Christopher Hitchens - On Q and A

October 1, 2009.
Christopher Hitchens on the Q and A panel in Australia.

[@daveg6839]

This debate can be divided into two parts - listening to Christopher Hitchens and waiting for Hitch's turn to talk again.

[@insight827]

walid was pretty good

[@suzannebryan1194]

True!

[@Greg-go8ep]

@@insight827 he played the role of apologist and was pandering to Hitchens so he didn't get intellectually destroyed. A middle ground on such topics isn't terribly sophisticated or admirable, in my opinion...

[@Habu2]

Ha ha

[@loveurlife4ever1]

“Lex Fridman is dangerous” 18 min inspirational video on KZbin ends w the poem “if” by R Kipling Which is best, Law abiding citizen, Forest gump, Green mile 51st dates Hancock Click or stepbrothers

[@Crelotus]

i am only here for christopher hitchens...

[@englishfury1544]

well no one else was worth watching here, Hitch was a genius

[@Nickman5000]

Ðj John I heard he destroys Waleed Aly, that's why I'm here!

[@macbrown99]

Waleed actually generally comes off sounding more or less reasonable here. It's that idiotic woman in red sitting beside him that fails to make any reasonable point whatsoever.

[@moknightacuratl8013]

I wish everyone had a mindset like him

[@descartesdonkey4291]

ain't gonna go ell for poor old Wally

[@wfjjfw4214]

2023 and watching one of the greatest orators that walked this earth and sorely missed

[@peterdanharding6041]

Thank God for Hitch! A bit of sarcasm there :-)

[@onkelmarvin8360]

Yeah.........I really miss him too...........😢

[@paulrichards6894]

every comment on the video is saying how great he was...and they are not wrong

[@Pokjhbvcf]

Need him desperately in this day and age

[@Countryboy071]

I couldn't agree more. Nothing like a good "Hitchslap" 😊

[@alibarznji2000]

As a Kurd, I'm sad that I became familiar with Hitchens after he died, He was a great person and a great intellectual, rest assured Christopher, your work is still here to inspire many many people

[@JohnM-sw4sc]

Hope things are better there

[@alibarznji2000]

@@JohnM-sw4sc we're safe from terrorists, but not safe from our government. A bunch of corrupt assholes

[@alibarznji2000]

@@JohnM-sw4sc thank you

[@evunsoo]

He was a great man, especially since he had love for the Kurdish people and his commitment to the cause

[@alibarznji2000]

@@evunsoo indeed

[@MrPeteybelljr]

"I'll get to the end of this sentence if it kills YOU" god I miss Christopher Hitchens

[@IAmHoTSHoTzz]

Peter Bell Ironically, you said "god". Ha! I don't believe in God, so I tend to say: "Oh my Universe!"

[@MrPeteybelljr]

Hi I'm Goku I use the term ironically.

[@Spongebob0911]

Peter Bell Just dont use the word God and Christopher Hitchens name in the same sentence to often..... But i understand you and i have the same feeling you are relating too ;-)

[@MrPeteybelljr]

Spongebob0911 There's nothing wrong with using the word "god" lol it's just a word after all, Hitchens himself would use "god" terms often and it never bothered him. It's a little too dogmatic for me if someones sooo "atheist" they can't even use certain words.

[@drokkerelq]

Peter Bell You are 100% correct. When I stub my toe I will yell god dammit. That is the English language. Am I supposed to remove words from my vocabulary because I don't believe in it? P.S. When I do yell 'god', it always with a lower case 'g'. :]

[@bklufc]

TODAY, 16 sept 2022, a young woman, Mahsa Amini died after being arrested in Iran by the "Morality police" for not complying with law on headscarfs. Over 10 years AFTER this show was aired, a young woman killed in Iran for not wearing a headscarf. RIP Hitch, for calling out barbarity.

[@videosofinterest9227]

Headscarf today.... drag queen story time to your kids tomorrow.

[@bklufc]

Scumbags.@@amatyaucran2214

[@Endrin911]

​@@amatyaucran2214 Funny part is that UN didn't strongly condemn that murder and lets Iran sit in Human right council Something is wrong in UN

[@steveath]

@@Endrin911the UN is corrupt like all international organisations.

[@PhyrstNayme-gm7ej]

@Endrin911 Please don't put any confidence in the UN. It is the same as any other governmental body that is riddled like Swiss cheese for corruption. They do Not care about these women. There could be Literally Millions of them dying on television from their religious oppressive leaders in Iran. Still, Nothing will be done by the UN.

[@colinwhyte1526]

The Iranian ladie's comments have definitely not stood the test of time, CH was spot on.

[@stefon815]

To be fair, she was saying the quoran(not sure how to spell it) does not limit women's right but the politicians in the arab countries do. And Hitchens made a point of saying she couldn't do something in the country, which didn't rebut what she said, it really just agreed but came off as rebuttal.

[@FlyingSpaghettiMonster2000]

​@@stefon815you're right the quran doesn't. But the hadith do. The afghani taliban and Iranian clerics haven't just made it up.

[@andersandersen6295]

And thats how you shut up a apologist.@@FlyingSpaghettiMonster2000

[@DoctorChained]

@@FlyingSpaghettiMonster2000 Afghani is a currency. Afghan are people.

[@FlyingSpaghettiMonster2000]

@@DoctorChained noted. My point remains true.

