Best thing about this is the interviewer's expressions. *quality

Boosting this quality contribution up in the Hot Listing - declared quality by bareboards2.

He is possibly the most eloquent person alive. I can't think of anyone who is able to use the english language quite as well as he does. I could listen to him all day.

'That surely is the longest answer to that question'
....but probably the best one, right?

*promote

Promoting this video back to the front page; last published Friday, January 30th, 2015 7:39am PST - promote requested by lurgee.

All that and all Byrne can say is "That was a long answer?" Fffffff.

Hitchens.

Watch the debate on Catholicism with Hitchens and Fry on one side and a bishop and an idiot politicians on the other. The pro-catholic side are so unbelievably outclassed it's not even a contest.

To everyone else... Gay Byrne deserves a lot of credit.

He was host of the Late Late Show in Ireland for decades and during that time he presided over some incredibly contentious debates on a number of issues in Irish society (contraception, homosexuality, divorce, abortion, child abuse, the north, political corruption, etc.). Looking back it was a slightly bizarre mix of Letterman, Bill Maher and Questions and Answers on the BBC. Despite the fact that Byrne himself would be a reasonably mainstream guy, he IMO hosted the debates fairly (and frankly, considerably better than most modern debate shows).

Surely some will find *controversy here ... I feel it in my bones

Adding video to channels (Controversy) - requested by PlayhousePals.

Pompous response.. I'm sure his tune would change at his day of reckoning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHmTqoLjlXo

it's lost on you how arrogant you statement is... thus making the "pompous response" comment absolutely hilarious

If there's one motherfucker around here that needs to fear the Day of Reckoning, your ass is it.

Revelation 1:17-18 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:

I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

This is the reaction of John, the beloved disciple, when he saw Jesus in His glory. He fell down at His feet as if he was dead. This is the reaction of the believer upon seeing God. The reaction of the unbeliever is going to be one
of great sorrow, and abject terror:

Matthew 24:30 Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory

Revelation 6:15-16 Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains;

And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

When we stand before God, everything will be in the open. There will be no secrets; you'll be exposed as the person you really are and not the person you present to other people.

What is in this video is all false bravado. No one can stand in the day of judgment except those whose sins are covered by the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus on the cross. He died for our sins, and was raised the third day so that we can be forgiven and have everlasting life. He took our place and took the punishment we deserve so that all who put their trust in Him as Lord and Savior will receive forgiveness for their sins, reconciliation to God, and adoption as Gods children. That is the only way anyone can stand before God in the day of the judgment.

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 10:9 Because if you confess the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.

Who asked Jesus to die to erase my sins...now I have to do them all over again.
Damn you Jesus, you owe me one...I spent a lot of time on those sins.

(side note...if death is the punishment we deserve for our sins, and Jesus died to 'take our place and take our punishment', why do people still die?
If eternity in hell is the punishment we deserve for our sins, and Jesus 'took our place and our punishment', why is he not in hell right now, and for all eternity, and how did he get out to resurect? You can't have it both ways, either death or hell as punishment for sin is BS, Jesus taking our punishment is BS, people should never die, or Jesus lives in hell. No?)

Quoting from an obviously man made book, even though it is 2000 years old, proves nothing, except you cannot think for yourself. If you have to quote this book, how about quoting the many evil things it says regarding slavery, woman, homosexuality, murder, rape, children, torture, etc,etc. The bible, as with other "holy" books, is vile and sickening; we are better off rid of it, and its twisted fanatics, before they drag us back to the dark ages.

@shinyblurry

"When we stand before God, everything will be in the open. There will be no secrets; you'll be exposed as the person you really are and not the person you present to other people. "

So, does that mean that even though we're Atheists and god should hate us, that he'll let us in anyway because even though we didn't believe he existed, we still actually lived our lives without forsaking others? you know. Without actually protesting and harassing others for fanatical beliefs, and helping others because we felt that humanity as a whole needed to improve rather than for fear of consequences if we don't?

Sounds like we Atheists have less to fear about judgement day than you do.

Well done for not addressing anything he said.

*promote

Promoting this video back to the front page; last published Friday, January 30th, 2015 7:39am PST - promote requested by theali.

