Christopher Hitchens, if anything, is certainly an interesting character. I have not really figured him out and don’t anticipate I ever will but I am curious. Hitchens is the latest in a breed of atheist intelligentsia who have decided that hating God is good for business. Certainly hating God has been good for Hitchen’s business whose latest book – god is not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything, seems to be doing fairly well and currently sits at number 11 on the NY Times bestseller list (which is based upon sales), which it has been on for the past 19 weeks.
Hitchens uses logic as his primary excuse for attempting to disuade people from their belief in a God but his arguments (as cogent as they are)are merely a thin veneer over a strong, personal hatred for God – particularly the God of Christianity. Hitchens actually goes out of his way in his latest book to stress that he has no abusive history with the church and has no axe to grind (methinks the lady doth protest too much…).
When he’s not writing books about how rediculous belief in God is Hitchens spends a good deal of time in his New School tower sniping at various people for their own faith…constantly tearing them down. He has called Mother Theresa a fraud and a fanatic and has refered to Billy Graham "a self-conscious fraud", "a power worshipping bigot" and "a disgustingly evil man".
Much of Hitchen’s criticism of how religion has been used for oppression is quite legitimate but his ultimate argument – that if belief in God can be eradicated and belief in humanity somehow erected in its place things will improve for the human condition – is pure fancy and betrays a deeply flawed understanding of human nature. Hitchens believes that we can somehow save ourselves and despite all of his arguments it is his crude, merciless biting humour that betrays his own illogical hatred as the real source driving him.
In the end I wonder if Hitchens truly disbelieves in God or in fact believes in God and disguises his hatred with atheism and antitheism.
His pre-occupation with tearing down God is pathological and ultimately hurts him the most. His fierce advocacy for independance in all things is woven with a very real fear of other people’s dependance – particularly upon God. Pray for Christopher Hitchens.
Postscript: I should say that writers (particularly journalists) are intensely egotistical when it comes to our writing ( I should know). I wouldn’t be surprised if Hitchens actually manages to find this post and read it. Leave a comment if you do. Cheers!
Post Postscript: Check out this great article published in the British newspaper – The Independent, you’ll like it: http://news.independent.co.uk/media/article2640860.ece
Harnessing Chaos 
Can\’t hate what is not.
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Always remember, for good people to do evil, that takes religion. Reason enough to oppose it with all your heart, and with all your soul.
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Personally I don’t think it takes religion for people (good or otherwise to do evil)…frankly I don’t think we need much of a motive there at all – what we need is something that moves us toward good…this takes work for us human types. Thanks for your comment..
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