Morality is not determined by the church you attend nor the faith you embrace. It is determined by the quality of your character and the positive impact you have on those you meet along your journey
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Christopher Hitchens continues to impress.
Well no wonder he let loose his grip on this earthly realm.
Mr. Hitchens is quite convincing, indeed; though, I'm not ready to give up the idea of some type of universal intelligence or energy that existed before the big bang. And I'm not ready to renounce my undefined mystical experiences.
I'm listening to the Hitchens-Blair debate which has been made available for the week. Almost every word uttered by Christopher Hitchens is quotable. I'm in awe of his intelligence, education, command of language, and wit.
I wasn't aware of him until the news of his death. I'm grateful that Gryphen brings us so much info- I visit this blog everyday and sometimes several times a day.
I researched Hitchens and am very impressed - so sorry to learn about him after he died.
I found myself laughing out loud reading about him and watching videos of him. He made sense and very compelling arguments. RIP
R.I.P, Christopher Hitchens. May your everlasting soul spend eternity in Heaven.
Just kidding. Seriously, THIS is all there is and all there is is THIS. We'd all be better off if, like Hitch, we believed that all of life's rewards and punishments were in this short lifetime and not in an imaginary fog-enshrouded theme park with free rides and harp music. It's sounds like a very damp place to me...
That's fabulous. Thanks for a bright spot in a crazy day.
What is it that Mel Brooks (I think?) said--someday we'll all find out that there's really a big chicken in control? Was that part of the "2000-Year-Old Man" skit?
That tweet is a very thoughtful tribute to Christopher Hitchens. Even in death, if someone tells him he was wrong, you gotta' believe he's going to argue the point.
Descartes walks into a bar and has a few drinks. Noticing that the famed philosopher was becoming too inebriated, the barkeep asks him, "Will you have another?" Descartes responds, "I think not" and then disappears!
I'm impressed with much of Mr Hitchen's work and writing.
However I believe his position on the Bush/Cheney war on Iraq was 101% dead wrong.
I know polls show 70% of Americans were convinced by "evidence" of WMD, but the naked truth was obvious to even a casual observer.
Consider:
1) Iraq up to 2003 was under a 100% no-fly lockdown. The USA had absolute air superiority.
2)We had AWACS planes and satellite surveillance of the entire country
3) Saddam Hussein was NOT involved in any way with 9/11. He couldn't even drive around without CIA knowing what he was up to.
4) If the Bush/Cheney cabal had any interest in finding out the truth, they would have realized that Saddam was actually keeping the Taliban and other movements from creating another Iranian style revolution
5) Our invasion plans were good, such as they were, but the plan for occupying an Arab country were nearly non-existent, and did not consider the Sunni/Shia situation or the tribal allegiances. The occupation was an unmitigated disaster. 6) We have been building roads, schools, bridges, and hospitals in Iraq for 8 years on US taxpayer's dime while NEGLECTING our own domestic infrastructure.
FYI> Palin called all of the above a "mission from God" in one of her very worst characterizations in prayer once
I could go on for another hour about how ill prepared the US was for this conflict, and how disastrous it has been for our military, the budget deficit, and the many thousands of lives lost and maimed.
Mr Hitchens was many things to many of us, but on this he could not have been more incorrect.
While I enjoyed many of Mr. Hitchen's critiques of policies and politicians, and his often times irreverent and humorous treatment of "serious" subjects, including organized religion, he strayed far from his origins during the last decade of his life.
His misinformed views about and support of the illegal bombings, invasions, and occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan, his support of and vote for G.W. Bush, his intense criticism of Muslims bordering on racism, his complete disdain for the 911 truth movement, and other right-wing neo-con borderline fascist positions made me unable to tolerate his extreme viewpoints. I could not agree with his ultimate political positions, and am against much of what he supported.
Still sorry to see him go earlier than he should have.
I feel the same way about religion as did Christopher Hitchens. Listened to him when he was alive and have been clued to anything about him since he died. A brilliant man and so, so witty!
It's wonderful seeing the respect he is getting. He said what he thought and could have cared less about the consequences or thoughts of others.
5:26, just curious. How is Mr. Hitchens supposed to "rest well"?
I'm with 10:20. Just because I regret that Hitchens' death was too early and more painful and prolonged than anyone deserves, and I agree with him re religion, doesn't negate that IMO he wrote many hateful things that really made me question what kind of human being he was.
I LOVED Christopher Hitchens, and I hate that the world is without him.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how many Palin fans really think that's God's twitter account...
ReplyDeleteHow deliciously brilliant!
ReplyDeleteMr. Hitchens is quite convincing, indeed; though, I'm not ready to give up the idea of some type of universal intelligence or energy that existed before the big bang. And I'm not ready to renounce my undefined mystical experiences.
