Christopher Hitchens vs. Peter Hitchens Debate
Brothers Christopher and Peter Hitchens debate the Iraq War and religion at an event organized by the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies with the support of the Center for Inquiry of Michigan, and the Interfaith Dialogue Association. There are fourteen parts; just keep looking for the next one. On Part 5 the debate turns to religion.
5 comments:
I made this into a playlist to simplify things. Note that the first section is merely the introductions.
The playlist can be accessed by clicking this link
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Stan
Thanks Stan!
At the end of part 5 and into the beginning of part 6 Christopher repeats my favorite argument of his against theism. (The heavens watched with folded arms.) It hinges, however, on the belief in something other than creationism, so unfortunately I don't think it will be very convincing for evangelicals and those who believe in intelligent design.
Peter did nothing, in my opinion, to debate this and nothing he said was convincing to me in the least.
Thank you, by the way, for posting the link to this and to Stan, the above commenter, for putting it all into a playlist. I had been looking forward to seeing this debate.
I've got to say I found Christopher Hitchens' performance disappointing. (Not that I found Peter any more persuasive. But, then, I hadn't expected him to be.) I watched into part 7 and just couldn't take any more.
Why, if your time is limited, start off the morality of God as represented in the Bible as your argument? I mean, it's a fine argument in its place, but I'd never lead off with it. Basically, you're trying to induce a gut-level aversion in your audience. How's that for rationality? Then, when Hitchens discovers he hasn't succeeded in that so well as he had expected, he proceeds to go into a huff--trying, I suppose, to pass it off as righteous indignation--and insult those who weren't buying it. Since when has insult ever convinced anyone? Did he think it would? It leads me to wonder whether persuasion was ever his goal. If not, what's his real motive?
I've been a Christopher Hitchens fan. But I really expected better of him.
I was there.
The response to parts 12-13 had EVERYONES heart pounding; Chris said everything that needed to be said on that question from the guy in green.
He humiliated that bigot.
Everyone around me was scoffing at Peters non sequiturs.
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