I know it’s impolite to speak ill of the dead. Christopher Hitchens knows this, too, which is why he was especially nasty when asked about the death of Jerry Falwell last night on CNN:
“I think it’s a pity there isn’t a hell for him to go to.”
There’s more from Hitchens here. I’ve heard and read much lately that Hitchens is too abrasive in his atheism. But he’s a forceful polemicist when he writes about other topics, too, so I’m not sure why it should be different when he tackles religion or religious figures. The notion that criticism of religious ideas should be watered down simply because they are “matters of faith,” or “deeply held,” is itself a pernicious article of faith deeply held by too many.
Brian Crowley | 17-May-07 at 10:54 pm | Permalink
Indeed, I’ve toasted tonight to this occasion. Good news, perhaps.
Regarding Hitchens, it is not the combination of abrasiveness and atheism that I find problematic; it is the combination of abrasiveness and any attempts to change minds (however implicit these may be). Minds need to be changed, for sure, and to do so Hitchens must pay attention to not just the content of his considerations but also their form. Those whose minds need changing are, I suspect, at least as put off by the manner of presentation as by what is presented.
Also, I’m glad to see you blogging again. I’ve always enjoyed both its form and content.
admin | 18-May-07 at 4:24 pm | Permalink
I’m sure some people are put off by his style, or tone, but there may be other people who wouldn’t pay attention to a more polite presentation of the issues, such as the recent books by Daniel Dennett and Richard Dawkins. The only way to tell would be some sort of survey.
Hitchens comes from the old-fashioned journalistic tradition of “afflicting the comfortable and comforting the afflicted,” so perhaps he’s not really that concerned with changing people’s minds. (This is the man whose working title for a book on Mother Theresa was “Sacred Cow,” before settling on “The Missionary Position”). Maybe that’s a fault, but he’s such an entertaining writer I believe people who don’t agree with him will read him anyway. If he were the only one talking about religion critically, I would be more concerned about his tone, but there’s been a boom in atheist books lately, so there’s a godless tome out there to fit every taste.
Glad to know you’re reading my blog again!
PS: E-mail me your address so I can send you those Yabby You CDs.