[@Dark-7070]

Christopher was a national treasure and will be missed his intellectual prowess was second to none.

[@zapkvr]

Oh ffs.

[@breadfan7433]

Not national. Christopher's charm and wit transcends national barriers.

[@LockdLoaded619]

He was highly intelligent. But he was also an arrogant buffoon that liked to drink and smoke.

[@bencarpenter3785]

​@@zapkvrare you ok😆😆

[@arthurfleck629]

@@zapkvrDid you stub your toe?

[@calkane8480]

52:24 "Islam gives women a lot of rights" I guess she must have thought "Fuck it, I'm just going to lie and hope no one notices"

[@calkane8480]

***** That why I miss Hitch so much :)

[@clivepattison7447]

+cal kane the world is a poorer place without the hitch r.i.p.

[@hawk2390]

+cal kane Man the planet needs Christopher NOW. Ironically his loss proves his point there is no god!

[@calkane8480]

Ahmad Zaraei I've read the Quran and could give you lots of misogynistic verses but I guess you would just say "Learn Arabic" or "You're reading that out of context" right?

[@ahmadzaraei2137]

cal kane No it helps if you can speak Arabic and understand the Qur'an in context but ultimately men and women were clearly not created equal. This does not mean that Islam hates women but clearly Islam recognizes that women are clearly inferior to men and that women need to learn their place in relation to men if they want to earn respect from men, there's nothing wrong with that.

[@AKhellbindeR]

This Waleed guy is well mannered, and very well spoken, but he speaks like a true politician, as in he evades and deflects questions, and doesn't actually answer anything.

[@eventhorizon3158]

This is a classic Muslim deflection tactic in action. Taqqiya (deceit, dissimulation, concealment, lying and diplomacy) is used as a religious/political weapon and a recruitment tool.

[@LCPD9111]

Exactly what he said.

[@mustafaashar19]

Secular Moral Superiority Except Waleed clearly stated he was Sunni, and taqqiya WAS practiced by Shiites in order to deflect persecution under the rule of Sunni (Muslim) caliphs. However, I doubt you didn't already know this as all this information can be found with a quick google search. Most like you are intentionally spreading false information in order to further your bigoted agenda.

[@eventhorizon3158]

Mustafa Ashar Bigoted agenda? Typical theist projection. Explain then, why Waleed couldn't answer the questions...

[@mustafaashar19]

Secular Moral Superiority "Typical Theist Project" You pretentious idiot I'm an atheist ex muslim. Waleed did answer the questions but his answers either came from an extremely Liberal perspective or were flat out evasive and frankly that's because he's a typical Muslim apologist. However, explain to me how you are not a bigot when your intentionally spreading false information about a person performing a practice from a sect he's not even part of that died out centuries ago?

[@SMAD9569]

Hitch - he left us smarter and wiser. I miss him even though I did not know him.

[@swapblue]

Hitchens left the world a better place! Thank you, sir!

[@MrJohndory111]

The Hitch was more intelligent than the rest of the panel combined. The world misses him dearly

[@ItsameAlex]

Hitchens chastised the priest by saying something like ''look at the priest acting as if the church didn't persecute gays for centuries'', so Hitchens disregarded linear time blurring the past with the present. But if someone said ''look at this white prerson, acting as if whites didn't enslave and persecute blacks for hundreds of years'' - the same crowd that clapped for him would be calling him a regressive. A rare moment of weakness from Christopher Hitchens.

[@AlexGordonMusic]

ItsameAlex he didn't say the church "persecuted gays for centuries" He said that frank brennan "spoke about it as if the Catholic Church hadn't taught it to be a mortal sin" The difference between your example and Hitch's..... is that white people dont enslave other human beings anymore. There are still priests appealing to Leviticus on the subject of homosexuality to this day, and reserve the right to do so. No regressivism required.

[@PhoenixProdLLC]

@@AlexGordonMusic Not to mention black people are still enslaved in other parts of the world.

[@AlexGordonMusic]

Phoenix Chastaine a lot of races are I’m not sure that’s relevant to the point..... however true it is.

[@colin-campbell]

I have regularly been referred to as the second coming of Hitch (if you'll pardon the expression) on behalf of my friends, family and colleagues. I'm rather partial to a Johnny Walker black label (breakfast of champions) and engage in public discourse regularly.

[@mkprocter882]

"my question is to Christopher Hitchens............" said EVERYONE :D

[@michaelfors9323]

So that is true, is it? It can't be legend? It has to be actual truth? Hardly.

[@masterchiefer123]

Leave your folkloric tale of Rasputin out of the discussion.

[@timnorman3064]

+Alloces undertaker You keep bringing up Rasputin. Which begs the question, what do you think atheism is? Even if Rasputin was able to heal using magical powers or not. It makes no difference. Your blind defense of historians is misguided at best. There are historians today who deny the Holocaust. I condemn them as much as I condemn Hitler's "final solution". I return back to my question, what do you think atheism means?

[@timnorman3064]

The photo does show he had an interesting gaze. However this doesn't prove that his healing powers came from a god, or even that he had healing powers. History is full of tricksters and charlatans. As I recall Rasputin was poisoned, shot multiple times, stabbed, and finally drowned. Wouldn't powers given from an omnipotent god have saved him? Again I don't think you understand what atheism means/is. Atheism is not a philosophy. Atheism is a lack of belief in a god or gods. Your claims about Rasputin are as good as those made in the bible or any other religious texts. That is to say not good at all. You lack evidence of any kind beyond hearsay and conjecture.

[@timnorman3064]

***** I'm not sure if you're being willfully difficult or you genuinely don't understand. Since things are getting slippery, let's nail them down. Is it your claim that Rasputin had magic healing powers? Why do you think this has anything to do with atheism? There are many plausible scientific theories as to how Rasputin helped Alexei. Sadly we do not have a time machine so we cannot definitely say what happened. Invoking the names of historians and authors doesn't clarify your assertions about Rasputin. Please enumerate your beliefs/assertions so that I may illuminate them.

[@joshdrayton1230]

On the one hand you have Christopher Hitchens speaking very directly and with complete clarity on every point; on the other hand you have Brennan and Aly speaking almost entirely with slippery weasel words and tactically dodging questions in order to avoid inconvenient positions. Says it all really,

[@Dudemon-1]

Yes,it would have been to have competent theists on the panel, too.

[@peterdanharding6041]

That's what religious apologists do best!

[@benwu7980]

Something that had always set Hitch above most in any form of debate or Q&A was that he never needed to equivocate.

[@dj44640]

What an educated man Christopher was... he was pure charisma

[@heathkitchen2612]

How Hitchens flipped that "bagging and smearing" comment from the father is illustrative of how quickly Christopher's mind worked. A combination of thoughtfulness and satire, his is the definition of a scary quick wit. People feared his voice. How cool is that?

[@organman52]

+Heath Kitchen VERY cool.

[@arjunratnadev]

+Heath Kitchen He is always my One Punch Man!! ;D

[@Cttocs1]

+Heath Kitchen proof alcohol doesn't kill brain cells OR he has a few extra

[@TheDeven1000]

he was a brilliant man and an inspiration to me. listening to his debates and reading his books helped me shake the guilt I had for asking questions and allowed me to embrace an atheistic lifestyle without a fear of eternal torture in hell.

[@Cttocs1]

Just a joke my friend

[@TheOrangep7]

Man I miss Christopher.

[@ambientaddict7613]

Exactly!

[@Duane6084]

me too!

[@yvonnemanly5986]

Me too, he was the reason for a great turning point in my life regarding religion.

[@chaz9808]

yea i miss him too too bad we are left with his lame brother...

[@janwiberg1454]

flick thomas

[@GhostFitzKilla]

Hitchens is sorely missed, especially in 2023. Rest In Power!

[@andrewdavis9096]

A voice of reason in a world of madness.

[@tonnekevankan7512]

And absolutely in 2024 .......

[@jsmall10671]

@@tonnekevankan7512 And 2025 *gasp*

[@joelstein4657]

If there was ever a man on this planet that I wouldn't want to argue with, it would be Christopher Hitchens. Plus, as far as I can tell, he was always right.

[@darrenrichards2610]

Hitchens is barely in second gear here. Its almost like he feels he doesnt have to raise his game for these guys.

[@PhiI93]

Bang on. His intellect was just on another level.

[@Greg-go8ep]

this panel is somewhat unsophisticated; including Waleed who attempts to come across as intellectual, but fails to make a cogent point on pretty much anything. Lots of words but no real message.

[@gamingwithslacker]

No. I don't agree. I think this video is Hitchens at his best. He doesn't focus on immaturely "destroying" the other side -- as entertaining as that might be. He shows the same level of maturity in his debate, near the end of his life, with Mr Larry Taunton. And, I think that the Muslim man -- I'm typing this on my phone and have forgotten his name -- was very very good, though perhaps not as witty or pugnacious as Hitchens. I like Hitchens. He was witty, funny, clever and sincere. But I think he saw things too dogmatically. The woman in the audience asks a fair and relevant question -- which Hitchens awkwardly (and unconvincing) avoids. Take care -V

[@MLaak86]

Oh course he didn’t struggle with these feather weights, I’d only be interested in a conversation between Christopher and Waleed.

[@m0rtred]

@Rene R. why would he? And why would you suggest such a thing? They are simply debating, talking passing the point one to another, there's nothing malicious in this video, whats wrong with people. You cannot expect every human mind to be a prodigy better than the one before him, no it doesn't work that way, one may be smarter than the other, and if he is thats fine nothing wrong, he should lead and teach the others not attack or obliterate. But that does not mean others have no voice and have no right to speak their mind. Not to say he's a guest too, part of the group in which everyone gets to talk.. Thats a sign of a weak mind guys just to know.. what you did there.

[@mlady5223]

Ive watched this episode countless times.... and im convinced that the lady in red is drunk.

[@10babiscar]

+M' Lady i'm 10 minutes in and i think you're right

[@mlady5223]

only gets more blatant

[@eXcommunicate1979]

Hitch may have tapped that ass later.

[@SeanGCorcoran82]

She was dancing with me. Cheek to cheek.

[@C4rL72]

This is why people like her should not be allowed to speak , she just chats shit and comes across as a Hitch hater with no back up who maybe loved grandmas cough medicine too much.

[@fetB]

I always watch podcasts or debates at 1.5x or 2x speed, but when Hitchens speaks, i slow down. His words are like a blanket of warmth, Or in other words, there's an aura of divinity about him thats, funnily, incredibly human.

[@davidlyons3678]

The voice of the intellectual genius gone but never forgotten

[@corruptscorpion]

Christopher Hitchens sitting in the Kindergarten and trying to calm the kids.