If I find that I'm wrong on the day that I die and I stand in front of God, exposed as the person that I am...then I want to stand in front of God as the person that I am.

I don't want my sins forgiven by the sacrifice of another. I don't need my slate wiped clean by ritualistic confession and contrite acts. I am human; flawed and broken and wonderful. I will stand in front of your God for all my actions, thoughts and intentions.

In my life I have callously hurt others, I have taken what wasn't mine, I have dispensed wrath and sought vengeance. Because I am weak and selfish and scared.
But I also endeavor to heal more than I injure, give more than I take and provide comfort to others when things seem darkest. Plus....I always smile and ask how you are. That's important.

As a thoughtful, empathetic human being, I know that the positive actions of other humans is the only balance against the entropy that surrounds us. We are our own hope and salvation against a random universe that has our destruction built into the very laws that compel it.
I don't do good things because I fear judgement. I don't do them because I'm commanded to. I do good things because I'm one small part of a community that extends as far as humanity can reach. The effect of my actions, positive and negative, ripples out, rebounds and reflects infinitely. I do good things because it's good to do them.

If I'm wrong, I'll be judged by your God and if I'm found lacking in my actions then I'll own my sins and the consequences. But if the balance of my life has been positive and I am found unacceptable only because I could not believe in the existence of a Creator...if the sum total of my affect on others matters less than my ability to accept illogical supernatural conclusions....then your God is Evil.

Besides, if your god is omniscient, then he knew how he would judge me when he created the universe. So I had no real power over my actions. If he did, in fact, give me free will such that he did not know how I would live my life, then he's not omniscient. In which case, upon our meeting, he will disappear in a puff of logic.

...has not been alive for a few years now.

It amuses me when people talk about eternal bliss or eternal damnation. WTF would you know about eternity? Human life resulted from a chance combination of compatible factors to support evolution in a tiny fragment of a vast cosmos. Nothing else makes sense.

Every time I listen to him, I like him more and more. Time for a little QI to cap off the evening.

The moment you banish God...eye-eating creatures cease to exist?

What we have here is a failure to understand. Why is anyone asking this pseudo-intellectual any questions at all? You can't expect much in the way of profundity. He's a performer. He's an ex-con. I'll grant his intelligence, but intelligence won't get you that far.

Ask someone who spends his life in meditation and you will find far greater answers. Ask Krishnamurti or Tolle or just about any one else. Why are you wasting time with an actor of all people?

Yes, it seems there is a failure to understand. What he said is, the moment there are useless parasitic eye-eating creatures, one must admit that any possible creator god must not be benevolent or good by any measure of the words.

"The moment you banish God...eye-eating creatures cease to exist?"

Wow. I mean, we're both listening to the same language, English, yet your understanding of the words in the video seems to be completely different from mine! Interesting.

"What we have here is a failure to understand."

Yes, I believe this to be the case.

@bobknight33
@shinyblurry

You guys should watch the video.

So succinct.

No, you have failed to understand.

But no one has answered my question...why do you ask this performer for the meaning of life and give his answer so much weight?

WTF does Fry know about it? He only complains about amoebas.

and BTW, quite a few other explanations make as much or more sense.

No one asked him that. There was not a word in the piece about the meaning of life.

Simple. It's because people are interested in what Stephen Fry has to say.

The year before last I had a couple of Jehovah's Witnesses at my door. I asked them a simple question - why would their god choose to create autistic people who are incapable of the belief that is sought from us? Being on the autistic spectrum myself I totally understood where I was coming from with the question, and felt entitled to ask it. They were stumped and I politely said goodbye to them. As they left with puzzled expressions the man turned back to me, and asked if he could return if he came up with an answer. I told him that would be fine, but to this day I have yet to hear back from him.

I really like Stephen Fry's answer to this question. I can't envision a rational reason ever being offered to him in response to his answer.

Firstly we didn't ask Stephen Fry for the meaning of life, in fact we didn't ask him anything - a TV show presenter did the asking.

Secondly, the most probable reason for his answer being given so much credit is due to the fact that it's what most people think when considering their own answer to the same question.