I'm listening to the Hitchens-Blair debate which has been made available for the week. Almost every word uttered by Christopher Hitchens is quotable. I'm in awe of his intelligence, education, command of language, and wit.
http://munkdebates.com/Hitch
That is the best tweet I have ever seen.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't aware of him until the news of his death. I'm grateful that Gryphen brings us so much info- I visit this blog everyday and sometimes several times a day.
ReplyDeleteI researched Hitchens and am very impressed - so sorry to learn about him after he died.
I found myself laughing out loud reading about him and watching videos of him. He made sense and very compelling arguments. RIP
R.I.P, Christopher Hitchens. May your everlasting soul spend eternity in Heaven.
ReplyDeleteJust kidding. Seriously, THIS is all there is and all there is is THIS. We'd all be better off if, like Hitch, we believed that all of life's rewards and punishments were in this short lifetime and not in an imaginary fog-enshrouded theme park with free rides and harp music. It's sounds like a very damp place to me...
That's fabulous. Thanks for a bright spot in a crazy day.
ReplyDeleteWhat is it that Mel Brooks (I think?) said--someday we'll all find out that there's really a big chicken in control? Was that part of the "2000-Year-Old Man" skit?
That tweet is a very thoughtful tribute to Christopher Hitchens. Even in death, if someone tells him he was wrong, you gotta' believe he's going to argue the point.
ReplyDeleteBilliant! Reminds me of a Cartesian joke:
ReplyDeleteDescartes walks into a bar and has a few drinks. Noticing that the famed philosopher was becoming too inebriated, the barkeep asks him, "Will you have another?" Descartes responds, "I think not" and then disappears!
I'm impressed with much of Mr Hitchen's work and writing.
ReplyDeleteHowever I believe his position on the Bush/Cheney war on Iraq was 101% dead wrong.
I know polls show 70% of Americans were convinced by "evidence" of WMD, but the naked truth was obvious to even a casual observer.
Consider:
1) Iraq up to 2003 was under a 100% no-fly lockdown. The USA had absolute air superiority.
2)We had AWACS planes and satellite surveillance of the entire country
3) Saddam Hussein was NOT involved in any way with 9/11. He couldn't even drive around without CIA knowing what he was up to.
4) If the Bush/Cheney cabal had any interest in finding out the truth, they would have realized that Saddam was actually keeping the Taliban and other movements from creating another Iranian style revolution
5) Our invasion plans were good, such as they were, but the plan for occupying an Arab country were nearly non-existent, and did not consider the Sunni/Shia situation or the tribal allegiances. The occupation was an unmitigated disaster.
6) We have been building roads, schools, bridges, and hospitals in Iraq for 8 years on US taxpayer's dime while NEGLECTING our own domestic infrastructure.
FYI> Palin called all of the above a "mission from God" in one of her very worst characterizations in prayer once
I could go on for another hour about how ill prepared the US was for this conflict, and how disastrous it has been for our military, the budget deficit, and the many thousands of lives lost and maimed.
Mr Hitchens was many things to many of us, but on this he could not have been more incorrect.
RIP Hitch!
While I enjoyed many of Mr. Hitchen's critiques of policies and politicians, and his often times irreverent and humorous treatment of "serious" subjects, including organized religion, he strayed far from his origins during the last decade of his life.
ReplyDeleteHis misinformed views about and support of the illegal bombings, invasions, and occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan, his support of and vote for G.W. Bush, his intense criticism of Muslims bordering on racism, his complete disdain for the 911 truth movement, and other right-wing neo-con borderline fascist positions made me unable to tolerate his extreme viewpoints. I could not agree with his ultimate political positions, and am against much of what he supported.
Still sorry to see him go earlier than he should have.
I feel the same way about religion as did Christopher Hitchens. Listened to him when he was alive and have been clued to anything about him since he died. A brilliant man and so, so witty!
ReplyDeleteIt's wonderful seeing the respect he is getting. He said what he thought and could have cared less about the consequences or thoughts of others.
RIP Mr. Hitchens where ever you went!
How wonderful. Thanks !!
ReplyDeleteThanks Gryphen! I think even Chistopher would have had to smile at that one.
ReplyDeleteOne thing being an Atheist taught me is that no one is perfect all the time. This man was absolutely brave, witty, brilliant, and fully human.
Reading his works was enlightening, I'll miss his contribution to the world.
Rest Well, Mr. Hitchens
5:26, just curious. How is Mr. Hitchens supposed to "rest well"?
ReplyDeleteI'm with 10:20. Just because I regret that Hitchens' death was too early and more painful and prolonged than anyone deserves, and I agree with him re religion, doesn't negate that IMO he wrote many hateful things that really made me question what kind of human being he was.