[@alanroberts3013]

Owners of dogs will notice that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they think you are god.

[@andrewwilliams8986]

My children at least recognise when they have an opportunity to better understand. These people and audience lack that.

[@colin-campbell]

I have regularly been referred to as the second coming of Hitch (if you'll pardon the expression) on behalf of my friends, family and colleagues. I'm rather partial to a Johnny Walker black label (breakfast of champions) and engage in public discourse regularly.

[@anonymouse1289]

They thought he wrote Marx's most famous quote lol.

[@colin-campbell]

@@anonymouse1289 That is certainly a contemptible position to take.

[@tombowombo-]

"I will get to the end of this sentence even if it kills YOU." hahahahaha

[@georgebarnard7831]

You must be fun at parties

[@davidparks9841]

George Barnard I loled when i read your comment

[@georgebarnard7831]

+David Parks Touché

[@davidparks9841]

:D

[@practicalintuition4030]

+George Barnard its always easier to shrug off correction and continue to be illiterate, than it is to acknowledge a mistake has been made and correct it. its nature to people with poor education and an inability to take responsibility.

[@bookblogger9462]

Is anyone else fast forwarding until CH speaks again?

[@hitman5782]

Always. After watching countless debates about the existence of gods i started to skip the theists, they simply never come up with anything at least slightly interesting or new.

[@colinellis9063]

Love it when Chris quotes voltairs last words.

[@yigalgurevitch2936]

"my veil would be little" lol

[@Raskolnikovvvvvv]

מה אומר אחי

[@yigalgurevitch2936]

מ־52:14 מתחילה לדבר בחורה מלאה מצטדקת למען איסלאם ואיראן. טוענת שהיא קראה את הקוראן ואיסלאם נותן זכויות לנשים וכך גם באיראן היצ'נס בתגובה דחה טענותיה שאכן כך המצב, באומרו שהוא רואה את פניה, את שערותיה יושבת בקהל עם גברים צעירים ושלא תגיד לו שהיא מסוגלת לעשות זאת באיראן היא משיבה שקצוות שערותיה יהיו בחוץ, כי הצעיף יהיה קטן נו הרי כל הנקודה שהיצ'נס הייתה מגבלות החופש צעיף זה לא מספיק אינדיקציה שהוא צדק? אז היא תקפה אותו על עניין טכני פעוט בנוגע שיער שאותו רואים במעט שטופת מח איסלאמית

[@papnlilly]

Big fatty thinks she'd be just fine living in an Islamic state. Oh the irony is just sublime.

[@Idan-tc5rt]

היצ'נס מדהים

[@thedudeabides3294]

I almost missed that. If anybody took her seriously earlier, they must have struggled to after that.

[@megaminiman]

"India needs the empowerment of women to cure poverty" Cut to two Indian women.

[@s.ananthkarthikeyan4560]

Mason Barakat I am two years late, but who :P

[@Mark-pv7qn]

@@s.ananthkarthikeyan4560 14:27 and 14:37, sorry im 5 years late

[@samboss2091]

8 years late

[@cuchuallin]

No one ever cut through bullshit as sharply as the great Christopher Hitchens RIP

[@user-iv5vx7gw4y]

AGREED. I'M SURE HITCHEN'S COULD EVEN DEBATE HIS OWN VIEWS WITH CONVINCING LOGIC.

[@heinrichfreeman]

It's 2024, Christopher, and your absence is so profound that I feel a sense of shame for never having had the opportunity to meet you. Your legacy will endure for centuries

[@rgerber]

Chuck Norris does not debate, he Christopher Hitchens

[@niviamaeva]

Lol lol

[@LCPD9111]

What?

[@colinchildress1251]

***** I don't know why that made me laugh so much.

[@MrCmon113]

***** That's funny because Chuck Norris is a bigoted, religious right winger. XD

[@barristanselmy2758]

***** Norris found Jesus, have you heard?

[@NicSoltani]

I wonder why those Iranian girls in the audience speak English with an Arabic accent and not Persian accent (quite a mystery to me) and wonder if they lived in Iran for more than 45 days and not as tourists. My sister was arrested in Iran when this show was being broadcasted because her Hijab was 2 cm shorter than what is legally permitted. And does my sister have a voice? Even I as a man don't have a voice. I want my sister and my mother and every female relative I have to choose their own attire but can I say that? No because islaM wouldn't permit me to do that, so back to Christopher's comment. You betrayed your sisters (if you are Iranian at all) by just even thinking about the non-sense came out of your mouth

[@morningmadera]

This comment should be the first one to appear ... Kudos, sir!

[@ghazalemaminia2970]

I was wondering the same thing. She does not have an Iranian accent. She has an Arabic accent. And obviously so unaware of how things are in Iran for women.

[@Matthew-ve7uv]

You're absolutely right about everything except the capital 'M' at the end of the word 'Islam.'

[@beachdancer]

My Iranian female friend would not dare to go out without being completely covered. She also told me that married couples are sometimes arrested on the assumption that they should not be seen in public together.

[@NicSoltani]

I hope with the new anti-terror legislation in place these two sisters are put under surveillance. They appear to carry radical Islamic sentiments or maybe they have already joined the dead cult

[@Stu-SB]

3:36 and others.. even the panel turn their seats and heads to listen to Hitchens, his answers, always blindingly quick, without hesitation or pause, so fluent, well-informed, and completely wholesome. What a gift this man was to us.

