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Shannon Stapleton / Reuters file
Author Christopher Hitchens outside his hotel in New York in June, 2010.
Christopher Hitchens, the author, essayist and polemicist who waged verbal and occasional physical battle on behalf of causes on the left and right and wrote the provocative best-seller "God is Not Great," died Thursday night after a long battle with cancer. He was 62.
Hitchens' death was announced in a statement from Conde Nast, publisher of Vanity Fair magazine. The statement says he died Thursday night at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston of pneumonia, a complication of his esophageal cancer.
Oct. 12: Author Christopher Hitchens explains why he does not feel President Obama deserves the Nobel Prize, calling it a prize for "affect" not "effect."
"There will never be another like Christopher. A man of ferocious intellect, who was as vibrant on the page as he was at the bar," said Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter. "Those who read him felt they knew him, and those who knew him were profoundly fortunate souls."
A most-engaged, prolific and public intellectual who enjoyed his drink (enough to "to kill or stun the average mule") and cigarettes, he announced in June 2010 that he was being treated for cancer of the esophagus and canceled a tour for his memoir, "Hitch-22."
Hitchens, a frequent television commentator and a contributor to Vanity Fair, Slate and other publications, had become a popular author in 2007 thanks to "God is Not Great," a manifesto for atheists that defied a recent trend of religious works. Cancer humbled, but did not mellow him. Even after his diagnosis, his columns appeared weekly, savaging the British royal family or reveling in the death of Osama bin Laden.
"I love the imagery of struggle," he wrote about his illness in an August 2010 essay in Vanity Fair. "I sometimes wish I were suffering in a good cause, or risking my life for the good of others, instead of just being a gravely endangered patient."
Eloquent and intemperate, bawdy and urbane, he was an acknowledged contrarian and contradiction -- half-Christian, half-Jewish and fully non-believing; a native of England who settled in America; a former Trotskyite who backed the Iraq war and supported George W. Bush. But his passions remained constant and enemies of his youth, from Henry Kissinger to Mother Teresa, remained hated.
April 17: Christopher Hitchens joins the Morning Joe gang to discuss the release of memos from the Bush administration that authorized the CIA to use harsh interrogation methods against suspected terrorists.
He was a militant humanist who believed in pluralism and racial justice and freedom of speech, big cities and fine art and the willingness to stand the consequences. He was smacked in the rear by then-British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and beaten up in Beirut. He once submitted to waterboarding to prove that it was indeed torture.
Hitchens was an old-fashioned sensualist who abstained from clean living as if it were just another kind of church. In 2005, he would recall a trip to Aspen, Colo., and a brief encounter after stepping off a ski lift.
"I was met by immaculate specimens of young American womanhood, holding silver trays and flashing perfect dentition," he wrote. "What would I like? I thought a gin and tonic would meet the case. `Sir, that would be inappropriate.' In what respect? `At this altitude gin would be very much more toxic than at ground level.' In that case, I said, make it a double."
An emphatic ally and inspired foe, he stood by friends in trouble ("Satanic Verses" novelist Salman Rushdie) and against enemies in power (Iran's Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini). His heroes included George Orwell, Thomas Paine and Gore Vidal (pre-Sept. 11,
2001). Among those on the Hitchens list of shame: Michael Moore, Saddam Hussein, Kim Jong Il, Sarah Palin, Gore Vidal (post Sept. 11) and Prince Charles.
"We have known for a long time that Prince Charles' empty sails are so rigged as to be swelled by any passing waft or breeze of crankiness and cant," Hitchens wrote in 2010 after the heir to the British throne gave a speech criticizing Galileo for the scientist's focus on "the material aspect of reality."
"He fell for the fake anthropologist Laurens van der Post. He was bowled over by the charms of homeopathic medicine. He has been believably reported as saying that plants do better if you talk to them in a soothing and encouraging way. But this latest departure promotes him from an advocate of harmless nonsense to positively sinister nonsense."
Vanity Fair's Christopher Hitchens discusses the sex abuse scandal at the Vatican.
Hitchens was born in Portsmouth, England, in 1949. His father, Eric, was a "purse-lipped" Navy veteran known as "The Commander"; his mother, Yvonne, a romantic who later killed herself during an extramarital rendezvous in Greece. Young Christopher would have rather read a book. He was a "a mere weed and weakling and kick-bag" who discovered that "words could function as weapons" and so stockpiled them.
In college, Oxford, he met such longtime friends as authors Martin Amis and Ian McEwan and claimed to be nearby when visiting Rhodes scholar Bill Clinton did or did not inhale marijuana. Radicalized by the 1960s, Hitchens was often arrested at political rallies, was kicked out of Britain's Labour Party over his opposition to the Vietnam War and became a correspondent for the radical magazine International Socialism. His reputation broadened in the 1970s through his writings for the more moderate New Statesman.
Long-haired and brooding and aflame with wit and righteous anger, he was a star of the left on paper and on camera, a popular television guest and a columnist for one of the world's oldest liberal publications, The Nation. In friendlier times, Vidal was quoted as citing Hitchens as a worthy heir to his satirical throne.
But Hitchens never could simply nod his head. He feuded with fellow Nation columnist Alexander Cockburn, broke with Vidal and angered liberals by stating that the child's life begins at conception. An essay for Vanity Fair was titled "Why Women Aren't Funny," and Hitchens wasn't kidding.
He had long been unhappy with the left's reluctance to confront enemies or friends. He would note his strong disappointment that Arthur Miller and other leading liberals shied from making public appearances on behalf of Rushdie after the Ayatollah Khomeini called for his death. He advocated intervention in Bosnia and the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in Iraq.
No Democrat angered him more than Clinton, whose presidency led to the bitter end of Hitchens' friendship with White House aide Sidney Blumenthal and other Clinton backers. As Hitchens wrote in his memoir, he found Clinton "hateful in his behavior to women, pathological as a liar, and deeply suspect when it came to money in politics."
He wrote the anti-Clinton book, "No One Left to Lie To," at a time when most liberals were supporting the president as he faced impeachment over his affair with Monica Lewinsky. Hitchens also loathed Hillary Rodham Clinton and switched his affiliation from independent to Democrat in 2008 just so he could vote against her in the presidential primary.
The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, completed his exit from the left. He fought with Vidal, Noam Chomsky and others who either suggested that U.S. foreign policy had helped caused the tragedy or that the Bush administration had advance knowledge. He supported the Iraq war, quit The Nation, backed Bush for re-election in 2004 and repeatedly chastised those whom he believed worried unduly about the feelings of Muslims.
"It's not enough that faith claims to be the solution to all problems," he wrote in 2009 after a Danish newspaper apologized for publishing cartoons of the prophet Muhammad that led Muslim organizations to threaten legal action. "It is now demanded that such a preposterous claim be made immune from any inquiry, any critique, and any ridicule."
His essays were compiled in such books as "For the Sake of Argument" and "Prepared for the Worst." He also wrote short biographies/appreciations of Paine and Thomas Jefferson, a tribute to Orwell and "Letters to a Young Contrarian (Art of Mentoring)," in which he advised that "Only an open conflict of ideas and principles can produce any clarity." A collection of essays, "Arguably," came out in September 2011 and he was planning a "book-length meditation on malady and mortality." He appeared in a 2010 documentary about the '60s topical singer Phil Ochs.
Survived by his second wife, author Carol Blue, and by his three children (Alexander, Sophia and Antonia), Hitchens had well-crafted ideas about posterity, clarified years ago when he saw himself referred to as "the late" Christopher Hitchens in print. For the May 2010 issue of Vanity Fair, before his illness, Hitchens submitted answers for the Proust Questionnaire, a probing and personal survey for which the famous have revealed everything from their favorite color to their greatest fear.
Dec. 15: Christopher Hitchens talks about Vice President Joe Biden, says the Afghan strategy is "ridiculous," and Sarah Palin is just doing things for effect.
His vision of earthly bliss: "To be vindicated in my own lifetime."
His ideal way to die: "Fully conscious, and either fighting or reciting (or fooling around)."
Leave a Comment:
Ironic that he died on the day that the US lowered the flag on Iraq. Many people first came to know of "Hitch" by way of his strident support of that war. To my knowledge he never recanted, and now on the that the war came to an end so does he.
it is ironic.
it's one of the few things about which i disagreed with him. it's unfortunate that he couldn't reevaluate his views on that war.
Patric, agreed. But that failure aside, I'll miss him. Sigh....
I will agree with the idea that his support for the war was not very favorable with the majority of his supporters, however, I do believe that the Argument he made in defense of his postion is well reasoned and logical - like most things Hitchens.
