The Catholic Church is a force for good in the world, a debate held by Intelligence2 on 19 Oct 2009
Stephen Fry speaks about the Catholic Church, the Pope, Abuse and other issues. Well worth listening to and watching the video.
Chair Zeinab Badawi introduces the motion ‘The Catholic Church is a force for good in the world.’
Use the chapter bar on the right-hand side of the page to view each of the panelists’ speeches.
The link to the full debate is here.
If you want to skip directly to Stephen Fry, the link is here but the full debate is worth watching if you’ve time.
Initial Vote: 678 For, 1102 Against, Undecided 346
Final Vote: 268 For, 1876 Against, Undecided 34
I watched this last year and was glad of it.
However, it does not go deep enough, though that said, there were limitations that inhered to the subject matter. But that never lets me off the hook, and I always try to join the dots, especially if I am on a public forum.
What was omitted was the nexus of State, Big Business and Church, and how that nexus operates around the globe, with intentionality, to ensure that all children are to a certain extent, ‘adult’erated; that is to say, they are conditioned to ‘fit in’ and those that don’t submit ARE punished, or worse terribly traumatised, those that ‘survive’. Many have died. How many more before this is ended?
I understand the NEED to bring the Institution of the Church down, yet I appeal to all to also consider the wider issue : that of how any society treats or mistreats our children, for in that lies the future society, and by all accounts this one is toxic to all natural life processes.
Alice Miller writes well on this subject, as does John Taylor Gatto on how Compulsion Schooling came into being.
We, as adults, owe a huge debt to the children: they did not ask to be brought into this society, and it certainly is NOT within their natural expectations of life.
Kindest regards
Corneilius
Stephen Fry is indeed brilliant. The entire debate is now available on my website. If you’ve time, it’s worth a look/listen. Paddy.
Stephen Fry just brilliant, telling it exactly how it is.Thanks again Paddy take care Catherine.
He is good friends with Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens and Derren Brown so you could try passing on a message through one of them. Derren Brown might be the best bet.
This is his blog.
http://www.stephenfry.com/blog/
But he is taking time off to write a book so he’s not going to be contactable.
Hi Paddy Stephen Fry has a website called the new adventures of Stephen Fry maybe we can put him a message on there ?
hi paddy stephen fry has a website called the new adventuresof stephen fry maybe we can put him a message on there ?
Might I suggest that we all write to Stephen Fry. He has done a great service to all people who were abused and he should be made aware of that. How to go about it is the question. Anyone got any ideas?
Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! on Stephen Fry. Very, very well put thanks again Paddy Doyle. Best regards, Robert
Barry, you truly are a special person and have such a lovely way with words..don’t waste your talent!!!…
Stephen Fry..what an intelligent and inspiring man. He is highly respected..I feel compelled to write to him after hearing that speech!
Anne
the questions ?
please tell me just what crime did i commit
ordered to be detained for15 years and a bit
i was after all only 13 weeks old
childhood stolen innocent sold
brothers nuns heading for a fall
and me i never go to mass at all
we must suceed and never fail
and live on to tell the tale
looking down their noses at the meak and mild
forgetting we were but a child
praying by and by night
not one truly holy person in sight
they made us feel as if we were odd
ruling with the iron rod
unloved unwanted by our own kind
brings alot of questions to my mind
why were they so cruel
feeding us on all but gruel
no proper shoes to warm our feet
no loving arms to greet
i am sure god would not approve
so lets get going and on the move
justice must be seen to be done
now its their time to run.
What I really men is Stephen Fry as the next President of The Second Republic. It goes witout saying that it will be secular.
This programe was on BBC world or one of those international ones, saw it in Germany few months back. It was beamed out worldwide.
It must be awful for the genuine believers to be told their religion is £$%^&&*te.
Given a bit of time and provided the rat does not get the mother of all miracles, then it just going to be impossible for any reasonable person in 5 years time to consider themselves a true believer. BUt then again, he won’t give a billygoats at that stage because he will be a tourist attraction in a wooden box.
Paddy
After IQ2 sent me the DVD I tried to get it shown publicly in Meeting House Square for free. The woman in Temple Bar Properties said she would call me back. I’m still waiting. There were over two thousadn people in the hall that evening. The debate was later broadcast on the BBC world service to an audience of millions.
By the way Herr Ratzinger intends to visit Britian. I think he should get the reception he deserves.
Ah Barry, you’re another great humanist! Thanks for the energy!
Well done Stephen Fry at last some one is speaking the truth and telling it like it is !he should be in power in Ireland we could do with him on board !
I’ve put the entire debate up on my website Frank. There has been a phenomenal and very positive reaction to it, particularly to what Stephen Fry has to say. He was just brilliant.
Stephen Fry as next President of the second secular Irish Republic.
It was not a lecture if was a debate. I was in the hall that evening. Hitchens and Fry slaughtered the Roman Catholic Church. I have it on DVD. The full length debate is worth watching. I’m sure the Bishop needed to go into therapy after it.
At one stage the Moderator asked the Bish: “What did Jesus say about homosexuality?” The Bish got wobbly and said “This is dee wrong question”. The whole place erupted into laughing and jeering.
Paddy, thanks for putting the Stephen Fry lecture on your website.The lecture is awe inspiring. Stephen Fry is such an intelligent, compassionate man. He exposes the lies, falsehoods and the terrible crimes against humanity that the Catholic Church has been complicit in over hundreds of years.
Everyone who contributes to this site should watch it.
So speaks a true humanist.
On the basis that “Knowledge Is Power”, what a mouth watering prospect to see a “showdown” between Stephen Fry and David Quinn, of the Iona Institute, going head to head on “catholic” matters.?.
Sadly, it wont happen, as knowledge is required when debating with the wonderful Fry.?.
I just listened to this wonderful wonderful man. This should be sent around to all and sundry