Catholic Church; force for good? Intelligence squared debate

[SSY]

I reproduce, for your viewing edification

http://www.youtube.com/user/AtheistMedi ... NODiU_-CNo

Stephen fry and the Hitch, take on Anne Widdecombe (a member of parliament) and an arch bishop. This promises to be good, because here the specifics can be debated, as catholic practices are widely known, and the catholics can not weasel out of things other people have said in the name of the catholic church.

Edit, just finished watching, the final vote decider I found very surprising, did anyone else not expect that result?

[Tom62]

I'd already seen the discussion live on BBC World. Stephen Fry really kicked some ass!

[joeactor]

Very good debate.

The polls tell the whole story...

Thanks for posting it!

[LoneMateria]

Yup I enjoyed it.  The woman drove me crazy.  All she did was bash Hitchens for her segment and then advocated ignoring everything "bad" that came from the church.  I wanted to punch her

[Recusant]

I want to add my thanks to you, SSY, for posting this.  I enjoyed the debate, though Ann Widdecombe MP has a voice that could drive one to drink.  She's what I would call "a real piece of work." I did a little research, and discovered the reason she converted to Catholicism is because the C of E decided to allow women into the priesthood.  Amazing!  She also seems to have a problem with the gays.  (Doesn't think much of them, apparently, and has voted repeatedly in opposition to equal rights for them.)  I could go on, but no doubt you, SSY, already know all this and I don't want to bore the other members of the forum.  However, I'd be willing to bet that you folks over there will be seeing a lot more of her, since she seems to have been quite powerful in the Conservative ranks, and the last I heard, it sounded like they'll be taking over soon. (She says she's going to stand down at the next election, which I suspect means that she'll popping up as a talking head, since she already has her foot in the door in the world of television.  Something to look forward to eh?)

...the final vote decider I found very surprising, did anyone else not expect that result?

As a matter of fact I was pretty surprised.  I'll say no more; don't want to be a spoiler.

[LoneMateria]

...though Ann Widdecombe MP has a voice that could drive one to drink.

When I got to her segment I was listening to the debate and playing some online poker.  At first I thought her voice was some joke and she immediately started attacking Christopher Hitchens so I thought she was screwing around and it was gonna change.  I was wrong.  I think she is the reason the swing was so bad.  Personally attacking people who disagree with her position and then advocating, essentially, ignoring everything that contradicts her position is not a good way to debate.  If they had 2 people like that priest who talked (I can see him moving people in church btw) then I don't think change would have been so bad on the final vote.