I hope he decomposes well (what else can one say to an atheist like him!?) and remains a symbol of reason and intellectualism for our current and future generation of thinkers. Many thinkers have been given hope by him for his ability in the use of the english language, and art of wit, in defense of reason and sanity. May his name, philosophy and cynicism carry and another pick up where he has left of.
i would have loved to have heard his thoughts on how overrated timmy tebows is. just cause the broncos are winning doesnt prove jesis is our savior. rather, the broncos winning again proves that hell has cold winters.
Christopher Hitchens was a brilliant and unapologetic intellect. His prinicipled voice will truly be missed. This is a sad day! Hitchens was one of the Plaintiffs challenging the Bush Administration's illegal warrantless wiretapping program! We will miss you Christopher!
I think Hitch saw the Iraq war as a battle waged between secular democracies and a religious tyrannical state. Although I see religion as a threat to global peace, democracy and equality as he did, I disagreed with him about the invasion and occupation of Iraq. The methods were wrong and the amount of resources and lives necessary to win the war did not make it worthwhile.
I've watched countless debates of his where he was a eloquent advocate of reason against religious apologists. I will miss his charming British accent and his sharp wit.
The man was 100% positive that he was right 100% of the time, (in his mind). So petty that he registered as a Democrat to vote against someone? Let's see, narcissistic, combative, arrogant.
The good--Dressed well.
A different breed of journalist, a Brokaw or Walter Cronkite spoke and you listened. He didn't make blatent political statements. while others just inflame and pander to be the confrontative guest or interviewer. Hitchens was the latter.
"The man was 100% positive that he was right 100% of the time"
I think that's the definition of British.
Hitchens was a brilliant man and a masterful polemicist whom you could admire even if you disagreed with him on certain issues. He had the historical knowledge and intellect to see the threat Islam posed to human rights and freedom throughout the world. When Salmon Rushdie was the subject of a death sentence by the Islamic leader of Iran for the " crime " of writing a book, Hitchens openly defended him when other public intellectuals ran for cover out of fear. With his great gifts you always knew regardless of which side of an issue he took he would destroy his opponent in a debate. And you always knew that his argument would be concise , well thought out and brimming with scintillating words and air tight logic. He will be missed.
I always had a love-hate relationship with Hitch. I agreed with him on many things, he made me deeply think on others and made my blood boil on the rest. A man of great intellect he was a singular voice.
I will miss him. All my best. You challenged me and led me think for myself.
Rest in peace and find what you were always searching for.
Even when I disagreed with his point of view, his writing was astonishing, and his intellect made the world a much more interesting place. He would have appreciated the irony of dying just as the Iraq war ended... but a cheerful agnostic has to wonder if maybe he's getting a chance to enjoy it after all.
Otherwise, may his remains be buried or scattered in a pleasant place, and may more troublemakers like Christopher Hitchens come along to tell our stories and rattle our cages.
His disgust for the disgusting is truly satisfying.
I remember when The Nation magazine was an obscure publication only college students and academics cared to read, and how the MSM completely ignored publications like it and everyone writing for them.
Back then I'd see Hitchens interviewed once every ten years, usually late at night on PBS, as if his views had to be carefully hidden from the minds of children.
I'm glad he finally got the attention he deserved during the last 8 years or so, along with The Nation and its editorial board who I now have the pleasure to see almost daily on the MSM.
A few years ago I wrote him to thank him for his support of the Palestinian cause throughout the years. A couple of days later I got an email titled "Hitchens here". He was kind enough to write me back to say "you're welcome".
The man was a walking encyclopedia and I always learn new things every time I read any of his writings and, for that, I'll always be grateful to him.
Rest in peace...
Such a great talent, great writer, great man, and one of the most logical, rational thinkers of our time.
Rest in Peace, Mr. Hitchens. I learned a LOT from you.
Not enough people in this world think for themselves, Christopher was a bright light in that respect, you will be missed.
Someone just described mainstream American christians... (ironically, the people who hated him most for speaking factually and logically...)
The most telling thing about Hitchens in this instance is, I think this is the most intelligent reader discussion I've ever seen on this site. Even when I disagreed with Hitchens's arguments, they made sense. It just came down to a difference in personal convictions. This is what arguments should boil down to in the end; free of deceit. The biggest tragedy in Hitchens's death is the loss of a rare individual capable of engaging in, and inspiring, reasoned debate. The clash of ideas is the sound of freedom. RIP.
So he thought he was right 100% of the time. He wrote a book called "God is Not Great," He now knows he was wrong!
Since he was all over the map with his likes and dislikes, there is something there for everybody to embrace. From his perspective he was shooting from the hip as I like to say, or calling a spade a spade. Again, from his perspective only. His assessment of Bill is quite correct and yet look at the approval ratings. I understand that because Bill is very likeable and Hillary does a good job of looking very busy as if she is accomplishing anything at all. It is all an illusion that the American people are certainly buying.
Hitch really loathed how religion has so much influence without any proof the tenets revered are factual. I do not support organized religion for myself, because it is hard for me as a purist to sit in a pew with a bunch of people I know to be hypocrites. At the same time, I am very spiritual and absolutely do believe in divine intervention. When my father was failing, his young doctor sat down with my mother and myself, and asked us to please let him go. He asked us to say our goodbyes and give him permission to leave. We did. He died within the hour. My sister just did the same thing this week for a friend that died shortly after being given permission. So Hitch was wrong about needing proof of a higher power. There has always been proof. What is morally wrong is how humans have twisted religion to suit their own agendas.
I sincerely hope that Hitch is resting in peace.
Spectacularj1:
The war in Iraq was a losing cause because the Iraqi's themselves couldn't pull themselves up to the task of building a better country while under a security blanket provided by the Americans. Saadam was by all evidence a meglomaniac sociopath and a terror for any who opposed him. His son Uday was a rapist protected by the capricious laws of his father. The middle east is in a period of upheaval, and here the Iraqi's had a chance to shed the dogs of the past that kept them the backward nation they were. The Americans entered the war on false evidence, but they offered Iraq expertise, freedom, security and resources to make a new, better future. Instead, the Iraqis resorted to sectarian strife, Al Quaida style terrorism, and tribal warfare. The Americans came under false pretense, but offered an escape and a new future. And they were rejected because they are Kafr.
The Arab spring participants want our help to shed the oppression, yet reject the helper once their objection is accomplished. From all appearances, the Islamic mind needs cruel, suppressive dictatorship to run it, and keep it in check. Islam, human rights and democracy are proven incompatible.
If the war was a waste, it was also an education at the cost of many lives, (mostly Iraqis killing Iraqis). But America is not entirely to blame, the Iraqis wasted the opportunity to show the world the people they really are.
Perhaps the Islamic inspired terror Timur would have served as a role model for invasion. Timur slaughtered hundreds of thousands, raped and enslaved, obliterated cities, and forced conversions of local populations. He depleted temple gold, then buned the temples to the ground. The oil still belongs to and still finances Iraq. Rape was a courtmartial offense. Cities were allowed the opportunity to prosper, if they wanted. No mosques were burned, nothing was stolen.
Germany Japan and Italy suffered the same fate, of American occupation, and they took the opportunity to build something new. So sad for Iraq.
The Muslims will never take responsibility for their own problems. They will always blame somebody else.
RIP Christopher, you were a voice of reason, but not everyone listened.
karl-dean, read on below and you will see that "intelligent reader discussion" did not last very long. :)
there will never be another one like christopher.
my condolences to his wife and daughter.
i have a friend who is being treated for breast cancer at md anderson. they did their best to save him.
rest in peace chris.
The christian crazies will be all over this only because he was atheist........... wait.
Hitchens thrived on and within contradictions. Only journalist of modern times who could untangle the strands of a spider web, then with overwhelming wit, explain the brilliance or gross stupidity of the spiders architectural acumen. I did not always agree with him, but I always respected him. Come to think of it, I think that is why I liked him so much. You did great Hitch. I salute you. I'll remember
who is this guy? whatever...
I never read any of Hitchen's stuff, so not much to say here. The only thing of his I've ever read is a debate on God's existence that he had with William Lane Craig, in which Hitchens lost badly, because Craig kept steering the discussion onto the philosophical question. Hitchens had no philosophical training and was completely unequipped to argue that side of it. When it came to political and social questions he did a lot better.
too bad. there will be no resting in peace for this soul.
Too bad he didn't believe in God! I bet he wishes he did now! Too late!!
brian-1077790:
A superior question would be, "Who the hell are YOU?"
