Comments on: Highlights from Hitchens vs Hitchens

By: DB Skeptic

DB Skeptic — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 14:44:31 +0000

Hi everyone. For those interested in video (as well as a pretty extensive writeup), it’s linked to from here:

http://www.dbskeptic.com/2008/04/04/christopher-hitchens-debates-peter-hitchens/

…Not sure about the comment about YouTube videos being removed – the ones linked to above are valid as of this writing.

In addition, we’ve got a pretty good sub-debate running already from various topics from the Hitchens debate.

By: Freethinkers

Freethinkers — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 23:47:44 +0000

Can’t wait for the video

By: cipher

cipher — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 21:29:15 +0000

I’m actually a little surprised that Christopher is still defending the war. I thought he’d largely withdrawn his support of it.

Also about his brother saying, In societies that don’t believe in hell, hell pretty quickly comes into existence. C of E types are usually rather liberal, theologically – although I think they do have their evangelical pockets.

By: Marc

Marc — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 21:18:50 +0000

It was indeed a fantastic debate; Christopher clearly had the upper hand. His brother, however, disappointed me with how many non sequiturs he could churn out. The best comment of the evening had my heart, and everyone else's pounding: One pious gentlemen addressed him during the question-and-answer period with the tired old Stalin/atheism "Correlation = causation" fallacy. Christopher's response to it was positively scintillating; a roar of applause followed Christopher as he demolished and, in turn, absolutely humiliated the questioner, whose ego was evidentially bruised when Christopher ended with a forceful demand that the questioner apologize! Great stuff.

By: cipher

cipher — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 17:10:28 +0000

The Ancient Egyptians had no hell

Actually, my understanding is that in the later kingdoms, they did.

By: You broke conservation of energy « Bruises Colours

You broke conservation of energy « Bruises Colours — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 16:31:48 +0000

[...] « On a silver platter You broke conservation of energy April 6, 2008 Via Friendly Atheist we get this strange quote from Peter Hitchens in the Hitchens v. Hitchens debate: If the universe [...]

By: Grimalkin

Grimalkin — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 14:17:00 +0000

I have to agree with writerdd. Not to mention that “hell” (meaning a place where souls go after mortal death for punishment) didn’t exist at all until the last couple thousand years. The Ancient Egyptians had no hell, the early Jews had no hell, and as far as I know both had systems of government that really weren’t unlike the later Christian governments.

I hope there was something else to that quote that isn’t represented here. If not, that’s just idiocy.

By: Tim Van Haitsma

Tim Van Haitsma — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 14:14:42 +0000

I saw the debate. It was the best $15 I have spent in a long time. I could not believe how many people showed up for it. The church was packed. I bet it was over 1500. And the majority was very very supportive of Chris. At least his god stuff. Iraq not so much.

Favorite short line was “You were created sick, and commanded to be well.”

By: writerdd

writerdd — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 13:04:55 +0000

“In societies that don’t believe in hell, hell pretty quickly comes into existence. You will find a complete absence of self-government.”

I guess he’s never heard of Sweden. What a lame argument.