[@enterpassword3313]

Lol never heard hitchens described as wholesome, not sure that word fits haha

[@dennisbecraft1303]

Right. I agree strongly with all that except for the admittedly few times I cringed at what was not wholesome at all.

[@PhyrstNayme-gm7ej]

@enterpassword3313 The Truth, can often be viewed by some, as not wholesome. I completely disagree. Wholesome is conducive to promoting moral and or social well being. By telling others who are steeped in barbaric religious traditions and customs that require things like women being Forced to wear a cloth bag for clothing. The Truth. He Is in fact Exactly wholesome..by definition.

[@dennisbecraft1303]

@@PhyrstNayme-gm7ej There were times when truth or socially redeeming value were conspicuously absent from a gratuitous remark or two.

[@jennya3996]

As an ex Christian, I’m so glad to have escaped that cult. Christopher Hitchens was right. 💯

[@nathanperkins7425]

"why don't you say what you actually think?" Amazingly beautiful.

[@doctornov7]

This is such a fundamental issue I have with debates.

[@shazzthedon]

Hmm I’d say it was beautifully amazing bro

[@chanang453]

watching this in 2022 as im on a Christopher Hitchens bender,AGAIN, almost a tear in my eye listening to the greatest orator that I had ever heard. There is no one current with his knowledge ,wit or ability. He is sorely missed.

[@marciebalme588]

yes agree

[@BrianLambert]

He's great! I do prefer Matt Dillahunty, though

[@shazzthedon]

What about joe rogan?

[@Matthew-mf6xg]

​@@shazzthedon i know you're messing around bur Rogan is a joks.

[@tristaneast8625]

@@shazzthedon you're funny...

[@78625amginE]

Regardless of how one feels about his politics, beliefs, etc...He was an incredible writer and orator.

[@TheOGVintage]

Christopher Hitchens was on an entire next level compared to the rest of the panel. He is not only so articulate and fact based that is just wrecked the panel when they tried to shame or attack his personal character because really they had no real factual and/or objective rebuttal.

[@jayrod5411]

Mr Hitchens is a fucking BOSS! You're miss by many.

[@ZarPof]

He carried that English regalness with him, you could hear it in his speech, his body language, and his well thought out insults and jokes. It is always a pleasure to listen to that man.

[@alousch65]

i find him the biggest asshole on the globe

[@ZarPof]

rachid How come? From what he says or the way he says it? What he says is confrontational but how he says it is steeped in British high society charm. It allows him to say quips and jabs in a very polite way. I think it sounds rather witty and is pleasant to listen too.

[@ZarPof]

nibus9 That sir or madame is a clever insult. It took a second reading for me to pick up on it. Hats off to you.

[@DinMorErFedOgKlam]

Gary Milne x

[@Koroar]

Whether you agree with Hitchens views or not, he's just a legend! Miss him :[

[@alanroberts3013]

Frank Brennan and Waled Ali both dodge key questions in an effort to look reasonable and balanced. Hitchens rightly calls them out for their hypocrisy.

[@Dave_perry]

How dearly we miss this warrior! One of Hitchen's brilliant quotes is that we, human species, are half a chromosome away from being chimps. However, he himself was far more than just half a chromosome away from the rest of humanity! We need him now more than ever before.

[@PittsburghSonido]

The way Hitchens gazed back at the Kurdish man who asked the first question was so adorable. The way they both vibed after acknowledging the Kurdistan region’s flag just flittered my heart.

[@russe19642]

Can you give me a time stamp on that, must have missed it

[@chelsiewei1232]

@@russe19642it’s probably just the first few minutes

[@russe19642]

@@chelsiewei1232 thanks,yeh I went back and looked for it

[@adamgodfrey6591]

‘You name me a Catholic or Muslim charity that goes into the field to secure the empowerment of women and you might have the ghost of a point’ is perhaps the greatest unanswered question I’ve ever heard asked

[@PhyrstNayme-gm7ej]

@adamgodfrey6591 Excellent point. Do Not think though that Any catholic or muslim charity cares one bit about women. Let alone Anyone that cannot fill their coffers, and stiffen their ranks.

[@Joeofiowa]

Hitch is that special kind of gentleman who can prove you violently wrong and make you love every minute of it.

[@alexisjuillard4816]

And joking and flirting with you all along in a passive and very aggressive way. Legend. And man he does it so well, in such a polished subtle way, making it appear as harmless banter (when it is not most of the times, a lot of times he slips in a sexualised thing it's actually a very effective offensive move to embarrass or take you down a notch, also extremely difficult to defend against, you loose face whether you react in anger or let it slip). He's so good in fact i m sure were he still amongst us in this post metoo era, he could still pull things like this off cause he does it in such a casual indirect way, with a weird mix of blunt naivety and underlying cynicism.

[@lilchickennugget8155]

Christopher Hitchens was such a voice of reason in a world where reason is not favored by many. The world lost a great mouth piece for atheism when he passed.😢

[@nialllambert3194]

I can't help but watch the look on the woman sat beside Hitchens, and it's a kind of adoring awe. She's whispering "I hope I can go home with this man"

[@detlef171]

Just started watching Hitchens videos today. This man is a legend. Tolerates zero bullshit, and does it in style.

[@lieslceleste3395]

I would have loved to drink with him.

[@MrMancreatedgod]

Welcome aboard brother.