Christopher left the world the same way he lived in it — with grace, eloquence, and original thought. He was published more times than anyone could count. He was one of the foremost intellectuals of our time.
And you ask who he was... wow.
Well, good luck on being remembered in this fashion.
And Christopher... thanks for everything.
The word "HOPE" is alien to an atheist even in decomposition. But him being a vociferous mouthpiece of atheism for the past 30 or so years has solidify the faith of millions of Christians including me. It takes more faith to believe in atheism than believing in the God of the Bible who created all that is. He himself was not too sure of life after death, and just like Stephen Hawking and Charles Darwin who claimed to have no faith, they did not have faith in their theory. Now he knows that man was created in the image of God, and is a living soul according to the Bible. Perhaps now he knows that there really is heaven and hell. If you are really smart take "Pascal's wager", because at the end of the day God is still God whether you believe Him or not.
I really didn't like Chris Hitchens, and I disagreed with him on a number of issues. I still remember him yelling "SILENCE" to the rest of the guests on Chris Mathews show, while discussing the Clinton/Lewinsky situation a few years back.
However, he was an opinionated man who spoke from his own beliefs, and held his groundin a debate. (Except, against George Galloway, lol)
Sincere condolences to his family.
It is appointed once to die after death is the judgement. what does it profit Christopher Hitchens to gain every thing on earth and lose his soul it might as well he was not born , God is our creater and only what you do for christ will last.
As you have no evidence that any of your deranged ravings is true, I am left to say you are merely trolling on a news article announcing the death of a very intelligent and moral man. If you are capable of shame you should, indeed, be ashamed of yourself.
May he not endure the agony of "resting in peace". Eternal bliss for him, which he did not embrace, would be fighting hypocracy and wrong-headedness everywhere forever. His own view would be that his remains feed a minion of dueling combatants, bringing more clarity with every verbal thrust.
" It takes more faith to believe in atheism than believing in the God of the Bible who created all that is."
You demonstrate a fundamental lack of knowledge about atheism. For most atheists, it is a matter on non belief. Give an atheist the evidence, and let him examine it. If it holds up, then he will have no choice but to believe.
Unfortunately for theists, there is not a shred of evidence to support religious nonsense, and it is not for lack of trying. Some of the greatest minds of the ages devised various "proofs", but none of them, the teleological argument, the cosmological argument, etc, held up to vigorous scrutiny.
That's why "faith" is so important to theist. They really have nothing else.
But consider this. The guys with the strongest faith are those to strap on a bomb to they can blow up themselves and a school bus filled with children. They have faith that somehow, after death, 72 virgins will be compelled to satisfy them.
Now, don't we all wish that these stupid, sad losers had asked for evidence of these virgins instead of listening to con men about faith?
Hooey. Faith, by definition, is belief in that for which there is no evidence. Atheism, by definition, is a lack of belief in any God or Gods. This doesn't require faith, it requires simply the intellectual courage to reject the brainwashing that religion attempts to impose.
No, he's not. He doesn't exist, and Hitch had the guts to say so, publicly and repeatedly. He, and his voice of reason continually raised in opposition to that of delusion and fantasy, will be sorely missed.
Since he was atheist, I believe the appropriate phrase HE would have chosen is "rest in pieces". He understood and celebrated his right to disagree vocally, and the reason I have such great respect for him was his eloquence in doing so. His diction was never trite, and his logic followed the path less traveled.
Who will fill his shoes? Nobody ever filled Tim Russert's spot.
Damnit, not Christopher Hitchens
And yet Cheney lives on. Proof there is no God!
To the Christian he was a lost soul that now cannot be recoverd.
Yawwwnn...
"According to the Bible"??
Help me understand: This would be the same book, which, in the 10 commandments gives more credence to a Thought Crime ("Thou shalt not covet") than say, to a far more nobler idea that "You shouldn't do harm to children" - which, sadly enough, did not even make the "Top Ten". (I'm roughly paraphrasing Mr. Hitchen's words here).
I think he'll do just fine from this point on.
As a Christian, I found his contempt for religious people appauling. I have NO IDEA why, if he didn't believe, he had to make such a POINT out of not only stating that he didn't believe but to ridicule those of us that do??? It's not like we all strap bombs to ourselves or fly planes into buildings - and one doesn't need religion to do such a thing, either (McVeigh, Anders Brevik, etc.).
However, even though he was allegedly a "leftist," I found myself agreeing with him on political subjects more often than not. He was right about Iraq AND waterboarding. He wasn't right about Believers, though - I wish he would have left people alone on that. You can't convince someone they're wrong about their beliefs by making fun of them; it just makes us dig in our heels all the harder. Probably the most offensive thing he ever wrote was about Hanukkah - just ridiculing Jews, who've suffered plenty just for being Jewish, because they celebrate Hanukkah. What harm ever came from Hanukkah? And then to find out he was actually part Jewish - what was he REALLY doing, paying back some relative he had a problem with? I just don't understand his bitterness. He should have stuck with politics and current events, and left religious people alone.
'It's not like we all strap bombs to ourselves or fly planes into buildings -'
Not yet, your still at the shoot the doctor in the head at church phase.
' He should have stuck with politics and current events, and left religious people alone.'
Perhaps when religious people mind their own business and quit trying to legislate their own morality (laughable as it is) on the rest of us.
Perhaps you should consult your fairy tale book regarding the part about removing the wood from your own eyes before the mote in others eyes.
But then 'practice what you preach' is never high on religious folks lists, is it?
T Bourlon; His intent was to expose the logics or lack thereof, of “religions”. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. I’m pretty sure most people get frustrated when trying to change someone else's fixed perceptions about anything, just think about Leonardo Davinci or Christopher Columbus.
FYI, I have read the books of Sam Harris, Peter Singer, Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, Daniel Dennet just to name the famous and contemporary ones, (not to mention Bertrand Russell). I don't think you know something about atheism that these guys have not covered in their books, that I don't know. I have also watched and listened to the debate between any of these guys against John Lennox, William Lane Craig and Dinnesh D'Souza. You should watch their debates objectively, and decide for yourself whose proposition is more believable.
I know everything about atheism, you however is ignorant about christian faith. It is understandable because you don't bother examining, why we believe, what we believe. You know that Sir Isaac Newton who discovered the law of gravity was a christian, Blaise Pascal was a believer and Francis Collins who is a scientist, currently the director of National Institute of Health (NIH), a very intellectual individual is an evangelical christian and a friend of Christopher Hitchens. I mentioned these individuals to you to prove a point, that it is not the lack of evidence of God that is the problem but the suppression of it. Clearly just like the rest of us Christians these people have spent their lives examining the evidence and were convinced through the lens of scientific research that there is a God. I don't think you have higher IQ compared to these people yet they are humble enough to admit, based on scientific evidence that there is a God.
"Clearly just like the rest of us Christians these people have spent their lives examining the evidence and were convinced through the lens of scientific research that there is a God. I don't think you have higher IQ compared to these people yet they are humble enough to admit, based on scientific evidence that there is a God."
This is satire right?
T Bourlon, in response to WHY he would go out of his way to say what he did, what chaps his hide most, and the same goes pretty much for the rest of us non-believers, is the hypocrisy of those of you who do believe. If you all actually followed the advice of your supposed saviors and special books and actually showed love to everyone and forgave those who trespassed against you, there wouldn't be any problems. But instead of doing this, for most of the last 2000 years, religious people of many creeds (with the possible exception of Taoism, which so far as I know has never been the cause of war) have been doing incredibly heinous violence against anyone who doesn't agree with you. THIS is what we atheists hate most, and this is the primary source of our beef against religion.
I really should have added Nicolaus Copernicus to that "short" list. Fortunately many followers picked up their batons and ran with them. Thanks to Mr. Hitchens for running the race.
There was much I disagreed with Mr. Hitchens about, particularly his cheerleading for McFlightsuit and the Iraq War, but there was much I agreed with him on.
His biting and intellectual wit will be sorely missed ... Now, in honor of Mr. Hitchens, I will partake in a lo-ball of a good, stiff scotch ...
Christopher Hitchins will always carry a big light to see in the darkness of illogigal stupidity. I will miss your beautiful wit and the eloquince of our common language. I hope your loved ones can accecpt your passing knowing that you will be missed by many.
You mean like THIS one?
When have I ever committed any heinous violence againt anyone who doesn't agree with me??? Are you talking about the Crusades? That was a long time ago, you know, so were the Salem witch trials. And yet, atheists act like modern-day Christians burn people at the stake every day, and then have the nerve to call ME a hypocrit? Atheists hate Christians because we allegedly hate atheists - are you familiar with the pot and the kettle?
