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I never really liked Christopher Hitchens' stuff. I read about half of "God is Not Great" and then decided the book wasn't so great. I read a bunch of his essays on Slate, and every time I thought "I'm only liking this because it agrees with my opinions and biases." If it happened to be something I didn't agree with, I often couldn't finish it. Hitchens had a way of making me aware of my own opinions and biases - because his were so damn overbearing.

Still, I would have loved to have a drink with him. He had an interesting way of saying what he felt like saying that particular day.




If Ray was smarter, funnier, and a better writer, he would be a lot like Hitch. He's got contrarian jerk down pat.

Christopher Hitchens' brother, Peter, held very different views:

Hitchens vs Hitchens.

Chris Hitchens:

I can't stand anyone who believes in God, who invokes the divinity or who is a person of faith."

Sums up many, maybe most posters here.

Posting here is like wading through an angry mob of unbelievers.

Have fun, because I have limits too, not that you would give a rat's arse.

The reaction of the TBMs on the MDD thread have been interesting, in my opinion. Overwhelmingly, they are using the occasion of Hitchens's death to berate him for being a "moron" who was too dumb to realize that God exists. "I bet he's very surprised right now," is what many of them are saying. Maybe it's just me, but I find this sort of commentary rather off-putting.

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The Dude wrote:I never really liked Christopher Hitchens' stuff. I read about half of "God is Not Great" and then decided the book wasn't so great. I read a bunch of his essays on Slate, and every time I thought "I'm only liking this because it agrees with my opinions and biases." If it happened to be something I didn't agree with, I often couldn't finish it. Hitchens had a way of making me aware of my own opinions and biases - because his were so damn overbearing.

Still, I would have loved to have a drink with him. He had an interesting way of saying what he felt like saying that particular day.

If Ray was smarter, funnier, and a better writer, he would be a lot like Hitch. He's got contrarian jerk down pat.

I disagreed with Hitchens a lot, but was blown away by his writing ability. I just recently remembered that in the late 90's I'd love when Hitchens would appear on a cable news show because he always looked like someone just pulled him out of the middle of a 3 day bender. I thought that was hysterical.

Doctor Scratch wrote:The reaction of the TBMs on the MDD thread have been interesting, in my opinion. Overwhelmingly, they are using the occasion of Hitchens's death to berate him for being a "moron" who was too dumb to realize that God exists. "I bet he's very surprised right now," is what many of them are saying. Maybe it's just me, but I find this sort of commentary rather off-putting.

If you're still a Mormon (so you claimed some time ago), then this shouldn't be surprising. Do Mormons teach that death is the finale? I don't believe in a vengeful God, and I certainly don't believe Chris Hitchens will "burn" in some kind of hell. I cannot conceive of a "sadist" God, and I wouldn't wish any kind suffering upon Hitchens. The "life review", famously reported in numerous NDEs, is one where the person realises their own mistakes, but are never "judged and condemned" by "the Deity". They actually judge themselves, and sometimes "the Deity" has to plead with them not to be so hard on themselves. It's called "conscience" (see Peter Hitchens).

by the way, I've lost count of how many people have called Mormons, "morons". Yet you seem grossly offended if it's applied to Hitchens, who wasn't the most compassionate towards Mormons.

RayAgostini wrote:by the way, I've lost count of how many people have called Mormons, "morons". Yet you seem grossly offended if it's applied to Hitchens, who wasn't the most compassionate towards Mormons.

Ray, millions died in the Holocaust. Is it therefore the case that no one has a legitimate gripe?

I don't get your logic here.

This is one of the more remorseful days I've felt in my lifetime. I bought his books, I read his articles on Vanity Fair and The Slate, and genuinely enjoyed this man's ideations. Also, he was a c***. What a great combination. I poured a 40 out in his memory.

God bless ya, Christopher Hithchens. You know what I mean.

:)

- VRDRC

Buffalo wrote:

Stormy Waters wrote:and the stupid jokes about him "finding out that he was wrong."

DCP already started with that over at MAD.

Just for the record, and because Pahoran asked in a semi-civil tone for me to do so, I'd like to point out that DCP did not start a thread over at the other board to make merry over Hitchens' death. He started a thread entitled "Christopher Hitchens RIP" or something like that and a moderator merged it with another Hitchens thread with a title that envisioned Hitchens receiving his Celestial comeuppance. In fairness, DCP's initial post did include "I trust that he's already had a very, very big surprise, and I wish him well." DCP's other posts were critical of Hitchens' "God is Not Great" book, but were otherwise more complimentary of Hitchens than one might expect.

Oh, and DCP is not a goon. That is all. :-)