Saturday, November 27, 2010

Tony Blair and Christopher Hitchens debate religion

Tony Blair and Christopher Hitchens debate religion

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Tony Blair and Christopher Hitchens debated the idea 'Religion is a force for good in the world'

Former UK PM Tony Blair has defended the role of religion in global affairs, in a televised debate in Canada with atheist columnist Christopher Hitchens

Mr Blair, a Catholic convert, said faith was a force for good and it was "futile" to attempt to drive it out.

But Mr Hitchens, who is terminally ill with cancer, argued religion forced people into doing terrible things.

In a vote after the debate, the audience voted two-to-one in Mr Hitchens' favour.

A 23-country poll paid for by the debate's Canadian organisers suggests the world is evenly split on the issue.

The confrontation took place in front of a sell-out audience of 2,700 people in Toronto's Roy Thomson Hall.

The two men were asked to debate the motion: "That religion is a force for good in the world".

'Cruel experiment'

The BBC's Paul Adams, who was in the hall, said it was a carefully moderated and largely polite debate, without the rumbles of thunder many had been hoping for.

Tony Blair and Christopher Hitchens in Toronto, Canada (26 Nov 2010)

Tony Blair

  • Former Labour PM, aged 57
  • Brought up in a Christian family, he says he became a practising Christian while studying at Oxford University
  • Converted to Catholicism in 2007
  • Launched Tony Blair Faith Foundation in 2008

Christopher Hitchens

  • Sixty-one-year-old journalist, author and critic
  • Refused to take part in prayers at his Christian boarding school
  • Says his "bohemian and rackety" lifestyle may have caused his cancer of the oesophagus
  • Regarded as a leader of the "New Atheism"

Mr Blair, a lifelong Christian who converted to Catholicism after leaving office in 2007, acknowledged that "horrific acts" had been committed in the name of religion.

But he said that a "world without faith would be morally diminished".

He said the most challenging issue for people of faith was how to explain the relevance of ancient scripture in the modern world.

Mr Blair also insisted that his decision to support the US invasion of Iraq was based on policy and not on his faith.

Mr Hitchens, who has previously described Christianity, Judaism and Islam as the "real axis of evil", said religion was "a cruel experiment whereby we are created sick and ordered to be well".

Humans gained little, and compromised their freedom, by acting like sheep, said Mr Hitchens.

He said religions created a "celestial dictatorship" which was "greedy for praise from dawn to dusk". He won a laugh from the audience and Mr Blair when he compared such an authority to the North Korean leadership.

In the end, the audience seemed more impressed, and perhaps more entertained, by Mr Hitchens, says our correspondent, and he won the debate by a margin of two to one.

Global poll

Prior to the debate, the organisers had commisioned a 23-country poll on religion by Ipsos.

Analysis

Anyone expecting verbal pugilism, or a blood-soaked gladitorial contest, with Tony Blair as the Christian thrown to the hungry atheist lion, might have walked out into Toronto's chilly night a little disappointed.

It's not that the two men didn't debate with conviction, but the format engendered politeness - this is Canada, after all- and somewhat stifled argument.

And perhaps the lion is wounded. Mr Hitchens is starting to look frail, in the throes of a cancer that he acknowledges will probably kill him. Tony Blair, by contrast, looks a picture of well-dressed health.

When asked which of each other's arguments they found convincing, both men were polite, respectful.

Tony Blair admitted that it wasn't always easy for people of faith to explain the importance of scripture in the modern world.

Mr Hitchens admitted no such intellectual difficulties, saying he preferred the awe-inspiring wonders of the cosmos to what he sees as the destructive teachings of organised religion.

An audience of 2,700 sat in rapt attention, frequently applauding both men. But a random sample afterwards tended to tell a consistent story. People weren't necessarily opposed to Mr Blair's argument, but they found Mr Hitchens the more persuasive speaker.

Some 48% of the 18,192 people questioned by Ipsos took the view that "religion provides the common values and ethical foundations that diverse societies need to the thrive in the 21st Century".

Fractionally more - 52% - supported the view that "religious beliefs promote intolerance, exacerbate ethnic divisions, and impede social progress in developing and developed nations alike".

Rich countries were less likely to see religion as a force for good than poor countries - the main exception being the United States, where 65% said it had a positive impact.

The Ipsos poll, conducted in September, found that Europe was the region most doubtful about the benefits of religion, with just 19% in Sweden agreeing that it was a force for good.

At the other end of the scale, in Saudi Arabia and Indonesia, it was seen as a positive force by more than 90% of those questioned.

Within North America, there was a pronounced divide. In Canada, only 36% agreed with the positive view of religion whereas 64% saw it as a negative force - figures almost exactly the reverse of those in the US.

Christopher Hitchens has continued his outspoken attacks on religion in interviews as he is treated for cancer of the oesophagus.

He is scathing about those who suggest his illness might lead him to retract his atheism.

In a BBC Newsnight interview to be broadcast on 29 November, he says he is not afraid of death, but regrets the fact that it will cause distress to friends and family.

