I grew out of this 'new atheist' hatemonger crap like three years ago. It's boring now. It's time to move on. Yeah we get it, there is no 'scientific evidence' for god. And two or three pompous haters are out there dehumanizing their fellow human beings who dare to have belief in why they are here or their life's purpose... Hitch, Dawkins, Sam Harris, are just a bunch of haters, one trick ponies, whose best work on religion, is well and truly behind them, there is only so much you can say, about an age old ideological impasse. These three men don't respect the human rights and freedoms of others to believe things, without at once insisting on the right to tear them down and spit on them, hate on them. It gets old, it gets very old, very quick. Hitch should stick to talking about geopolitics, it is much more interesting. Hitch is a one trick pony, who could learn a thing or two about temperance and self discipline from the 'holy books', he's a fat, artery plaque filled, chain smoking alcoholic, who's probably ten years from the grave or less. And when he goes, one less annoying hater rehashing the same old shit, will be here on Slate. Live and let live you god damn hater. No one elected you chief social engineer you pathetic fascist. What anyone believes is their business, until their fist hits your nose, then we have the rule of law. A true 'humanist' doesn't spend his life dehumanizing others.

Let's see if I have this right. You criticize Hitchens for being a hater, then you rejoice at the idea of his impending death. Then you throw in some name-calling. I'm guessing you must be a Muslim jihadist?

It's difficult to understand why you are so bored with a subject and spokesman you dislike so vehemently. Actually you seem quite consumed by it.

I didn't rejoice in the idea of his death, if you read it again, I simply pointed out there would be one less inconsequential hater and whiner on Slate... which is true. I didn't say 'Yay! I hope he dies, I'm having a party!', I merely pointed out that his done to death garbage will not be missed.

Quite consumed by it? No, that's just how I am about lots of things, I guess it is my personality. I still think to be consumed by something is to be better than to be in your position, which is a person consumed by nothing, a fence sitter, with nothing to add, nothing to say.

Are the New Atheists the ones who dehumanize others based on their faith? I thought it was the religious who tell people with different faith that they will be tortured in a burning furnace by a malevolent deity for all eternity. In fact, many religious seem to revel in this pornographic fantasy of punishment for "non-believers." If Hitch wants to fight against such disgusting images with a little reason I don't see why that makes him a hater.

Jesus you ARE a hater! this should be classic:

Hitch is a one trick pony, who could learn a thing or two about temperance and self discipline from the 'holy books', he's a fat, artery plaque filled, chain smoking alcoholic, who's probably ten years from the grave or less. And when he goes, one less annoying hater rehashing the same old shit, will be here on Slate

anyway, Hitch might be all of what you say, but it doesn't change the fact that most of what he says about religion, especially organized religion, is right, and we will be much beter off without it. i repect the right of any human being to believe in any myth they choose, as long as they keep it out of politics; unfortunately most organized religions are hell bent on doing just that. to mention nothing about wars and terror spread in the name of religion. curiously, this seems not to bother you as much as a bunch of people just stating their opinion about the whole mess.

"anyway, Hitch might be all of what you say, but it doesn't change the fact that most of what he says about religion, especially organized religion, is right, and we will be much beter off without it."

That's a pretty bold statement to make considering how many charities, hospitals, and other humanitarian aids around the world are religious in nature. Data has shown that atheists are weak when it comes to giving to charity, so who will replace that?

And hate to break it to you but humanity would have just as many wars if religion was done away with. Humans will use any excuse to fight and kill each other. Many of the religious wars in the past had underlying political and material reasons, and religion was basically used as an excuse. People would just find other excuses to go to war.

trjones1:

Are the New Atheists the ones who dehumanize others based on their faith? I thought it was the religious who tell people with different faith that they will be tortured in a burning furnace by a malevolent deity for all eternity. In fact, many religious seem to revel in this pornographic fantasy of punishment for "non-believers." If Hitch wants to fight against such disgusting images with a little reason I don't see why that makes him a hater.

Oh please! Hitch IS a hater... he's a very angry unhappy man. Yeah, some of the religious zealots dehumanize others too, but that doesn't change the fact Hitch does it too, they all do it, all in all, it gets old, as the first poster said.

if you notice, i am not talking about religion but organized religion, which is not the same.

it is true that religion had a big role in human history, for example the catholic church was a keeper of most classical knowledge thru the dark ages, but it's time to move on. nowdays, most organized religions are ground zero for intolerance and bigotry, and besides, the notion that some stuffed old guy, be it in Rome, Ryad, or Dallas can claim he (notice it's always he) talks in the name of god is laughable at best, and tragic in many cases.

i share your pessimisim about human nature, but i also believe the only way out would be for people to stop being manipulated by their leaders, and organized religion is a great manipulator.

Death to all the haters!

jennymaxim:

I grew out of this 'new atheist' hatemonger crap like three years ago.

So you were into it, but it's so 2006? Danke, Bruno. Vat do you believe zese days?

jennymaxim:

These three men don't respect the human rights and freedoms of others to believe things...

Where do you get that?

jennymaxim:

...he's a fat, artery plaque filled, chain smoking alcoholic, who's probably ten years from the grave or less.

And this has to do with his reasoning how?

You really have no idea what Hitchens, Dawkins, and Harris really write about, do you? You're obviously very upset, emotional, and hatemongering about this.

Hitch may be chubby, but Dawkins isn't. He's trim, and joyous like on the holiday-themed astheist bus, I suspect much more than Jenny maximum (weight)... come on, in the modern day world, it's not the atheists who are the angry, dark-circles around the eyes folk--it's the religious loons.

that being said, nice hip-hop reference, Jenny!

It seems to miss, you miss the point :)

U sound more hateful in your comment than hitchens has ever been in any of his writings.

besides Hitchens loves religion, for he needs it to be able to debate like dentist need foul mouths and bad teeth, hm?:)