Peter Hitchens – God Does Exist – Oxford Debate

Peter Hitchens, brother of the famous late atheist Christopher Hitchens, talks to eminent atheists on the issue of WHY they desperately do not want the Universe to be one in which there IS justice, meaning and ultimate significance to their actions.

Peter says he hates this kind of debate. He thinks what the opposition at this debate has said in defense of atheism until now has not been worthwhile, but hopes they will come up with something worthwhile when the third speaker comes up.

He points to God’s speech in the book of Job where God asks all kinds of questions concerning what Job knows about what happened at the foundation of the world and how it was constructed. He says that not one of the people in the room really know the answers to this question. He talks about LaPlace, a mathematician who claimed to not need the hypothesis of God in his science. He says if you look into it you will find that LaPlace was a nasty piece of work and he would definitely not be wanting there to be a God of Justice to deal with him.

His point is essentially that the motivation behind atheism is a selfish one, and a dishonest one.

Obviously when the motive of a person is suspect, all the arguments they muster in defense of their position can also be viewed with suspicion.

He says that Christianity is a restraint upon Power and Servants of Power do not like it for that reason.

He also says that the atheists opposing him in the debate are people would like to enjoy all the benefits of Christianity – social and moral norms that allow theme to enjoy a pleasant life in the best suburbs – but they are unwilling to “pay the dues” themselves – that is, to live as if they are personally accountable to a Divine Creator.