Blair v Hitchens on the BBC

  • BBC World Service radio will air the Blair-Hitchens debate on 4 December, followed by Radio 4 on 11 December
  • It can be viewed on BBC World News and the News Channel on 1 January 2011

In comments released by the debate's organisers he said it was "bizarre" that Mr Blair, a Catholic since 2007, had converted "at one of the most conservative times for the Catholic Church, under one of the most conservative popes".

Speaking before the debate, Tony Blair said: "The good that people of faith all over the world do every day, motivated by their religion, cannot be underestimated and should never be ignored."

It could, and should, be a force for progress, he said.

Graphic showing religion poll results

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Tony Blair and Christopher Hitchens debated the idea 'Religion is a force for good in the world'

Friday, November 5, 2010

Fr James Robinson 03



AN ex-priest who carried out a horrific campaign of sexual abuse against young boys was jailed for 21 years today.

Paedophile James Robinson was found guilty of 21 charges of sexual abuse between 1959 and 1983.

The beast was extradited back to the UK from California last year after fleeing to the US in 1985 after he was first accused.

Birmingham Crown Court was told the disgraced priest abused six youngsters over four decades.

His victims are all now in their 40s, 50s and 60s.

Manipulative

The court heard he had moved from parish to parish sexually abusing children, including two altar boys.

He gave them gifts and took them on trips in his sports car to get close to them.

Passing sentence, Judge Patrick Thomas QC branded Robinson devious and manipulative and slammed him for running away from his accusers.

He said: "The offences you committed were unimaginably wicked and caused immense and long-lasting — we can only hope not permanent — damage to the six victims.

"You used, you abused your position of trust, your position of authority and total trust within the communities that you moved to and from."

He added: "You enjoyed, I have no doubt at all, selecting your victims, choosing vulnerable children.

"You enjoyed doing your best to habituate them, to groom them into accepting what you did to them.

"You were and are sufficiently devious, manipulative and bold to have got away with a highly risky sequence of sexual encounters over a period of 25 years."

Despite fleeing the country after the allegations surfaced Robinson was kept on by the Archdiocese of Birmingham until December 2001, earning up to £800 a month and bagging a separate payment of £8,400 in 2000.

But Robinson, 73, still claimed in court he could not afford to return to Britain.

Describing the Catholic Church's role in Robinson's case as highly questionable, Judge Thomas said: "It is not for me to judge.

"Others may take the view that a full investigation and full disclosure of the results of that investigation is due to the members of that church and [Robinson's victims]."

Robinson turned his back on a professional boxing career in his 20s to become a Roman Catholic priest. He worked in the Black Country, Staffordshire, Birmingham and Coventry after being ordained in 1971.

Robinson, originally from Brownhills, near Walsall, West Mids, received a unanimous verdict.

He did not face charges relating to two of his six victims because they contacted cops after he was extradited. But they were allowed to give evidence in support of the other four.

Judge Thomas added: "You fled the country and hid yourself away, hoping and believing that you were beyond the reach of the law.

"Fortunately, the law does not forget, your victims would not forget and you have been brought to justice."

Another three victims came forward during the police investigation but declined to take part in the prosecution and cops believe there are more.

Detective Sergeant Harry May said: "I have no doubt there are more victims, not only in this country but in America.

"On a personal note, I would like to say how brave these men have been, giving their testimonies in court.

"We couldn't have done it without them."

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Detective Chief Inspector Steve Bimson, who headed the Major Investigation Team, said: "He became ingrained in these families, he became a trusted member of the family, so he could target these individuals.

"But it wasn't recognised at the time that this was taking place.

"We have heard evidence from people who thought he was a fine priest who would come into a parish and make changes and start motivating people.

"They found it difficult to believe he had committed this abuse.

"But clearly the evidence and the decision of the jury by accepting what the victims have said, demonstrates this abuse has taken place and Robinson did live this double life."



Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3192776/Evil-paedo-priest-jailed-for-21-years.html?OTC-RSS&ATTR=News#ixzz14QOJYWr8

Fr James Robinson 02



Church attacked after paedophile priest jailed for sexual abuse

The Catholic Church was criticised in court as a paedophile former priest was jailed for a campaign of sexually abuse against young boys that spanned four decades.



James Robinson, 73, who fled to the US in 1985, was found guilty of 21 sexual offences at Birmingham Crown Court yesterday after being extradited from America.

The jury heard he carried out a string of abuses against six victims, including two altar boys, between 1959 and 1983.

Robinson, who worked in the Black Country, Staffordshire, Birmingham and Coventry after being ordained as a priest in 1971, denied all the charges but was jailed for 21 years.

The court heard Robinson continued to be paid up to £800 a month by the Archdiocese of Birmingham until December 2001, despite officials being aware of the allegations.

Robinson told the court he had been unable to afford to return to Britain, but the jury later heard that in February 2000 the archdiocese sent him a cheque worth £8,400.

