Nov
16
Watch this:
Stephen Fry is a kick-ass speaker. This is a part of the Intelligence Squared debate series in London; it was broadcast by BBC News on the weekend of 11-7-09. His part of the debate happens at the 2:40 mark. Unfortunately, the last few seconds of his speech were cut off and aren’t available (AFAIK) on the next YouTube excerpt. Mr. Fry is passionate, funny and thoughtful. I especially liked what he has to say about distinguishing between religious people and religion. Enjoy.
ETA: He also celebrated getting his millionth follower on Twitter with this video (NSFW or kids).
We’re so willing to distinguish between religion and religious people but then why don’t we distinguish between the KKK and KKK members? We have too many people around us who hold religious views so it’s impractical or too hurtful to see it that way. I think we need the courage to address such problems head on. In my view, religious people are wrong headed and I find it a bit patronising to divorce them from their beliefs. I assume religious people are bright enough to know what their religious organisation stands for and that their support of that religion means they do support such beliefs.
I loved the rest of the Fry’s talk.
I think my judgement is a little clouded here. I will admit to having quite a few religious people in my own family, ranging from progressive Christians to hard-core Bible thumpers to everyone in between. I love (most of) them dearly, which makes it easier for me to have a blind spot to their religion.
I suspect that most KKKers, but certainly not all, aren’t that way from birth – they chose that. Most, but certainly not all, religious people really were raised that way – and for whatever reason can’t or won’t examine why they’re in whatever religion/denomination they follow. Some of it might be plain old laziness; I don’t think it reflects on their intelligence level. Or maybe that’s just the particular blind spot I happen to share w/the Fry.
I’m so upset that the YouTube excerpts managed to cut off the last few seconds of his statement. Maybe it’s included on the IQ2 site…
Indeed he is ! A fantastic speaker. Intelligent, articulate, broadly educated and with a quick wit. I have had an intellectual crush on him for years !
I think he won that argument !
Me too!
Evil Dad and I started watching A Bit of Fry and Laurie way back when they showed it on Bravo (cable channel in the US). His books are pretty great too.
At the end of the debate, the moderator asked the audience to vote again. I think twice (at least) the number of people voted against the motion as did at the beginning. Just awesome stuff!
Intelligence, I agree, has nothing to do with it. Great scientists and intellectuals are religious. I explain the need for religious belief in two ways. One friend in high school once told me it was about people not being able to believe that they would ever end. We feel so important, it somehow feels impossible that even our consciousness will disappear. The other, as many have said including The Hitch, is fear of death. To me, that explains that basic need.
Wish I could see the whole thing although Windecombe’s voice drives me to distraction.
Have you ever heard the talk about blasphemy with Fry and The Hitch presented by an equally nails-on-blackboard voiced woman? It’s all over the web including Dawkins’ site I think.
I think there’s quite a bit of fear of death. A lot of it has to do with the way religion started – a way of explaining mysterious, scary things. Maybe a way of making us feel less alone. But there are other ways of reducing our fear of the unknown that don’t involve religion.
That’s what I was meaning to ask Emma – who on earth is that Church Lady-sounding woman? Could hardly bear to listen to her.
Here’s a link to IQ2′s web page; I think they have an edited version of the debate from BBC News. It should be up on the front page.
Have you ever heard the talk about blasphemy with Fry and The Hitch presented by an equally nails-on-blackboard voiced woman? It’s all over the web including Dawkins’ site I think.
Was that the Hays Festival debate from 2005? I think I have an audio version of it, linked from one of the YouTube sections. I really liked what Fry had to say there as well.