Hitchens: the purpose of life (!)

Q&A part V of the Hitchens vs. Turek debate at VCU, VA. Full debate: www.vimeo.com/1904911
and (annotated)
• Video
Again ethics, Hitchens reference about Sokrates who would feel shame when making a dishonest or shady argument clearly points at Tureks demagoguery (Hitler=Humanist) from before.
At 3:03 Hitchens is asked about the purpose of life though, enjoy the answer.

[@MasterSpade]

Asking, ‘If there is no god, what is the purpose of Life?’ Is like asking, ‘If there is no MASTER, whose slave will I be?’” - Dan Barker

[@americron912]

capitalism

[@curiocitizen1069]

Very well said!

[@H-TownGamer]

That’s really not an accurate comparison it would be if there is no God, whose creation shall I be ?

[@curiocitizen1069]

@@H-TownGamer Your Father's sperm and Mother's egg

[@agentK1896]

Hitchens had a talent with framing sentences - very calm, articulate but straight to the point. miss him.

[@sammark5658]

+Karthick Raghavan offensive , rude, arrogant and evades answering questions: e.g. what is the purpose of life after all? who created the evolved TINY material?

[@agentK1896]

Sami Muneer Why should life or for that matter anything have a purpose? Purpose is a human construct.

[@sammark5658]

cauz we are here/created/existed/evolved!!!!

[@agentK1896]

That does not necessitate a purpose. Read God Delusion or God is not great... I am sure whatever questions you have might be answered (if you choose to listen)

[@sammark5658]

the question remainz: who did everything around? sure we didnt!

[@DennisMoore664]

"It doesn't always work, but it never completely fails." I love the way he used the language. Sorely missed, Mr Hitchens

[@davidschmidt6013]

One of the greater sadnesses of my life is that I only discovered Hitchens after he'd gone. What a loss!! We need more like him; INCREDIBLY well-educated, not just degreed but EDUCATED, he assimilated all his studies and coalesced the info into what was probably the most formidable intellect I've ever had the good fortune to hear. I sincerely pity the arrogant fools who took the stage against him. On the other hand, they got what they deserved... lol

[@cspace1234nz]

4 years ago you wrote this comment. I was wondering about the "arrogant fools" you are referring to and perhaps they are, perhaps they are wrong too. But to assume that Hitchens was right simply because you consider him to be so well EDUCATED is arrogance in itself. Being able to overpower someone in a debate does not mean he's necessarily right

[@SmartAss4123]

@@cspace1234nz 4 years later how wrong does he appear to be?

[@cspace1234nz]

@@SmartAss4123 ....you missed the point completely

[@mihaimilan9598]

Stand in confidence that you are a torch bearer to such ideas. We did not lose anything when Hitch died. His thoughts are archived and diseminated still. Build on them and contribute. You are capable and entitled to this conversation just as all other living people are. The dead speak nothing of our new challenges because they cannot. You are living and your voice needs to be heard and to be considered. Speak, write, sing, paint, sculpt. Express your mind and do not leave the world without your precious contribution. That would be a crime. I lovingly ask you to be part of the story of humanity, because I dare say, it is lesser without you! Keep safe and keep thinking.

[@marshwetland3808]

@@cspace1234nz Obviously they found Hitchens to be right not BECAUSE of "education", which is just a shorthand way to summarize how he comes across. It's obviously because of the content of what he said.

[@gwwayner]

Why does life need to have a purpose? It just is, and our inflated egos can't accept that.

[@HDitzzDH]

The meaning of life is whatever meaning we individually choose to give it, it's relative and differnt from person to person, but one, objective, universal purpose I do not think exist.

[@vordman]

Enjoy your existence, but don't ever attribute any meaning to it. Human consciousness is an incredible thing and the fact we can experience the universe and everything in it, albeit briefly, is a wonder of nature and should never be taken lightly.

[@noahowens6133]

*_I don't think people are looking for the meaning of life as much as they are looking for the experience of being alive._* -Joseph Campbell. The truth is actually very simple it is just hard to see for the first time. The truth leads to true life. When you know the truth completely you will know life completely and be fulfilled. You just have to know it to do it, search *_Truth Contest_* and read the top entry called "The Present". The difference between knowing and not knowing is checking. Nothing could be more important or more worthwhile.

[@mastermill79]

gwwayner Because just like you here we just always want to know why. It's our inquisitive nature as humans that keep us going it seems.

[@RodrigoRamirez-eq6gj]

Modern life is too comfortable compared to how it was some hundred thousand years ago. The purpose back then was to stay breathing and to bump uglies, nothing else, nothing more. Our thinking tools gave us an edge at staying alive, but also had other effects in our lives. Our intelligence made our lives easier, but at the same time that took away most of the effort and dedication that meant staying alive. The struggle taken away, the original purpose of life is taken for granted and we start pondering that asinine question. The only purpose that life seems to have, if you want to call it purpose, is to perpetuate itself in any way, shape or form.

[@DeinosDinos]

"What is the purpose of life?" "Mainly gloating over the misfortunes of others" "And you say evil comes from religion, huh?" "...And then there's irony." I think the audience may have missed that, or I may have been over-reading it, but that part was great. And the fact that Turek took Hitch seriously.

[@fortherestofmylife66]

Without any sort of doubt, the best example of Hitchens' brilliance

[@journeyon1983]

fortherestofmylife66 Yes. He was an in-your-face guy without actually being in your face.. :-) It's truly sad he's not around any more. You don't see this kind of intellect and reason put together.

[@stephenmuth1425]

Definitely not an over-read. Classic Hitch.

[@lancethrustworthy]

Agreed. Frank Turek's a dirty stinking bastard; a spreader of lies. May great harm and sorrow come to him.

[@catfishcave379]

Its almost as though the prophet was leading the lamb to the slaughter.... brilliant. You have to pay attention when you listen to Hitchens... or listen two or three times... otherwise you'll miss his "throwaway" brilliant-isms.

[@audreymay6323]

"Sex can have diminishing returns but it's amaaaaaaziiiing" - a fantastic response

[@mc8627]

Maria Callous hahaha

[@walterkersting1362]

Where is he now?

[@BlackCroLong]

In what retard world is it a fantastic response. Man, you guys really push this Hitchens dude to the sky, even if anyone else said what he said, he would be declared a silly retard

[@journalingbible6428]

Huh?

[@journalingbible6428]

Christopher Bitchens is dead and will be judged at the Great White Throne Judgement and be sent to Hell. He believes now.

[@giorgimgaloblishvili94]

when my life sucks, I just come here, listen to him and all my sorrow goes away.

[@michaelrossjr.3985]

"And has to come again because he didn't get it right the first time " - Hitchens . I fucking Loled XD

[@GCBAB1]

me too

[@butthefollowing8454]

That only showed that mr. Hitchens did not understand the real meaning of Christianity.

[@cianoregan3037]

“Is man one of God’s blunders, or is God one of man’s blunders?” ― Friedrich Nietzsche

[@qwertyuiop40901]

you are god, my brother.

[@msmarxmen]

If the creation around us does not convince us of a creator, then a simple question to you is. How do you know if there was a builder of your home? Did you know or see that person. Your simple answer would no doubt be in your line of thinking would be. No, it just simply built itself.

[@solatiumz]

​@@msmarxmen But why does a "creator" need to be worshipped?

[@msmarxmen]

@@solatiumz Simple.I believe you already know the answer. He has the right.

[@solatiumz]

Claptrap.

[@ShiatsuPT]

i love it how when Hitchens says that his meaning in life is to "crow over other people's misfortunes" the priest says "and you say that evil comes from religion", accepting the premise that watching other people's misfortunes is a bad thing yet fails to understand that that is exactly what his so-called "god" does the analogy from Hitchens is next-level type genious.