Judge Thomas said: "The role of the Catholic Church [in the case] is questionable, but it's not for me to judge.

"Others may take the view that a full investigation and full disclosure of the results of that investigation is due to the members of that church and [the victims]."

Describing the defendant as "devious, manipulative and bold", the judge said Robinson's crimes were "unimaginably wicked".

He added: "You used, you abused your position of trust, your position of authority and total trust within the communities that you moved to and from."

The judge also condemned the defendant's decision to emigrate in the hope of outrunning the law, adding: "Fortunately, the law does not forget, your victims would not forget and you have been brought to justice."

The Most Reverend Bernard Longley, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Birmingham, issued a statement after the case confirming that Robinson would be defrocked after his convictions.

The archbishop, who refused to answer questions about the Church's role in Robinson's case, said: "The Archdiocese of Birmingham sincerely regrets James Robinson's serious betrayal of the trust placed in him."

Fr James Robinson 01

Former priest jailed for 'wicked' sex abuse of boys

James RobinsonRobinson worked in churches in Staffordshire, Birmingham and Coventry

An "unimaginably wicked" former priest has been given a prison sentence of 21 years for sexually abusing boys in the West Midlands.

Richard John James Robinson, 73, was found guilty of 21 charges relating to offences against boys, all aged under 16, between 1959 and 1983.

One victim told Birmingham Crown Court he had "carried" Mr Robinson's face with him ever since being assaulted.

Robinson was extradited from the US in August last year.

He had worked in churches in Staffordshire, Birmingham and Coventry until the mid-1980s, when he moved to California.

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Sentencing him, Judge Patrick Thomas QC said Robinson was "devious and manipulative".

"The offences you committed were unimaginably wicked and caused immense and long-lasting - we can only hope not permanent - damage to the six victims.

"You used, you abused your position of trust, your position of authority and total trust within the communities that you moved to and from."

Judge Thomas said of Robinson's targeting of the boys: "You enjoyed doing your best to habituate them, to groom them into accepting what you did to them.

"You were, and are, sufficiently devious, manipulative and bold to have got away with a highly risky sequence of sexual encounters over a period of 25 years."

He also criticised Robinson for refusing to return to the UK to face his accusers, saying he believed he was beyond the reach of the law.

Click to play

'Father Robinson had moved on too many times. But finally we had a tip-off he was living in a trailer park in the US,' says Kenyon

"Fortunately, the law does not forget, your victims would not forget and you have been brought to justice."

The court had also heard Robinson was paid £800 a month by the Archdiocese of Birmingham until December 2001, after officials had been made aware of the allegations.

Robinson had said in court he was unable to afford to return to Britain, even though the Church had sent him a cheque for £8,400.

Judge Thomas said it was not for him to judge the Catholic Church's role in proceedings.

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Robinson engaged in a course of behaviour that we would recognise today as a grooming process”

Det Ch Insp Steve Bimson

"Others may take the view that a full investigation and full disclosure of the results of that investigation is due to the members of that church and Robinson's victims."

The court heard prosecutor John Atwood say Robinson had "something of a knack for spotting the quiet child of the family".

He told the court Robinson was sexually attracted to young boys and used the trust and respect that came with his position to prey on vulnerable children for his own sexual gratification.

The court also heard he used his status as a priest to gain "unfettered and unlimited" access to boys, giving them gifts and taking them on trips in his sports car.

Robinson did not face charges relating to two of the six victims who gave evidence, because they contacted the police after he was extradited.

However, they were allowed to give evidence in support of the other four victims.

The court heard Robinson's behaviour did not appear suspicious to his victims' families because "it was a different world back then".

'Grooming process'

Robinson took the boys to football matches and rock concerts and some of them stayed overnight at the house he shared with his mother.

Click to play

Detective Sergeant Harry May: "Robinson has showed no sense of dignity or any remorse for his victims"

The prosecutor said the abuse had left some of the men emotionally damaged and needing counselling as adults.

He said the boys did not speak out at the time because they were bewildered, ashamed and felt they would not be believed.

Charges against Robinson included serious sexual assault, indecent assault and indecency against a child.

BBC journalist Paul Kenyon tracked Robinson down in the US and confronted him about the allegations for a documentary in 2003.

Speaking after the case, Det Ch Insp Steve Bimson said the sentence reflected the serious nature of the offences.

"For each of his victims, Robinson engaged in a course of behaviour that we would recognise today as a grooming process.

"He would become a trusted friend of the family able to mix freely in the family home, becoming liked and admired by the victims' parents, before engaging the victim in his sexual activity."

The Archdiocese of Birmingham said in a statement it sincerely regretted James Robinson's "serious betrayal of the trust placed in him".

The Archbishop of Birmingham, the Most Reverend Bernard Longley, said: "We hope that today's outcome will enable the victims and their families to bring the process of healing and ultimately bring some peace of mind."

He said the archdiocese had co-operated with police throughout the inquiry and had "robust safeguarding policies" as part of its commitment to the safety and protection of children and vulnerable people.

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