3/7 - Is There An Afterlife? Debate w/ Christopher Hitchens

[TimeMasterz]

@14:20 the rabbi realizes that religion is false and it cant win

[felandath]

"So how do u understand Gratuitous misfortune visited upon the innocent? Like being in a debate like this?

[TheEmperorGulcasa]

The basic argument the two spiritual men state over and over is basically this: We agree with all the things you guys are saying, it just doesn't apply to us because we interpret god differently.

[commoncents78]

Hitchens comment at 11:00 is one of the powerful comments i've ever heard

[writersblock26]

@commoncents78 Agreed.

[writersblock26]

@commoncents78 Agreed.

[esraretin]

atheism is pesimism

[TomFynn]

@esraretin Bullshit: Atheism is joy in the knowledge that you get to make the most out of your life. If you need the promise of a celestial North Korea to have any hope, now *that's* depressing.

[Ilicium]

@esraretin No, it's atheism. That's why they call it that. Really. Look it up.

[esraretin]

@Ilicium ur pesimist about afterlife

[Ilicium]

@esraretin How can I have feelings about something that doesn't exist?

[esraretin]

@Ilicium like the way u do

[TheCantorian]

the self-hating jew schtick is so endearing. while obviously wrong, the two Rabbis are adorable.

[daneimp]

"Sam and I don’t mind being called predictable, it’s very easy, we know what we think, we say straight up what we think we know, what we think is not possible to know, why we don’t think there’s a supernatural and so on."

[12Ominous]

@NoCrispin Well although the term "religious thinker" isn't exactly a paradox as you seem to have implied, religion is a much more visceral position than a cerebral one. I won't say that religious people aren't capable of thought, but certainly they allow their emotions and intuition some leeway. I quite frankly don't see a problem with that.

[Ilicium]

What is it with Hitchens and microphones? He's always playing with it. Is it part of his strategy? Maybe a sort of habit, like playing with his glasses?

[EnigmaComposer]

@Ilicium

lol i noticed the same thing. In one of his debates with Turek his whole mic device practically fell apart. And in this one he went through like 3 mics.

[Nixel85]

@Ilicium

Microphones quiver in fear to the pwning voice of Hitchens.

Logic is the Hitchens equivalent of Fus Ro Dah

[Ilicium]

@Nixel85 Ah, it fell off before his mighty oratorical skills. :)

[numbersCH31vs17]

10:26 Hitchens nails it!

[rapid303]

you fully believe in a book written thousands of years ago by someone whom you do not know and therefore cannot understand their true intentions as to why they thought they should write a book you are told to read it and believe it . if i gave you a Harry Potter book and said this is real this is what happened and for salvation and the promise of an afterlife you should believe it would you actually believe it? (if the religion you follow now didn't exist)

[Nejra]

the guy most to the right doesn't get to his fucking point, if he even has one

[NoCrispin]

I don't get why there need to be religious "thinkers" in the first place. Supposedly it's not hard to get into a "relationship" with god, whatever that means. So why all the thinking and wonder about religion when you can get the answers right from the source? Or maybe just maybe... he's not real :O! And therefore the only answers you get are about as much as you know yourself.

[chaoszieg]

@NoCrispin

well religious thinker is one of those oxymoron's like military intelligence or merciful god.

[bboybram]

@NoCrispin

You made no point whatso ever

Getting all the answer right from the source?

about as much as you know yourself?

Maybe I'm dumb or maybe just maybe you explained your point poorly

[TheSulphyr]

@bboybram - it's clear enough I suppose. He was saying that religion does not need 'thinkers'. They should not have to 'think' about any of their scripture, or 'interpretations' of scripture, they can just ask god can't they?

[writersblock26]

@NoCrispin Good point.

[BeeblesTV]

I love how the religious guys get really loud when they're wrong.

[AxeHomeless]

OF course there is a god, his name is Christopher.

[TheRealXartaX]

@AxeHomeless

Don't do that.

[AxeHomeless]

@TheRealXartaX Am I going to hell?

[TheRealXartaX]

@AxeHomeless

The fuck?

[TheAxis456]

@AxeHomeless I guess Nietzsche was right. 

[AxeHomeless]

@TheAxis456 True dat, bro.

[TheAxis456]

@AxeHomeless did you get the joke? Nietzsche said "god is dead"

[Domzdream]

-a hypothesis in a sense.

Anyways, it's kinda insulting for a man of faith to be using science while speaking about thngs that which purely rely on hope of their credibility, rather than fact.

If their particular religion was fact, there'd be ONLY one religion, and it would nt require faith at all.

