each day, it is relevant. i will concur that it's framed in a funny way that could have been done better.

[zomgomgomgz]

is that lady drunk

[shexmus]

Nope! But certainly enamoured by the presence of His Unholiness. I dare say she'd be intimate with Hitch at the drop of his pants.

[ExtremeBogom]

LOL best comment I've seen this week :D

[cabree76]

wow hitchens pwns

[cs925]

stupid question - call me a web-idiot if u want to but can u tell me what "pwns" means?

I'm not being sarcastic I really don't know.

[cabree76]

Pwn (below: Various pronunciations) is a leetspeak slang term derived from the verb "own",[1][2][3] as meaning to appropriate or to conquer to gain ownership. The term implies domination or humiliation of a rival,[4] used primarily in the Internet gaming culture to taunt an opponent who has just been soundly defeated (e.g., "You just got pwned!").[5] It was popular among Counter-Strike gamers before spreading through the more general Internet world.

[jeremyshambles]

it means he vanquished his adversaries in effortless fashion. its derived from people mis-typing the p instead of the o when expressing that someone was "owned" take care