National treasure Stephen Fry joined provocateur extraordinaire Christopher Hitchens to debate against Ann Widdicome and the Archbishop of Abuja, John Onaiyekan. The topic was ‘Is Catholicism a force for good in the world?’. Needless to say, Hitchens & Fry didn’t think so. Also needless to say, they provided the most convincing arguments of the evening. Mr Fry’s passionate and emotional speech is presented here in its entirety, along with his closing remarks. You can watch the entire debate, which runs about fifty minutes, by going to: www.intelligencesquared.com
On June 13, 2010, In Uncategorized, by admin
National treasure Stephen Fry joined provocateur extraordinaire Christopher Hitchens to debate against Ann Widdicome and the Archbishop of Abuja, John Onaiyekan. The topic was ‘Is Catholicism a force for good in the world?’. Needless to say, Hitchens & Fry didn’t think so. Also needless to say, they provided the most convincing arguments of the evening. [...]
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THAT IS DISGUSTING THAT THE CATHOLICS SAID THAT TO UGANDA ABOUT CONDOMS!!
Stephen Fry’s finest hour.
@lhawes92 I think that the catholic church has to live in the past because there is no future for archaic religions. Science has already overturned many of their “beliefs” and they have no believable basis to conjure up further doctrines. There only hope for indoctrinating new members is in the poorest and most illiterate of regions, such as sub saharan africa. Unfortunately, their doctrines mean death due to HIV to the inhabitants who have no other source of information.
A thought that occured to me throuhout this debate: the Catholic Church undoubtedly lives in the past, it is a hugely wealthy monarchy that has a billion subjects as was mentioned. And yet it wants more. The Catholic Church is spreading propaganda, dictating rules, effectively building an empire, which until 5 minutes ago I thought was the sole preserve of old nations as corrupt as the USSR. What a thought that it keeps going on today.
@AleriaStar Maybe the catholic church wouldn’t be “in the red” now (although I don’t believe that they are) if they hadn’t raped all those kids and had to pay out millions for lawyers and private lawsuits. It the catholic church’s own fault. No one should ever donate a penny to child rapists and a pope who facilitates death by indoctrinating young african children with the belief that condoms are BAD, knowing full well that half of the people they will encounter in their lives have the virus.
@AleriaStar Nope. Even most Christian organizations admit that the HIV virus can not pass through the microscopic pores in a properly-used non-damaged condom. YOU are asking US to do our research? We did. It’s your turn
@bootymanager Yes, well said, by Stephen Fry. He did not say, however that Catholics are arseholes. He made a point at the beginning of saying exactly the opposite. He is not speaking about Catholics – he is speaking about the instution and its heirarchy.
@kasperhauseredux Arguing with people like HouseHaunter484 is a waste of time.
I love how respectful Fry is in this video. His argument is fused with passion and emotion, and yet never once does he come across as being anti-religious, or bigoted in any sense, only as a man appalled at a horror in this world.
Stephen Frt is a legend, and I mean it. people who speak the truth and desire no “divine “power are the true legends of our small planet.
@kasperhauseredux –Bill Donahue ROCKS; God bless him and his work.
He is a hero.
@HouseHaunter484 When you’ve quite finished sucking Bill Donohue’s cock, could you please fuck off?
@HouseHaunter484 Because the deplorable Catholic Church spreads the lie that condoms cause AIDS, not prevent it. Look at Aleriastars comments, to see what I’m getting at.
If you want to know why AIDS is so widespread on the African continent, look not further than your own beloved faith.
@AleriaStar You know, you could save an awful lot of the money spent on AIDS clinics, if your church wouldn’t insist that condoms are evil (and, in some cases, that condoms actually SPREAD the HIV virus.)
If the church was doing all of this humanitarian work without feeling the need to spread its propaganda, I’d commend it. Sadly, this isn’t the case…so I won’t.
@AleriaStar Could you give specifics for your argument, please?
I’m sure you’ve thoroughly researched the bible, of course, and found all of its arguments to be historically accurate, and all of its claims for the miraculous to have a sound scientific basis.
@HouseHaunter484 I see you list the Catholic League as ‘your’ website on your profile page.
That hateful cretin, Bill Donohue, must be so proud to have idiots like you in his disgusting little club.
@physsion No, the video was split into segments and I had to (badly) re-edit it together. All of Fry’s argument is included on the video.
you go Stephen!!! damn he’s sizzling and look at the stone face of that black bishop…he’s scared for his job security…the church and all of organized religion is a HOAX.
what happened at 6:42 ? was a segment of the video removed?
I adore Stephen Fry. Intelligent, well-spoken and edcuated and enjoys a good knob joke. Perfect!
The superior speaker of this debate.
Jesus would have been stephen’s disciple.
I D.A.R.E. anyone out there who is a member of ANY organized religion to comment on this! It is all a sad, sd state of affairs. A truth we cannot deny. Simple as that.
Amen.
@mugglewitchy No one expects anything else from you, intelligent people have grown used to this kind of arrogance and ignorance.