[@lukyguy1240]

Nobody asked what the purpose of God's existence was. To believe that Hitchen's remark has any relationship to the role or purpose of God is weird.

[@vshah1010]

I would have said "to make as much money as I can" and "to have as much sex with women as I can".

[@teelee6752]

try again.

[@lukyguy1240]

@Darren Threinen Do you mind explaining how?

[@TheWolfnman]

That makes a false equivalence, though. Strange for a "next-level genius" to miss something so elementary.

[@benaiahwright937]

"If there's no God why aren't we'r jusy killing each other?" Why the hell is God the only reason you're not killing people? That's just weird...I never understood that argument.

[@peaceunion5316]

It's an honest proposition. If there is no real creator and therefore no punishment after death - and nothing is forbidden by reasoning or authority (by being a creator of the creation) - then everything is permitted. And because it would not pervert any natural law, we should all livento facilitate our own ends, surely? So why wouldn't people be raping, killing, hoarding, and eating? It is an honest question. The answer must be more logically sound than there being an authority of which disposes law unto a creation so that what ia necessary to do is installed into us. And the answer cannot ride on sentimental or subjective value, because this is a general question.

[@lyfe4944]

peace union But the answer can be subjective, morality in of in itself isn’t a definitive thing. To answer the question, we as humans have certain agreed upon rules & laws that allow us to function as a society. That’s why we don’t allow murder, theft, etc. because it’s detrimental to our development as a collective race.

[@peaceunion5316]

@@lyfe4944 the fallacy in that argument is that if we agree tha all things are subjective, then I can say we should all murder,and it be validated, because there is no objective standard of which we are measured by. Thus, God serves as a good source of objective ruling

[@peaceunion5316]

@@lyfe4944 also. If you agree thst we come to a collective reasoning, then you are actually creating a paradox in your argument. Because once a collective consensus is acheived, it becomes an objective (or universal standard) reasoning which denies our subjective desires.

[@lyfe4944]

peace union peace union Your really missing the point. Allow me to clarify, as to your first point yea all things are subjective. But when it comes to societal law/procedures it is the majority that rules. You believing murder is ok, is irrelevant to what society deems as ok. As to your second reply, coming to a collective consensus doesn’t make it objective. Just like some people think murder is ok etc. Within societal rules there still lies discrepancies. And you have to realize the subjectivity of law is ever changing to benefit society. 1000’s of years ago people were burned at the stake, tortured, mutilated etc. So again nothing remained objective as law works to benefit society as a whole. God plays no significant role in that, because the assertion that God is holding you back from doing wrong is absurd.

[@TheWonderStraw]

I admire Hitchens' repeated attempts to include the audience and get to their questions.

[@journalingbible6428]

Bitchens is dead, though.

[@TheWonderStraw]

@@journalingbible6428 what does that have to do with what I said? because I see no connection whatsoever between someone trying to engage and audience and them dying. trying to get a rise out of me? lol :D

[@solentbum]

@@journalingbible6428 What an Unchristian comment!. I take it that you are gloating over the death, which otherwise does not need mentioning. Your comment and your accompanying non de guerre demean your position and undermines any point you were failing to make.

[@neilarmstrongsson795]

He knows the audience will give him much more basic questions that are easier to answer.

[@Stratboy999]

@@neilarmstrongsson795 That's a stupid comment. I can assure you that the intellectual skill of that audience would have been significantly higher than most and that Hitchens would have been delighted to rise to the challenges posed.

[@helenmaclenan2912]

Hitchens was a man of rare intellect, he is missed.

[@Anonymous-nj2ow]

i found a guy's wallet in a movie theatre, left it in his mailbox

[@shiskeyoffles]

That's very Christian of you

[@octaviof.g.7316]

What's the guys address

[@spiritualfreedom5372]

Typical dialogue for that scenario

[@Hellenicheavymetal]

..with no money or debit card inside.

[@Honestandtruth]

When it comes to Money and a woman, you and her alone. What will you do when she comes on to you and touching you you here and there ??? She is not your wife, not girl friend and niether your relatives.

[@harrycoleii7659]

Mr. Hitchen's ability to speak articulately and knowledgeably on almost any subject is sorely missed in this day and age. I wish I could have met him in person and had a beer and a conversation.

[@teelee6752]

'almost' is a good description, because he clearly speaks as though he doesn't understand Christianity.

[@electricmoon5402]

@@teelee6752 you couldn't be more wrong.

[@teelee6752]

@@electricmoon5402 his own words prove it. smh

[@firemedic2442]

@@teelee6752 he understands it better than you

[@drewlovelyhell4892]

@@teelee6752 He understands it's grip on simple-minded schlemiels.

[@Trinavara]

"If that's the best you can do,that's the best you can do"

[@SeanMichaelWesley]

Trinavara I fucking felt that one. And that contempt filled face made it 10x worse. Hahahahahaha.

[@drop0112]

Debates are useless because the knowledge of God lies beyond the human mind and no one can convince anyone by logical arguments. Jesus commanded not to participate in debates but to preach the gospel to all so that those who will believed will be saved.

[@SeanMichaelWesley]

drop0112 Then why do these pathetic apologetics spokemen exist (I.e. Turek.) and why do they try so hard and fail so miserably at it? You have no evidence. You believe in a different god than millions of other people and THEY think your going to hell to according to their own doctrines. We have to grow out this.

[@drop0112]

@@SeanMichaelWesley There are no winners in this debate because no one has proved anything to anyone. Now about the evidence. Proving something is always more difficult than being aware of it. For example, the Poincaré hypothesis, formulated by the French mathematician Henri Poincaré in 1904, is intuitively understandable to every person familiar with this hypothesis. However, it was proved only in 2003 by the Russian mathematician of Jewish origin, Grigory Perelman. The proof was so difficult that the mathematical community worked on it for several years and by 2006 it came to the conclusion that it was correct. The hypothesis of the Creator’s existence is familiar to every person and is intuitively understandable to most, but there is no such “Perelman” who could prove it, but not because the Creator does not exist, but because there are objectively unsolvable tasks for the human brain. Now about that: I believe in another God than millions of other people. About 1/3 of all inhabitants of the earth believe in the Christian God. How is your faith better than mine?

[@SeanMichaelWesley]

drop0112 And of those that believe in that god, how many of them disagree and have excommunicated each other FOR CENTURIES on the point of WHICH god model of that ONE SINGLE GOD YOU MENTIONED operates. Do you see the absurdity in that proposition? That’s still condemning 2/3rds of THIS GODS OWN CREATION, in rhetoric, to hell by YOUR OWN ADMISSION for believing in the wrong religion. Sounds like a very maliciously minded deity to me. Sounds painfully human. There’s is ABSOLUTELY a decisive winner in this debate and it isn’t the party claiming that this preposterous idea is even REMOTELY true.

[@katrinak902]

I love his answer! "Crowing over the misery of others. It doesn't always work, but it never completely fails" XD

[@JosephNordenbrockartistraction]

+Katrina K I agree...and this is the best way to smack down the person who formed the question if they were in the audience listening. A brilliant answer shot right from the hip. He never needed extra friends when he lived surrounded by friends.

[@vshah1010]

I don't want others to be miserable. I just want to be happy. My goals would be "make much money" and "have alot of sex".

[@user-eh8gs4jj5l]

Brilliant.

