1. Comment #40846 by briancoughlanworldcitizen on May 15, 2007 at 4:58 am

For those of us allergic to quicktime : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqNKD_nmXqM

Cool interview:-) Great even. Hitchens is great.

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2. Comment #40847 by Rtambree on May 15, 2007 at 5:01 am

Wow - a sympathetic host that didn't trot out the same old stupid questions!

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3. Comment #40848 by Phadrus on May 15, 2007 at 5:02 am

I don't know about you, but I've about reached the limit on what I can take or what I can read on atheism. How many times can you state the same old ideas over and over again and not get any result.

What I could use from you people is some good news right now. More kids are atheists. Religion is on the wain.

Is there any of this to be found?

I've taken to dressing the comedy route of wearing bits of pirate garb and people ask me about the Flying Spagetti Monster. At least it can be fun.

I am just feeling sorry for us all and I need some good news.

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4. Comment #40850 by Phadrus on May 15, 2007 at 5:04 am

Rtambree>> John Mayer doesn't realize it yet, but he is a closet atheist.

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5. Comment #40851 by Yorker on May 15, 2007 at 5:10 am

Yes, Hitchens is entertaining and in this world where deep-thinkers are not the majority, perhaps this factor is his most important asset in the cause of atheism.

I can sympathise with your thoughts Phadrus, the same old stuff over and over, but that's the value of Hitch, he's not boring and often funny.

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6. Comment #40853 by Rtambree on May 15, 2007 at 5:14 am

3. Comment #40848 by Phadrus

You want good news? Here's an excellent article, with intra-country comparisons, demonstrating that atheism is the only movement gaining converts...

It's called Why the Gods are Not Winning.

http://www.edge.org/documents/archive/edge209.html#gp

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7. Comment #40857 by beders on May 15, 2007 at 5:21 am

BTW, Mr. Hitchens statement about having to pay church tax in Germany whether you want it or not, is wrong.
If you are not a member of the roman-catholic church, unitarians or jewish community, you don't pay any church tax.

If you are a member of the church, however, the state automatically deducts the tax from your salary.
It is acting as tax collector for the church!
(Which I personally find quite embarassing)

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8. Comment #40860 by Yorker on May 15, 2007 at 5:37 am

1. Comment #40846 by briancoughlanworldcitizen

Yes Brian, Quicktime does suck, but unfortunately there are those who insist that even though the 90% of people using PC's use Windows, they should have Appleite stuff thrust upon them. However, there's a Quicktime Alternative like the Realplayer one and it doesn't try to set itself as master of your media files.

I'd like to give you a tip about your video's; not the content, a technicality. Text over images is almost always difficult to read unless it's outlined in some way by either a cutout or a drop shadow. I don't know what software you have but most can do this kind of text effect, probably you've noticed that professional video makers use this technique. You may want to consider this, it will improve clarity greatly. Actually, I get the feeling I might have said this before, if so, I apologise.

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9. Comment #40867 by BicycleRepairMan on May 15, 2007 at 6:05 am

"I've about reached the limit on what I can take or what I can read on atheism. How many times can you state the same old ideas over and over again and not get any result."

Well, I sometimes feel the same way, having read several books on it lately, seen videos like this etc. But I, and I expect you too, actually seek out this stuff, we visit RD.net, discuss it, see it on YT and so on. someone not into it like I am will not get exposed to just about every interview dawkins or hitchens is in. When they do see stuff like this, the chances are that its completely new information to them.. They might never have seen someone speak so openly out against Gods publicly.

Theres just too many channels, papers, books etc out there for everyone to continually stumble over atheism.

With the recent crop of anti-faith books, atleast the collective coverage of all of it might qualify it as "mainstream".

The tragic truth is that britneys haircuts gets hundred times the coverage of all the recent atheism books combined.

Go out on the street and ask anyone. Everyone will have heard of britneys shaved head, only a select few will have heard of any books by Harris,Dawkins,Dennet or Hitchens

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10. Comment #40873 by gcdavis on May 15, 2007 at 6:15 am

I agree with Yorker about Hitch, he has the common touch and he is also a bruiser! RD is a brilliant lecturer but when confronted with a hostile interviewer he is not at his best, I think under that polite exterior there is a man who sometimes seethes within. As for the comment by Phadrus, yes we are getting a bit of overkill but what frustrates me more is that none of this wellspring of atheism is being turned into positive action.

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11. Comment #40924 by mortiz on May 15, 2007 at 8:03 am

I'm surprised Bill Maher still wants Christopher Hitchens on his show after he gave Bill's audience the middle finger last year.

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12. Comment #40993 by stptrck75 on May 15, 2007 at 9:49 am

mortiz...
I'm sure Maher has wanted to flip off his audience many a time, but as the host he cannot. Maher's thinking is in line w/ Hitchens. That why he's such a sympathetic one-on-one interviewer.

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13. Comment #41024 by Thor on May 15, 2007 at 11:05 am

Maher and Hitchens actually have a rather cordial relationsship.

Maher is in the entertainment/infotainment business - and Hitchens is always good for controversial statements, sometimes he even tends to overdo it. What better guest could you wish for as a talk-show host?

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14. Comment #41039 by briancoughlanworldcitizen on May 15, 2007 at 11:36 am

I'd like to give you a tip about your video's; not the content, a technicality. Text over images is almost always difficult to read unless it's outlined in some way by either a cutout or a drop shadow. I don't know what software you have but most can do this kind of text effect, probably you've noticed that professional video makers use this technique.

Hey thanks for that. I feel like an idiot for not seeing it sooner. Great tip, appreciate the input:-)

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15. Comment #41305 by ICONIC FREEDOM on May 15, 2007 at 8:51 pm

This man is amazingly brilliant! I can't say there is anyone with such a grasp of knowledge, language or facts, as he.

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