A game of "What If..." with Christopher Hitchens - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

SecretMethod70 · 04-11-2009, 12:30 PM

I generally prefer the more modest intellectualism of people like Neil Degrasse Tyson, but this is pretty awesome...

Found: http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2...evangelica.php

Quote:

I have encountered this pathetic rhetorical game so often…it's one of Ray Comfort's favorite tools. Christian goes up to a stranger, and says he'd like to play a "what if" game with you. What if there was a god, and the ten commandments were his rules? Do you agree that if they're real, you'd deserve to go to hell? But look, Jesus says you don't have to, if you believe in him! Isn't that nice of him? It's all a stupid con — they ask you to hypothetically accept their premises, then lead you through a script which they demand that you answer in agreement at every step, and then at the end of their absurd, comical series of weird demands, they tell you that you've agreed that Jesus is your savior. Every year at our county fair they have their "Are you going to heaven or hell" booth that tries to bamboozle kids with this spiel, and I thoroughly detest and despise them.

Todd Friel, one of those glassy-eyed glad-handing used-car-salesmen of the soul types, tried to pull this same routine on his radio show…on Christopher Hitchens. Listen as Hitchens simply refuses to follow the script, and keeps on bringing up objections to the sloppy logic of the radio show host. Friel can't cope; he's like a dumb robot who can't comprehend anything outside the narrow scope of its programming, and keeps trying to shoo the Hitch back onto his preplanned track. Friel sounds like a fool, which is great, since he is one.

YouTube - todd friel interviews christopher hitchens on "wretched radio" (full interview) - part 1

YouTube - todd friel interviews christopher hitchens on "wretched radio" (full interview) - part 2

Reese · 04-12-2009, 02:49 AM

I don't get it. Where was Friel even going with that what if game?

SecretMethod70 · 04-12-2009, 04:34 AM

There, I added some extra context from the blog I found this on. Basically, he was trying to get Hitchens to accept Jesus in their little "game," and then he'd go "well guess what? It's all true!" As if it would suddenly make Hitchens believe it. It's pretty ridiculous.

Herbert West · 04-17-2009, 06:40 PM

Christopher Hitches is marvelous in a debate; he never hesitates to go for the jugular and is great with quick comebacks. This video did not disappoint. Thanks for the post.

fresnelly · 04-19-2009, 12:12 PM

"I'm glad you think it's a game. I agree with you."

Burn!

Cervantes · 04-22-2009, 05:05 AM

I love listening to Hitchens he's always direct and completely unafraid to confront any argument thrown at him. Tearing through them with brutal efficiency.

biznatch · 04-24-2009, 06:38 PM

Jesus Christ, I love these fanatic preachers getting ripped apart publicly, just wish I could do the same everytime some dude walks up to me and starts spewing some god this god that bs.

04-12-2009, 02:49 AM	#2 (permalink)
Reese Delicious	I don't get it. Where was Friel even going with that what if game? __________________ “It is better to be rich and healthy than poor and sick” - Dave Barry

04-12-2009, 04:34 AM	#3 (permalink)
SecretMethod70 Human Administrator Location: Chicago	There, I added some extra context from the blog I found this on. Basically, he was trying to get Hitchens to accept Jesus in their little "game," and then he'd go "well guess what? It's all true!" As if it would suddenly make Hitchens believe it. It's pretty ridiculous. __________________ Le temps détruit tout "Musicians are the carriers and communicators of spirit in the most immediate sense." - Kurt Elling

04-19-2009, 12:12 PM	#5 (permalink)
fresnelly Functionally Appropriate Location: Toronto	"I'm glad you think it's a game. I agree with you." Burn! __________________ Building an artificial intelligence that appreciates Mozart is easy. Building an A.I. that appreciates a theme restaurant is the real challenge - Kit Roebuck - Nine Planets Without Intelligent Life

04-22-2009, 05:05 AM	#6 (permalink)
Cervantes Psycho Location: Above you	I love listening to Hitchens he's always direct and completely unafraid to confront any argument thrown at him. Tearing through them with brutal efficiency. __________________ - "Philosophy is questions that may never be answered. Religion is answers that may never be questioned.." - "Religions take everything that your DNA naturally wants to do to survive and pro-create and makes it wrong." - "There is only one absolute truth and that is that there is only one absolute truth."

04-24-2009, 06:38 PM	#7 (permalink)
biznatch Junkie Location: France	Jesus Christ, I love these fanatic preachers getting ripped apart publicly, just wish I could do the same everytime some dude walks up to me and starts spewing some god this god that bs. __________________ Check it out: The Open Source/Freeware/Gratis Software Thread

04-17-2009, 06:40 PM	#4 (permalink)
Herbert West Upright	Christopher Hitches is marvelous in a debate; he never hesitates to go for the jugular and is great with quick comebacks. This video did not disappoint. Thanks for the post.