Topic: Atheism
Alas, my favorite Anti-Theist supported a U.S. Holy War and potential descent into a Fascist Theocracy One of my favorite writers is Christopher Hitchens. He is at the pinnacle of his career right now. Unfortunately, he's only still a fallible human and a glaring contradiction haunts his recent work.by Russell G. Davis
(centrist)
Friday, August 28, 2009
I am a huge fan of Christopher Hitchens. As a matter of fact, I have such admiration for the man that I would tell people to bet on him should the opportunity for me to debate him (an extremely unlikely eventuality, indeed.) ever come up. I love chuckling to his sharp tongued summation of Jerry Falwell's life ("...a pity there isn't a hell for him to burn in!"). I was in awe of his daring to deface a SSNP (pro-Syrian Fascists who openly brandish swastikas) sign and then get into a street fight in Beirut earlier this year. There are several YouTube videos readily available of him demolishing Mother Teresa, Dinesh D'Sousa, and Al Sharpton and he is always a joy to watch.
Mr. Hitchens describes himself as an Anti-Theist. His term really is accurate. Because in spite of the linguistic trick so many believers attempt-that of claiming atheism to be a religion, done so in order to put atheism and superstition on equal footing, atheism means the lack of religion. It's a joke to see checkboxes that classify religion say (Atheist/Agnostic/Nonreligious). Atheism and nonreligious mean the same thing. Anti-Theism is different. It is not only saying "There is no God", it is being critical of the evil and the harm that religions do. And Mr. Hitchens excels at this.
However, we should never follow anyone blindly, including Mr. Hitchens. He does indeed have his faults. He identifies himself as a neo-conservative. He was an unabashed supporter of George W. Bush and the Iraq War. However he is not like your typical elitist D.C. chickenhawk. He has had good friends in this region. And thus, good reasons to hold the beliefs he does hold. He is a personal friend to Salman Rushdie. Having a good friend marked for death can color your views. Which probably had something to do with Hitchens turning a blind eye to the dangers of a Fascist Theocracy happening right here at home.
The President he so strongly supported was recently mentioned by former French President Chirac as believing that his actions invading Iraq were part of the End Times as foretold in the Book of Revelation. This President was given briefs on the war by then Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld with Bible quotations in the colorful headlines. The President defended by Mr. Hitchens has allowed a Fundamentalist mercenary organization to massacre Iraqi citizens and essentially put them beyond the grasp of the law. Blackwater chief Erik Prince may yet stand trial for a different murder, but that's still playing out.
Not that Hitchens had anything to do with any of this. But given his usual venom filled columns, one does have to wonder why a man who calls himself an Anti-Theist considers this irrelevant.
Hitchens has said very publicly that the Separation of Church and State is unique to this country and should be appreciated more. I agree 100%. I think it is one of the best barriers between our society and a genuine Fascist state. Forget the easily debunked "Obama Death Panels", can you imagine Fred Phelps actually able to influence a police investigation? Or Thomas Muthee being able to detain citizens he suspects of witchcraft? Or We the People being unable to bring one of Pastor Stephen Anderson's gun toting followers up on charges should he use his firearm at a public event? Things of this nature are waiting for us if we get rid of Church State Separation. Hitchens is right to say we should appreciate this more.
But it was not Sarah Palin's association with Thomas Muthee that got Hitchens to denounce her as being obviously unqualified to be President. Thomas Muthee, for those of you who don't know, prayed over Sarah to protect her from "witchcraft"(Yes, folks, that's witchcraft, in this day and age-WITCHCRAFT!) in a widely circulated YouTube video. Muthee has openly said that he feels the church should dominate every area of life, education, finance, and government included. I would not want someone like that to have easy access to the Vice-President or potentially the President. What got Obama endorsed and her denounced by Hitchens was not her association with this man, but her showing her ignorance of foreign affairs in what should have been an easy interview with Katie Couric.
I live in Nevada and we got the recent treat of our Senator John Ensign, not only being exposed as a hypocrite and money launderer, but also got a closer look into the C Street organization to which he belongs. They also openly advocate religious domination of not only our country but the world under a Christian banner. According to Senator Ensign's friends our personal sins don't matter, only your obedience to authority. That's not a direct quote of their doctrine but it is pretty close.
Mr. Hitchens may very well bring these up at some time in the future. But it drives home the very real threat to this country of those in our leadership who want to turn us into a Fascist theocracy.
As a matter of fact, if you are looking for a reason to hate Barack Obama, forget the "Death Panels", the "Birth Certificate" farce or whatever crackpot conspiracy theory is being circulated by the time this is published. Mr. Obama promised in his campaign to aggressively prosecute members of the Bush Administration for their illegal activities. When Obama failed to do this and instead gave us the weak excuse that we need to "look forward, not backward", he places torture advocates Dick Cheney, John Yoo, and Douglas Feith above the law. The danger here is that the next time we have an appointed "President" neglect the security of the nation and then exploit it after a disaster, the legal precedents for a genuine Fascist Theocracy will be in place.
I've always admired Hitchen's ability to criticize in detail anyone anytime anywhere if he feels they deserve it. He could have done a lot of good if he used this ability against Ensign, C Street, Yoo, Feith, Cheney and Prince. Given the loud volume he exerts on other deserving targets, his silence on these men's anti constitutional antics is deafening!
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I'm also a great admirer of Mr. Hitchens and his views on the negative effects of organized religion, but I've also have been troubled his turning a blind eye to the religious fundamentalism in the Bush administration. If he's so concerned with fighting theocratic fascists, he should fight home-grown ones as well.
Let's hope he soon sees the glaring hole in his thinking and will call an ace an ace here at home.
I completely agree Russell. I am an avid admirer of Hitchens and his antitheist work. But it bothers me that he has supported the Bush regime and the Iraq invasion. I keep hoping that he will see the error in that, and perhaps Dawkins and those such as us, will no longer find any difference with him. Great article.
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