Vanity Fair reports that Christopher Hitchens has passed away. Often frustrating, usually provocative, always brilliant. He added to the culture, and the conversation.
I’m sure I join many in hoping he is in for a glorious, glorious surprise.
Come on. Surely it demeans God to conceive Him as more small-minded than all the theists who loved Hitchens despite or even because of his atheism. God is much bigger and more generous than is dreamed of in your philosophy, Horatio.
It demeans God to not take him at his word... that aforementioned book I referenced... and to make him fit some postmodern sense of warm fuzziness. The irony here is that, as another poster noted with Hitch's quote on what a real Christian believes... Hitch was completely, absolutely right about that... he had a better sense of Christianity than the people saying poppish things like "I hope the light guided him". If people don't want comments about unpleasant realities of the afterlife, then they probably shouldn't bring the afterlife up at all when they memorialize the guy. Hitchens was indeed a brilliant and entertaining man in this life, but as long as writers want to mention that afterlife, then yes, if the Bible is true, then Hitchens is in no way getting a pleasant surprise right now. Quite the contrary, he's realizing that he chose, very, very badly.
According to you, JC says you will go to hell if you don't believe in him and in God, no ifs, ands, or buts?
I prefer C.S. Lewis' view of Christianity to yours or Hitchens'. I'm betting Lewis would say that you can have atheists who are wonderful human beings whom God will welcome with open arms, and that quite a few theists may face another fate.
Lewis in one of his books has a character say that God didn't create hell. God merely set bounds to it so that it wouldn't spread everywhere. In another book, Lewis portrays hell as a place people are free to leave, at least to some extent free, at least for a time. But they often choose not to leave.
Do you distinguish between the spirit and the letter of the Bible? I say the spirit of the Bible contradicts you, even if the letter, at one or another point, agrees with you.
Ditto. I get the sentiment that was trying to be expressed, but there aren't any loopholes under any traditional understanding of Christianity that would make Mr. Hitchens' surprise last night anything but unpleasant.
"...I join many in hoping he is in for a glorious, glorious surprise."
Well said Mr. Foster. Well done. True class.
I will remember his excellent advocation and defense (for awhile) of the sound policy to provide an essential intervention into the heart of the Middle East by way of Iraq/Saddam.
Mr. Hitchens can be remembered for advocating on behalf of the worthy fight for Liberty and Freedom at a very challenging time. This cannot be said for a number of others, some of the most unethical, who selected cheap political expediency out of pure partisan greed.
What a horrible shame. Whatever the position was that he was going to take on a particular issue, you knew that position would be (at a minimum) interesting to read. That's a rarity, today.
In the last dozen years or more, there wasn't much of a reason to read Vanity Fair save for Htchens and Dunne. Now, there's no reason at all.
He commanded my attention even when I despised what he was arguing, and I will miss him. My guess is he's brandishing a broken bottle of Johnny Walker Black at Saint Peter right about now.
Man oh man. He was the only guy on the left I truly admired. I guess this is the last thing he ever wrote - in the Jan. 2012 Vanity Fair. Body slams Nietzsche's "Whatever doesn’t kill me makes me stronger." No argument with Hitchens here.
May God bless him no matter the contempt he held for Him.
I will tip my glass
lol capcha. UPS loves logistics
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIf he is surprised (ie wrong) then I feel very sorry for him.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseYup. At this point, it's too late if there's any truth the Bible at all, and if there isn't, well, then it really wouldn't matter, would it?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseCome on. Surely it demeans God to conceive Him as more small-minded than all the theists who loved Hitchens despite or even because of his atheism. God is much bigger and more generous than is dreamed of in your philosophy, Horatio.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIt demeans God to not take him at his word... that aforementioned book I referenced... and to make him fit some postmodern sense of warm fuzziness. The irony here is that, as another poster noted with Hitch's quote on what a real Christian believes... Hitch was completely, absolutely right about that... he had a better sense of Christianity than the people saying poppish things like "I hope the light guided him". If people don't want comments about unpleasant realities of the afterlife, then they probably shouldn't bring the afterlife up at all when they memorialize the guy. Hitchens was indeed a brilliant and entertaining man in this life, but as long as writers want to mention that afterlife, then yes, if the Bible is true, then Hitchens is in no way getting a pleasant surprise right now. Quite the contrary, he's realizing that he chose, very, very badly.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"...unpleasant realities of the afterlife..."
The absurdity of the inherent contradiction in this phrase is testament enough to the necessity of Hitchens' work.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAccording to you, JC says you will go to hell if you don't believe in him and in God, no ifs, ands, or buts?
I prefer C.S. Lewis' view of Christianity to yours or Hitchens'. I'm betting Lewis would say that you can have atheists who are wonderful human beings whom God will welcome with open arms, and that quite a few theists may face another fate.
Lewis in one of his books has a character say that God didn't create hell. God merely set bounds to it so that it wouldn't spread everywhere. In another book, Lewis portrays hell as a place people are free to leave, at least to some extent free, at least for a time. But they often choose not to leave.
Do you distinguish between the spirit and the letter of the Bible? I say the spirit of the Bible contradicts you, even if the letter, at one or another point, agrees with you.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseTacky. He's not even in the ground yet.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseCorrection: his *body* is not in the ground yet. Where *he* is, is the operative question here, I think.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseDitto. I get the sentiment that was trying to be expressed, but there aren't any loopholes under any traditional understanding of Christianity that would make Mr. Hitchens' surprise last night anything but unpleasant.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseLord, have mercy.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAlong with his friend Martin Amis, one of the best prose stylists of his generation. Time for a Scotch in his honor.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseRIP
"...I join many in hoping he is in for a glorious, glorious surprise."
Well said Mr. Foster. Well done. True class.
I will remember his excellent advocation and defense (for awhile) of the sound policy to provide an essential intervention into the heart of the Middle East by way of Iraq/Saddam.
Mr. Hitchens can be remembered for advocating on behalf of the worthy fight for Liberty and Freedom at a very challenging time. This cannot be said for a number of others, some of the most unethical, who selected cheap political expediency out of pure partisan greed.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"This cannot be said for a number of others, some of the most unethical, who selected cheap political expediency out of pure partisan greed."
Is this a veiled shot at Gingrich? In THIS comment thread?
Good grief.
You should probably not give any eulogies until late November, 2012, at the very earliest.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWhat a horrible shame. Whatever the position was that he was going to take on a particular issue, you knew that position would be (at a minimum) interesting to read. That's a rarity, today.
In the last dozen years or more, there wasn't much of a reason to read Vanity Fair save for Htchens and Dunne. Now, there's no reason at all.
RIP, Mr. Hitchens.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHe commanded my attention even when I despised what he was arguing, and I will miss him. My guess is he's brandishing a broken bottle of Johnny Walker Black at Saint Peter right about now.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWell said!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI'm very saddened to hear about that.
He was always joined reading his well written essays, on some occasions I even agreed with him.
He will be missed.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMan oh man. He was the only guy on the left I truly admired. I guess this is the last thing he ever wrote - in the Jan. 2012 Vanity Fair. Body slams Nietzsche's "Whatever doesn’t kill me makes me stronger." No argument with Hitchens here.
May God bless him no matter the contempt he held for Him.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseA fantastic writer. I hope the light guided him.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse