Collision (film)
Encyclopedia
Collision is a documentary film
released on October 27, 2009 featuring a debate between prominent atheist Christopher Hitchens
and Douglas Wilson
, Presbyterian pastor of Christ Church Moscow
. Described by Hitchens as a "buddy-and-road" movie, it provides an overview of several days worth of debates following the release of their book Is Christianity Good for the World? The book was generated by correspondence published in Christianity Today
.
. Wilson's agent heard the offer and put him in touch with Hitchens, leading to a series of written debates published in Christianity Today, which eventually were compiled into Is Christianity Good for the World? Filmmaker Darren Doane heard about the exchanges between the two and sought them out to make a film. The film was featured on CNN
, Fox News; NPR
; The Laura Ingraham
Show and others.
After the men finally met in person while shooting the film, both got along well, despite the heated exchanges, in part from a shared appreciation for P.G. Wodehouse.
that "I haven't yet run into an argument that has made me want to change my mind... However, I have discovered that the so-called Christian right is much less monolithic, and very much more polite and hospitable, than I would once have thought, or than most liberals believe."
Darren Doane
, the filmmaker, said: “These guys ended up at the bar laughing, joking, drinking. There were so many things that they had in common...Opinions on history and politics. Literature and poetry. They agreed on so many things. Except on the existence of God.”
Wilson argued that atheists could be good people, could share Christian values and Christians could repudiate many things atheists also repudiated: yet Wilson argued that atheists could not argue for an objective moral standard but could affirm a standard, if it happened to exist, that of "eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow maybe we die", but no other.
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
released on October 27, 2009 featuring a debate between prominent atheist Christopher Hitchens
Christopher Hitchens
Christopher Eric Hitchens is an Anglo-American author and journalist whose books, essays, and journalistic career span more than four decades. He has been a columnist and literary critic at The Atlantic, Vanity Fair, Slate, World Affairs, The Nation, Free Inquiry, and became a media fellow at the...
and Douglas Wilson
Douglas Wilson (theologian)
Douglas James Wilson is a conservative Reformed and evangelical theologian, pastor at Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho, faculty member at New Saint Andrews College, and prolific author and speaker...
, Presbyterian pastor of Christ Church Moscow
Christ Church (Moscow, Idaho)
Christ Church is a Reformed and evangelical church in Moscow, Idaho pastored by Douglas Wilson, and a member of the Confederation of Reformed Evangelical Churches...
. Described by Hitchens as a "buddy-and-road" movie, it provides an overview of several days worth of debates following the release of their book Is Christianity Good for the World? The book was generated by correspondence published in Christianity Today
Christianity Today
Christianity Today is an Evangelical Christian periodical based in Carol Stream, Illinois. It is the flagship publication of its parent company Christianity Today International, claiming circulation figures of 140,000 and readership of 290,000...
.
Production
The partnership between Hitchens and Wilson began in 2007, when Hitchens invited anyone to debate his viewpoints following the release of his book God is not GreatGod Is Not Great
God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything is a book by author and journalist Christopher Hitchens criticising religion. It was published in the United Kingdom as God Is Not Great: The Case Against Religion....
. Wilson's agent heard the offer and put him in touch with Hitchens, leading to a series of written debates published in Christianity Today, which eventually were compiled into Is Christianity Good for the World? Filmmaker Darren Doane heard about the exchanges between the two and sought them out to make a film. The film was featured on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
, Fox News; NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
; The Laura Ingraham
Laura Ingraham
Laura Anne Ingraham is an American radio host, author, and conservative political commentator. Her nationally syndicated talk show, The Laura Ingraham Show, airs throughout the United States on Talk Radio Network...
Show and others.
After the men finally met in person while shooting the film, both got along well, despite the heated exchanges, in part from a shared appreciation for P.G. Wodehouse.
Reception
Hitchens said in Slate MagazineSlate (magazine)
Slate is a US-based English language online current affairs and culture magazine created in 1996 by former New Republic editor Michael Kinsley, initially under the ownership of Microsoft as part of MSN. On 21 December 2004 it was purchased by the Washington Post Company...
that "I haven't yet run into an argument that has made me want to change my mind... However, I have discovered that the so-called Christian right is much less monolithic, and very much more polite and hospitable, than I would once have thought, or than most liberals believe."
Darren Doane
Darren Doane
Darren Doane is a Christian filmmaker and music video director. In 2007, Darren formed a new commercial, music video and branded content production company called LEVEL4 with Executive Producer Josh Karchmer...
, the filmmaker, said: “These guys ended up at the bar laughing, joking, drinking. There were so many things that they had in common...Opinions on history and politics. Literature and poetry. They agreed on so many things. Except on the existence of God.”
Wilson argued that atheists could be good people, could share Christian values and Christians could repudiate many things atheists also repudiated: yet Wilson argued that atheists could not argue for an objective moral standard but could affirm a standard, if it happened to exist, that of "eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow maybe we die", but no other.