Christopher Hitchens' Last Interview

Oh, my dear, sweet Christian.

This is the one thing I find more curious about your religion than anything else.

Your religions apparent hunger for cowards.

Tell me. This hypothetical "right person." They see your statements and they get scarred. They get real scared.

So they prance around calling themselves a good little Christian, squealing about how loyal they are to your God.

What happens when the see a charismatic Muslim talking about their fate as a Non-Muslim.

You think this coward who ran under your religions banner because they were afraid of punishment is going to stay loyal?

Let's imagine that your God sends them a test. Let's say, through some hallucination, they get the impression that your God is in fact one of two cosmic entities locked in combat and that the other is winning.

Do you think a coward whose loyalty is inspired by fear is going to stay true to your God?

I don't.

Oh. Just on another topic. I'd comment on the relevant post, but you know... Reddit has it's absurd "Popularity of Opinion = Right to Voice Opinion" system.

I'm well convinced that we are far into the downward slide and God will grab his last few here and there but things are just about done.

Well... I'd start by asking exactly what sort of timeline you are looking at (We talking "God experiences centuries as miliseconds, or we talking "The end is nigh")

Assuming the latter.

What's going to happen if you are wrong?

Oh. I'm sure you are going to respond with a snide remark about how you aren't, just like every other self-styled prophet I've encountered in my life.

But stretch your imagination muscles for me.

How old are you? You got some years before you, if the world don't end? Or are you expecting to kick the bucket any day now?

Because if you can expect another fifty to sixty years, what's going to happen if you find yourself on your death bed and things seem just dandy?

It going to rock your faith and cause you to abandon your preaching? Like the other self-styled prophets?

It's just an interesting pattern I've noticed. Sure. You seem to be playing it safe. I don't see a set date.

What I do see is the same sorta person playing the same game.

And the waves that appear among their faithful in their wake?

The cost of hungering after cowards and gluttons.

You can't expect true loyalty from them.

/r/religion Thread Parent Link - newstatesman.com