Stephen Fry: The atheist of the Little Flower?
Check it out! Stephen Fry apparently spent all evening last night, alongside Christopher Hitchens denouncing the Church in an 'Intelligence Squared' debate in London, I guess.
The motion put forward was, 'The Catholic Church is a force for good in the World'. According to Andrew M Brown of The Telegraph, Hitchens and Fry defeated the arguments of Archbishop Onaiyekan of Abuja, Nigeria and the Rt Hon Ann Widdecombe and the latter lost the debate as reflected in the votes. Well, whether people believe the triumphant distortions of truth and history given by the celebrities or the voices of the Church Militant is up to them. Whether the Catholic spokespersons were strong enough intellectually to match Fry and Hitchens is a matter in itself for debate. I guess it goes back to that campaign Fr Ray Blake and Paul Priest wanted to get more competent Catholic spokesmen and women.
Anyway, regardless, the same Stephen Fry (because, let's face it, we expect this kind of crap from Hitchens) apparently argued against the motion. Yet, the same Stephen Fry, as I posted earlier in the week, will be hosting an evening with music and film at the Royal Festival Hall for The Passage Homeless centre which was founded by Cardinal Basil Hume on 27th November 2009!
So, on the 27th November 2009, the same man who argued so vociferously against the motion, 'The Catholic Church is a Force for Good in the World' will be hosting an evening raising funds for a Catholic institution which only does good in the World. What is more, he might be saying a few words drawing attention to the marvellous work of The Passage Homeless Centre, which feeds the hungry and helps the homeless get back on their feet! You couldn't make it up!
I wonder how The Passage feel about their choice of host, who has not only made scandalous remarks against Polish Catholics linking them to the Holocaust (something for which he has not so much apologised but gone into self-denigration, basically saying, 'Okay, I was wrong and foolish') but is now teaming up with Christopher Hitchens of 'Let me tell you how much I hate Mother Teresa' fame to attack the Church in public debating societies!
You know, I'm starting to think Stephen Fry isn't half as clever or intellectual as everybody says he is...He may have Q.I. He may even have I.Q. But he can't remember his diary dates.
2 comments:
I could never understand Fry's reputation as an intellectual. I think it has more to do with his nice accent and how good he looks wearing a suit.
Anyone who's seen a Bit of Fry and Laurie can understand Fry's reputation as an intellectual.
And I don't see how Fry's (justified) condemnation of the Catholic Church forbids him from lending his name to an organization, under its auspices or not, which does good.
After all, the argument under debate was not "The Catholic Church is a force that does SOME good in the World", but a force for good, period. As Christopher Hitchens and Stephen Fry eloquently made clear, THAT statement is false.
This does not mean that the Church is incapable of good. Certainly, there are organizations that fall under its substantial wings that are laudable and do much good - like homeless shelters, for example.
The stance taken in the debate was that far more evil had been done in the name of the Church than any good they did. This is no reason not to aid those who truly are doing good.
Post a Comment