The Hatter is not very sympathetic to the religious side, but does wish they'd find a better debater for that side to go up against Christopher Hitchens. Tony Blair vs. Hitchens sounds like a pea shooter going up against a Kalashnikov. And that's exactly how the debate reads.
The next debater who goes up against Hitchens could do better than to claim the Church's work on AIDS in Africa as an example of the good that religions do. As is pointed out in the debate, much of the problem is caused by the Catholic Church's rather pig-headed opposition to contraception, even when it has positive side-effects like AIDS prevention. It's good to hear that the Pope has finally changed his position on that, and hopefully the preaching on the ground will follow suit. None of that changes the fact that many of those who've died would not have had they used basic prevention which they were encouraged not to from the pulpit.
One would expect the side arguing against religion to bring up Northern Ireland, but Blair brought it up here in one of the more spectacular rhetorical self-goals in recent times.
I'm sure the video will be immensely entertaining!