[@AbnormalAxis]

"Why won't you say what you actually think?" - Hitch slapped!!!

[@MrBlixxx]

You are sorely missed Christopher. The greatest mind of our time.

[@mikerogers5086]

I'm going nuts for Christopher Hitchens. he's awesome!

[@spookybitch3454]

4 panelists and a whole audience vs. Christopher Hitchens. Hitchens prevails entirely, and effortlessly.

[@sreenathc]

Whenever I have the blues, I search for Christopher Hitchens videos and am immediately uplifted….the man had a rapier for a tongue that could cut any opponent down to size without being nasty or disrespectful…and making his own argument funny and so logically thought out, and delivered with such clarity in words, that most have found it almost impossible to refute! What a legend he was….the world sorely misses this man’s intellect.

[@enterpassword3313]

Even when hes wrong it sounds kinda convincing lol

[@AmericusMaximus]

To presume that it is possible to have a “rapier of a tongue that could cut any opponent down to size” and that doing so can be done “without being nasty or disrespectful” is incongruous, absurd.

[@WrestleGermainia]

@@AmericusMaximus It isn't a literal description so not really. Being humbled by sharp logic doesn't have to be nasty or disrespectful, yet it can be compared to the finesse of a rapier, not its violence, and to be humbled by it is to be cut down to size. That's the beauty of it. I can see how you would think it's absurd, but it really isn't in context.

[@AmericusMaximus]

@@WrestleGermainia Whether there is an actual rapier is neither in play nor relevant here. And while true that a clash between superior and inferior logic need not be nasty or disrespectful, it certainly can be and on KZbin often is-KZbin banks on it. The original commenter finds Hitchens’ schtick uplifting and therapeutic, an antidote for the blues. I contend that however satisfying, watching Hitchens perform is less akin to admiring beautiful art on the walls of a museum than sitting ringside at a UFC match, metaphorically of course.

[@WrestleGermainia]

@@AmericusMaximus that’s fair enough, it’s just a case of personal sentiment then I guess. I still wouldn’t describe the original comment as absurd, but maybe I’m just being pedantic.

[@petethefeet1461]

Christopher Hitchens is an absolute joy too listen to you are missed so so much

[@mikerodgers7620]

He's a loser. You are too. 😁

[@Actias1974]

To not too

[@nickhayley]

All these years later. And I, too, as we all are missing Christopher.

[@daleyemissions]

Christopher Hitchens just walked around with this beautiful claymore of verbiage and wisdom, and cut the intellectual heads off people. I’m always in awe of him.

[@valerie7850]

Hitchens is truly a master, nobody on the panel even stands close to his brilliance.

[@WPTHFC]

Will you marry me?

[@johncandy6508]

how great was Christopher Hitchens? The world needs him now

[@nikicutts8097]

To justify religion is bonkers. At least we have this material to show our kids. My 17 year old son is watching all these videos so the Hitchslaps live on & are enlightening new generations ❤

[@Baratheon.]

A kid/teenager would learn more from an hour of Hitchens, than in a week of school. The man instills high-culture wherever he goes.

[@loveandlucky3]

I feel like everyone's just waiting for Christopher to speak next

[@irishoak7269]

Christopher Hitchens is as close to a true prophet that we as a human race can ever hope for.

[@silverdm123]

So true

[@DrDoohickey]

Yes, together with Carl Sagan, perhaps.

[@batteredskullsummit9854]

Yeah, it's called "common sense and reasoning." No need for mystical bullshit

[@joshjackson678]

Good point

[@narayanprasad4008]

Living and revising Hitchens in 2023 , his views are more relevant , true and prophetic today than ever before . Miss his talks .

[@toAdmiller]

I've mourned three people in my life: my father, Carl Sagan, and Christopher Hitchens

[@candyman5912]

Sorry about your father. Hitchens died within 2 years of me discovering him. He was gone too soon.

[@toAdmiller]

@@candyman5912 Yep, he died within a year of me discovering him...and there's been no other intellectual contrarian to step up to take his place...Almost all news shows have become entertainment/echo chambers...Oh, what we have lost...

[@candyman5912]

@@toAdmiller Yeah, I think it was about 2009/10 his fame was at its height on KZbin, alongside the New Atheist movement. It was a great time, when reason challenged dogma in all walks of life. We've gone backwards now though.

[@Moluccan56]

Carl Sagan was an absolute gem of a human being. I could listen to him for hours.

[@toni4729]

Well I never met your father but I'll agree with the other two.

[@DarkToleSon]

Hitchens NAILED IT at the end. I'm so proud to have someone like him represent people of reason and logic.

[@Bobaganush26]

Who said you were right? You? LOL. No one know. Please STFU

[@veganath]

@@Bobaganush26 best to ascribe your degree of belief to the evidence presented, it doesn't need to get personal

[@marcelodasilva942]

@@veganath Was reason and logic that Hitchens used when making the case for the Iraq war?

[@veganath]

@@marcelodasilva942 *_"Was reason and logic that Hitchens used when making the case for the Iraq war?"_* I would hope so, but it would be better if he/we used logic & reason to come up with solutions to ameliorate man's greatest admission to failure *_WAR!!_* I hope you agree?

[@marcelodasilva942]

@@veganath Yes, i do. I just still don't understand the logical argument behind Hitchen's position throughout the years.

