Russian State Sanctioned Atheism | Peter Hitchens

In this historic short, Peter Hitchens speaks on communist contempt for Christianity and details his own personal experience of being a Christian in the Soviet Union. He discusses how religion was mischaracterised as a childish hope in Soviet Russia, shutting down public discourse on faith.
See the full interview here: • Conversations: Featuri...
#peterhitchens #freedom
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[@FLAYYMz]

If your editors add some audio compression it will reduce the loudness difference between Peter speaking quietly vs loudly. Make it easier on our ears. Some critical commentary here, but I’m glad you had Peter as a guest. He did a great job debating abortion; maybe you can ask him about it?

[@nedrain9044]

Peter's last point is the most prescient, I think. You can't sack the government, but you can sack the opposition. Brilliant!

[@nickbarton3191]

Actually I didn't understand that. How could it be done, how does it help?

[@nedrain9044]

@@nickbarton3191 He did explain it. The Conservative Party needs to be forced to reform itself into an actual conservative one. At the moment, their policies are centre-left. Refusing to vote for them and allowing Labour to take power is the only way to shock them into change. Currently, there's so little difference between Labour and the Conservatives that their policies are equally socialist.

[@nickbarton3191]

@@nedrain9044 I'd describe Johnson's government more like English Nationalist rather than socialist. Corbyn was a socialist. I can't tell what Starmer is.

[@nedrain9044]

@@nickbarton3191 Well, I'd say pension and welfare increases in line with inflation, but pay increases 8% behind is socialist. Lockdowns without public enquiries, unchecked illegal immigration, and one rule for the people and another for the politicians also point that way. WEF guidelines followed every step of the way. Real English nationalists would burst out laughing at the idea that Johnson represents the interests of English people! To be honest, I respected Corbyn more than either Johnson or Starmer. Although I disagreed entirely with his ideas, at least he had principles and stood up for them. The other two are just slimy tools of the globalists who lie and backtrack whenever it suits them.

[@nickbarton3191]

@@nedrain9044 Totally agree with that they are both globalist. I'd prefer Corbyn, at least the spending would have been on something that benefited the population.

[@JohnWilliams-iw6oq]

Tribalism, continuing to vote for a party that disdains them...... how accurately does that sum up Australian politics! There will be no change until we the people change.

[@tonyprice9525]

Strange that the Nazis also had contempt for Christianity as something for losers and the weak. More in common than most realise.

[@timothyw815]

Both parties were driven by Satanic forces.

[@j.j.acosta8319]

lol angry atheist comments ↓↓↓

[@paulheydarian1281]

What did he say?

[@kaylenehousego8929]

The sound is compromised John....just like Australia which I guess is why we are in this terrible mess. Thank you for your relentless focus n work on behalf of our Nation.

[@jessicali8594]

Video title: Talk about OoD (out of date). Orthodox Christianity is well promoted in the RF for at least 20 years & counting.

[@grpdv]

even 30

[@jessicali8594]

@@grpdv the '90s was a real mess there ...

[@alexk48]

But how widely is it practiced or believed? Once you have robbed someone of his faith, traditions and heritage can he really ever get it back? It is no longer part of him. A "promoted" Russian Orthodoxy being promoted by a relatively new government seems more like a political movement. It is not part of one's life, identity, history, family or national traditions. It is not the basis for common values that hold a society together.

[@jessicali8594]

@@alexk48 The cultural destruction was not to the same extent as occurred in the PRC.

[@jessicali8594]

@@GeorgeHaskas In the PRC, the CCP chooses the bishops & archbishops. Pope Francis is a communist, not a Catholic. Perhaps read Diabolical by Milo Yianopolous. If it weren't true, he'd've been sued by now, as would the publishers.

[@cavendish009]

I wish Peter would speak as if he is talking to US - there is so much I do not hear because he just mumbles so much despite having so much of interest to say !!!!!!

[@simonjones6729]

I found the statue, apparently it's just east of Yekaterinburg - the city where Nicholas II and his family were executed.

[@Star-yz2rn]

If you substitute the church for the state, a christian martyr for Morazov, and the contempt for Christianity with the contempt for atheism, I think the analogy wouldn't be lost on Mr. Hitchens.

[@davidgraham8058]

@@annoyingchannel8812 The difference is there is no such thing as atheism. It has no precepts, no code, no meaning. It is a pointless term to describe a lack of belief. As Sam Harris used to say, it’s like being a non-astrologer. We don’t have a special term for non-astrology. We just have people who believe in it and people who don’t. But nobody suggests that any evil is a result of one’s lack of belief in astrology, despite the harsh criticism and ridicule many of us have for the notion of astrology.

