










Hitchens vs. Hitchens
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2. Comment #51129 by _J_ on June 21, 2007 at 3:34 pm
3. Comment #51131 by pewkatchoo on June 21, 2007 at 3:35 pm
4. Comment #51133 by Linda on June 21, 2007 at 3:43 pm
This is a pretty good Radio 3 interview with Hitchens. Its only available for a week.5. Comment #51135 by dancingthemantaray on June 21, 2007 at 4:03 pm
This sounds amusingly like Christopher Hitchens having some kind of schizophrenic argument with himself!6. Comment #51136 by PaulJ on June 21, 2007 at 4:15 pm
This link will only be in effect for 7 days, can someone make an mp3 for the site and send it to design@richarddawkins.net? Thanks, JoshActually the Today Programme seems to be archived for substantially longer than 7 days, see here. Not only that, but the individual clips seem to be better organised once they're archived.
7. Comment #51137 by IanRobinson on June 21, 2007 at 4:19 pm
Josh, I've just emailed you an MP3 of the H vs. H segment.8. Comment #51138 by TIKI AL on June 21, 2007 at 4:27 pm
Does anyone know if Peter also thinks the Iraq war was a stroke of chimpanic brilliance as Christopher does?9. Comment #51140 by IanRobinson on June 21, 2007 at 4:42 pm
Does anyone know of there are any estimates or published figures on the number of natural miscarriages per year in the UK (or anywhere else)? I've heard and read that it is more than the number of abortions that are performed. I'd like to know how people like Peter Hitchens (who used the abortion argument during this exchange with his brother) would rationalise a deity that allowed such natural wastage.10. Comment #51141 by UncleJJ on June 21, 2007 at 4:47 pm
They are well matched, what a pity they couldn't have debated much longer. The poor woman presenter was overwhelmed. Peter put up a better opposition than anyone else whose debated Christopher11. Comment #51144 by Insightful Ape on June 21, 2007 at 5:24 pm
Having listened to this, I have to wonder whether Peter Hitchens is in favor of stoning punishment for homosexuality.12. Comment #51145 by jakelovatto on June 21, 2007 at 5:51 pm
After listening and watching many atheist/theist debates the seeming trump card of absolute morality is always played.13. Comment #51146 by godisanidiot on June 21, 2007 at 6:08 pm
Lol, how can that idiot be his brother?14. Comment #51148 by cathjm on June 21, 2007 at 6:39 pm
What is it about you all guys, adoring this Bush/Blair/Rove/Gonzales CH zealot? Are all the enemies of your enemies, your friends? This CH guy is a (brilliant) polemist, not a scientist; beware.15. Comment #51150 by Bonzai on June 21, 2007 at 6:52 pm
Peter Hitchens brought up abortion as an example of how men persue evil without the guidance of a higher moral authority. Like all evangelicals he called abortion "baby killing".16. Comment #51161 by Yorker on June 21, 2007 at 7:50 pm
17. Comment #51166 by Enlightenme.. on June 21, 2007 at 8:11 pm
18. Comment #51170 by Enlightenme.. on June 21, 2007 at 8:26 pm
19. Comment #51173 by cathjm on June 21, 2007 at 8:37 pm
Ok A5; if it had been the other way around, and PH had the red eyes, what would you have written?20. Comment #51181 by PrimeNumbers on June 21, 2007 at 9:26 pm
21. Comment #51182 by Morro on June 21, 2007 at 9:26 pm
22. Comment #51183 by rufustfirefly on June 21, 2007 at 9:33 pm
Bonzai; do you have book/chapter/verse of the OT that mentions the penalty for causing a miscarriage? A god point and I'd like to use with a "believing" friend of mine.23. Comment #51185 by Zaphod on June 21, 2007 at 9:58 pm
24. Comment #51188 by Bonzai on June 21, 2007 at 10:15 pm
Comment #51183 by rufustfireflyBonzai; do you have book/chapter/verse of the OT that mentions the penalty for causing a miscarriage?
22 Suppose a pregnant woman suffers a miscarriage as the result of an injury caused by someone who is fighting. If she isn't badly hurt, the one who injured her must pay whatever fine her husband demands and the judges approve. 23 But if she is seriously injured, the payment will be life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, cut for cut, and bruise for bruise.
20 Death is the punishment for beating to death any of your slaves. 21 However, if the slave lives a few days after the beating, you are not to be punished. After all, you have already lost the services of that slave who was your property.