Acosmet
To an outsider or one who chooses to be an outsider, the logic of those inside may not be understood. Many Religions are illogical - they fall on themselves. But there are two which don't, the problem is that the followers have a tendency to do things in their own understanding, which makes the logic appear to fail.
The entire point of the Judeaic law isn't to save a person, but rather to get them to see how they as human beings in their own strength cannot follow 10 simple commandments to the full spirit.
In a sense, ANYTHING can be a god, including intellect, and freedom.
Does Pol Pot rings a bell Mike? He was an atheist, killed between 3 to 5 million of his own people in three years. How about Stalin an atheist, razed thousands of churches to the ground, persecuted thousands of Christians and killed millions of people in the name of his personal belief that there is no God. This is just to name a few. Of course, it is not fair to lump you with the likes of these people although you have the same set of belief. Equally, it is not fair to bunch us true Christians with those who killed thousands (not millions)in the name of "religion".
It is a historical fact that those who followed atheism have tortured and killed millions, not counting the unborn (40 million and counting)than those who called themselves "Christians" and yet killed those who reject their teaching.
I guess now that you know the truth, you now have a ground to have a beef against atheism.
So its ok if you murder in the name of religion, as long as others murder more then you, not in the name of religion?
Is that one of the secret commandments?
I went back to my post and re-read it carefully. I wanted to make sure that I did not say what you just said. Since Mike was talking about the number of casualties in the name of religion and atheism. I needed to bring up the number. By the way, are you convinced that those who followed atheism killed more than those who followed "Christianity", in so short period a time?
I am totally appalled at what those who claimed to follow Christ did to the people who rejected the teaching of Christianity. If you look at the teaching of Christ closely, you can tell that He did not approve of what those barbarians did. And I can categorically say based on their actions that they were not true followers of Christ. That is why I said that it is not fair to bunch the true followers of Christ with them in as much as I cannot lump you with Pol Pot, Hitler, Kim Jong Ill, Mussolini and Stalin although you believe what they believed.
Pol Pot did not kill in the name of atheism. He was a nut who didn't believe in God. Stalin Killed for control and power not for some belief in atheism.
LOL... I was waiting for your post, ZZ. The first stupid "Hitchens is in hell" post. I got a nice chuckle from your very quant and superstitious perspective.
DB Akon; Judaic law (which I'm not familiar with, but form your short synopsis) appears to be somewhat like Zen Buddhism beliefs, which I can appreciate. Zen was instrumental in my development/perspective. Judaism as you put it though, purposes that one cannot obtain the goals which it prescribes due to our own humanity “flaws”. Where Zen doesn’t lay out “commandments” but, rather to pursue one’s own enlightenment as to what behavior/life/consciousness is. “Know thyself”.
.
Neither Pol Pot nor Stalin killed for the hate of religion. They both committed heinous acts in the name of their political party, which for some can feel like a religion, but for your argument renders them both inapplicable.
He did not believe in a god first (atheism) that relieved him of personal accountability and freed him from the fear of divine justice then he became a nut and killed millions.
Stalin did not believe in a god, and just like what Dostoyevsky said, "if God does not exist, everything is permissible".
Sad today -- had the pleasure and the daunting task of entertaining Hitch one time during a book tour -- small town, small private college and reading of his work. Read, ate, drank, drank, drank, talked philosophy and Mother Theresa into the wee hours, and drank. Won't ever forget it, or him. Uncle Saul's Worm Farm, indeed.
W- 2719163
Your response still does not change the fact that the inquisition(where there was not only killing but torture) the crusades, the Salem witch hangings and family imprisonments, and the killings during the reformation were done the name of Christianity and were sponsored by Christian institutions. That's a whole different kettle of fish than a couple of nuts killing for political power. I guess you'd have to ask those christian institutions about Dostoyevsky and all things permissible.
Stalin followed Lenin's teaching who (himself was an atheist who killed thousands) said that, "religion is an opium that needed to be removed in order to construct the ideal communist society". His government promoted atheism through special atheistic education in schools, massive amounts of anti-religious propaganda, the anti-religious work of the society of the godless, discriminatory laws against religion, terror campaign against religious believers to the point where it was dangerous to be associated with religion in the late 1930's. Please prove me wrong historically not just some ramblings. They believed that there is no god, therefore everything is permissible.
Not believing there is a god does not free a person of moral responsibility. Just because those people were Atheists does not negate the fact that their crimes against humanity were committed to further their POLITICAL agendas, not their beliefs.
There have been, on the other hand, a multitude of heinous acts committed by "god-fearing" peoples in the name of their religious beliefs.
Think your argument through before you make it.
"That is why I said that it is not fair to bunch the true followers of Christ with them in as much as I cannot lump you with Pol Pot, Hitler, Kim Jong Ill, Mussolini and Stalin although you believe what they believed."
Typical, you presume to know what others believe (sky zombie speaking to you?) and yes you make the argument that religious murder is to be overlooked/explained away, due the occurrence of many more non-religious murders. The fact that you rail against lumping of all Christians together by others yet do the same to atheists is more proof of your illogical train of thought. (But that's what faith and belief are, whatever you want them to be, get it?).
It's sad that you need this crutch, perhaps someday you will get well.
Coach I agree with you. But if you are going to hang those barbaric acts around my neck since I am a christian, although historically they were not true followers of Christ based on their practices, then I am going to hang around your neck those heinous acts that the atheists did in the name of their conviction which you happen to believe.
eaw and BoredwiththesameO, I think you have to re-read my posts, dissect it, then think about it. And please no condescending comments, insults or disrespect. We are just discussing just like your idol the late Christopher Hitchens love to do. I am trying to avoid stereotyping.
Don't mean to hang them on you, just reinforcing Hitch that God(as demonstrated by many of his followers) is not great. I think that's what started this thread.I don't believe there is a God I also don't believe there isn't a God. I am convinced however that there is no god who is involved in our personal lives. "if there is a God it probably doesn't know we are here."
Fair enough CoachP, I respect your personal belief. Maybe the hound of heaven is on your trail.
Thanks for the backup, Coach and SameO,
For the others, once again, the issue is with HYPOCRISY. If you want to compare the rap sheets of all christians and all atheists since time immemorial, it'll probably come out about equal, but that's not the point.
Atheists don't proclaim to believe in the source of all love and forgiveness, and then go out and murder in his name.
As far as the, "Oh, that was back in the dark ages" excuse, as if that would excuse anything anyway, have you forgotten the doctors who have been assassinated by those who don't think abortion should be legal? Have you forgotten Matthew Sheppard who was virtually crucified on a barbed wire fence and the scores of other youngsters who have been driven to suicide by the ceaseless mockery of religious homophobes? And before you protest that we don't KNOW that these homophobes are so called "christians", the belief in a narrow minded fundamentalist interpretation of either the bible or the koran is always at the root of homophobia. And finally, although they haven't actually killed anyone, there is a group that commits heinous verbal violence towards our noble war dead on an almost weekly, if not daily basis. Let me remind you of just one thing... The Westboro Baptist Church.
If you really want to prove yourself a Christian, and you're willing to act as Christ did in calling out the hypocrites he saw around him, then first, I exhort you in the name of all that you consider holy, go down there and rebuke these bastards into silence, and secondly get the leaders of your churches to stop their ridiculous opposition to gay marriage. Then, and only then, we'll talk about what heinous acts are or are not taking place here and now in this country.
If you believe in the ridiculous, you must accept ridicule. Frankly on its face the religious argument is not able to be factually discussed due the inherent nature of faith.
A sane man cannot reconcile truth and belief. One is factual and one is subjective.
BTW a human who dies and returns to life ascending to the heavens is by definition a Sky Zombie.
The censorship by this site of comments critical of Hitchens would be deplored by him. He was ever a champion of the right of all to think what they want and say what they think. Why not stop collapsing comments out of respect for the man about whom we are commenting.
W
You do not favor your cause of belief in God with your irrational rantings. You have selected some "killer atheists" from the past, such as Pol Pot and Joseph Stalin, in an attempt to show that atheists are bad, or that atheists are immoral, or that atheists are killers, but you failed to reveal what that has to do with Christopher Hichens, or any other atheist for that matter. Certainly, Mr. Hichens was an atheist. He would never deny that belief (or, as you would express it, his lack of belief). Mr. Hichens was not a murderer and, in fact, I don't believe that you can realistically connect him with any crime against humanity.
So what is your point, W. That some atheists are murderers and war criminals. Have you thought about the list of murders and war criminals who consider themselves Christian? How about other religions? In is only in Buddhism that you begin to stubble for the names of despicable characters.
Christopher Hichens realized an important truth that escapes you. No religion assures exemplary behavior and atheism has no relationship to murder or any other crime against humanity. Atheism is rejection of belief in the supernatural. Period.
I meant struggle, not "stubble"
For the very same reason that believers make such a fuss about their belief system, and for feeling so sorry for those who don't believe - that's why.
LOL. Most of the time, a belief in cultism has NOTHING to do with a person's
IQ. Most often, it is one of two things, or a combination of both:
1. They grow up indoctrinated/brainwased into a cult of fear (like christianity)
and, no matter how long they live and no matter how intelligent they become,
cannot ever shed the silly cult beliefs they've had brainwashed into their
memory.
2. They are so afraid of death/dying, and so afraid of the
unknown/what-happens-after, that they simply cannot fathom living a life
without some guarantee that they'll be "ok" after they die. That fear
is so intense for some people, that they need the Crutch of cult belief (like
christianity) that gives them some formula to insure/ensure that they'll be
"happy and floating around with sky daddy" after they die.
And christianity is easy -- no christians live their values every day. They
know they never have to. They already know they are going to fail, and none of
them want lives of inconvenience where they follow ALL of the tenets given to
them by their jesus-myth. They just scream at gay people for being sinners,
which makes them "crusaders for goodness" and then, on a wholescale
level, ignore all the other tenets regarding hoarding wealth and greed,
pre-marital or extra-marital sex, divorce, judging other people, and on and on
and on, and convince themselves that they get their reward because, no matter
what, they're forgiven because the jesus-myth was murdered by romans (which
means he was the victim of a crime of THEIR doing) and that he sacrificed
himself for all of everyone today (which means he actually engineered his own
death, making it a self-sacrificing gesture to all of us) --- and, essentially,
you cannot have BOTH of those circumstances, because that is COMPLETE and TOTAL
ILLOGIC, but xians don't care about logic, reason or critical thinking, they
just care about brainwashing nonsense, fear, and silly ritualistic dogma which
is, in the long run, completely meaningless and foolish. But it still gives
them a crutch so they can deal with reality thru a veil of bronze-age nonsense
and ignorant mythology.
also known as "why smart people believe dumb things"
Prove it! Oh yeah, that's right... As always, YOU CAN'T!
One of the greatest--no one could be surprised but I'm still shocked. At least we are left with many brilliant writings and videos of his exceptional work. We lost an irreplaceable warrior for humanity and reason, one of a kind.
I agree that he was one of the greatest, largely because the primary mission of an essayist is to cause others to think and decide. He was wrong nearly as often as he was right, but he always made his readers examine their own beliefs
Fuel and don97524 -- Well said.
“[O]wners of dogs will have noticed that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they will think you are god. Whereas owners of cats are compelled to realise that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they draw the conclusion that they are gods.”
- Hitchens
Perfect. Thank you.
A bright light in the world has gone out and humankind has lost a great man. Fare thee well Hitch, you will be sorely missed. *Raises a Johnny Black in honor*
very sad. he was truly a great thinker. (tho i thought his support of the iraq war was misguided and out of character)
in a hyper-saturated media environment replete with irrationality, he was a rare and welcome dose of reason and intelligence. he'll be missed.
Hitchens was a rare character: brilliant, maddening, principled, witty, contrary, erudite, literate, fascinating, but never, ever boring or tedious. He will be sorely missed.
RIP. an original in a world of corporate, sycophantic clones.
PUNDIT? Anything but. Hitchens had a massive intellect, and the clarity to direct it. And sadly, the "godly" and "moral" Christians across this country will be silently (and not silently) celebrating his death. The loss of Hitchens is a enormous loss to the movement of equality of non-religious rights and advocacy for its views. Hitchens intellect and wit may never be replaced, but the movement to shed this country of religious dogma and illegal activity will only become stronger.
So obviously you speak for every single one of us Christians eh? How nice of you. Thanks for lumping me in with the rest and silencing my own unique voice. A person died, he was no greater nor lesser a man than anyone else. He had ideas, and spoke them. That was his voice, and it resonated with many, obviously or else he would not have been a breaking news story.
Rest in peace person of whom I have never heard of until this moment and became curious of what he may have written when I saw this article.
God Bless and Merry Christmas.
NyNy - Grow up, you sad little man.
Grow up??? Sad little man??? ROFL!!! So you think your absurd slam will make him feel bad? I certainly agreed with his post!
Christopher has, by now, found out how very wrong he was concerning God. I pray that God has mercy on his soul.
Merry Christmas to all!
Linda, how do you know that for certain? You should admit that it's only your belief and not necessarily a fact.
No he hasn`t Linda M-311663...at least if you are refering to awakening in the presence of "god". That doesn`t happen until "judgement day" when the living and the dead find out where they are going.
Here we go. LIke the contents of a backed-up toilet, fundamentalist malice now begins to surge into Christopher Hitchens' obituary, to remind us why he sorta kinda didn't have a whole lot of use for religion.
One doesn't have to be an atheist like Hitchens to despise the childish self-righteousness and outright meanness that characterizes Bible-banger Christians. Every since genocide became unfashionable, you've had to satisfy your miserable selves with hoping publicly and loudly that everyone who won't buy into your institutionalized hatred will burn for all eternity -- and then you have the gall to whine when we abandon your church?
The universe isn't a neat little appliance with a handy set of operating instructions and a warning label. It's not an instrument of torture that you can use on people you don't like. During this lifetime, how about minding your own business and taking responsibility for your own behavior, for a change?
As for fairytales, give me the Three Bears over both Testaments and their kid brother the Koran. At least a bear will only kill you if it's hungry.
Seems to be a lot more people crying about the bible who obviously have not read it or would know by definition a "Christian" does not torture people. If you are too ignorant to understand people use religions to their benefit while pretending to be in said religion, you should read this book that is a few thousand years old and it will explain that also. Again by definition a "Christian" is "Christ" like and Christ never tortured so your 4 paragraphs are a little flawed.
@jabberwockyed - Like most Christians, you claim to know what's in the bible but you've obviously never read it yourself. Allow me to enlighten you:
Genesis 9:6
Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.
(torture is ok as punishment)
Exodus 21:20-21
If a man beats his male or female slave with a rod and the slave dies as a direct result, he must be punished, but he is not to be punished if the slave gets up after a day or two, since the slave is his property.
(beating your slave is ok if they live)
Deuteronomy 25:2
If the guilty man deserves to be beaten, the judge shall make him lie down and have him flogged in his presence with the number of lashes his crime deserves,
(some beatings are deserved)
Joshua 23:13
then you may be sure that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become snares and traps for you, whips on your backs and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land, which the LORD your God has given you.
(God may send people to beat you for your sins)
2 Chronicles 10:14
he followed the advice of the young men and said, "My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions."
(better to be scourged with whips then scorpions)
Nehemiah 13:25
I rebuked them and called curses down on them. I beat some of the men and pulled out their hair. I made them take an oath in God's name and said: "You are not to give your daughters in marriage to their sons, nor are you to take their daughters in marriage for your sons or for yourselves."
(Nehemiah is usually held as an example of a very just and good leader and here he beats some of his people)
Psalm 89:32
I will punish their sin with the rod, their iniquity with flogging;
(God uses rods and flogging)
Proverbs 18:6
A fool's lips bring him strife, and his mouth invites a beating.
(the first of many proverbs about beating fools)
Proverbs 19:29
Penalties are prepared for mockers, and beatings for the backs of fools
(see above)
Proverbs 20:30
Blows and wounds cleanse away evil, and beatings purge the inmost being.
(beatings can improve you)
I am one Christian who does not celebrate the death of anyone. And I leave judging to God. May Mr. Hitchens rest in peace.
seen too much, I disagree. I think you should cebrate the death of anyone that has died in Christ. Heaven is worth celebrating. Life is short here but an eternity there. I am ready to go where there is no hate and all love. That is what we are promised if you are a believer.
Real Christians are not celebrating Christopher Hitchens' death; we are praying for him. I never read whatever he wrote on Mother Teresa, but I ask you how could anybody have hated her? I really feel sorry for all of you who have been influenced or have applauded his atheistic views. My vision (I fear, for I do not judge) of his death aftermath is not that Chris no longer exists but that instead he fell into hell with a thud. To his dismay he must now have learned that there is an afterlife. Or maybe, I hope, on the verge of dying, he sought the comfort and love we all need -- and was forgiven.
nyny-2742735
A person died, he was no greater nor lesser a man than anyone else. He had ideas, and spoke them. That was his voice, and it resonated with many, obviously or else he would not have been a breaking news story. could be said about the one called jesus!
