Without a Hitch

[pcstru]

Christopher Hitchens 1949-2011. Dawkins called him "a giant of the mind and a model of courage", whereas George Galloway preferred the ephiphet "a drink-soaked former Trotskyist popinjay". Personally, though I didn't always agree with his conclusions, I view him as an outstanding example of someone applying rational thinking to the modern world and not being afraid to deal in uncomfortable truths.

He will be missed by many and if there is a God, boy is she in real trouble now.

(With the correct thread title this time!)

[SteveT]

If there is a God I reckon it's actually Mr Hitchens who is in trouble!!!!

[jinnantonnixx]

I heard on the radio this morning. Shame. I liked Hitch, his debates were something to savour. There are plenty of his debates on Youtube. A particularly good one is the Intelligence Squared debate with Stephen Fry (as a cohort)

[sonofsanta]

I did wonder at the original title!

Immensely saddened by his death as whether you agreed with his arguments or not, he was always entertaining and intelligent. The points he argued were almost moot; it was the way he argued that was so brilliant.

[Hightower]

I must live in a shell. Never heard of the man before today

[X-13]

I must live in a shell. Never heard of the man before today

^ This.

[SYNACK]

Haven't heard of him either but his viewpoint sounds interesting. Even if there is a 'God' I don't think that he would be in trouble, surely a being that created other beings with freewill and curiosity would expect and appreciate people using those qualities to find conclusions. Right or wrong. It is a sad day when anyone is lost that has the ability and courage to truely question and investigate the nature of reality.

[jinnantonnixx]

Everyone should watch a few of his Youtube videos to get the measure of the man. An extraordinary lucid debater.

[X-13]

surely a being that created other beings with freewill and curiosity would expect and appreciate people using those qualities to find conclusions.

Nope, it doesn't work like that.

Give people freewill, demand they blindly follow you. Eternally torture anyone who dares to think for themselves. #ScumbagGod.

[SYNACK]

Nope, it doesn't work like that.

Give people freewill, demand they blindly follow you. Eternally torture anyone who dares to think for themselves. #ScumbagGod.

I do know the party line but don't put too much 'faith' in the musings of groups of people who historicly have found it in their best interests to control their flock's. If I decided to belive in a higher power of some kind then I'd decide to on my own terms. I'm just saying that its all hearsay and people should draw their own conclusions, much as the OPs subject did.

[X-13]

Nice, anonymous neg rep "Have some neg rep you heathen."

This is why I dislike religous people. No-one is allowed to have an opposing view according to them.

Even when the opposing view is what their religion actually is...

Le EDIT: WTF anon neg rep here isn't enough... You have to go to a [censored] unrelated post and give MORE anon neg rep. Wow. You're an ass, whoever you are.

[Disaster]

To Christopher Hitchens. Cheers!

[pooley]

Nice, anonymous neg rep "Have some neg rep you heathen."

This is why I dislike religous people. No-one is allowed to have an opposing view according to them.

Even when the opposing view is what their religion actually is...

Le EDIT: WTF anon neg rep here isn't enough... You have to go to a [censored] unrelated post and give MORE anon neg rep. Wow. You're an ass, whoever you are.

Nice to see your making new friends lol. Who cares about the rep stuff? Not like it gives you free money? Unless I have missed something ?

[sonofsanta]

I do know the party line but don't put too much 'faith' in the musings of groups of people who historicly have found it in their best interests to control their flock's. If I decided to belive in a higher power of some kind then I'd decide to on my own terms. I'm just saying that its all hearsay and people should draw their own conclusions, much as the OPs subject did.

This is my big problem with religion.

I am fine with belief, really, that is an entirely personal matter and you can believe in whatever you like, so long as you respect my right to not-believe in whatever I like.

But religion is just a structure put in place to create unnecessary power over others, and maintain the status quo. The King James bible is no more the Word of God than dodgy X-Factor covers of songs are the definitive versions of tracks. It is laced with language to keep the peasantry happy with their lot in life and the meek will inherit the Earth and get on with tilling your field cos you'll get rewarded in heaven, and greed and lust and sloth are deadly sins and yes I know I do them but I'm upper class, so I can just pay the Church some money to get them forgiven. Aren't the turnips due up about now?

So God? I don't know. In my experiences, I've not seen anything to suggest he is necessary to existence, and I prefer to believe in the majestic wonder that all this has arisen from chance and coincidence. That's just incredible, that against such all odds, all this has come to be. But you've lived a different life to me, and seen things I've not, so draw your own conclusions. We're all just guessing, after all.

The Church, though? Pfft. If anything, controlling access to God's glory seems a little like working for the other team, if anything...

[witch]

#ScumbagGod.

Whilst intelligent disagreement is fine, making statements like that are just guaranteed to cause issues - there is no need for religious people to ram it in your face, but equally there is no need for you to be deliberately offensive, is there? We are all entitled to our own opinions but being nasty from either perspective is just unnecessary.
It's Chri....um....um...Holiday Time