"Hitchens was a non-believing asshole and I'm glad he's dead."
This was the comment I received from a friend today. This friend is pretty religious. Granted, Hitchens didn't pull any punches with religion, but I'm not sure that makes him an asshole.
It really made me think. From my experience, the atheists I know are really not bad people. I understand also that i probably give them a little lateral movement on their faults because we share common ground. Still, they donate to charities, show kindness for others, and possess a number of other qualities the religious community seems to aspire to. So why all the anger toward Hitchens? Why all the animosity toward atheists?
I think the answer is in the initial comment; non-belief. No matter what kind of charitable life I lead, no matter how I truly love humankind, I will in the end be seen as someone not worthy of praise, but name calling.
Wow, what a classy friend. Well, you can tell said friend that Hitchens - and many others - felt the same way about their Mother Theresa.
I think they are afraid of atheists - atheists are a threat to the world order and must therefore be hated because they dare to believe that they do not need religion in order to be good or moral or find purpose and meaning in life. The sheep don't understand this and can't step outside out of their narrow little mind long enough to comprehend it... so it's much easier to simply hate those who can.
My heart is broken this morning. I was hoping a hopeless hope. I once told Richard Packham that I wished he would live forever and I had the same sentiment for Christopher. These are the two men I have come to admire most. I have no doubt that in years to come that Christopher will be seen as the main figure who thrust a fatal blow to religious fanaticism over the whole earth. Christopher said towards the end that all he wanted was to know that he had been vindicated. You are more than vindicated my friend for this ex-mormon and literally millions of others owe you a great debt for yanking their minds out of the mental prisons of comfortable delusions.
This great debt can only be repaid by passing the torch of logic, reason and common sense to our progeny so that the coming generations never forget who stood up and kicked the religious boogeyman in the crotch and showed human kind that the Emperors of religion have no clothes.
I swear to all that there is that before this day ends I will purchase a bottle of Jonny Walker Black. Around the neck of that bottle I will place a heartfelt note. “Rest in peace Christopher my more than vindicated friend. I am with you.”
I lost ALL credibility. It doesn't matter if it's with Mormons other Christian faiths, since I don't believe in their God or Jesus I'm automatically against them, when I'm not. Not even a little bit.
I'm not a fan of Hitchens for a number of reasons-some of which are political and can't be discussed here. However, being glad someone is dead is over the top. However, when a top M Mormon dies, we hear our share of the same type of comments here. Just saying.
It is sad for anybody to die. I've seen conversations with Christopher Hitchens a number of times. Smart guy, BUT, he was very abrasive and I didn't care for him. He could have been otherwise and his views would have received a better reception, IMO. Maybe I don't know enough atheists, but the ones that seem to be in the news seem alot like Mr. Hitchens. Obviously there are many who are considerate of others views and are good people. Of course there are bum-holes on the religious side as well.