A Little Touch Of Hitchens

[poliphilo]

A little Hitchens goes a long way, but is also quite bracing. Like Dawkins he isn't really equipped to debate religion with its more sophisticated practitioners, but with its less sophisticated ones he can be devastating. I've just been watching a clip of him debating circumcision with a grandfatherly rabbi. It's probably the first time the poor old man has been told to his face how disgusting he is and how he should be ashamed of himself. Rabbis, priests and imams are accustomed to deference- even from unbelievers- and I'm sure this kind of rough handling does them good. 

Comments

[rosamicula.livejournal.com]

I was once asked to give up my seat to an imam on a bus. To be fair he was quite old, but I was quite frail (and fractious) at the time. the young men with him pointed out to the people with seats that he was a holy man,and an elderly Caribbean lady with a deliciously ringing voice, said "Well, he sure don't smell very holy to me, young man".

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I love it.

[wolfshift.livejournal.com]

The "New Atheists" are idiots.

[oakmouse]

Thank you. This.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Dawkins annoys me and I disagree with Hitchens on various things, but I wouldn't call them idiots.

[wolfshift.livejournal.com]

Well, no: You're a nicer person than I am.

[michael john grist (from livejournal.com)]

care to elaborate? why are they idiots?

[loxian.livejournal.com]

I'm really sorry - I think you're lovely, but I absolutely hate Hitchens, and I made a post saying why.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

My position is something like this. I'm anti-clerical. I think priests and rabbis and imams need taking down a peg or two- and I applaud anyone who has the guts to do it.

[michaleen.livejournal.com]

You are going to have to choose between idiot and lunatic. Given Hitchens's full-throated support of George W Bush, he must be one or the other.

Also, would you consider taking his fat drunken ass back? by force, if necessary? It's one extraordinary rendition of which I approve whole-heartedly. You can take back Andrew Sullivan, too.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Wiuth Hitchens I pick and choose. I think he was right about Nixon, right about Clinton, wrong about Bush. I applaud his anticlericalism but find his view of religion and science old-fashioned. I don't hero-worship him- far from it- but I do admire and enjoy some of his work.

[michaleen.livejournal.com]

I cannot admire anyone that supported Bush. One either supports liberal democracy, and aligns oneself with the human race, or one does not. When the chips were down, Hitchens did not.

[wyrmwwd.livejournal.com]

There is no particular reason to give any kind of deference or preference to members of clergy. Believe me, we all zip our pants up the same way. Many people do it, though, and I have already figured out that there are times when one can use that to good advantage. But, I only use it when I am trying to get something done for someone else. It is an abuse of power to use it for one's own good. Anyway, that is just my opinion in the matter.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I walked away from priesthood for all sorts of reasons- one of which (a minor one) was because I was abusing the power it gave me.

[wyrmwwd.livejournal.com]

I can see that would be an easy thing to fall into. When I was living in Syracuse, I had a taxi driver that did not want to charge me because he thought I was clergy (I worked in the Chapel, and I dressed like all of the other ministers). I wouldn't let him get by with that. He needed money, too, although, I DID let him extend credit to me a couple of times when I didn't have any money, but I always paid him back right away, and gave him a generous tip. I never told him I wasn't actually a minister.

[oakmouse]

Actually, never mind. I'm going to take it to my own journal.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I'l follow you over.

[oakmouse]

It's up. Fair warning: I didn't watch the video you linked, because I find verbal abuse to triggering. So I'm writing about my own views rather than responding to the video in specific.

[loxian.livejournal.com]

I can't see this - is it friends only? May I be your friend? Or would you consider unlocking it for a brief period?

[oakmouse]

Sure, I'll friend you.