[@aadiskywalker]

2020 and Christopher still Hitchslapping people 😔

[@marnungsangimsong4619]

I miss him 😭

[@user-sp2ej9cr9r]

2024

[@josephbishara4791]

_"Redemption by human sacrifice is a very primitive and horrible scapegoat idea that belongs to the barbaric period of human history."_ - Christopher Hitchens

[@lettersquash]

@Maria Callous I'm not sure I understand completely, but I think Hitchens was pointing to two problems with this. The first is that he thinks it is immoral for anyone to be releaved of their responsibility. While you might look at God's part in this and say He is keeping his promise and doing something marvellous for human beings, the argument is that this isn't a good thing for the human beings, to have their sins forgiven, because nobody should have their responsibility taken away. Riffing on this a bit - it fits with the other common complaint that we're supposed to be able to sin, but then repent and be saved from the "response" to it that would otherwise be incurred. The contrary view is that responsibility should always be there - although we don't damn people to eternal torment, their learning from error depends on the effects not being erased. The second complaint is about the method of this payment. Again, if you just look at God's part, you can see it as a "sacrifice" in the sense of a loss, a payment, a suffering - the loss of His Son - but there is still the terrible fact that God performed the sacrifice, if I understand correctly (and if not, why say "God sacrificed his son"? And this surely means God actually killed his own Son, who was (by the Biblical account) pure and blameless, which makes it murder by all reasonable justice. This harks back to ancient superstitions that the fates (or indeed gods) can be influenced by killing one of your livestock, or killing a human being, or killing large numbers of human beings, so there is that barbaric connection. If God is great, he might have simply pardoned humans for being imperfect, especially as he created us in the first place (and supposedly in His image). He could actually show himself instead of playing the game of "You have to believe me without me showing you sufficient reason, or it doesn't count," which is requiring blind faith. Were God to actually demonstrate his existence, virtually any atheist would believe, and virtually any believer would love and worship and follow every commandment perfectly, and we'd have Heaven on Earth as is supposed to be the aim of the whole silly game. But no, he has to hide himself from sight, in case we might not have believed him if he had!

[@lettersquash]

Well, that was interesting. After replying to Maria Callous, she posted four more replies to me (because I've got notification emails), terse, defensive, accusative, then deleted all those and her original one. Her last reply said I may have lost the genetic ability to perceive God, which is about the best use of Darwinian evolution to support Jebus I've actually come across, and that God has very beautiful worlds and she's staying with that. I remain as unclear as I ever was how "people killed JC" (she's correcting me there) and yet "God sacrificed his Son" as she said earlier, or how God made a promise that he kept by doing this, but, by suggesting that God might help humanity more simply by showing himself unambiguously instead of playing hide-and-seek, I'm wanting God to serve me. I don't want God to serve me (I doubt very much there is one, so that much is obvious). IF there were a God who created us all, I find the idea disgusting that he would not let us know, allowing us to be atheists, and/or encouraging bad behaviour by us, not worshipping him, denying him, whereupon he chucks us into hell for eternity to be tortured for exercising the intelligence he gave us. I don't THINK that is the case - the idea is so ludicrous it adds massively to my scepticism. And, of course, the argument, "But he did let us know!" is just raised by people who can't think, don't know about cognitive biases, or are brainwashed already by other religious apologists, because the Bible is plainly hogwash from start to finish. You won't be reading this, Maria, because you proved too chicken to put your beliefs to rational analysis, but "gbye" to you too.

[@lettersquash]

@Maria Callous Dear lady, I assure you you have no need to fear me, and I will indeed stay away from you. I don't know where you are and would not wish to come near you anyway. If you mean you don't want me to talk to you here, that is another issue. I am happy to oblige with that too, but it's odd that you delete your comments, only to write new ones telling me to stay away from you, like I'm some kind of mad stalker. Your views on HIV and biology are all messed up, but I can tell now that you've been deeply indoctrinated. You're blindingly ignorant, still, even now, after decades of debunking, imagining that HIV is a disease suffered by gay people and a punishment from God. Good, church-going, deeply devout, heterosexuals become infected with HIV. Oddly enough, Jesus didn't bother telling humans about microorganisms being the cause of disease when he came to Earth (in fact, he encouraged some who washed for ritual reasons before eating that they shouldn't do that). What you're afraid of is not me, not the "death" you think I represent, it's waking up from your comforting religious delusion. Anyway, your choice. I shall say nothing further to you, and sincerely wish you all the best, from a loving, kind, compassionate atheist whom you no doubt expect will be burning in hell when I die.

[@lettersquash]

@Maria Callous Oh do stop making shit up. I already told you I have no wish for God to serve me. I am an atheist. I do not believe there is a God. I would dismiss you, though not to save my "tender feelings", but you won't stop filling up my mail box with your pointless notifications. Dismiss yourself. If I'm some kind of deathly scum with HIV that you're afraid of, and you have no use for my atheist dogma, what the hell are you writing to me for, you blithering idiot?

[@lettersquash]

​@Maria Callous Very clever isn't it, deleting all your comments after I respond to them so I look even crazier than you. Nice try. Here's the content of my inbox, you silly woman (times are British Summer Time): 0305 Maria Callous lettersquash riffing too much...he keeps his word. Some little weasel will be sure you pay for every sin, crime and insult. You need not worry. thanks 0306 Maria Callous lettersquash Clapton is a pretty good riffer btw...speaking of which... 0334 Maria Callous lettersquash Focus on God's faithfulness, loyalty, honor, and you'll see it a little differently. You want God to serve you. just crazy...relieved of a burden of a false promise. Ever try to keep a promise to the last ounce of strength? Ever crawl to get there one more time? I know some soldiers who know. maybe not... 0540 Maria Callous lettersquash You are way over my head. You are too brilliant for one such as I. People killed JC. God has pardoned you. Why not pardon each other. You really make no sense to me. peace to you and love and joy...these are the best I have. I shall erase. Don't take it personally. If read it the way you do I'd have to agree. I don't. You've lost the genetic ability to perceive God perhaps and it is simply noise. God has very beautiful worlds. I'll stay with that. gbye 1456 Maria Callous lettersquash They all come from sewers. Marriage is a safeguard against death. Stay away from me please. I fear you like death incarnate. 1648 Maria Callous lettersquash I don't need belief but it apparently important in some unknow way as are beliefs in honor, loyalty, and a few other ideas. I don't think either Hitchens nor Craig is correct. You want God to serve you. You are truly insane and you people tear up what was made. 1650 Maria Callous lettersquash Put some honor in a bottle and label it. Sell for 100 dollars an ounce. If there is nothing else you require of me then I shall assume I am dismissed. 1753 Maria Callous lettersquash I am not interested in atheist dogma nor religious dogma. Love words that in reverse say am god. Dismiss me, please, so your tender feelings aren't tersely disregarded and to impart a reverence for your God serves me dogma.. 2109 Maria Callous lettersquash How much is that bottle of snake oil? :) I have a bottle of truth to sell you at 100 dollars per ounce. I have it in Gardenia and Hibiscus. I have an entire line. Love potion number 9 is a favorite, Rose scent. Any? You might try.... 2134 Maria Callous lettersquash Begin with the 4th law or commandment and compare yourself to it. Include failings and winnings. thanks ===== Any further reply from you will be considered electronic stalking and reported to the authorities, you mad bitch. ...Oh, one just came in now: 2320 Maria Callous lettersquash I didn't think you'd answer. You are a sociopath. Narcistic … bye

[@darkblood626]

‘What is the purpose of life?’ Is like asking ‘what is the sound of purple?’ It’s a nonsensical question based on a presumption.

It's not nonsensical. What is the purpose of evoulution? To solve problems confronted by the organism in its ecosystem whatever that might be. Our purpose at the most basic stage is to survive and to perpetuate the species. All the rest is gravy. Is it that hard to understand. We are a fucking organism like any other organism and as such we must survive for anything else to happen. Número uno - sur fucking vive. All the rest morality, psychology, philosophy, mathematics, science comes after the organism survives. Read Steven PInker's How the Mind Works, in there you will find a pretty good explanation of what I'm trying to convey here. Hello!!!

[@darkblood626]

Ernest A. Pérez L. That has nothing to do with how purple sounds.

darkblood626 Well, I could tell you how it sounds if you told me what kind of synesthesia you have.