[@davidgraham8058]

@ABHISHEK RAJU I never denied anyones suffering, I never suggested Christians hadn’t been persecuted. You seem to be arguing against a position you invented in your head. And I think you’re missing the point. I don’t associate myself with an atheist belief because atheism is not a belief. It is an unnecessary word used to describe a lack of belief. Therefore, everyone is an atheist of some form. You’re a Christian, so presumably that means you are not also a Muslim? Well, that means you lack belief in Islam. But, you wouldn’t call your lack of belief in Islam a belief system. Your lack of belief in Islam does not encourage you to engage in immoral behaviour. Your lack of belief in Islam is identical to mine. I just lack belief in your god too.

[@afterlate8866]

Peter, with all due respect, Christianity did not start with you and it will not end with you.

[@vatsmith8759]

Since Peter Hitchens only believes in the one god he's an atheist with regard to all the other gods.

[@joer9156]

Actually no, Christians do believe in the existence of other gods, we just believe that they are demonic. There is also ample evidence in the Psalms and elsewhere in the Old Testament of an understanding of what has been referred to as the Divine Council - the array of beings in the angelic hierarchy.

[@Mic1904]

Strictly speaking, if we accept the definition of atheism as the 'rejection of any belief that deities exist', then no, a Christian cannot meet this criteria. Colloquially and informally, I of course understand what you're getting at (that an atheist disbelieves in the existence of God in the same fashion in which a Christian disbelieves in the existence of all the 'other' gods) - but this says nothing revelatory or of particular impact and value in the way you perhaps believe it does...

[@vatsmith8759]

@@Mic1904 Of course, strictly speaking, you're correct, but it does seem strange to me that (generally) Theists find it easy to disbelieve in all gods but their own yet find it difficult to understand why I disbelieve in their god as well as as all the others.

[@Mic1904]

@@vatsmith8759 Do they though? I'm not aware of ever having met a Christian who actively found it difficult to understand why a person disbelieves in their God. To be a Christian is to believe a Bible that literally tells them how commonly and readily people will reject their beliefs and that the Bible declares that its own message will be seen as 'foolishness' to many - indeed, that to believe the truth is itself something that the natural man is unable to do, and that it is a gift of God granted to those who seek the truth, and that no one can actually believe unless God grants them that ability. I think this might be a caricature you've erected - while plenty of Christians will passionately disagree with your atheism, I'm really not sure they're out there thinking, 'Oh, wild, it's completely infeasible to me that anyone could choose to disbelieve this...'. Although, with that said, in fairness to you, even as I'm typing this I'm starting to remember (with some degree of existential horror) that America is a thing...

[@vatsmith8759]

@North Korea Is Best Korea I find it strange that people do not apply the same skepticism to the god of their own culture as they do with gods of other cultures, but I suppose if theists thought rationally about gods they wouldn't be theists.

[@hlysnan6418]

Peter sure makes a lot of the barely two years he lived in Russia more than three decades ago.

[@oliverjamito9902]

My beloved my question is unto all principalities who are sitting upon the highest sits. What is the TRUE MEANING OF THY SIT? MURMURED AMONG THEMSELVES. WHERE DID THE HIGHEST PRIEST GO? WHO LEFT THE HIGHEST SITS. BELOVED REASON TO COME UNTO HIS OWN. TO DWELL AMONG THE WEAK UPON ALL DRY GROUNDS. FOR THE WEAK WILL SHAME THE WISE OF THIS WORLD. IS LIKE THE TRUE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD IS FOOLISHNESS UNTO THEM WHO ARE PERISHING .

[@amfortas7493]

Hitchens gives off the vibe of an Old Testament prophet

[@noelhausler2911]

In Israel 61% do not believe in God. In the University of Tel Aliv Israeli archeologist Israel Finkelstein in The Bible Unearthed argues that the Exodus and Conquest did not happen.

[@patriotforgod8032]

Sounds like America

[@terryschultz7352]

Bring back Christopher.

[@seanmoran2743]

Bit Religious your wish is 😂 Have you lot deified him yet Lol

[@YHWHsaves-dot-com]

Should all else fail and cease to exist everywhere else, in Gods people faith, hope, and love remain enduring! Does Peter Hitchens form of "Christianity" have NO HOPE or FAITH to see the PROMISE of Gods LOVE encapsulated in Isaiah 11:10-12, as just one example of many?

