Christopher Hitchens has died

amacachi · 16-12-2011 02:47PM

AnnyHallsal wrote: »

Because it's a reflexive exclamation deep-rooted in English-speaking language and culture.

Even saying "God" shows you believe in Him. Why else would people say it if it wasn't real? Also it says it in the bible, QED!

Technocentral · 16-12-2011 02:47PM

Twin-go wrote: »

Going to a church makes you no more a christian as standing in your garage make you a car.

Maybe, but it doesn't help,

Technocentral · 16-12-2011 02:51PM

amacachi wrote: »

Even saying "God" shows you believe in Him. Why else would people say it if it wasn't real? Also it says it in the bible, QED!

Thats a load of bollox, its just a saying that we are brought up saying in christian countries thats all, it denotes no belief.

Logical Fallacy · 16-12-2011 02:51PM

Black Cow wrote: »

Eh, by definition yes. What a dumb question - why do you say "Oh my God" if you don't believe or have a God? Do you pray too?

Loads of aspects of modern life have a religious origin in fairness.

I mean, if you have kids and have ever sent them trick or treating them you are partaking in something which originated as a religious practice.

Wattle wrote: »

I admired him. I certainly didn't worship him. If you worship somebody you think they can never be wrong yet I disagreed with him about Iraq. He was a great debunker of charlatans yet he was ok with that nitwit George Bush. I admired his fierce intellect and the fact that he never stinted on his atheist beliefs even in the face of impending death. I hope I can be that strong when my time comes.

Hitchens wasn't okay with Bush, he felt it was important for Saddam to be removed from power given his treatment of the Iraqi people.

Hell, his stance on the Iraq war just made me like him more...not that i agreed with him, but it was proof that his opinions were his, and he wasn't pandering to anyone about anything.

Hobbes · 16-12-2011 02:55PM

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

Loads of aspects of modern life have a religious origin in fairness.

The microprocessor?

AnnyHallsal · 16-12-2011 02:55PM

Technocentral wrote: »

Thats a load of bollox, its just a saying that we are brought up saying in christian countries thats all, it denotes no belief.

I think he's joking.

Vomit · 16-12-2011 02:58PM

Horrible, confused war-monger, idolised by the lemmings of the atheist community simply for being witty about religion. This is partly why I ticked 'no religion' as opposed to 'atheist' on my census form.

MagicMarker · 16-12-2011 02:59PM

Vomit wrote: »

Horrible, confused war-monger, idolised by the lemmings of the atheist community simply for being witty about religion. This is partly why I ticked 'no religion' as opposed to 'atheist' on my census form.

Got tired of trolling the A&A forum did ya?

There was no option for ''atheist'' on the census form.

Logical Fallacy · 16-12-2011 03:00PM

Hobbes wrote: »

The microprocessor?

iPrayer

Calibos · 16-12-2011 03:01PM

Vomit wrote: »

Horrible, confused war-monger, idolised by the lemmings of the atheist community simply for being witty about religion. This is partly why I ticked 'no religion' as opposed to 'atheist' on my census form.

Right answer, wrong reason.

Vomit · 16-12-2011 03:01PM

MagicMarker wrote: »

Got tired of trolling the A&A forum did ya?

There was no option for ''atheist'' on the census form.

I gave an honest reply there with my honest opinion and was labelled a troll. Typical internetz stuff really.

Elliemental · 16-12-2011 03:01PM

Black Cow wrote: »

LOL @ all the atheists using "R.I.P." - an initialism commonly found on the grave of Catholics, and derived from the burial service of the Catholic Church.

I'm an atheist, BTW - but I also try to be consistent.

We still hold funerals for our dead. Does that automatically make us religious? Ever heard of the Humanist Society? Where is the religious sentiment in the words "rest in peace"?

Technocentral · 16-12-2011 03:02PM

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

iPrayer

iAtheist myself.

MagicMarker · 16-12-2011 03:02PM

Vomit wrote: »

I gave an honest reply there with my honest opinion and was labelled a troll. Typical internetz stuff really.

Typical troll really.

Vomit · 16-12-2011 03:04PM

MagicMarker wrote: »

Typical troll really.

*Yawn*

hotmail.com · 16-12-2011 03:05PM

I'm going to miss him debating with religious people - he never lost. So intelligent.

dlofnep · 16-12-2011 03:07PM

A big hero of mine. I knew he wasn't well for the past while - This is very saddening. A true inspiration to critical thinkers around the world. Never seemed to fit into the left, or the right - he made his own place in the world.