LOL. What self-important, ignorant, deluded twaddle. More of the same ole, same ole "my unprovable cult mythology is the right one -- YOUR unprovable cult mythology is clearly wrong!!"
It must make you feel special to trapse around, pretending to know the unknowable... (sigh)
Wow. You hit that one squarely on the head. Well said.
Wow. You hit that one squarely on the head. Well said.
Melissa - Bravo, well said, you must have been a student of CH.
I will very much miss the man. While I might disagree witrh him on Iraq he was 99% correct on everything else.
BM - step in front of a moving car please....you will get there a lot sooner.
"God is dead." -- Nietsche
"Nietsche is dead." -- God
Ha, ha. How clever. That's only been around for, what? Forty or fifty years?
Guess what? Nietzsche (correct spelling) is indeed dead. As is Hitchens. As to God - well, since He never existed, He could hardly be said to be dead, now, could He? Nor could Hitchens be meeting Him at long last, being thoroughly dead himself.
Deep peace to you, Christopher.
GregW76, you are a new user but please look over the Code of Honor.
DMorgan, your slams are blessings to me and I thank you for them. With that said, how do I know? I know by how my life has changed so completely since I accepted Jesus as my Savior. The peace and joy I experience really does surpass all understanding. I pray that you may experience that same peace and joy someday!
To Melissa-1175724-1762238 " At least a bear will only kill you if it's hungry."
I dare you to go stand next to a fully fed bear in the wild. I like to test this theory and see if it doesn't attack and kill you.
Some people speak without thinking.
For some reason it double posted. ignore this one.
Linda M
Christopher Hichens' issue with religion was that he favored rationality over superstition. He had a basic belief in the teachings of the Sermon On The Mount and demonstrated that belief with his reasoned essays about equality and other humanistic goals, but he recognized that Christianity nor any other religion has corner on the market when it comes to admirable conduct as a human being. He was continually astounded that people who were otherwise rational and conducted their lives by basing beliefs and decisions on rational thought could abandon rationality in the realm of religious belief.
Why is it that you cannot accept the teachings of Jesus Christ in the way you treat other people and conduct yourself as a human being without a concurrent belief in events that defy the laws of nature, such as immaculate conception, walking on water, feeding the multitudes with a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish, etc., etc? Why must one accept the impossible in order to be accepted into your cult?
Christopher Hichens did not commit the all-to-common act of deciding to become a Christian when it was clear that his days were numbered, and I'm sure that nothing happened post-death to convince him that his decision was a mistake. You see, Linda M, "Heaven" is also contrary to the laws of nature.
A broken body is one to which some attachment of the spirit to the body has been lost. Death of the body is when the spirit & soul is freed from it's attachment to the Body. Surely there is an afterlife. Since there is, to what purpose is the Body in the first place, if the soul and Spirit exist where we cannot see? We only have the time of our residence in our bodies to get this issue right. For some, that is a long time, others, a short time. There is only one thing that can stop anyone from seeing - Pride.
Linda. You can waste all the time you like, hand-mumbling to your cult's man-god, pretending that he's listening and taking notes. Do it all day long, for all I care.
Just as many people say their lives have been changed since their belief in ________-god (other gods, other than YOUR cult god). And still, their claim is completely unprovable and meaningless, as is yours. You all convince yourselves that a belief in your chosen cult-god has changed your life. Well... yay for you! Blind ignorance has its benefits!
DB
Surely there is an afterlife? Absurd! You have no rational basis whatsoever for making such a claim. You then compound your absurdity by basing an even more irrational statement based on the first irrational statement. I'm sure that you are convinced that your "faith" is enough to accept such unsupportable claims without proof, but you should bear in mind that your faith depends solely on believing the fantasies you were taught as a child by your parents and other adults in your life, which in turn have been passed along through the generations by human beings ..... human beings who also had absolutely no evidence for their supernatural claims. Your faith in these human beings is misplaced.
You just described christianity.
this is what is known as "wishful thinking" and "magical thinking".
just because you want it to be true, doesn't make it true.
Topsy turvy in his politcal arguments, but always entertaining and thought provoking
You were great, Chris. Thank you for standing up for the non-believers like me.
Comment # 12 deleted, derail that led to many personal attacks.
Thank you Christopher Hitchens. You will be missed.
His great intellect led him straight to hell the poor Godless bastard!
So when atheists get cancer it's a punishment from God. How do you explain it when devout Christians get cancer? Or is that an inconvenient question that doesn't fit in with your idea of a loving sky daddy?
please tell me you've haven't reproduced.
Unfortunately, history seems to show that idiots breed like rabbits... Just look at all the republicans who voted for Dumbya Bush twice!
someone earlier said the Christian crazies will be all over this....in my view the Christian point of view should be this: i cant say if the man did or did not repent and put his faith and trust in Christ on his death bed. in light of his views i would find that unlikely. as a Christian, it saddens my heart that another person has denied his maker and according to the Bible will be spending an eternity in hell. looks like he will end up glorifying God either way. ......
Makes no sense whatsoever....
but I do like the way he was a constant thorn in the side of the religious self-righteous and the absurdity of their "tickets" to heaven.
RIP Mr. Hitchens. Right or wrong....always, always enlightened entertainment.
An eternal good vs evil debate with satan, I think Mr Hitchens would rather enjoy that.
I have an image of a firey chasm opening up in the ground and a man with a half glass of the devil's finest in his hand being spit out while a voice thunders in the background "ENOUGH! I GET IT! GET OUT AND DON'T COME BACK!
sssssssssnore
Joe 2706.
Many Believers, people who say they are believers, and non-believers often believe that if a Christians have bad things happen to them that they also have done something wrong. The correct answer is not necessarily. That is one of the points of the book of Job - Job was being tested because of the accusation of Satan that Job was God's faithful servant because God had prospered him. Follow that with the rain must fall on both the good and the bad.
Think of it this way, If you could physically see God giving you things of value, wouldn't you treat him like a rich man i.e. do whatever the rich man wants so that you have a prosperous life? Doesn't this take away freedom of choice? In Christianity and Judaism, what God wants is you chosing him, because you recognize him for what he is, what he has done for you in salvation, not for giving you a paycheck, a house, a car, a family, . . .
The environment we live in was made just for us. We study nature and determine rules and laws that hold things together. Some expect us to believe it just happened, possibly by accident, others believe something put it all together. I think the latter, and I think that someone didn't like what was done, and will do anything possible to destroy what was created. I think George Bush is a good example of this. He did what he thought was right, but a lot of people didn't like what he was doing and worked feverishly for 8 years to destroy his name, and anything he attempted to accomplish.
Lately I have a new saying about things. Beware of people who accuse, they accuse in hope to elevate their thoughts and ways by defaming the thoughts and ways of others.
thankfully, i wasn't brainwashed, and i don't give a goddam what your silly, unprovable, mythical cult book claims...
the problem being that while he thought it was the right thing to do, it wasn't.
does that also go for the conservative right? you know, the ones that scream "godless commie", and "trying to destroy America" all the time? or are you just a hypocrite?
db, looking at your comments, it seems likely that you do hold that to be true across the board for both the right and the left. I can respect someone that is consistent .
Oh, I'm sure everybody is dying for your approval and respect. All you do is paraphrase others and offer your own filth.
ah, poor jeffey, I must have hit a nerve.
Given't his abject denouncement of the Supreme being, he'll happily get be tormented in hell.
What a horrible, inhuman comment. You must be a very unhappy person. Jesus Christ would condemn you for saying that, you realize that, don't you? No, probably not.
Hey look guys - another Christian gleefully hoping for the worst for someone they never knew, thanks to the worst of their mythical book. How Christ-like.
a man died. show some compassion. if not as a christian then by simple virtue of human kindness.
I suspect you are already in the sort of hell Jesus referred to--a hell of your own creation. But then you probably relish the notion of infinite injustice for anyone who disagrees with your stupidity.
What a classic example of the screwed up fundie mindset in which they celebrate a person's death because they disagreed with them, and delight in the idea of a human being being tortured for an eternity. You realize that makes you -no better- than the Muslim extremists you probably rant about all the time.
The supposedly "moral" people of faith always seem to get so much glee at the thought that someone will be tortured eternally simply because they had different views about religion.
If that isn't evidence of a sick mind and of how religion perverts morality, than I don't know what is.