[@publicshared1780]

"As long as we have a civil conversation we don't have to keep on saying that that's what we're doing" - Christopher Hitchens

[@jasonlast7091]

When there’s so many dumb things being said at once that there isn’t the time to pause and refute them, Hitch’s true talent was cutting to the centre of the most important points and utterly refuting them. Not just logically but in the most important, meaningful and impactful ways.

[@Frank50505]

The way to watch this clip: Scan forward to listen to Hitchens and then move on with your life. Nobody cares what anyone else is saying. No one else in this video will ever be remembered. RIP Christopher Hitchens.

[@kewkiez7]

"My hair would be out because MY VEIL WOULD BE LITTLE" oh dear this woman....

[@ML-uv4gg]

Even Waleed knew that she was wrong

[@jamesfrench7299]

Knew she couldn't deny that so turned to minimising that.

[@CateSimulate]

"I'll get to the end of my sentence if it kills _you_" Gotta _love_ Christopher Hitchens!!

[@user-kj4fc3sd5i]

Christopher was one of the greatest

[@peterruppert1614]

Hitch is just unbelievable. Miss him so much

[@FoldingCrown]

I like how Hitchens looks directly at the person who asked the question while answering, makes it more personal

[@gazsmash]

Hitchens destroyed this Panel while still in Neutral

[@RobinLaverick]

“I’d barely had chance to get my trousers off...” he would often comment 😀

[@pommygeezer9309]

If only The Hitch was alive today to decipher the current state of affairs.

[@robertmcadam2216]

Outstanding orator, lucid, succinct and brutal. I would have loved to meet Hitch.

[@NoTaboos]

For once Waleed looks totally aware that his transparency is on display.

[@sdogg]

NOTABOOS no one could escape from Hitchens' mind

[@1Nate987]

I love Hitch smirking at how ridiculous Waleed's long winded rants are and how easily he will pick it apart

[@lold6130]

“Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful.” Richard Dawkins

[@SDAQandA]

We need him now more than ever. We watch his past presentations and try to piece together what he would think and say now - about current world events.

[@luisconde2723]

The actual events confirms what he said in his last decades about Islam and Gaza... He would be the man to go to have a complete full picture of the problem, that we already know is religious extremists...

[@Macconator2010]

"You name me one Catholic or Muslim charity that goes into the field determined to secure the empowerment of women, and you'll have the ghost of a point, up 'til now you don't." Absolutely savage. This video should be renamed, *"Christopher Hitchens - Thug life for 1 hour straight"*.

[@Acolyte47]

I must say I'm impressed by that guy all the way on the left. He words his sentences so carefully that you don't notice that he never actually answers a question with a straight answer! All without delay. Very impressive!

[@influenzaz1012]

Christopher called him out on it lol but yea everyone who watched this caught on his first answer the gymnastic he performed is Olympian tier

[@scientificatheist9381]

Just Dangerous

[@AppleSauceGamingChannel]

Except when he states that homosexuals would need to have a discussion with their pastor to know whether they were immoral or not... True colours are difficult to hide.

[@MovieMakingMan]

Listening to him is grating. He says absolutely nothing. It’s word salad without any dressing.

[@bganonimouse2754]

Such a shame that Hitch isn't around to give us the benefit of his wisdom and to show us that its not about taking one side or the other - its about principles.

[@juliangilbert5465]

Love him or hate him, Christopher Hitchens head and shoulders above everyone else.

[@nakkadu]

Agree with him or not....Hitchins owned this show!

[@richieh007]

You know, the opening response that Hitch gave to the first question was just so elegant. How he responded to the chap verbally, through eye contact, intellectual approval and gratitude… Now that’s charisma…

[@bobstebbings]

We so need a successor for Christopher today.

[@mikegray8776]

Fuse together his two great friends - Douglas Murray for combativeness and unshakeable principle, and Stephen Fry for the effortless elegance of language and knowledge, and you come very close. But not quite close enough.

[@daviddempsey8721]

A great Q&A episode. Really engaging conversation with Tony brilliantly reining in such strong and passionate personalities. Like a master horseman balancing a team to pull a coach.

[@GodsGrieff]

"You're disrespecting your sisters in Tehran." As an individual who lives in Tehran I applauded that while I was standing! "به عنوان کسی که در تهران زندگی میکند ایستاده برای این جمله دست زدم!" Hitchens is still missed after 10 years of his passing...

[@evaburnz]

"applauded" I don't normally like to correct grammar, but there's a critical dichotomy between the definition of the word you mistakenly provided, and the definition of the intended word. As for the sorely misguided woman who claimed that she would have the same rights when in Iran as when in Australia, well, she certainly couldn't be further from the truth, and she must be feeling rather humiliated if she has a shred of humility considering the Iranian uprisings that emerged following the tragic death of Masha Amini at the hands of the deplorable morality police. Indeed, Hitchens is sorely missed.

[@strangemolars]

@@evaburnz ZzzZzzzz

[@iPVPTV]

Waleed Aly and the Catholic father are unbelievably sly when it comes to dodging the homosexuality question. You simply can't defend it from an Islam or Christian perspective.

[@thedeplorables1854]

Aly, the lawyer, manages to say nothing while sounding erudite, it is a skill that should be acknowledged.

[@daraa151]

They are cowards next to Hitchens

[@BlahBlah-cn5qe]

@@daraa151 I would disagree. I feel Waleed was the next more rational person, aside from side stepping the issue. He acknowledged the chauvinistic ideals of many people in Islam and slipped in his own convictions on the matter as well.