25. Comment #51189 by Zaphod on June 21, 2007 at 10:23 pm
26. Comment #51195 by rufustfirefly on June 21, 2007 at 10:53 pm
Thanks, Bonzai. I find they usually ignore those parts of the bible, or they give you the that's the old testament. The new testament is different. It's about love line. Maybe, but it doesn't do those Midianite children or the folks from Jericho much good.27. Comment #51197 by Bonzai on June 21, 2007 at 11:08 pm
Comment #51195 by rufustfireflyI find they usually ignore those parts of the bible, or they give you the that's the old testament. The new testament is different. It's about love line.
28. Comment #51198 by pantsandboots on June 21, 2007 at 11:24 pm
29. Comment #51200 by pewkatchoo on June 21, 2007 at 11:39 pm
30. Comment #51201 by pewkatchoo on June 21, 2007 at 11:43 pm
31. Comment #51202 by Tumara Baap on June 21, 2007 at 11:46 pm
I have spoken to seemingly sensible people who'd vote for Bush all over again because he is stands for a "moral compass". This notion of "absolute" morality is like a virus. Morality ought to be based on the merit of reason and natural justice. Morality tied to a mythical superbeing is as vulgar as it gets. It's bound to be abused by the privileged interpreter of God's intent, changes all the time with religious vogue (vegetarianism amongst modern hindus and concealing of arms and legs amongst muslims), is fickle and often wrongheaded in scope, and furthermore implies poor intelligence by opting for revelation in lieu of reason. In the U.S. for example, abstinence only AIDS measures have demonstrably contributed to more death and disease. I don't know why educated people continue to link God to morality. Morality is innate. Chimpanzees clearly display altruism, empathy and even culture. This is the wellspring of morality. In us it's entwined with history and narrative. Studies in stroke patients show we are hardwired for morality; it's an evolutionary consequence of our social species. Or is silly Peter now going to postulate a Chimpanzee God? Absolute morality my f****** foot!32. Comment #51213 by Enlightenme.. on June 22, 2007 at 1:19 am
33. Comment #51240 by Yorker on June 22, 2007 at 3:29 am
34. Comment #51243 by tieInterceptor on June 22, 2007 at 3:37 am
35. Comment #51244 by Yorker on June 22, 2007 at 3:37 am
36. Comment #51246 by GodlessHeathen on June 22, 2007 at 3:57 am
37. Comment #51249 by doodinthemood on June 22, 2007 at 4:26 am
For the record, Peter Hitchens did a documentary on David Cameron in which he interviewed Cristopher who agreed that they both dislike him, so they don't disagree on everything, quite :)38. Comment #51251 by ft77 on June 22, 2007 at 4:28 am
tieInterceptor the link to the ram file is rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk:554/radio3/nightwaves/nightwaves_wed.ra?start=14039. Comment #51254 by tieInterceptor on June 22, 2007 at 4:56 am
40. Comment #51259 by Linda on June 22, 2007 at 6:10 am
Here is the video:41. Comment #51264 by tieInterceptor on June 22, 2007 at 7:14 am
42. Comment #51274 by konquererz on June 22, 2007 at 7:30 am
43. Comment #51282 by Apemanblues on June 22, 2007 at 7:47 am
44. Comment #51283 by konquererz on June 22, 2007 at 7:48 am
45. Comment #51285 by MartinSGill on June 22, 2007 at 7:51 am
46. Comment #51295 by Fanusi Khiyal on June 22, 2007 at 8:18 am
*dryly* Again, the same old cobblers - atheists have no absolute basis of morality.47. Comment #51305 by USA_Limey on June 22, 2007 at 8:51 am
48. Comment #51312 by Bonzai on June 22, 2007 at 9:57 am
Atlas Shrugged has been in print since 1957.
49. Comment #51316 by Bonzai on June 22, 2007 at 10:26 am
Comment #51283 by konquererzIn every translation that I can find outside of this one website, it says "if she gives birth prematurely" not "if she has a miscarriage". Its referring to whether or not the baby she has is killed or not by the ordeal. Here, read for yourselves, change the versions, whatever. The above quoted scripture is not quoted accurately.
50. Comment #51319 by Fanusi Khiyal on June 22, 2007 at 10:43 am
Bonzai, out of pure interest, have you actually read Atlas Shrugged? And if so, can you provide a rational refutation it?
1. Comment #51127 by Winckle on June 21, 2007 at 3:24 pm
I read a Hitchens vs Hitchens "article" in the Dail Mail, although it was penned by Peter Hitchens, who is a man that does not believe that Dyslexia exists, yet is quite happy to belive in God.He ended with the rather annoying phrase "If one does not devote oneself to God, then one becomes a devotee of power or money", or words to that effect.
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