Tony Blair and Christopher Hitchens debate whether 'Religion is a force for good in the world'
Last Friday, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and atheist columnist Christopher Hitchens discussed the role of religion in global affairs in a Canadian TV debate in front of 2,700 people in Toronto's Roy Thomson Hall.
According to the BBC report:
"Mr. Blair, a Catholic convert, said faith was a force for good and it was 'futile' to attempt to drive it out. But Mr. Hitchens, who is terminally ill with cancer, argued religion forced people into doing terrible things. In a vote after the debate, the audience voted two-to-one in Mr Hitchens' favour."
The report also included a 23-country poll on whether religion has a positive or negative impact, showing a varying range of responses by country.
Read the full report with video clips at BBC News. BBC World Service radio, available locally at Michigan Radio 91.7 FM, will air the Blair-Hitchens debate on Dec. 4.
Comments
debling
Wed, Dec 1, 2010 : 1:14 p.m.
"Is religion a force for good or evil?". The answer is that is has been and remains BOTH. Almost all religious texts, scriptures and books profess sound values and positive teachings. However, they are also full of violence, horror and justification for evils of all kinds whether by the deity itself or by the followers. Religion has been a source of meaning and inspiration for many and also used to exploit, manipulate and harm as well.
Forever27
Wed, Dec 1, 2010 : 11:32 a.m.
@Sarah, thank you! I'm really tired of Atheists being conflated with Nihilists. Just because someone doesn't believe in cosmic super heroes, it doesn't mean that they don't care about humanity.
Sarah Rigg
Tue, Nov 30, 2010 : 4:32 p.m.
That C.S. Lewis quote just shows that he wasn't particularly well-versed in evolutionary psychology or the understanding of how human societies have evolved over time. The theory is that there's a survival benefit to altruism. I don't understand why atheism "excludes" humanity. That's just ridiculous; for many atheists, it's ALL about humanity and making things better here on earth rather than waiting until the afterlife.
Heidi Hess Saxton
Tue, Nov 30, 2010 : 11:01 a.m.
P.S. I just came across this C.S. Lewis quote that seems relevant to this post: Do [atheists] remember when they are writing thus that when they tell us we "ought to make a better world" the words "ought" and "better" must, on their own showing, refer to an irrationally conditioned impulse which cannot be true or false any more than a vomit or a yawn? My idea is that sometimes they do forget. That is their glory. Holding a philosophy which excludes humanity, they yet remain human. At the sight of injustice they throw away all their Naturalism to the winds and speak like men and like men of genius. They know far better than they think they know. C.S. Lewis
Heidi Hess Saxton
Tue, Nov 30, 2010 : 10:58 a.m.
Part of the problem is that the two men were talking about very different things. "Faith" (Mr. Blair's word) is a gift that draws the human person into relationship with God and other people. "Religion" is the human endeavor to reach toward God, and/or to understand and explain the transcendent. In some respects, I'd have to side with Hitchens: Divorced from faith, religion can be a devisive, deadly force. (Incidentally, one's "religion" need not involve a belief in God. Indeed, some of the most fanatical people I've ever met are atheistic humanists.) I'm only sorry that Mr. Hitchens has never discovered for himself what a powerful, life-affirming thing true faith can be. As a Catholic convert, Mr. Blair has clearly experienced the life-changing force of faith (why else would have have made such a courageous choice?). The exercise of faith is a life-long quest, and doubtless there is still much for Mr. Blair to discover and articulate about the Catholic faith. After sixteen years as a Catholic, including several years in seminary, I find I've only scratched the surface of all the riches available to me. It's a journey that will take a lifetime.