[@redshift3345]

Ernest A. Pérez L. I have synesthesia (partial) and purple sounds kind of "whispy and spacial" it supplements grey and black very well, and is part of the melancholy/sorrowful "suite". Purple can also be a great colour to accompany and compliment tones of blue in a projection/symphony of sadness and sorrow. Hope that helps, peace

[@quinto34]

Ernest A. Pérez L. Evolution is an algorithm which involves duplication, survival of the fittest and spontaneous mutations.. To suggest the outcome is its purpose, is nonsensical... you need god(s) for that.

[@OmegaCraftable]

Frank Turek is so dense, why is he taking about the benzine molecule and the carbon atom in regards to a conversation about morality? I suppose he is trying to ridicule atheism in some way but he is just making a fool out of himself by demonstrating his vast ignorance in the field of biology.

[@thenewyorklife206]

What's he attempting to do is question: Where does morality come from? and then sarcastically asks which molecule dictates it in the human brain. His belief would be that if you can't pinpoint the atom that makes you and I not kill each other then a god must exist and have placed morality in your spirit divinely. It's a bit of an elementary stance, but Turek was pitching to Babe Ruth that day and had to try anything to record a strike.

[@DaveTheyCallme]

Because to the Materialist, everything ultimately originated from atoms. So, did non-material entities such as morality, reason, logic, love, abstract thinking as silly and puerile as it sounds. How do u get consciousness from the inanimate ? Atheists could never cogently explain this .

[@gregorybarr6112]

TheNewYorkLife The Babe struck out with bases loaded and two outs in the last inning.

[@thenewyorklife206]

Gregory Barr Clearly.

[@jademinear100]

DaveTheyCallme Consciousness is material. We have not yet mapped an entire brain. Reason, logic, love, and abstract thinking are subjective terms created by humans.

[@grantprejean5376]

Never ceases to amaze me that this mans brain contained such powerful thoughts with an arsenal of unmatched vocabulary always articulating those thoughts (usually drunk) eloquently in a timeless style. One of the most influential bravest brightest and coolest men of the century

[@jimmy5634]

Grant Prejean yeah but now he’s dead.

[@greghamilton6681]

@Manny Santiago - His point is that Hitchens' con job worked on him.

[@marnungsangimsong4619]

@@greghamilton6681 worked on him???? Rely boy is that all u got to say ???

[@mitchellmerritt2489]

It’s wonderful that his statement about the meaning of life comes off as comical but really it’s deeply truthful and honest.

[@leftyshaun]

Deeply truthful and honest? No, it wasn't. I admired Hitchens for many things, but his answer to that question was just glib and cynical.

[@budgrinder357]

i think if you did a poll most humans would agree life is ironic and ironically its probably the only thing most humans would agree on he may have said it in a comical way but his answer was as close to the truth as human can get

[@c.a.savage5689]

@@leftyshaun I agree with you entirely. As much as I genuinely admire Mr Hitchens, really missed the boat with such a glib response. Perhaps he was afraid of appearing trite or contrived. He was correct in saying that he could only express His Opinion on the purpose of life. Everyone should find their own answer. One answer would be : To leave the world in a better place than you found it, to try to do good when you can, to avoid pain and suffering for yourself and others. To be " virtuous" in the classical Greek philosophical sense, of trying to embody daily the virtues of love, fidelity, courage, humility, generosity, mercy... without a God that rewards and punishes.

[@FourDeuce01]

Ironically it’s christianity which has people who enjoy the suffering of others. I’ve heard them say that one of the things they look forward to about heaven is being able to look down at the people in hell and enjoy seeing the “wailing and gnashing of teeth” all those sufferers will be doing.😈

[@Curiousnessify]

In the beginning, Man created God.

[@lightbeing8174]

Type this in in you tube the mysterious case of donald decker the video last 5:57 the channel is titled paranormal junkie

[@dusanninic9572]

In the end, mankind realised that life without thoughts of God is actually wake up state of mind. God, that' s when we dream and think that we are important in the Universe. Religion...the childish age of human history...

[@lightbeing8174]

dusan ninic Type this in in you tube the devil's bible predicted september 11th over 700 years ago the video last 9:13 the channel is titled leak project.911 being prophecy's all the way back then is not childish it's a serious message think of all the people that died in one place the impact that 911 had in the untied states and across the world that day

[@ibrahimlhotse6351]

Curiousnessify what you said , makes no sense

[@BAZZAROU812]

Man made religion to control the masses and harbor the mentally ill and weak minded..

[@davidtrevino5349]

You are dearly missed Christopher! Thank you for your contribution to existing life!

[@girardeauxelgordo4370]

I'm Catholic but enjoy listening to Hitchens' temperament, articulateness, and dry humor

[@hamiltoncork5778]

I'm a protestant and theologian, and while I disagree with a large amount of what he says I always gave him the time of day. He was a genius as is his brother.

[@user-mi7xu4nt8v]

I love how he uses his question to seek out other questions possibly inspiring more questions for him and how he engages the listeners into the debate, lecture. I recently found Mr.Hitchens, so glad I have.

[@nicholashandfield-jones1837]

"If that's the best you can do, that's the best you can do." SAVAGE

[@markwilliams974]

Turek looks like a used car salesman who just got handed a Carfax document.

[@onecooldude954]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@2Shine55]

Hahhahaahah! Thank you for making me spill my beer all over my keyboard!

[@jeffhart9916]

He looks like a Kent Hovind clone. Are they cloning these idiots? 😁

[@roems6396]

Jeff Hart Yes they are. All of the KZbin apologists use their tired old arguments. Some of them are downright frightening because they just use the Bible and say things like “You must speak in tongues to be saved”, and there are thousands of comments praising him or poor people asking for advice because the Holy Spirit hasn’t come to them to speak tongues yet... It’s pretty disgusting how easily misled humans still are in this day and age.

[@roems6396]

castroy64 Really? You think that ruins anyone’s day? C’mon, it’s not like atheists aren’t aware that they live in a majority religious society. We don’t get mad when someone says bless you after a sneeze.

[@cyansloth1763]

Ah Hitchens, I sorely miss you.

[@mc8627]

Teykel Meeka he cant hear you.

[@razwankhan2196]

Be him.

[@sabejreid2072]

YES WE ALL DO HE WAS GREAT

[@kieronjohnson8834]

4:17 "If Christianity is true..." sounds like one of the most ridiculous assertions I've ever heard.

[@jimmy5634]

Kieron Johnson sorry you feel that way.

[@kieronjohnson8834]

@@jimmy5634 Why waste your time? Direct your fake sympathy towards your fellow ' believers', they need it, I don't.

[@journalingbible6428]

@@kieronjohnson8834 Communist trash. Keep raging. You seem asshurt.

[@EcclyBV]

As a Christian, my purpose in life is to defend my faith by writing asinine, semi-illiterate comments on KZbin. And then I hope and pray someone replies, because I'm very lonely.

[@bluekav6909]

GO NO THEN START DEFENDING

[@EcclyBV]

blue kav6 No.

[@bluekav6909]

Eclesiastés Buenaventura well dont ask for a reply then

[@EcclyBV]

+blue kav6 Okay...But can I have just one more reply?

[@bluekav6909]

Eclesiastés Buenaventura iam playing into your hands. so go on then

[@denerorahming7298]

"If that's the best you can do that's the best you can do" line cracks me up every time lol

[@shocker147]

I am a devout Christian and I love Hitchens. His intellect is sorely missed. We so desperately need him alive and speaking during the times we live in now.

[@IanBailey666]

He was a fool , How can you as a devout Christian support him well he knows all about God now ,he must feel like a dumbass.

[@JuliusSeizure-tw6mi]

?

[@bert.hbuysse5569]

A great debater, a kind human being in many ways. We wont forget you Hitch.

[@csqw]

3:22 I love how Turek can't even just accept the joke. He has to give the jab for no reason.

