R.I.P Christpher Hitchens

[Simon Wood]

Hi All,

He sure ain't in heaven, and he sure ain't in hell.

But he is surely missed.

Regards,

Simon

[Limehouse]

Indeed, a great thinker and writer. Shame he strayed away from the left in later years but nevertheless a giant of his generation.

[Simon Wood]

Hi Limehouse,

Yep. Left, right or centre, he sure challenged all our primitive beliefs.

Regards,

Simon

[jason_c]

Ive been on youtube for the past hour watching clips of Hitchens. He was an intellectual street fighter of immense talent.

[mariab]

Wow, he died? From throat cancer? (He was a big time smoker.)
I liked him, though I'm more familar with his vintage writings from the mid 1990s and his “campaign“ against Mother Theresa (which I very much enjoyed). I'm afraid I haven't kept up with him in the last few years.

[Steven Russell]

The world needs more like him.

[kensei]

Sorry, hate to speak ill of the dead but somebody had to say this- I think that when Hitchens found himself as a disembodied soul in the afterlife he must surely have exclaimed, "Oh, dammit!"

[c.d.]

I have no doubt that he would have been thoroughly amused by some of the comments that came from good "Christians" who are hoping that he is in hell. What better way to prove his point?

Even if there is a hell (and it's a big if), it is hard to believe that God would send you there for the mere act of disbelief and actually attempting to use the brain that He gave you. I would think it would be reserved for people who intentionally do evil in this world.

Someone suggested a new phrase to be added to the lexicon -- when you have been completely bested in an argument, you have been "Hitch Slapped."

c.d.

[kensei]

I am not a Christian and I do not believe that Hitchens is in Hell because of his disbelief. I am however a strong believer in an afterlife that encoposses all religions and that he now must surely find himself there to his great dismay.

[jason_c]

I am not a Christian and I do not believe that Hitchens is in Hell because of his disbelief. I am however a strong believer in an afterlife that encoposses all religions and that he now must surely find himself there to his great dismay.

Rather he'll be drinking afterlife scotch by the bottle whilst arguing with Mother Theresa, Ayatollah Khomeini and Saddam Hussein.

[c.d.]

Hello Kensei,

How would his situation in the after life have changed had he been a believer?

c.d.

[Robert]

If Mr Hitchens were to find himself in an afterlife, he might simply conclude that his life was, after all, continuing albeit in a different form. Surely he would not be obliged to believe that the claims of religion were true?

[kensei]

Hello Kensei,

How would his situation in the after life have changed had he been a believer?

c.d.

I don't think it would change at all, except for the lack of surprise.

[kensei]

If Mr Hitchens were to find himself in an afterlife, he might simply conclude that his life was, after all, continuing albeit in a different form. Surely he would not be obliged to believe that the claims of religion were true?

I'd imagine he might well remain skeptical of all the individual religious claims, but the mere fact of one's life continuing "in a different form" would seem to at least be proof that there is a supernatural. I mean, still being alive without having a physical body- plus realizing that he doesn't seem to have cancer anymore- would not have seemed possible to him before.

[Steven Russell]

I am not a Christian and I do not believe that Hitchens is in Hell because of his disbelief. I am however a strong believer in an afterlife that encoposses all religions and that he now must surely find himself there to his great dismay.

Hello, kensei,

Might I ask why you are "a strong believer in an afterlife"? It can't be because of evidence since there is none so is it not just wishful thinking?

Best wishes,
Steve.