In this case I was playing devil's advocate to see reaction, to the oft and unpleasantly stereotypical reaction of the "moral" right to the death of a non-believer. To anyone who could not see through the guise I apologize.
In truth I am saddened that he either never got to know a connection with a supreme being of his understanding, or for some reason was compelled to reject that connection. I however hope that his essence/soul/energy whatever term is most fitting for a person such as himself is at peace.
For his family and friends my empathy towards you as I have experienced similar loss all to many times.
Greg, I don't know of any true Christians who would be gleeful over hitchin's death. They may express a good bit of relief that he is not there to befuddle them anymore.
Too bad "Hitch" is gone. I really enjoyed his books and other writings. At least we still have those.
LTC Rattus, USA, ret.
Like so many of the great minds that came before him, Hitchens works will live on to educate and inspire generations of thinkers ever after. He will be read, studied, argued over and applauded millenia from now.
It never mattered to me if I agreed with him or not. At least reading him was never a waste of time. I will miss those readings and know that there are other great writers and thinkers in the world gone by, today and in the future, but there will never be another Christipher Hitchens.
Comment # 17 deleted for advertising a religious website.
Stay on-topic.
Pippo - Never a waste of time. Absolutely right, a truely great thinker and writer.
I don't understand the logic of some of these responses. Why would Christians be celebrating the death of an atheist? A true Christian should be mourning the loss of a brilliant soul. And atheists should be thankful that such a brilliant person had existed. But the true atheist would have no one to thank.
What a dilemma. Hitchens would probably appreciate the irony.
Thank God there will never be another Christopher Hitchens!
True Christians never celebrate the death of anyone. We pray for them!
which, according to your own cult beliefs, cannot possibly change anything for him...
so, all it truly is, is another opportunity for you to preach your obnoxious, mythical cult garbage to people who'd rather hear cat-claws dancing on a blackboard...
rats, I had some witty, shining nuggets of my own wonderful wit and brilliance there...
LOL
Too bad he couldnt keep a handle on his habits, sounds like they got the better of him. Moderation people, moderation.
True but, if he had lived his life in moderation the man would not have become the inspiration our species has yet to realize. I'm saddened by his passing!
said to Roy Batty: "The light that burns twice as bright, burns half as long. And you have burned so very, very brightly..."
He drank and smoked himself to death and spent his latter years attacking and mocking people of faith. He was the poster child of mankind with no hope. Still I hope he meets God and finds peace in death, he was a tortured soul.
Oh good, yet another condescending religious person to "hope" for him. This is exactly the sort of thing he wouldn't want. Quit it.
Way to be sanctimonious (look it up). Keep grasping at your happy clappy fairy tales. I'm sure they comfort you.
Who in their right mind WOULDN'T attack the sort of stupidity that dominates the dialog Beth? He was one of the greatest beacons of hope mankind has ever seen! Hitch gives me hope for humanity. Of course he was tortured by mindless, destructive dribble from ignorant fools, many of us are, that doesn't stop us from loving life on earth. You are right about the bad health habits however.
Fuel, people smoke and drink hard because they are unhappy or having problems coping. Christopher Hitchens killed himself what does that say to you about his choices and his legacy? Actions speak so much louder than words. He was a talented man raging against the machine and sadly he missed the best parts of living. Peace.
People have different vices that they use they use to make their lives a little more enjoyable... some people take it to extremes.. Some people smoke, some drink, some snort coke, some praise god.. it's all the same. In small amounts or in moderation, it's all relatively harmless, but taken to an extreme it's all extremely unhealthy... including religion.
That being said, I feel no pity for Hitch. The man lived an incredibly full life; a life of travel, knowledge, relationships and experiences. I doubt that many people posting here will ever know a life of such broad experiences as this man did, even if they live to be one hundred years old. The things he saw, the people he met, the places he went.. to travel all over the world.. to speak and debate with some of the greatest (and not so greatest) thinkers of modern times.. He packed a lot into the 62 years of his life.
My only sorrow comes from knowing that he will no longer be around to continue his works... My pity is for a world that will no longer benefit from his continued presence in it.
Beth, some people smoke and drink simply because they enjoy smoking and drinking. I know you need to believe otherwise to prop up your religious delusion, but your assertion that all people have these vices to cover up some deeper pain simply isn't true.
Who are you? Some kind of psychic psychologist who has magical insight into Hitch's mind? People smoke and drink because humans love drugs, whether they be recreational or pharmaceutical. And by the looks of you, I'm willing to bet that you are no different.
He killed himself? Is that your twisted theistic way of showing empathy towards a man who passed away from cancer? Or is it due to the fact that his lifestyle probably brought about the cancer that would have you say something so vile? If that's the way you feel about it, then to hell with anybody who dies from pneumonia or the flu. Had they been more careful, they wouldn't have "killed themselves" either.
I can say with all honesty that the most self-righteous, heinous, truly insensitive comments I've seen concerning someone's death are always made by people who believe in some god who hands out eternal punishments and rewards. As if the belief alone strips away a person's ability to have any compassion for someone's death and their loved ones.
You just named the reasons why so many people turn to the christian cult. They need that escape that they find within false, unprovable, mythical nonsense which christianity provides for them. For many, it's a lot better than reality and factual cognition.
Evan a lot of drug users and drunks turn to cultism -- all it becomes for them is a different addiction, a different escape. and, it's debatable which addiction is worse...
Hitch is unstuck in time.
So it goes...
thank you for your contribution to humanity
I am so sorry that he died at an age where he was evolving his beliefs. It would have been interesting to see where he went to next. I too was a left winger when young but hardened with age.
Hardened... Isn't that how criminals are described? So long, Hitch. Loved "God is Not Great". Too bad about your George W. support. George said God told him to run for president. Didn't that get under your skin a little, Hitch?
Danny,
Were you in the 6th sense?
As they say, "If you're young and not liberal, you've got no heart, and if you're old and not conservative, you've got no brains."
The intolerant "get off my lawn" mentality of the aged isn't a sign of a lifetime of accrued wisdom, it's a sign of bitter ass-hattery. Social conservatism is nothing more than bigotry disguised as politics.
Zen; think of it as being inquisitive and becoming wise.
Men are wise not in their experience, but in their CAPACITY for experience.
Sorry to hear about Hitchen's passing. I was recently given his book, God is Not Great, and I will read it with renewed interest.
RIP.
You "God is Not Great" thumpers.. Quit pushing your beliefs on me!
Um, just an FYI -- there is no evidence that a god-creature exists. So, no "belief" pushing. It's like saying the "easter bunny" is not great, or any other mythical creature is not great. It's just another mythical creature whose existence is suggested, but there is exactly ZERO proof for such a creature's existence. Leprechauns aren't great, either...
So, chill out, punkin.
Try reading it Jabberwock, Hitch lays out in crystal clear rational prose exactly why it makes no sense to believe in God. Try taking a look at his arguments with an open mind, if you're able to do so, and you might find yourself surprised.
Jabber: what are you on about? Someone writes a book you don't like that many others do and they're "imposing" their beliefs on you? Just don't buy the book...no wonder your mind is so closed...
Wikipedia had their obit up well before MSNBC's.
Ya but we didn't have ESP so we didn't check there first.. I guess you have to know someone is dead before you can read their obit.
One of the torch bearers of the New Atheist movement along with Dawkins, Harris and Dennett. Hitch surely will be missed :(
Quit pushing your movement on me! Athiest thumpers...
jabberwockyed, quit reading the comments than! You already posted that statement!
Don't you have something to do over at Faux Noise ? That seems to be more fitting of your disrespect and lack of any intellect or ability to voice anything of any importance or value. Take your tactless ass and your hateful, mindless drivel elsewhere.
Jabberwockeyed, no one is twisting your arm, forcing you to stay on this page, ergo, no one is pushing atheism on you! Get a clue and a life!
LOL. Atheist movement. that phrase always cracks me up.
It's like suggesting that since there's no proof for leprechausn, and therefore, people choose to simply not beleive in their existence (because there is no logical, sensible reason to) -- that there must then be a "movement".
Like the "movement" of people who choose not to collect stamps. There's a "movement!"
At long last, the creep's gone. And for good, never to come back again. May God Almighty grind his bones in hell!
Creeps like you are why fewer and fewer people want anything to do with you or your religion. Disgusting.
And you people have the nerve to disparage other religions and people. You're no better than the Taliban. Same sh!t, same smell, different pile.
Spoken like a true Christian--full of "forgiveness, compassion and love?"-- just like your pathetic, petty, rotten-to-the-core little fantasy tyrant in the sky would expect of you.
