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Christopher Hitchens was asked, "If you don't believe there's a god, why do you do spend your entire life trying to prove it? Why don't you just stay at home?"

[fb.watch]

[Thank you, Hitch. I can use some of that in future debates with uh, friends.]

mischl 8 Apr 4
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8 comments

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1

"Skepticism or debunking often receives the bad rap reserved for activities -- like garbage disposal -- that absolutely must be done for a safe and sane life, but seem either unglamorous or unworthy of overt celebration. Yet the activity has a noble tradition, from the Greek coinage of "skeptic" (a word meaning "thoughtful" ) to Carl Sagan's last book, The Demon-Haunted World. [...] Skepticism is the agent of reason against organized irrationalism -- and is therefore one of the keys to human social and civic decency. [...] Skepticism's bad rap arises from the impression that, however necessary the activity, it can only be regarded as a negative removal of false claims. Not so [...]. Proper debunking is done in the interest of an alternate model of explanation, not as a nihilistic exercise. The alternate model is rationality itself, tied to moral decency -- the most powerful joint instrument for good that our planet has ever known." -- Stephen Jay Gould

Funny, that to a believer, an answer becomes a rant when it reveals them for who they are. By the way, what is with the corny, sappy music playing in the background?

Thank you, well said. The music? I have no flying idea. I mused that some goddamn True Believer hacked into the file and added a sound track designed to mesmerize the listener.

@mischl That is what I thought also, especially, since they added the tag: "Atheist Goes On Epic Rant"

2

Hitch had an excellent answer. In my opinion religions all say my god is better than your god and I am more worthy than you. These are the 2 things that their "love" hides behind.

1

Great response from Hitchens

twill Level 7 Apr 4, 2022
0

The questioner asked one smart-mouth question too many.

Hitch became defensive. I might have replied, “I should just stay home? I have a life. Why don’t you get one?”

3

I don’t know why the “new atheists” thought that those religious fanatics were who defined religion. They are a loud and dangerous tiny minority, who need to be fought as urgently as Hitch fought 80% of his own species. But they do not represent the 80%.

skado Level 9 Apr 4, 2022

EXACTLY ! It was only Bishop Cyril and a few followers that flayed Hypathia alive.
Probably just a handful of the Pope's faves who did the Inquisition.
Weren't too many really burning "witches " alive. Less than a few even.
And how many cracked the whip on a slaves back? Couldn't be more than 10% of the population

The new atheists did not always think that the religious fanatics defined religion. R. Dawkins, for one example, regularly praised the moderate majority. ( I think too much.) It is doing the same thing, defining the new atheists by one statement from their most immoderate member.

4

Such an incredible grasp of the language. Sure wish we could have a laugh at the background of the loser who asked the question.

5

An excellent answer, of course. It's a shame they were compelled to overlay it with the corny background music.

Right!

1

Because he can make money off of moronic idiots like you possibly????

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