The Intelligence Squared Debate (1 of 5) Hitchens, Fry, Widdecombe, Onaiyekan on the Catholic Church

Christopher Hitchens and Stephen Fry versus Ann Widdecombe John Onaiyekan in a debate on "Is the Catholic Church a force of good in the world".

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Christopher
• Hitchens
• and
• Stephen
• Fry
• Ann
• Widdecombe
• John
• Onaiyekan

[asdfqwerzxcv6]

I noticed that Christopher Hitchens and Stephen Fry were both interrupted by applause during their speeches and that the only time in which John Onaiyekan was interrupted was when he asked if there was anyone who still doubted that the Catholic Church is a force for good in the world and it was by people saying that they did :)

[Weeble68]

The arch bishops' argument was mostly irrelevant. "I strongly believe in god so much so i dedicate my life to it. blah blah blah. There are over 1 billion believers on a planet of over 6 billion blah blah blah. The catholic church raises a lot of money for charity (Good point). Some members of the church abuse their possition and fck kids ..sorry".

[sheriwhispers]

@DeconversionCentral As Paul never really met Christ ? Obviously you are misinformed .

Paul said I count everything I have learned as dung (shit to you ) to the knowledge of Christ..

Knowledge meaning TO KNOW? The one thing I abhor is people who speak from a position of sounding profound an educated on a subject matter they no little of...

[greggcaff]

it seems unfair, two of the most eloquent masters of the english language against a nigerian national and widdecombe(of clever dick fame !) its a waste of these guys talent, its goned to be a massacre.

[DeconversionCentral]

@timothypjohnson uh huh... OK. LOL

[timothypjohnson]

@DeconversionCentral You're not an outsider testing faith (OTF), you're an insider contesting faith.

You're logically-minded enough to appreciate that one shouldn't just walk away indifferently from the call of Christ, but one should engage with it in an open, rational manner.

Those who attempt this dishonestly give themselves away by their own emotionalism and obsessive polemics. They're schizophrenic ex-insiders struggling to convince themselves that they're "outside".

[DeconversionCentral]

@timothypjohnson You have one extremely warped mind. OTF is a matter of ZERO tolerance of double-standards, and complete neutrality. You naturally apply it to all other religious faiths, but your own, that is what makes us different. You make no sense when try to call it pseudo-intellectual and a mollification of a guilty conscience?

You then follow with the "No True Scotsmen Fallacy". These things are the reasons people are laughing at you, and we should. Stop wasting my time.

[timothypjohnson]

@DeconversionCentral Dogmas relate to matters of faith and morality, not arithmetic.

OTF appeals to ex-insiders looking to mollify a guilty conscience. Hence the pseudo-intellectual framework they take pains to erect.

If you're one of these sorry individuals, then whatever you were "inside" before, it was almost certainly not the true Church. And if it was, you appear to have received an appalling deficient education.

[DeconversionCentral]

Furthermore, you have displayed an intense dogmatic view of scripture, and one that is quite inaccurate from what I can tell. Either you think Paul (Christianities best actual known subject) to be false and a heretic, and you more divinely inspired, or you don't know what scripture actually says. Sure go ahead and ignore Paul "only by faith"and simply listens to Matthew "by faith and works(law)". Both are looney, and so I conclude you are as well.

[DeconversionCentral]

@timothypjohnson would you say it is dogmatic to refuse that 4+4=10? Although, I must admit that in historical accuracy we are dealing with a much larger width of an uncertainty principal. I will try and convey to you what is called the OTF "Outsiders Test of Faith". I deny Jesus's plausibility of divinity and miracles on the same ground you deny many others, and I do so to all equally. If I am to conclude it works for Jesus, then I must also conclude it works for others.

[BJTMediaProductions]

I found the arch bishop so boring I ended up reading the news reel at 5.45 !

[timothypjohnson]

@DeconversionCentral You claim to be on an honest SEARCH for truths? Why such dogmatism, then? Why such emotive and vulgar language? Why such such an affinity and attraction for error? Why such a revulsion for Christ and His Church?

Perhaps you don't know what Christianity is. You seem to confuse it with protestantism, which is just a heretical, hypocritically pious corruption.