[@standev1]

Trent csqw I love how you accept Hitchens' joke but can't accept Turek's joke.

[@csqw]

standev1 Turek never told a joke.

[@standev1]

Trent csqw Hitchens never told a joke.

[@csqw]

standev1 Could've fooled me with all the laughing that followed his comment.

[@standev1]

Trent csqw There are plenty of jokes that no one laughs about. You're biased.

[@SoumilSahu]

"and you say evil comes from religion" the mere fact that he latched onto A JOKE as a legitimate point to rebut it shows how outsmarted he really was

[@SeaJay_Oceans]

perhaps the world would be a better place if religions could learn to laugh at themselves and their own absurdities, instead of murdering people for drawing cartoons. Fanatics : No Freaking Sense of Humor. He who laughs, lasts. Happiness is a survival strategy. :-)

[@Cd5ssmffan]

I like to look at religion and the bible as as story of the past society in general.

[@jilliansmith7123]

cd5ssmffan: just as long as you don't look at it as real history.

[@SeaJay_Oceans]

@@jilliansmith7123 Why look at as history when it might be about a Time Traveler ? Instant healing, raising the dead, beams of light from the sky, etc... If someone ran about today telling stories like the Bible - most people would consider it an alien encounter with a UFO. What if these 'gods' were just some aliens Pranking the local primates ? :-) ''Hey, I got an idea, let's make them build an Ark of the Covenant, and it can be their giant counter gravity radio beacon energy weapon capacitor !" kzbin.info/www/bejne/jIithptmeJmqh5o just some random ideas, don't take it as Gospel (!)

[@jilliansmith7123]

SeaJay Oceans: Well, those are fun ideas, aren't they? If the bible were about a time traveler or alien, it would make the whole so-called message extremely weird. Time travelers who approve of slavery and urge all slaves to obey their masters? Aliens who think living creatures can survive inside whales for days? Aliens and time travellers who suggest that a man who doesn't even know when fig trees fruit is divine? If Jesus had literally pissed on the fig tree, giving it water and nutrients, and come back hoping to find fruit, it would have been a better story. But to have a hissy fit and kill it because it wouldn't bear fruit out of season for him was absurd. Parable? Metaphor? Anything divine would know things bear fruit when it's time, not just to obey some whim. It would know the earth has its seasons. In other parts of the bible, it talks about seasons, but Jesus seems oblivious with that fruit tree. Imagine a tale in which he had watered it, fertilized it, blessed it...wouldn't that have been a far better parable? As it was, I can't in all my years come up with a good meaning to that story. Thing is, we know all too well how the bible and other religions books came about. If you want to speculate about aliens and time travel, that's fine, that's fun, but it's not reasonable to distort textbooks to incorporate that speculation, it's not good to vote for candidates based on those things, it's not reasonable to blow people up in the name of "peace," or religious purity, it's not good to beat your children based on such things, it's not good to mutilate baby's or children's genitals because you want to play games with aliens, time travel, or fictional tales written by unknown authors thousands of yearss ago, over 30-300 years after the so-called events occurred, redacted by religious authorities in the 3rd century BCE in order to assuage Constantine's mother's wishes and used to control the masses and gain more wealth and power than you can possibly imagine. (And I, personally, can imagine a lot of wealth and power.) In postulating this god-legend, the Catholic church became like gods itself, warping the world from what it had once been (tolerant at least of other religions, and learning) into what became the dark ages of hideous intolerance, stupidity, cruelty and death...finally emerging only to continue the intolerance and stupidity to this day. What progress humanity has made is our own doing, not that of aliens, or time-travelers, or gods. Facing reality is the best teacher.

[@karenimber8870]

"Do you think God stays in heaven because he too, lives in fear of what he's created"-Steve Buscemi, Spy Kids 2

[@PaulOReilly712]

ah I'm sorry, but he didn't stay in Heaven, but came here, and lived among us( 2,000 years ago) and we killed him >+ but he overcame our evil, by his resurrection from the dead. Yeah he's only afraid of people choosing to go to the place where he does not live. "outer darkness" REF: John chapter 1:1-18 www.biblica.com/bible/niv/john/1/ John 3:16 New International Version (NIV) 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

[@Kingrizla-fm2rr]

@@PaulOReilly712 Of all the absurd beliefs of the faithful, the one that something is true just because it is stated with no evidence in an ancient, continually self-contradictory book is the most ridiculous.

[@Agent-ic1pe]

@mrjo2thec my right sock is God. He came down from heaven and performed the miracle of levitation. I wrote a book about it so it must be true.

[@Agent-ic1pe]

@mrjo2thec great idea! All people who don't believe that my sock will save them from the punishment they inflict on themselves by existing will be tortured for eternity.

[@GMC-qo9xi]

mrjo2thec testimonial evidence is stronger than blind faith. Which you have to argue from when discussing abiogenesis... A blind faith that says don’t worry about that question, because we can offer you this one: evolution.... see the simple begets more complexity... ugh wrong... well it did when Darwin’s theory was created... but not anymore... the single cell is the same building block at the beginning as it is now... and is the most complex single thing we can see.... so that failure is insurmountable... if it was surmountable, it wouldn’t require faith that someone so insanely ridiculously miraculously complex (and then some) can just appear out of nowhere and only one time 3.5B years ago... never to repeat itself ever again.... All the first uniques ingredients got used up, I guess we’ll have to trust that (faith). We know odds make it impossible (but believe it anyway)... we know there are no intermediates (but have faith there must have been)... we know it only happened at the beginning (and for some reason couldn’t ever happen again, ie. trust there is a simple good reason, like they ate up all the ingredients?! Lol) You have faith, but maybe you just don’t want to see it that way.... The premise was that the most simple thing can gradually become more complex over time and that for life to ‘emerge’ the first things had to be purely rudimentary.... but you no longer have that, but you do have ridicule... maybe that will work... Just look when this most complex building block appears, almost immediately after earth is somewhat habitable.... where’s the time for the small changes? Again it might have worked as a theory with Darwin’s model, it doesn’t any longer. So believe what you want, but faith is all any of us has got here... and evolution is less than nothing but presented as an answer, it’s all they’ve got that looks remotely feasible, yet meaningless, other than to say that it surely looks like intelligent design.

[@kaiserschnitzel89]

Frank Turek is great at whining.

[@Nameless-pt6oj]

You appear to have skill in bullying.

[@TiaDevilish]

I love how he was waiting for an applause at 4:42

[@MrGolger]

Saw the title of this video. Heard the question. Paused the video. Made a cup of tea. Back under the blanket . . . . well, I wasn´t disappointed.

[@robertrossi9364]

Love those moments

[@corryjookit7818]

You've left a puzzle here. (1) Did you unpause the video and watch when you got back under the blanket ? Or (2) Was there a someone else waiting for you under the blanket , which meant you weren't disappointed ?

[@MrGolger]

@@corryjookit7818 Well, the answer to the puzzle is (1) . . and, I think if it was (2) I would not have had time for neither tea or the video.

[@corryjookit7818]

@@MrGolger Since it was not (2) It's charming that you gave some thought to your answer to include it.. Especially, when what I wrote was me thinking out loud about your post. Thanks for the response which is unexpected . Would Hitch approve ?

[@Honestandtruth]

@@corryjookit7818 that's good One. . hahaha 😂🤣 😂

[@christophert8419]

3:17 The difference between the audience reaction and Turek's reaction explains a lot, mostly how heaven must be absent of any humor if Turek indeed has the ticket to take us there.