[@alexk48]

His form of Christianity does not include rejecting God. That would be atheism. Remember, Jesus said his blood would be shed for " many" NOT for "all" but for "many". That is for those who keep his word.

[@daniellesomerfield8799]

Who do you think the root of Jesse is?

[@daniellesomerfield8799]

@@alexk48 Yes, those who would receive Him, all don't.

[@YHWHsaves-dot-com]

@@daniellesomerfield8799 Jesus' "son" is the root of Jesse (Rev. 22:16, 21:7 & 2: 26-28)

[@YHWHsaves-dot-com]

@@alexk48 I'm not accusing anyone or holding any trials but Jesus said "hot" is what he likes best and prefers cold to "lukewarm" (Rev. 3:15-16)...additionally many who claim to be his servants will be turned away as frauds (Mat. 7:21-23).

[@standTrueNorthStrongandFree]

hard to (try to) listen to Peter's phrase x phrase fade to mumbling

[@johnmartin4650]

J M J

[@davidgraham8058]

I think Hitchens makes the mistake of believing atheism is a school of either religious or political thought. It isn’t. There is no such thing as atheism. It has no precepts, no code, no meaning. It is a pointless term to describe a lack of belief. As Sam Harris used to say, it’s like being a non-astrologer. We don’t have a special term for non-astrology. We just have people who believe in it and people who don’t. But nobody suggests that any evil is a result of one’s lack of belief in astrology, despite the harsh criticism and ridicule many of us have for the notion of astrology.

[@davidgraham8058]

@ABHISHEK RAJU Yeah, that’s not true. You can’t find a single prominent atheist that has a positive argument that God doesn’t exist. Even if they did, they are simply mirroring religious dogma on the other side of the coin. But my ‘atheism’ is identical to a Christian’s ‘non-Islam’. But you wouldn’t suggest that ‘non-Islam’ is a religion. Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins and Daniel Dennet never put forward a positive argument for the non-existence of a god. Sam Harris refuses to use the word ‘atheism’ for this very reason.

[@marcdaniels9079]

@ABHISHEK RAJU So many logical fallacies in this short comment it’s hard to take it even vaguely seriously.

[@marcdaniels9079]

@ABHISHEK RAJU Man you are so ridiculously ignorant about what atheism is I suggest you stop posting comments td until you have educated yourself better. Start by reading The God Delusion and the God is not Great Atheism is fundamentally taking the position that there is insufficient evidence to believe any god exists. Most 13 year olds can see the difference between this and claiming god does not exist

[@robhaythorne4464]

Mumbler Hitchens.

[@barbarajspannaus]

Earbuds

[@acfalk3]

Hard to understand the mumbling of Mr. Hitchens. What he has to say is valuable, but it is difficult to understand particularly at the end of sentences.

[@terraflow__bryanburdo4547]

It shows his inherent contempt for the audience.

[@Mic1904]

@@terraflow__bryanburdo4547 Nothing like brashly interpreting the mannerisms, peculiarities and affectations of another nation or culture's communication/language/dialect/accent as purposefully contemptuous...

[@terraflow__bryanburdo4547]

@@Mic1904 I never said "purposefully contemptuous"", more likely deeply ingrained. I know that Brits tend to be mumblers, but in the upper classes it is part and parcel of their apathy.

[@Mic1904]

@@terraflow__bryanburdo4547 Then replace 'purposefully contemptuous' with 'inherent contempt' instead in my statement above, and I'd still suggest that it stands.

[@terraflow__bryanburdo4547]

@@Mic1904 Put more simply, as someone who has the privilege of a wide audience, it is shameful that he does not make an honest effort to communicate clearly.

[@seanc.mcnally2118]

Can't understand much at all of what this mumbler is saying

[@davestier6247]

You aren't missing much, his brother was the smart one. RIP.

[@JAMBALAYATALKS]

@@davestier6247 so smart but intelligence isn’t his concern now.

[@alexk48]

@@davestier6247 His brother was the arrogant one. His brother was an alcoholic. Arrogance + immaturity always go together with alcoholism.

[@seanc.mcnally2118]

@@davestier6247 LOL

[@seanmoran2743]

@@davestier6247 Hilarious his you lot have deified him without appearing to notice it lol Ps Intelligence doesn’t equate to Wisdom