[@Romans8-9]

@H. Tillotski He has to. He can't publicly comment about his own religious doctrine because doing so would mean he would lose the support of all the lefties his garbage tv show appeals to.

[@marcelodasilva942]

@H. Tillotski maybe because like he explained, Islam doesn't have a centralised authority like the Catholic Church, therefore it seems a bit pointless to say what Islam teaches or not. It's a poor argument, and I'm not even religious whatsoever. But I feel a certain lack of nuance in what Hitchens said, as if what was written 1400 years ago still is what represents what people think, and hasn't evolved in any way.

[@MarsMellow84]

I miss Christopher so much! 😢 I could listen to him for hours! Love and miss you Christopher! ❤

[@Silly.Old.Sisyphus]

a pleasant reminder that there once was a time when Q&A was worth listening to, even if most of the contributors were abysmally uninformed. Amusing to see the real life model for Dame Edna on the panel.

[@djangolad]

You can't "convert to atheism" It's not a dogma or religion. It's the normal resting state of humanity.

[@ade8890]

I disagree. This is just a game of semantics. Convert, to go from one state to another. Convert apple to shit, just eat it and wait. Convert to atheism implies you previously held the belief there was a God. It doesn't make an underlying assertion that atheism is a religion.

[@jeschinstad]

No, dropping out of a religion is called deconversion. Converting from a religion means you're switching to a different religion. It's not the same.

[@ade8890]

***** Not quite. Converting means to go from one state to another.

[@jeschinstad]

Adam G: Yes, but we're speaking specifically about religion. en.wiktionary.org/wiki/deconversion

[@ade8890]

***** Converting isn't a strictly religious term. If somebody said they converted to Atheism, that does not imply Atheism is a religion. No more than saying I converted to the text to Arial implies Arial is a religion. It's a pathetic attempt at an argument. Very superficial and lacking in substance to what is usually the bigger picture.

[@toddles9]

I think Christopher Hitchens was one of the greatest minds of the 20th century. He had a vision unmatched by many of the world's leading scholars and experts. He had an exceptional vocabulary which he used both like a whip and a poet. No one wrote like him, no one spoke like him, no one thought like him - and no one ever will. I never knew this man but his death affected me greatly. The world is lesser for his passing. He should be awarded a posthumous knighthood or Nobel prize.

[@coventryboy68]

he would have refused a knighthood…. he was a life-long republican and detested the idea of hereditary rule.

[@Thenumber12pwns]

coventryboy68 Life-long republican? He was a socialist in his younger years.

[@coventryboy68]

Adam s do you know what 'republican' means? do you? really? wikipedia is your friend

[@jebediahkrimsoncraftleding3012]

coventryboy68 It holds different connotations in different countries. It could be confusing to Adam s since Hitchens became a U.S. citizen, and lived in D.C. most of his adult life.

[@sheikhyaboooty]

A Nobel peace Prize maybe, but I very much doubt that The Hitch would be impressed with a bauble from the house of Saxe-Coburg Gotha.

[@keltiquewood]

Part of Hitch's apparent genius is that he has been asked the same questions over and over again - typically by people who think they are asking a unique question for the first time. With time, Hitch has fine-tuned his answers and never appears bored repeating himself ;-)

[@FourDeuce01]

The hardest part is never appearing bored. I’ve been hearing the same crap from religious apologists for 65 years, and sometimes I find myself wishing they could find something new just to ease my boredom.😜

[@whatwouldjohngaltdo1409]

The most Christopher Hitchens thing ever is when he says "no were not going to take it as a comment" @53:10

[@carpecervisiam9366]

It's when Waleed realised he has accidentally gone from the kiddies pool to the deep end where the big people are. Miss you Christopher.

[@sharonsmith2771]

Didn't he just. And talk about avoiding the is it a sin to be gay in the eyes of islam!!! He dodged and weaved.

[@DrDoohickey]

He dodged, though I'll admit to being impressed that he tested the border of Hitch's intelligence. Few can survive for as long as he did without appearing foolish.

[@gregorybrown9101]

I imagine the rest of the panel considered themselves as equal or near equal to Hitchens, but upon hearing each of them speak, it is clear that Hitch was a cut above the rest. His depth of knowledge, his ability to recall information, facts, sonnets, etc was unparalleled. Also, his ability to form a quip or sharp comeback - - I never tire of watching videos of the man.

[@neilneil7911]

Hitchens was awesome, his words confounded and refuted so called wise and knowledgeable people. He was never bested by any desert prophet. Never. Stood his ground and beat them down with a humility that I could not hold when dealing with such idiots, every last one. You are missed brother.

[@Buu420]

"There's not a book that says 'The Islamic Law' or something" Bro, like Quoran?!

[@parnianx]

J.M i know right?!!! Who is he fooling!

[@dawnrazornephilim]

The hadiths are religious laws, the most severe being apostasy, where you only need to be born in aa muslim nation to be tried for.

[@parnianx]

Sea BelowMe I've seen it all. Trust me, it can all be pretty ugly when a religion rules over a nation

[@PRISM-Media]

LOL right

[@sirriffsalot4158]

It's perfectly ridiculous... Why the fuck doesn't anyone, especially The Hitch, maim him on that point. Making such claims is just inexcusable, and quite disingenuous at that. I'm so fed up with hearing people constantly torturing the language so they may say the opposite of the truth, and still seem credible.