[@H-TownGamer]

Well there’s many clips of Turek making people laugh, this is an isolated clip of an hour long debate. I think being quippy shouldn’t be confused for winning arguments. Because hitches while likeable didn’t answer direct questions but went into smaller reframes

[@mattyukon6335]

We don't know who Thomas Jefferson's mailman was...but he most certainly helped Jefferson in his multitude of worldwide letters, correspondence and eventual leadership. Be who you are, you may not ever know how you have helped someone else. It doesn't matter because the people who live after we die will hopefully be better off and suffer less than we have. ...do no harm! Everyone gets a turn, make the most of yours!

[@rossmorebaz]

Hitchens has it all.. the wit, the Charm, the utter brilliance of his arguments and.. the mesmerising turn of phrase and way with words... he is so far ahead of the other guy in every way..

[@johnwestcott5612]

Turek is VERY agressive and borderline hostile. It almost seems like he's on cocaine.

[@EnDSchultz1]

I think he just started getting so frustrated by the end of this debate because often Hitch's overarching points and their weight were completely lost on him and all he got was the somewhat mocking and sarcastic tone in which they were often delivered.

[@zapkvr]

Ive never seen the guy although Ive heard of him and that was my first impression.

[@timavery99]

Ted Haggard! Lol

[@jamesjpak]

he isn't on cocaine, he's on religion

[@Rubarb84]

J P what’s the deference?😭😂😭

[@ursulageorgeson7086]

If you find yourself here, you are drawn to all the right things in life. Keep going, comrades.x

[@BLAB-it5un]

Hitchens' ability to slay an an opponent effortlessly and in such a way that the opponent was unaware was always my favorite aspect of him. Even the way he framed the answer about the purpose of life was lost on Turek. Oh the irony....Love it!

[@swingrfd]

Turek never could match wits or intellect with Hitchens.

[@chrisheath1394]

No but he's annoyingly louder.

[@1943vermork]

Turek is also the opposite of charismatic

[@realdiamondshow]

Turek is a disagreeable moral midget. He is visibly hateful to someone who doesn't agree with him.

[@kseke25]

John Hylton yes, he always sound so angry in his debates!

[@kenshiloh]

Possibly so, but Turek is right and Hitchens, unless he made peace with God, is in hell right now.

[@User24x]

"Sex can have diminishing returns, but it's AMAZING.."

[@laurac904]

People curse you with sex forget it.

[@mc8627]

User Funny how you think this is intelligent, when it isn’t.

[@nelson3495]

Religion is when the con man met the fool~ Mark Twain

[@mikkygou]

Nelson *’Religion was invented when the first con man met the first fool’ is the accurate quotation I believe ;)

[@wrongfootmcgee]

@@mikkygou and it is an adaptation of the the quote "religion was started by a few fearful, and many stupid, people." -de Sade

[@mikkygou]

Ruthless Cardigan Thanks for the information! 😊

[@wrongfootmcgee]

@@mikkygou I am paraphrasing, to be completely honest, but I am not far off from the exact quote. You can find in buried in his novel Justine. Be careful with that de Sade though...dangerous material right there.

[@mikkygou]

Ruthless Cardigan wasn’t he a prolific playboy? 🤣

[@davidmunson8780]

Turek: "blabliblopblablablablabbba...."

[@Wasteomindy]

The very asking the question "what is the purpose of life" presumes that there is a purpose out there. This has to do with cognitive biases probably

[@filipstezewski1517]

Kinda like asking "why is the Sun burning?" It's simply obeying the laws of physics and just because living organisms are incredibly more complex does not change the fact that in the end every single atom in our cells, our DNA, is obeying those same laws. It's even more amazing and beautiful, I think, than the concept of purpose given by a god.

[@chrisheath1394]

Nice analysis. Much older literature involves personification. Inanimate objects, or concepts, are treated as though they were human. Its clearly the way the mind works, and explains the ease with which religion pervades spaces where it really shouldn't - eg science.

[@robertoday7526]

Nikolay Bobovnikov fool

[@kokadoodledoo5527]

Chris Heath l

[@programmedwrong3795]

It's funny watching how angry these people of religion get.

[@trishash79]

Who got angry?

[@programmedwrong3795]

Ashley Hill The believer.

[@trishash79]

aMaNDa Rescues I would hardly call anything the guy he was debating got angry. Can you point out where he got angry?

[@trishash79]

aMaNDa Rescues Please go back to the description of the video. There's a link to the ENTIRE debate. If you want, you can watch all 2+ Hours of material & then come back & tell me. I think it's a matter of passion is what you're describing. Turek starts off his debate saying he likes Christopher... This was just a small segment. A Q&A of the Hitchens vs.Turek debate at VCU. This is what debates consist of (I'm not sure how many you watch). You discuss your points with one another. Kind of like we're doing. I don't hate you, but I bet you money we don't agree. HAHA! I personally enjoy listening to debates while I work, instead of music like others I work with.

[@trishash79]

aMaNDa Rescues No, I'm not ruffled. I even added Haha... If you'd go back & read the information I gave you. You'd see that I'm right. Is it that I won our little debate, so you reduce your argument to name calling?

[@deeprollingriver5820]

The man asking assumes that everyone who believes in god is somehow endowed with a special ability to be kind, truthful, and benevolent. I have experienced exactly the opposite in my own family: all profess to believe in god, Jesus, and forgiveness while demonstrating the most callus lying, coldheartedness, and spiritual snobbery I have ever seen. Thanks to seeing this behavior consistent throughout all believers, I do not grant “religious “ people any leeway when it comes to moral superiority.

[@takchengsze4719]

The purpose of life is to experience and share the great love of the universe.

[@anthonygareth]

Finding $, or a laptop, etc and keeping it feels good because you've got something for free, and that's worth having, but I can tell you this, it feels much better to give back, and to be honest and help others, there's no doubt about it

[@nick25206730]

There is nothing on this earth that gives me more joy than seeing my son smile :)

[@standev1]

Barney Rubble Should we all do what feels good to us?

[@nick25206730]

standev1 yes so long as it does not have a negative on any one else

[@standev1]

nick25206730 "so long as it does not have a negative on any one else " Where does this rule come from objectively?

[@nick25206730]

standev1 ourselfs.

[@WisemanTimes]

I was humbled by this reply... I have always in my life said I was an opportunist as in that If I knew I was absolutely going to get away with it.. I would. Stealing this and that, finding wallets and keeping them yadda yadda... Even in my 30's now I still feel like a clepto when it comes to things that arent mine and I know I can get them without getting into trouble. That being said I have come to realize from watching this how selfish I have been in this frame of mind. I feel ashamed now that I have been this way and will from now on try my best to be a more moral person.

[@quinto34]

good for you

[@thenewyorklife206]

This post goes to show that morality, and being moral, is a fluid and constantly evolving state. Its communities that dictate what's moral through their agreed upon metrics.

[@larryderbin3538]

shit man the worst thing ive stolen is a candy bar, im not out to get people or take advantage of them

[@vidishjoshi9965]

"If that's the best you can do, that's the best you can do" , has a deep and blunt meaning when you look at it.

[@jackster1212]

Warren Buffet recently called this the "inner scorecard" and said that ultimate happiness is about honoring that measure more than the "outer scorecard." Less eloquent, but it makes sense.

[@dr.redpill353]

Warren Buffet may be wealthy and certainly knows how to make a buck. But his spiritual philosophy is about as 10th grade as it gets without the aid of drugs.

[@SuperGreatSphinx]

We're not here because we're free; we're here because we're not free. There's no escaping reason, no denying purpose, for as we both know, without purpose we would not exist. It is purpose that created us, purpose that connects us, purpose that pulls us, that guides us, that drives us; it is purpose that defines, purpose that binds us. We are here because of you, Mr. Anderson. We're here to take from you what you tried to take from us... Purpose!

