Masterly. I never expected Douglas being that rational. Most atheists act like Hitchens (religion poisons everything) but as an atheist I completely agree with Douglas. Religion has its flows, atheism has its flows as well. If some people need religion, why not? Freedom is mutual, otherwise it’s not freedom.

Brilliant as ever, Murray.

Excellent debate. I was surprised that you were against the proposition, your arguments were pursuasive but I may have abstained as I still need to ponder them.

I did find mr Ramadan particularly objectionable despite his obvious charm. He says the humanist and atheists are dogmatic, that we all must engage with each other, not be dogmatic. The reason he is able to engage with people who do not believe in his religion, or anyone else’s for that matter is because of the freedoms that so many in this country lost their lives to achieve. The ability to “engage” is underpinned by a benevolent system of freedom of expression and conscience which lost its medieval superstitious control over us along time ago. We certainly could not have this debate in Iran, Saudi Arabia or medieval Britian. As one lady in the audience quite rightly pointed out its difficult to engsge with someone when they say your thoughts are wrong and you either convert to their way of thinking or die, your alternatives are limited, as in saudi arabia for instance where you can be imprisoned for witchcraft or be killed for blasphemy or apostasy. That’s dogmatic.

Debating with Richard Dawkins – unless the atheist evangelist was the subject of your debate.