Ironic your pseudonym is Freedom4Everyone. Looks like freedom only for those that agree...
I say this with no regard whatsoever to your religious beliefs. You sound crazy or just blazingly ignorant. Either way I think the most irritating thing to you is that people find your thoughts so very inconsequential.
@ altview
Calling people names and being a venomous ahole has nothing to do with agreeing or disagreeing with anything.
Its people like you who get all pissy and call names when anyone doesnt agree with you. Look at all the Christians in this thread spewing their hate. All because people have the nerve to disagree, and tell you to quit badgering everyone.
How about YOU go to hell!
Freedom - Very Intelligent post of yours.
Your first line; "....and being a venomous ahole...." THEN you next acuse someone else of; "....and call names when anyone doesnt agree with you."
That was the quickest bit of hypocrisy on the thread today!!!
Mr White. making an observaqtion and providing an accurate assessment of that observation (that altview is a venemous ahole) isn't name calling. it's simply providing an accurate assessment of something. there is a difference.
Wow, how compassionate, how very Christian. Jesus would be so proud of you (note the irony, in case you missed it).
Not some much atheist but antitheist, the seeking to give equal rights to the non-religious
I'm curious. Which rights are the non-religious denied? Seems to me that non-religious folks can not go to church, can not pray, can not listen to televangelists, can not do religious things all they want. If you mean the right to make the religious folks go hide in a closet somewhere, seems like your right would be to deny others their right to express. If you mean insisting that events not be opened in prayer, well, just don't listen -- is it really such an affront to your delicate sensibilities that a majority of folks around you believe something different than you?
Just as those of us from the Christian side tolerate atheists and all manner of folks speaking ill of Christianity in a free-speaking country, seems only appropriate that athiests thicken their skin a little when Christians exercise the freedom to express guaranteed by the Bill of Rights.
When you try to bring in prayer at a non religious public event or situation. Like into schools. Thats forcing it on others who are no Christian. They dont say, "Christians only, we will now have a prayer" do they. And even if they did. That would be making everyone else stop and wait while you have your ceremony. Its not appropriate, the world doesnt stop for you.
Gay rights have been fought tooth and nail by you Christians.
Your war on Wiccans
Abortion rights.
Need I go on?
If it isnt illegal, you would make it illegal if you could. And everyone knows it. You Christians are constantly trying to shove your morals and beliefs up everyone's ass.
and religious folks can "not" have abortions (because not all agree when life actually begins)
and religious folks can "not" marry someone of the same sex
but many certainly want to impose their view upon others instead of simply living their own life as their belief system dictates. something I respect the Amish for, they are very strong in their beliefs, but feel no need to force that belief down my throat with religious laws written into our secular government.
An alternate view, I don't want to force all religious people into a closet. I just want them to stop using my tax money to pay for their religious expression. If my tax money pays for the upkeep on a piece of land, you don't get to put a cross on it unless it's a grave marker for an individual who was Christian. If my tax money pays for a public school, you don't get to have institutional prayer; students are free to pray on their own. I want religions to stop imposing their religious definition of marriage on everyone. I want them to stop imposing their religious beliefs on my uterus. I want them to stop trying to impose religious tests for public office, like they did with Cecil Bothwell. I want churches to actually be held to the political restrictions that are supposed to apply to tax exempt 501(c)(3) organizations. The Catholic and LDS churches directly funded the Prop 8 campaign. They should have lost their tax exempt statuses over this, but the IRS never even investigated it. I could go on, but hopefully you get the idea.
hey alternate view. i suggest you read Danwill's post. And try to live your values every day. Try doing that.
I remember new atheists as saying they were horsemen in Revelations. He died of Pestilence. Atheists sometimes can be intolerant as rightwingers. Not all chrisitians are that way. Calling and saying god is not real or myth is being intolerant to their belief like saying that paganism are myths or Buddha is a myth. Sometimes they do force their beliefs on others, too. Seriously, Hitchins says in his book he either for the brights or atheist nor did he say he was anger with god. I find irony that atheists celebrate Winter solistice as the reason for season in California where they are having a drought. Winter solistice is the longest day so why celebrate the sun in drought?
seriously, what on earth are you talking about? atheists celebrate the winter solstice as the reason for the season in california? i can't really make heads or tails of your entire post. maybe you just weren't very clear. maybe you've been drinking. either way, you may want to take another look at what you typed.
i've never known of a group of atheists gathering to celebrate the winter solstice and i'm not aware of a drought in california. who are the brights?
I recall "rightwing christians" calling themselves the "moral majority" and supporting every rightwing candidate that came along regardless of how shallow they were and still are. It would help if they had the ability to be objectively honest with themselves, but that would also require some degree of truth to be of any real benefit reconstructing themselves into a political party that cares more about people than money, one that doesn`t see compassion, tolerance, charity and forgiveness, as weakness. Kinda makes you wonder how such devout people supposedly following in the footsteps of one called Jesus could overlook so much of the New Testament. I suggest the parable about the old beggar woman who had given 3 pennies at temple. Interesting to note it was the wealthy businessman who took Jesus to task for spending so much time speaking with her who had given so little while he had given so much. Jesus rebuked him by saying while it was only 3 pennies she had given, she had given all that she had.
Rosie
I think you are mixing up your solstice's. Winter solstice occurs when the axial tilt in a hemisphere is at the maximum away from the sun. This results in the shortest daylight period, not the longest. The summer solstice is the opposite.
It appears that english is not your primary language, so perhaps your lack of clarity and your incoherent writing can be forgiven. You are partially correct when you say that atheists are intolerent. We are intolerant of religious beliefs, but we are very tolerent of your right to believe in whatever nonsense you profess as long as you cause no harm. Two very different concepts. Remember, atheists don't choose to believe in a certain way, our philosophy is based in evidence and reason. Religionists, however, choose their beliefs or, more often, have them thrust upon them by their parents or another authority figure.
Some have suggested that the "moral majority" ought to instead be called the "moral mafia" over some of their efforts to declare that everyone choose one of three options: 1) Agreeing wholeheartedly with them like lambs to a slaughter, 2) Being browbeaten with pseudo-truths and real scriptures and whatnot until all independent thought, and indeed all thought, is silenced in an effort to get such wingnuts to shut up--when people with either enough tact or enough honor to keep their faith to themselves, or 3) being "wrong". These folks will, as they have here and now, protest that I am stomping all over their right to practice their religilous beliefs, but the right that they claim is NOT a right to run roughshod over a declared wannabe Jedi.
Why did he change his political views? Why did he hate Clinton so much? He didn't like Mother Theresa very much yet when OBama got his peace prize he was defending her? Why did he support Bush? He should have some more about those Dutch cartoons. Atheists and other religions are always pricking on the christians as being intolerant but it is okay for them to do so. There has been many pictures including a song by Depp making fun of Christ and no christian gets annoyed. Why don't people do that to other religions? I guess the Dutch only have balls.
People are not intolerant of your religion. Or your right to believe in it.
They are intolerant of your holier than thou attitudes. They are intolerant of your venomous comments towards others who believe differently. They are intolerant of ignorant name callers, and people who set out to hurt others. They are intolerant of people who openly discriminate.
There is nothing noble or godly about any of that. If there is a god, you people sure as hell dont know him. That much I do know. For sure.
@rosie-635683
have you read anything hitch actually wrote? it seems you are not even familiar with the statements about him in the article.
@freedom4everyone
you certainly seem angry and at times i am just as angry but now really isn't the time. besides, i'm not sure rosie-635683 is even knowledgeable enough to argue with.
Its always a good time to put bigots in their place. You have to face down intolerance wherever it rears its ugly head.
And yours is ugly and rearing rather high. well your certainly an expert on bigotry and intolerance,I'll grant you that.
Gotta put them people in their place ha ha.
As long as they think they can run rough shod over everyone else, damn straight ill put them in their place.
We need not be tolerant of their venomous words, or their intrusions into everyone's lives, and rights.. Respect is earned, and returned, when its shown first. No one owes these religions respect. And they certainly never return it, do they.
Don't you mean DANISH, not DUTCH? Big difference! And kudos to the Danish and their freedom of press ideals. They have protected the Danish mohammed cartoons creator and the paper that printed it.
I wish the American free press would have the guts to stand up for freedom FROM religion!
Well, its time to give an account to the "higher authority"
He had better hope he was right......
No, you better hope he doesn't.
Any god that would condemn Hitchens to eternal hell is not a god worthy of worship.
Lola said it right!