[Domzdream]

He goes on about physics and parallel universes etc. But it's still similar to faith. I have great admiration in physicists and their theories. BUt like the religious, they are still left with the burden of actual proof. It's fine and dandy to try and show mathematically why certain things may exist. On paper it looks great. But where's the actual proof. It's not there. It's just a theory.

Take this into religion.

Ultimately, religion could be seen as a theory. But theory isnt fact. It's a

[gunning4fools]

Another great point made by Mr Hitchens. (10:56)

[mollkatless]

@gunning4fools - I don't mean to sound heartless but hitchens is even more disturbing than usual to look at! I wonder if he could be convinced to do these debates from behind a curtain, or with a bill clinton mask on? maybe they could convince him to wear a bee keepers head gear? then he could make all the usual dumb meandering points he always makes, and I could eat my dinner without having to look at him

[gunning4fools]

@mollkatless You don't sound heartless, just stupid. Why don't you eat your dinner at a table rather on your lap in front of a computer.... The points he makes are completely correct. It's only the wishful thinkers who say otherwises and like to listen to the white noise religion has to say. Mr Shavit comes across like a comedian taking the piss out of religion. The best that can be said for him is "he a nice guy". Yeah a nice guy who talks nonsense.

[JordanMargetts]

@mollkatless well that's just cruel

[mollkatless]

@JordanMargetts I disagree with that, I'm not saying he is being cruel, I would say he is more likely being thoughtless - he could choose to wear a bee keepers mask, he just elects not to, a little too me-me-me, but not cruel

[JordanMargetts]

@mollkatless You mistake me, I think YOUR comments are cruel.

[Theknopf]

WHAT IS MISSING IS A CATHOLIC PRIEST AND A QUAKER;

HITCHENS= ATHEIST. SAM HARRIS = A ATHEIST= JEWISH BACK GROUND,

AND 2 RABBIS, not diverse enough! AND NO REAL SCIENTIST LIKE= DR: JAMES LOVELOCK! Very selective group, I like it but more diversity is needed! THANKS

[x2f01mick]

@Theknopf easy on the caps. what about my god? they should have a Neptune priest and a Minerva priest for my lawyer too. I can't explain exactly why what you said is misguided but I'll try. It's as if you said "I'll tell you what the National Football League needs: elephants and golf. elephants for the kids and isn't the other one is obvious?" i.e. diversity to this discussion is as golf is to the NFL.

[hudfadz]

The rabbi is such a actor, he is twisting his own religion to suit others desires.

[OshiSeven]

Some slippery arguments from the two religious guys.

[EgoNamahaNemoRex]

The Jews did well; they lost, but they lasted longest didn't they?

[writersblock26]

Thank you for posting this, ilisbaani.

[LadyScorpio39]

"you have no right to forget the way it behaved when it was strong." well said Hitch!!!

remeber the witch trials. they burned people at the stake and took there homes and belongings. how do you think the church became so rich?

[JoaquinJB]

How does Sam use the term evil, state that the Christian God is evil, without knowing (hopefully) have the same standard of what evil is according to the Christian God and then fault the Christian God for it?

So there is no law giver, but I have a set of standards by which to judge Him by the way I understand the history of human life and circumstances.

Harris has morals and agrees with some morals the Bible reveals but denies others he doesn't like or understand.

Romans 3:4 seems to fit

[kalair]

@JoaquinJB it is worth noting that humans wrote the bible.

[Jammed9000]

It's true, he's either impotent or evil.

[redshark618]

is it just a human condition to keep switching legs in the relaxed position?

[DeepHauz13]

Artson Shavit is great.

[ilisbaani]

@DeepHauz13 Yeah, he is. He's a nice guy.

[txnygotw]

@DeepHauz13

I'm sure the rabbi is a great guy but that doesn't reduce the poignancy of the hitchslap he gets.

[MickyG4444]

@txnygotw I love when people bring up the hitchslap. I just do.

[DeepHauz13]

"Everyone has great clarity in a god they don't believe in" - perfect

[DeepHauz13]

"He wants to intensify perplexity." "Welcome to Judaism." awesome lol

[levonet33]

ignorance is the roots of all evel.God can not do evel.All evel comes from men.

[DrAmorphos]

@levonet33 evil

[Konicava]

@DrAmorphos Thats amazing, how can a person be that stupid.

[Konicava]

@DrAmorphos "evel" LOL

[TheRealSmacker]

Very interesting

[amjan]

Hahah, Hitchens makes Wolpe feel so insecure, lol.