By Matthew A. McIntosh / 03.25.2016:
In 2009, Stephen Fry debated as a partner with the late Christopher Hitchens against Archbishop John Onaiyekan and Ann Widdecombe on the resolution, “The Catholic Church is a force for good in the world.” Needless to say, Fry and Hitchens stood against the resolution.
In the video that follows, Fry delivered what I consider to be the best single rebuttal ever delivered against such a resolution. A seriousness given to the challenge overtook him in such a way as to wrap the viewer momentarily in his words – he made of that hall his own “world stage” on which he may only have been an actor but one clearly playing the most important role.
The end tally from the audience was drastically different from the beginning in an overwhelming consensus that Fry and Hitchens accomplished their goal in the debate to convince attendees that the Catholic Church is decidedly not a force for good in the world.
Watch, and enjoy: