Stephen Fry on the Force for Good of the Catholic Church

Intelligence Squared Debate: The Catholic Church is a Force for Good in the World. 22 Oct 2009

In favor: Archbishop Onaiyekan & Anne Widdecombe
Against: Christopher Hitchens & Stephen Fry

Initial Vote: 678 For, 1102 Against, Undecided 346

Final Vote: 268 For, 1876 Against, Undecided 34

Watch the complete debate at
http://www.intelligencesquared.com/iq2-video/2009/catholic-church

Category:

Education

Tags:

• catholic
• church
• child
• abuse
• stephen
• fry
• intelligence
• squared
• humanism
• atheism
• religion

[JiangZiyaTabooDays]

This whole debate must've been humiliating for Catholics. Fry and Hitchens wiped the floor with Widdecombe and that African bishop. People went in with fairly wishy washy, but by the end almost everyone opposed the motion of the Church being a force for good.

[byteresistor]

@SugarTomAppleRoger

Now you're claiming all germans were nazis which isn't true at all. And even if they all were I would still be an anti-nazi. I have no tolerance for the intolerant. The same goes for the catholic church and any of it's followers who willingly and knowingly support their stance on such topics as homosexuality, protecting child molesting priests etc. I see no reason to be politically correct.

[BelgianGeneral]

@tdm9001

There is more than enough proof of burnings by the Catholic Church. Church records themselves, for an example, indicate this. Miniatures, paintings, indicate this. Archaeological founds indicate this. For heaven's sake, even the Catholic Church admits these burnings occured.

In fact, even in my own family tree an ancestor is mentioned as being burned in the 16th century, because he was arrested while in the possession of Calvin's teachings...

[killapathy]

Stephen didn't say he hated catholics. He criticised the Catholic chruch as an institution, for all many valid and incredibly well communicated points displayed in the video. I would like to join 'BlockedNassalPassage' (nice name :P) in moving the discussion to the points in the video rather than the ridiculous nazi argument.

I love Stephen's incredible intellect, and the way he chooses to use it. As someone who's mostly seen him on QI it is nice to see him unleashing it in a serious debate.

[BlockedNasalPassages]

I'm stunned. Stephen Fry didn't once mention Nazis, and yet most comments seem to be about Nazis.

I think he hit the nail on the head on every point he touched upon.

This is about the Catholic church as a force of good (or not), not about Nazis and muslims, as such, I think that all comments about nazis and muslims are irrelevant. It is better that we comment on the things that Stephen Fry said, as this is what the whole video is about...

[SugarTomAppleRoger]

@byteresistor You are an idiot. Seriously. Any person who hates all people who were ever members of the Catholic Church or who voted for Hitler during WW2 is evil. It means you hate nearly all Germans. That makes you dangerous.

[byteresistor]

@SugarTomAppleRoger

"Being an anti-nazi is a bad thing."

Ok then mr. nazi lover.

[SugarTomAppleRoger]

@byteresistor Yes. Being an anti-nazi is a bad thing. It is an excuse for you to corral people and exterminate them. We are well aware of the American feelings towards us.