[@Chillman666]

Reason in a nutshell. The Matrix may be paradoxical at times... but... Jeez... it explains the world perfectly. If you are here there is a reason to be here. This is what you need to know. Is this reason to survive, reproduce, love, learn, serve God or any other idea? Well... you may justify your life. Nonetheless, you cannot really know the exact reason why you are here. The solution is to accept that there is an unknown purpose why you should go on - why you should continue struggling just like agent Smith, Neo and all other folks. We don't know why we are born and why we will die but we know it is in the name of something. This is enough for me.

[@MrJohnybirchall]

I miss hitch

[@bluewrenreilly129]

Sorry apart from a spurious charm of manner he had little to offer and died of aids.

[@domsyadams358]

+Bluewren Reilly you're one of those people that know nothing

[@axelnova123]

No, he´s straight up an idiot, a fucking idiot. Bet he also calls himself a christian....

[@scottpreston5074]

@@bluewrenreilly129 He died of Cancer, you twit. And even if he had died of aids, so what. Only a self righteous Christian would take that as an argument against him.

[@B.S...]

"If God does not exist, what then is the purpose of life?" The ultimate servile question! In other words... If god does not exist to whom should I grovel? Hitchens answer showed the kind of respect the question deserved.

[@christophebonhoefferofbelg9846]

If life did not exist, what would be the purpose of God?

[@useralex677]

Not necessarily. Purpose can range anywhere from serving humanity to completely living for yourself and being, in a sense, your own 'god.' The question remained unanswered. Hitchens was an astute inconoclast, but when it came to presenting an alternative to the meaning and purpose of human existence, he was a poor philosopher.

[@justdontcryplease4818]

Jack Montgomery I’ve never thought of that one... good point

[@justdontcryplease4818]

Jack Montgomery I don’t believe in god but imagine there are many many dimensions... wonder what could be happening outside our universe. We are probably unimportant tiny bits that in the full scale of things mean didly squat. We will never be able to find out verdin things I doubt. We will kill the world or blow ourselves up before we get too advanced I think.

[@justdontcryplease4818]

Jack Montgomery for some reason I can’t see your reply bro

[@SandyRiverBlue]

Christopher Hitchens and his writing introduced me to the ethics of proportion. His Socrates example is a perfect illustration of this. Politicians are often proportionally unethical. They harp on a minor example until it bears very little resemblance to reality, or their reaction to a slight is outsized in proportion to what the slight truly requires. I used to fall for this trick, thinking that the person was just being passionate or theatrical. The most passionate and most theatrical amongst all of these politicians ended up being the lowest kind of political criminals and could really care less about the people in their care.

[@slip-yp6hg]

Nailed it!! Seeing others struggle gives us all strength to go on and physical relationships play a major role in our life.

[@herdondoozer]

Its so funny Hitchens answers all questions and goes beyond this other guy cant even start to answer a simple question without the moderator re-stating for him. and then still stumbles... Totally owned by Hitch

[@DMB206]

“I don’t worry about the little things, bees, trees, whales, snails. I think we’re part of a greater wisdom than we will ever understand, a higher order, call it what you want. You know what I call it? ‘The Big Electron’. ‘The Big Electron’... *Woooohhhh, woooohhhh, woooohhhh.* It doesn’t punish, it doesn’t reward, it doesn’t judge at all. It just is, and so are we, for a little while.” - George Carlin

[@robertthomas5196]

Carlin. Good stuff.

[@TallSilentGuy]

The Big Electron and Joe Pesci.

[@dr.redpill353]

The Quantum Field Theory, The power of positive thinking by Norman Peale, The book the secret, the concept of right and wrong, yin yang, Kharma, most approaches to philosophy, most science of any kind, every single concept of faith, every approach to the occult, every idea of sixth senses, and most every single life after death experience 100% disagrees with you. And George Carlin . . . who is dead . . . and knows that there is an afterlife. For him, that's bad news.

[@scribblescrabble3185]

@@dr.redpill353 "And George Carlin . . . who is dead . . . and knows that there is an afterlife." You certainly seem to believe so. I guess his ghost as told you, didn't he? Also, this should not be in your list: The Quantum Field Theory.

[@dr.redpill353]

@@scribblescrabble3185 a) George IS dead, and I am a Christian so . . . yeah he knows now that God is real. b) Yeah, the Quantum Field theory IS and will remain on the list. Likely you have confused what I said for the much broader subject of Quantum Mechanics. Which also CAN point toward God, or anything else you can name or invent that in any way has properties of what we believe is possible in the field of physics. But NO I was talking the Quantum Field Theory, which among other things allows for the possibility that electrons and other parts of the energy based matter to behave in accordance with our expectations, fears and beliefs ( you know . . . Faith )

[@db7664]

evolution required as much co-operation as possible to ensure survival this would co-op behaviour would later become an abstract term called morality

[@smaakjeks]

Correct. In particular, it is our incredibly powerful mind simulations (theory of mind) that help us act altruistically. It may seem trivial, because it comes so naturally to us, but we are extraordinarily adept at predicting what other minds are thinking and feeling. Then add kin selection to the mix and hey presto: we can feel the point of view of other thinking agencies, and are instinctively compelled to act reasonably altruistically towards them, as we would our own kin. Them doing the same for us creates much better odds at surviving. But today we can use reason, and statements of value, to determine what is moral, beyond our mere "gut instinct". The mind simulator only works okay enough to survive. If we reason our way towards statements of value (i.e. "reducing the suffering in other sentient beings is a goal unto itself"), we can have stuff like objective principles, independent of how we intuitively feel about stuff.

[@KRIPP548]

How and why did simple cells evolve into animals that require two opposite sexes to procreate? What came first, the chicken or the egg?

[@smaakjeks]

@@KRIPP548 Sexual reproduction is a way of increasing variation in the gene pool. Asexual reproduction is effective, but leaves a population vulnerable to disease, or sudden changes to environment. Genetic variation increases the chances that at least some members of a population have a chance at surviving. "What came first, the chicken or the egg?" The egg. It was laid by the chicken's immediate ancestor, as one would define it along a continuous lineage.

[@KRIPP548]

@@smaakjeks That is not an answer to my question. Explain how DNA evolved. How do cells become more complex all on their own with just time as the ingredient. There is an endless amount of questions that cannot be answered by simply saying "everything evolved". What did everything evolve from? How did simple matter come about? How did this simple matter become more complex?

[@smaakjeks]

@@KRIPP548 "That is not an answer to my question." You haven't paid me to teach you the details of a specific field of evolutionary biology. There's a review paper called "Origins of Eukaryotic Sexual Reproduction", authored by Goodenough and Heitman , in the journal Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology, 2014. Have a crack at that, if you're curious. The full text is available online. "Explain how DNA evolved." Genomes still evolve. They do so by way of the Hardy-Weinberg equation. "How do cells become more complex all on their own with just time as the ingredient." Same question reworded. Hardy-Weinberg equation accounts for the "ingredients" of evolution. They are genetic drift, mate choice, assortative mating, natural selection, sexual selection, mutation, gene flow, meiotic drive, genetic hitchhiking, population bottleneck, founder effect and inbreeding. "There is an endless amount of questions that cannot be answered by simply saying "everything evolved"." That's why there are still scientists being educated. We don't have all the answers. But we do have some answers, and science is our best bet for finding them. "What did everything evolve from?" A common ancestor. "How did simple matter come about?" This has nothing to do with biology, let alone evolution. "How did this simple matter become more complex?" There are convincing hypotheses about how life arose. But I have the feeling that you're not actually interested in learning what they are. Let's say, for sake of argument, that we had no scientific explanation for life or its origins. What do you propose?

[@gangster3591]

This Turek displays all the hallmarks of someone uncomfortable with being intellectually dominated -- petulance, agitation, ill temper. It's clear he's way out of his league debating Hitchens. A pathetic figure

[@kulkan1]

Wouldn't you be out of your league debating Hitchens aswell? :)

[@Honestandtruth]

AT THE END, Does it matter We all grounded for Life in dirt and Ashe..... Who is better than who...?????

