Since we’ve been discussing Christopher Hitchens’s discussions of religion with the faithful, Michael Shermer sent me a link to this 1.5-hour documentary about Hitchens’s interactions and debates with one Christian man. Michael’s description:
Along the lines of what I mentioned previously about how Hitch would often engage people “on the other side” in order to better understand their positions, this documentary, Collision, is worth watching as it follows Hitch on the road, in debates, in restaurants, elevators, taxis, homes, etc. with evangelical Christian Doug Wilson. Hitch was certainly not a one-dimensional man. His motives were complex, but mostly I think he loved being engaged with people to challenge them and learn from them, and of course to stir things up and get people thinking, including himself.
Click on the screenshot to go to the documentary; its description from the thoughtmaybe website is below:
Renowned political journalist and best-selling author Christopher Hitchens is pitted against fellow author, satirist and evangelical Christian Douglas Wilson, as they go on the road to exchange debate over the question: Is Christianity Good for the World? The two theologians argue, confide and even laugh together as they journey through three cities presenting the debate. This film documents the journey, bringing the sharp points together to provide a critical analysis of religion and its perpetuation.
There are some preliminary shots, and the film proper begins at 7:30:
I wonder if Hitch confessed to Wilson that he was thinking of embracing Christianity. 🙂
“Give every man thine ear, but few thy voice…” — Shakespeare, Hamlet (1600)
Fortunately and unfortunately for thine faithful, Hitchens did not spare the voice!
Wilson is another one of Hitchens’s “friends” by the way.
I understand Hitchens’ desire to talk about things with lots of different people with different points of view. I love doing that too, and I like to think most of them come away thinking I’m a nice person. (Many actually say as much while despairing for my soul.) You can disagree vehemently with someone without getting nasty about it.
As I’ve mentioned here many times, I also watch Fox News a lot. Listening to intelligent people discuss stuff, even though a majorly disagree with what they’re saying is something I find interesting.
I just wish I could write like Hitchens too. :-/
I am listening to it, and enjoying it. Doug Wilson is clearly a very intelligent and well educated person, quick to use erudite quotes and turns of phrase in their debates. But he cannot, viscerally cannot advance a view about morality except thru explicitly Christian glasses. Its like all light of reason is refracted thru a pulpit The Hitch is wiping the floor with him.
I think that the first time that I’ve seen Hitch classed as a member of “theologians.”
Godbots and their lame claims
it’s as bad as the Mormon church re-baptizing people after death
Anne Frank being an obscene example
I understand Richard Dawkins is planning to film his death to ensure none of this nonsense happens to him
I read the book that was the product of this debate. The whole thing got stalled by Wilson’s rather silly claim that an atheist has no basis for morality- hence Hitchen’s attempts to morally criticize Christianity were empty, since he had no metaphysical/ontological basis for forming moral judgements of ANY kind.
Now Roman Catholics hold that non-Christians have a basis for SOME level of moral reasoning- they just have a better one (which I dispute), and CS Lewis acknowledge a universal moral code through all culture in his book “The Abolition of Man”, but Wilson (a Calvinist) will not allow that a non-theist has any basis for making any moral judgements at all.
As such, the debate gets stalemated in an endless loop. A disappointing read.
Wilson has also defended the Confederacy and slavery.
When I first watched that documentary when it came out, I was struck again by Hitch’s politeness to those he knew were wrong-headed. At least one of his ‘friends’ (where friend = opponent at a debate) might interpret such manners as sympathy for his point of view, whereas Hitch was actually quietly stalking his intellectual prey and gathering more ammunition for the debate to come.
For me this is precious. I had not seen it, nor knew of its existence. It’s a huge bonus to find something ‘new’ with Christopher in it beyond the YouTube videos of which I’ve watched dozens of times. So, thank you very much for this.
As a side issue to this, but relevant to the recent book debate, I tripped over this brief clip of Hitchens in a debate:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbBVB66DC5k
(Hitchens speaks from beyond the grave. It must have been the spirit of Hitch that led me to it. Or something like that…)
cr