Logical Fallacy · 16-12-2011 03:09PM

Vomit wrote: »

Horrible, confused war-monger, idolised by the lemmings of the atheist community simply for being witty about religion. This is partly why I ticked 'no religion' as opposed to 'atheist' on my census form.

MagicMarker wrote: »

Got tired of trolling the A&A forum did ya?

There was no option for ''atheist'' on the census form.

Vomit wrote: »

I gave an honest reply there with my honest opinion and was labelled a troll. Typical internetz stuff really.

Not really honest, you implied you made a choice that was never actually available to you in order to appear cool.

THAT is typical internet stuff.

16-12-2011 03:10PM

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

iPrayer

Chinese knock off of iPlayer

dlofnep · 16-12-2011 03:10PM

One of my favourite Hitchens quotes, tells you exactly how he always accepted responsibility for actions. This was after he found out he had cancer.

Anderson Cooper: "You said to me you burned the candle at both ends..."
Christopher Hitchens: "And it gave a lovely light."

There's something beautifully poetic about that.

AnnyHallsal · 16-12-2011 03:18PM

dlofnep wrote: »

One of my favourite Hitchens quotes, tells you exactly how he always accepted responsibility for actions. This was after he found out he had cancer.

There's something beautifully poetic about that.

Thanks for that. He was one of the great prose stylists of his age. There aren't a handful of journalists working in the world who write as well as him. The people who know him only as the "angry atheist" are missing out on so much. His essays on David Irving, the Kennedys, death row, all luminous, all brilliant - sometimes how he saw something, always how he said it. And when you've read enough of them you find a deep-rooted generosity of spirit. There's a great documentary: Collision, which shows mutual respect between two main of contrary faith, but similar intelligence and sensitivity. Watch Collision!

dark crystal · 16-12-2011 03:19PM

Black Cow wrote: »

Eh, by definition yes. What a dumb question - why do you say "Oh my God" if you don't believe or have a God? Do you pray too?

Aren't expressions such as 'Oh My God' and 'Jesus Christ!' used without due reverence considered blasphemous?

Therefore, perhaps such expressions could be considered anti-religious and not statements of belief at all...?

Also calling someone a motherfu**er, for example, dosen't necessarily denote that the swearer believes the person in question actually has sex with their mother. Hence, it's just a meaningless expression.

Technocentral · 16-12-2011 03:20PM

Vomit wrote: »

Horrible, confused war-monger, idolised by the lemmings of the atheist community simply for being witty about religion. This is partly why I ticked 'no religion' as opposed to 'atheist' on my census form.

Well unfortunately we all can't come up with hilariously witty usernames like "Vomit".

Technocentral · 16-12-2011 03:22PM

dark crystal wrote: »

Aren't expressions such as 'Oh My God' and 'Jesus Christ!' used without due reverence considered blasphemous?

Therefore, perhaps such expressions could be considered anti-religious and not statements of belief at all...?

Also calling someone a motherfu**er, for example, dosen't necessarily denote that the swearer believes the person in question actually has sex with their mother. Hence, it's just a meaningless expression.

OMG!!!

D1stant · 16-12-2011 03:22PM

A very cool bloke. There are so few eloquent voices that rise above the sh1t in modern culture. A great loss for sure

Wow, imagine if there is life after death. He'd get quite a kick out of that

dark crystal · 16-12-2011 03:23PM

Technocentral wrote: »

OMG!!!

Filthy blasphemer!! :mad:

Paparazzo · 16-12-2011 03:28PM

Vomit wrote: »

Horrible, confused war-monger, idolised by the lemmings of the atheist community simply for being witty about religion. This is partly why I ticked 'no religion' as opposed to 'atheist' on my census form.

MagicMarker wrote: »

Got tired of trolling the A&A forum did ya?

There was no option for ''atheist'' on the census form.

It's moments like this that make the internet great!

Loomis · 16-12-2011 03:31PM

Blaspheme away, since it's not actually blasphemous.

I also say the words leprechaun, unicorn and fairy. Doesn't mean I believe in them.

Vomit · 16-12-2011 03:33PM

Paparazzo wrote: »

It's moments like this that make the internet great!

Ok, 'filled out' the word 'atheist'.... sheesh. Won any real debates lately?

amacachi · 16-12-2011 03:36PM

But why would one say "Atheist" or "Atheism" was one's religion anyway? It makes no sense.

Christopher Hitchens has died

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