[@alexanderleeart]

to be fair, most people were out of their league when debating hitchens

[@Honestandtruth]

@@rtbt12 I totally agree... We create problems and pollutions and killing One another in the name for Money.

[@Honestandtruth]

@@alexanderleeart Whoever defy God is Stupid.

[@zizoubizou8267]

"if that's the best you can do, that's the best you can do" - * looks disappointed *

[@paulsharkey6673]

The purpose of life is what ever you want it to be. That in itself is the purpose of life.

[@masoudsarvin6117]

"If that's the best you can do, that's the best you can do.", well put Sir., well put indeed.

[@jinjuralph]

Why does the used car salesman yell so much?

[@NetHacker100]

I had been wondering for an awful long time why he looks so familiar..

[@gertjanvandermeij4265]

Morality comes from an socieity , not from a gawd !

[@rebelrrp]

I agree with you, I go a little bit further and say that morality comes from war. It would seem that thousands of years ago and even up until present time we killed each other enough to decide that murder was a bad idea and that since lying and stealing lead to war we shouldn't do that either. That's about all the morality a society needs.

[@Salamander6969]

I come back to this clip regularly as it recentralises my reality.

[@Len124]

It's very important to remember when marvelling at Hitchen's uncannily pithy rhetorical skills that they were the product of a youth spent overcoming a stutter. It provides a sliver of hope to us mortals.

[@Aaron_Gentry]

5:29 - 5:35 Hitchslapped

[@MrNikolidas]

+Aaron Gentry This whole video was a giant Hitchslap; I took it hard and I loved it.

[@mwmk4764]

lmao

[@brendangeraghty8865]

I love and miss you, Mr. Hitchens.

[@Sipris]

Brendan Geraghty he’s in hell right now

[@brendangeraghty8865]

@@Sipris And your proof is where?

[@sabejreid2072]

HI BRENDAN WE ALL MISS HIM, WHAT HE GAVE, HIS HUMOUR AND LOVE& WIT!

[@journalingbible6428]

Christpher Bitchens believes in God now.

[@noname-by3qz]

Notice how the first person asks the question with such disdain and aggression!

[@abdurahmanjeego7068]

I know nothing except the fact of my ignorance. Plato.

[@AA-ek5kz]

malaa qurufaadka cadaanka ayaad ku dhex luntay.

[@roems6396]

Abdurahman jeego He didn’t then say, but believe in fairytales that have no evidence...

[@anastpanago]

Socrates said that

[@bman1122]

@@anastpanago Dust, wind, dude

[@roems6396]

castroy64 Man you are such an idiot.

[@jv-lk7bc]

3:31 "It doesn't always work but it never completely fails" rofl ow! i can't breathe

[@Hoi4o]

He was obviously joking in a sarcastic way, but his opponent is not intelligent enough to get it. There is no predefined purpose of life, at least that we know of with enough certainty. And exactly in this you have the perfect example of freedom of choice. Each human individual can choose their own meaning and purpose of life in general and in life among other humans. On the other hand, in most religions this purpose is defined at the will of a creator deity who enforces it on it's creations. This directly contradicts the idea of free will and choosing for yourself. Specifically christianity says "You have free will, but the RIGHT way to use it is only to love and worship God. Otherwise you are going to hell to suffer for an eternity." Well then, I don't have much freedom, do I? It's like someone is putting a gun to my head and saying "You have two choices - either give me your wallet, or you bite the bullet." Not much of a choice there. Only an illusion of choice.

[@patricksantana3337]

You can be the most devout believer in religion/faith and still be overwhelmed by the sheer intellect of this man.

[@havenbastion]

The meaning of life is that everyone must choose the answer to that question for themselves. No one can write your story for you.

[@ape1022]

"If that's the best you can do, that's the best you can do." Lol!

[@DennisMoore664]

"Doing your best" is one of the most useless phrases ever constructed.

[@aqynbc]

Down-to-earth genius. Shame he is no longer amongst us.

[@MrLisaFischer]

Here is a truue story. Sometimes around September 2023, My brand new mobile phone got pickpocketed in a bus terminal in the city where I live and it was gone. A couple of weeks later I was in a bus seating next to two drunks and one of them fell asleep right next to me and his mobile phone fell to the floor. I contemplated for a long time whether I should grab it and quickly get off the bus. Since i was robbed of my phone as well But I did not take the phone and jump off the bus - I picked up the phone and woke up the drunk man and gave it to him. He could not people what happened and wante to pay me money for doing this but I refused his money.

[@junevandermark952]

This is a question that should make you “think.” From the book … The Arrogance of Faith, by Forrest G. Wood ... "Besides, if Christianity is for everyone, why was it not from the beginning revealed to everyone?"

[@giuffre714]

The real question is... What is the purpose of Jupitor having all those moons?

[@belascialoja4812]

What a mind Hitchens had - wow. "If that's the best you can do, that's the best you can do." < Hahahaha.

[@sign543]

There is not a chance that I would ever agree to debate Hitchens, even IF I disagreed with him 😂 I felt that burn from way over here 😝

[@deflectyou4460]

sign543 same. I wish he was still alive so I could see his thoughts of today

[@summertea545]

The Turek dude is lucky to even be in the presence of the greatness of Hitch. Really not much of a debate when Hitch jokes about his opponents questions, answers and dumbness.

[@AllSven]

Turek is extremely difficult to listen to...very whiny voice.

[@Vlogwithme0]

Why do Christians get so carried away with the question of morality? For me it is very obvious, if I do something to someone and i think 'would I like it if that happened to me' and the answer is NO because it made someone upset, hurt them, the stated crying, etc. Then, for me at least, it answers the question very quickly that is not acceptable or immoral. Moreover, when my family or the wider society then reinforces that feeling of wrongdoing, you learn easily. That's why children can understand it, because it's not difficult.

[@chrisheath1394]

"The Golden Rule". Morality is a massively complex question. Its humans being arrogant when they say " only us religious people have morals, because only God's morals count." To see how crazy "God's morals" are, just look at Islamic terrorists ( or Saudi Arabia) - they kill at the drop of a hat - based completely on doctrines in the Koran.

[@readifdumb]

The Nazis weren't bad guys. They did what they thought was right for their people, and everyone attacked them for it, how cruel, or not cruel? What is cruel? What is bad or good? What is moral or immoral? Atheist can't prove this, as their subjective relativist worldview is based on nothing. You could say self desires or empathy, but at the end of the day, what makes these objective standards? Nothing does. You can't prove these as objective standards. If everything is subjective, so is your worldview, so is your made up morals, nothing matters, you're only pretending that everything in your worldview matters. If you were logically consistent you would come to this conclusion.

[@dr.redpill353]

Godless governments have murdered over 100 million of their own people in the last 80 years. This outscored all religions combined by about 5 or 6 to 1. Too bad for you that your wingnut philosophy about morality doesn't have a basis in fact. Not that facts are important to Atheists.

[@gregchambers6100]

The meaning of life is to make the world a better place, for working men, for non working people, for self gratification.

[@johnwest3509]

an incredibly brave man who was never afraid to incur the wrath of demonic hypocrites. he was a rare gift to the world.

[@Manofpeasable]

"Doctor." Okay, here we go.

[@61fsanimal]

Absolute, unflinching destruction of this poor bloke.

[@leibstandartejager8582]

Christopher Hitchens, you my friend, truly missed. Wanting more of the Greatest Wordsmith of all time.🇨🇦

[@wallyhicks5994]

It's very simple, although I only know this thanks to Frank E Warner, 'Future of Man' (London 1944) and his interpretation of Kant's categorical imperative, "It is no mystic doctrine, but a calm conclusion from the realization that self-preservation is the fundamental characteristic of all life, that every person carries this characteristic in themselves, and that only the command of love permits of self-preservation by all."