I'm just saying, as far as religion go, I'm starting up the Church of Thor. Everyone is welcome, as long as you honour your ancestors and help chip in for Tuesday's Wing Night.

PS. Tuesdays are Wing Night, BYOB. =)

I don't believe that it is what most people think. Most people believe in God, for starters, according to every poll ever taken on the subject, at least here in the US.

The mystics, who deserve far more credence than stage actors, say that God created the universe because an eye can not see itself, nor a sword cut itself. For God to know himself, the universe was created, so that God could see all of the possibilities. And one of those possibilities is imperfection, or at least what we see as imperfection, such as people who kill or bacteria that makes us sick.

The programmer programs the computer and he doesn't always know how it's going to turn out. The artist throws paint on the canvas but a certain chaos theory enters into it.

At any rate, to see the Universe and not realize the intelligence behind it is just sad. At the least a thinking person should investigate all aspects of it.

To ignore the intelligence behind the universe is just stubbornness. How do you maintain your anger at God when you don't even believe in God?

I got news for you. If you are mad at God, then you believe in God. If you think God fails your standard, then where did that standard come from?

I am reminded of the game of PLINKO. I'll explain later on.

I believe Wednesday should be wing night. "Wednesday Wing Night" rolls off the tongue much more easily and is clearly what Thor intended. If you disagree with me then we can settle it with a war.

You are most likely correct that that is not what most people think, because most people simply don't think.

Wow...so any mystic, people generally regarded as useless for any other profession, should be given more weight than anyone who ever graced a stage, no matter what other credentials they may possess? I don't believe that is what most people think, not even most religious people.

Any functioning eye can see itself if you have a mirror. A sword can cut itself if you melt/bend it. ;-)

It seems that you think god had the option to create a perfect universe, but chose not to. If 'he' is omniscient, he does know how it will turn out. (side note, all BUT ONE of those infinite possibilities would be imperfection, but why would 'he' not choose perfection?)

The elegant function of the universe is no proof or even indication of any intelligence behind it, but is only proof of elegance of the laws of physics/nature. No intelligence or designer required for this elegance, and I think the need to have an anthropomorphized "creator" take credit is just a way to feel that somehow humans (which most would say 'he' created the universe for, and/or are made in 'his' image), and therefore you are, in some way, very like the 'creator' and deserving of misusing the universe in any way you see fit.

Non theists do not get mad at god anymore than you get mad at Santa for not bringing you what you want, or leprechauns for not handing you their gold. We get mad at people acting ridiculously, giving credit to phantoms for explainable events, confusing fact with myth, confusing impressionable undereducated people, wasting valuable time with nonsense and non sequitur (often simply as a method to obstruct change), and standing in the way of progress, both scientific and societal. We don't think god fails our standard (except the standard of reality or the requirement of actual existence), we think the very IDEA of god fails along with every definition or description...every time it's examined honestly....no matter which god you choose to examine.

The idea that if Stephen Fry were standing before the pearly gates and had something to say to God...that's pretty laughable right there. He'd be shaking in his keds, just like anyone else.

And not because God is vengeful...God, as a conscious Being, who put the whole of creation into motion...anyone would be gobsmacked, to use Stephen's vernacular.

He would be surprised to find himself there, certainly, but 'gob smacked'? ...only if god smacked him right in the gob. ;-)
Some people are not terrified by the unexpected/unknown (and I think that should be part of the test people must pass to become cops, btw), and some don't simply cower when faced with authority/power.

Your supposition that all people would be completely 'gob smacked' to face 'god' seemingly denies what most Christians believe, that you can 'defend' your life/actions/choices to god to get into heaven...like it's an American style court case, not just divine judgment.

I think many would be impressed by the awesome power 'he' wields, and more surprised by the fact that 'he' exists at all, but still completely disappointed with the lack of forethought/responsibility/caring/love/or empathy shown in the wielding of that immense power, and they might say so clearly. Fry always seemed like that kind of 'not shy' guy to me.

Russell Brand is an idiot (again) has been added as a related post - related requested by ChaosEngine on that post.

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag.(show it anyway)

Sift of the week.

