I’ve just been listening to the “Great God Debate” between Christopher Hitchens and Dr. Mark Roberts, and I must say I was quite impressed, both with the standard of debating, the respect shown for each other and many of the points expressed.
Roberts exemplifies a religious world view I’m fairly familiar with from my years with the Catholic church. Even though he’s not Catholic per se, his outlook reminds me of some of the more charismatic and intelligent priests I knew when I was younger. From the outside, Catholicism seems like a dogmatic, controlling organisation replete with strange beliefs, but on the inside it can actually be quite comfortable for the believer. The key is basing most of your philosophy on one major assumption: “God is Love”, and working from there, both in terms of how the Bible and the past is interpreted, and how the faithful are expected to live their lives. Not as much hell and damnation as you might think – most of the preaching, in my experience, was based on reassuring people, and giving an overall quite positive message. (Of course we got the rants as well, but as they say around here, you’ll have that). I think it is this assumption that permits so many intelligent and thoughtful people to stay with the mother church, despite its history and the ludicrousness of many of its dogmas.
Hitchens will be speaking on the Sunday Supplement with David Quinn this Sunday, as well as another well-known Irish atheist, Eamonn McCann. I can’t wait. All three are robust debaters, so it should be quite a show. The show will take place at 11am British/Irish time on Sunday morning, and the podcast will be available from this link.
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