By Christopher HitchensEven the nicest and most caring religious people are often unaware of quite how rude they are being.
(Video is the first in a week long series with the atheist author about his diagnosis and beliefs.)
For example, it's extremely impolite to ask me how, if I don't believe in your personal god, I can possibly have any sense of morality. And it's also rather presumptuous, as well as illogical, to suggest that, now that I know of a nasty change in my physical condition, it's surely time for me to be thinking of an alteration in my mental and intellectual state as well. Leaving aside those who have thanked god for giving me cancer and a future in the eternal inferno, the offer of prayer can only have two implications: either a wish for my recovery or a wish for a reconsideration of my atheism (or both). In the first instance, a get-well card - accompanied by a good book or a fine bottle - would be just as bracing if not indeed more so. (Also easier to check.) In the second one, a clear suggestion is present: surely now, at last, Hitchens, your fears will begin to vanquish your reason. What a thing to hope for! Yet without this parody of concern, religion would instantly lose a vast portion of its power. If I was to be wrong about this, then the faithful would have been praying for me to see the light when I was not dying. But this they mostly did not choose to do.
The deity whose intercession is being implored is claimed to be omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent. It is fully aware of the situation. It can make me a believer if it chooses, or wave away my carcinoma. Why should it be swayed by the entreaties of other sinners? My provisional conclusion is that those who practice incantations are doing so as much for their sake as mine: no harm in that to be sure and likely to produce just as much of a result.
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By Christopher Hitchens | September 20, 2010; 7:59 AM ET Save & Share: Previous: Praying for my friend Christopher Hitchens | Next: Praying for Hitchens as an act of love
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It's a little undignified and lazy of Mr. Hitchens to complain about the manners of those asking him about the basis of his morals. The question is straight-forward, and calls for a straight-forward answer. One as articulate as Mr. Hitchens should have no trouble providing a cogent and interesting answer.
Sniping at others' manners is always undignified. But with Mr. Hitchens it is worse. Unlike Mr. Hitchens' questioners, I would expect that Mr. Hitchens ought to have no more difficulty answering for the basis of his morality without gods than a believer would have answering for the basis of his morality based upon his belief in God. So I am disappointed that, instead of answering the question, Mr. Hitchens just attacks the manners of his questioners. It's pretty intellectually lazy.
Posted by: MarkDavidovich | September 20, 2010 10:11 PMReport Offensive Comment
Kingofkings$1, your comment to Mr. Hitchens is, "Get a life!" This is addressed to a man with terminal cancer? What more evidence does one need of the boreishness and insensitivity of some believers. Perhaps this was meant in the spirit of Jesus who told his followers that life can only be gained by taking up his cross and following him, but I doubt it. Posted by: csintala79 |
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Csintala, you are on the right track, but not right regarding my intentions. I meant God could give him life - whether it is the temporary, or the more permanent afterlife, if he chooses to accept it.
Posted by: Kingofkings1 | September 20, 2010 10:04 PMReport Offensive Comment
Ombudsman1 wrote: "I don't understand the issue. If you truly don't believe, then it's irrelevant what people say or do. It's like if you heard a witch doctor was sticking pins into a doll of you. Who would care?"
Well, when I hear your religion is going to be a required part of my kid's third grade class you bet I care, just as you would care if your kid had to listen to some religion you do not believe in.
Ombudsman1 wrote: "And if Hitchens had any sense of grace and really had strong convictions, he'd chuckle and say "Thanks, I appreciate your concern"."
Well, that would assume he considers those praying for him to be sane. If your lived in Delaware and your neighbor was a witch running for the senate, and she sat in the driveway chanting spells to heal your swine flu, would you just chuckle? What if it were thousands of people doing it to help you?
Ombudsman1 wrote: "Seems to me what Hitchens is afraid of is that his cancer will be cured, and he'll have to then deal with the implications of that."
I'm sure he is looking forward to dealing with that (geeez this is where the sanity issue comes in)...
Ombudsman1 wrote: "Or even worse, he goes to the pearly gates and god says "Well, you didn't believe, but the prayers for you convinced me to let you in"."
Are you going to worry about the Hindu gods not letting you into paradise? How about having to face Thor? Are you prepared? Does it bother you? If not maybe you can get an inkling of why it does not bother an atheist. And just where in the bible does it describe pearly gates? Do you realize your religion has drifted over the thousands of years and would be unrecognizable to the early christians?
Ombudsman1 wrote: "Personally, I think he'd rather die and be correct than live and be wrong."
He is correct.
Ombudsman1 wrote: "He's funny. I think I'll say a prayer for him."
I think Hitch would you rather ask yourself why you think you can petition the Lord and why the Lord would turn his head and listen to your concerns. Just how does directing God's power make you feel? What do you do when nothing happens?
Posted by: Fate1 | September 20, 2010 10:00 PMReport Offensive Comment
Oh Hitchens, just ignore them for they do not know what they do. They do not understand their belief is due to their superior brains able to do what no animal can, imagine. And when they imagine a god what a powerful thing it is. Its like a drug, comforting, and what many run to in times of distress.
But a truly intelligent mind can see this side effect of our intelligence everywhere, in our history and around the world. Those who pray for you believe in only one of hundreds of thousands of religions that have existed, yet they think all the others are as simplistic and wrong as believing in Santa, another belief they fell for in their youth for the same reasons. They don't understand why christians have christian kids, muslims have muslim kids and jews have jewish kids. It ain't in the genes yet they don't see the power of indoctrination, which they willfully take to every week.
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