The standard is our own morality. If I purposefully created horribly debilitating and excruciating diseases for children and released them into the world, would that make me a good person or a bad person, do you think?

You cannot name a single act which you would still call immoral if it were done or commanded done by Yahweh himself. That means Yahweh exists outside morality. If God existed, he would have set that moral code, and failed it.

No, you misguided fools, Thursdays is beer pong, whilst Wednesday is for flip cup and hooking up with other followers of Thor. As long as you honour your ancestors, we don't care who you hook up with. Heck, if you wanna marry a shoe, we'll marry you.

The weekend is the holiest of holy days, as we observe the sacred rituals of watching sporting events, and playing video games. I'm just saying, we have a pretty great church here. As long as you pitch in for buying kegs and food, and make sure everyone passes out on your lawn, or takes a taxi cab home, the Church of Thor will welcome all!

*related=http://videosift.com/video/What-makes-something-right-or-wrong-Narrated-by-Stephen-Fry

What makes something right or wrong? Narrated by Stephen Fry has been added as a related post - related requested by messenger.

This should be retitled: Stephen Fry does his impression of Michael Moore meeting Roger Smith.

People think they can know God, or what he's up to. That's quite laughable.

You can't explain how or where consciousness came from. You have no idea, just as the average person can not know God. And if you knew God, you couldn't explain it.

Even a relatively superficial exploration would help you out, but your cup is quite full.

If you could answer the question honestly 'where did our morality come from' (and it didn't come from us) then you would be on your way.

Yes, and...?

I don't know all that stuff you say I don't know and I cannot answer any of those questions. So what? What does that entail? You say it as if there's some logical conclusion I should be able to draw. Come out and say it.

When I have questions I look for the answer. If you have no questions, just keep on keeping on.

I don't think I've read something so imbecilic in quite a while. I actually started quoting you to point out all the ridiculous contradictions in your statements but then realized that, in the words of Wolfgang Pauli, "It is not only not right, it is not even wrong".

I'll simply say this: purporting to know something, while simultaneously claiming that no one could possibly know that thing, is an excellent example of intellectual dishonesty, which you demonstrate with an impressive level of obliviousness.

Why is morality so important to you? Why is 'good' superior to 'bad'?

In a nihilistic universe, what difference does it make?

I'm not looking for an answer. I just think you should ask these questions yourself.

(And you people don't consider yourselves bullies. You could write the book on it..I am 'imbecilic, ridiculous, contradictory, dishonest, oblivious')

Funny you ask questions but 'aren't looking for an answer', maybe because you feel you already have an answer you feel is right? Feelings can be wrong, you've proven that.

Morality is important because people live together, and without morality you get only chaos. Morality, and/or empathy have evolutionary benefits and are behavioral evolutionary constructs. Those without it are shunned from/by society and so don't reproduce as often as those with it. That's just one difference it makes, but a big one.

So, you know these things about yourself, but if someone else points them out they're a bully? Thicken your skin if you intend to stay on the internet is my best advice, that and read your posts as if they were written TO you before hitting 'submit', if you do that honestly you'll find you display the same behavior you complain about.
I point out to you that @offsetSammy made a great point in his second paragraph you ignored completely in order to call him names.

I called him names? What name did I call him?

I've proven that feelings can be wrong? When did I do that.

Never mind newtboy, you only waste my time.

He isn't looking for answers. He's already decided what all the answers are: Yahweh.

He's trolling with rhetorical questions that imply that he knows something without actually stating anything that can easily be refuted. If he merely suggests something by asking a question with a between-the-lines suggested answer, that can never be challenged as long as he ducks and dives with pithy and meaningless comments like, "When I have questions I look for the answer. If you have no questions, just keep on keeping on."

He'll never actually state anything that is refutable. And I don't mean he'll say nothing that's incorrect. I mean he won't make any statement that could be logically refuted IF it were wrong. He'll only state his personal opinions and ask questions. I couldn't be bothered to go back and look through his comments, but in this thread he hasn't contributed anything that belongs in a disagreement.

Intentional or not, he's a troll. Move on. I just "ignore"d him.