Discovering Christopher Hitchens

[RESiNATE]

Having been involved in many discussions on this and many other websites, I have often heard the name Christopher Hitchens but never investigated further.

That changed several days ago.

I now know what all the fuss was about.

If you have never heard this man speak, do yourself a favour and spend a few hours on Youtube. You'll discover a man of a seemingly inexhaustible vocabulary and knowledge.

For the past year or so, I have been researching various topics to try to gain an understanding of what kind of world we are actually living in. Some of the things I have learned reveal a world of subjugation and control. Some of those possible outcomes are based on,arguably, logical thinking (Agenda 21, for instance). But most of them are based upon religious prophesy.

I used to have a fairly indifferent view of religion; what ever gets you through the night. However, the more I learn about religion the more I detest it.

Christopher Hitchens has filled in a few of the gaps in the conclusions I that I drew from that research. He has convinced me of the machinations that I already suspected religious dictate is guilty of. I found his deconstruction, and subsequent destruction, of the 'Ten Commandments' particularly enlightening.

I am in danger of going off on one, so I'll leave it there for now.

For the uninitiated, this is a good place to start:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqjfGFHes0w

Apologies to Christopher for being late.

Res...

[pErvinalia]

Yeah, he was a brilliant debater and writer. On the subject of religion. On politics, not so much. He became a great disappointment to the left when he deserted progressive causes and backed GW's attack on Iraq and 'war on terror'.

But I did highly respect his grace in death, and his continuing haranguing of religionists right to the end. I bet some of them were really hoping he would convert or renounce his past words. How wrong those idiots were (as if we needed any more proof anyway).

[FBM]

Yep. Similar to you, Res, I had to see his name many times before I took the time to actually watch him in action. Well worth it, IMO. Nothing but respect for the man, though that's not to say that he was infallible.

[cronus]

His brother is still around writing for The Daily Hate. Good orator Christopher Hitchens but I felt he had too much need for a enemy. Never felt comfortable with that direct confrontational stance. Could get innocent people killed in a war being so self-righteously angry.

[pErvinalia]

You need people like that. If everyone was confrontational, then we'd be fucked. But we need some strong people on whatever side we want to argue.

[Hermit]

Hitchens never mistook innocents for the enemy, and he never attacked enemies with anything other than his tongue. I admire his skill of proverbially kicking religion where it hurts, and I wholeheartedly approve of his aggressive approach. Onya, Hitch.

That said, I was somewhat disappointed by his offerings in God is not Great. Admittedly, I only read three or four chapters, but that was enough for me to not bother with the rest.

[JimC]

Hitchens never mistook innocents for the enemy, and he never attacked enemies with anything other than his tongue. I admire his skill of proverbially kicking religion where it hurts, and I wholeheartedly approve of his aggressive approach. Onya, Hitch.

Agreed, and, in some ways, his targeting was better than the Dawk...

[cronus]

It doesn't matter anyway. He's dead and there's been no equivalent for good or ill. He was one of a kind.

[Seabass]

I've read 3.5 of his books. They were ok, but truth be told, I probably could have done without them. His youtube shouting matches were always hilarious though.

[FBM]

I guess I haven't seen any of the shouting matches. So far, I've only seen him eloquently, concisely and precisely expose his counterparts' ignorance.

[Hermit]

^^^ Same here. He is refreshingly pugnacious about it, though. The idiots deserve it.

[FBM]

True that. With a vengeance, so to speak.

[Tero]

Religion does seem to be losing its grip in some areas. However, religion has to be looked at more broadly. Usually it represents some rules and regulations that existed in a culture long before that particular religion set in. Many people who aren't really religious are afraid of losing this "tradition." Therefore politicians always appeal to the local beliefs.

[Hermit]

Religion does seem to be losing its grip in some areas.

Yes, and Hitchens did make a contribution to that trend. Maybe it was just a drop in the bucket, but it was a drop in the bucket. Look at the debate on the motion that "The Catholic church is a force for the good" for example. The audience was polled twice.

Before the debate:
For: 678
Against: 1102
Undecided: 346

After the debate:
For: 268
Against: 1876
Undecided: 34

[RESiNATE]

I agree that he wasn't infallible, and I would even suggest that he acted rather petulant at times. That said, I think that he exhibited a level of exasperation that could be mistaken for arrogance.

I found his arguments for the Iraq war compelling, but I have to ask myself, 'what good has come from it?' Shouldn't a war be a solution?

The one thing that I am realising more, and the recent foray into the world of Christopher Hitchens has certainly helped, is just how engrained this doctrine is within us.

Happy days

:-D