Weird Atheism

Dear Friends,

The young man in the window seat was friendly and polite. We exchanged pleasantries when I sat down on the aisle seat, ready for the four + hour flight from Chicago to Oakland. I read a few chapters of The Hole in the Gospel, then looked for crossword puzzles in the flight magazine. All were completed (or nearly so). I sighed. Minutes later he handed me three books, The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran, another I didn’t recognize, and God is NOT Great: How Religion Spoils Everything by Christopher Hitchens. He knew I was looking for reading material – but was he making a point?

I had read The Prophet years ago, so I pick up God is NOT Great and read five chapters, including the concluding chapter. Ouch! Hitchens contends that organized religion is “violent, irrational, intolerant, allied to racism, tribalism, and bigotry, invested in ignorance and hostile to free inquiry, contemptuous of women and coercive toward children." Hitchens argues that the human race no longer needs religion and the time has come for science and reason to take a more prominent role in the life of individuals and larger cultures. It is in effect a rallying call to atheism.

Someone said it is important to know your enemies. Hitchens is literate, humorous (dripping with satire), and convincing. He is also dead wrong.

A few hours later… “So, what do you do for a living?” “I’m the lead administrator at Contra Costa Christian Schools.” “oh” (awkward silence) Despite the discomfort, we engaged in an interesting conversation on origins, God, and atheism. I don’t think I convinced him. He certainly illuminated my understanding of the other side. We shook hands as we walked off of the plane.

Last week, author Christopher Hitchens died after a bout with cancer. Now he knows. Life is weird sometimes.