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Moderated Book about Hitchens claims he almost converted

How very droll.

Even in 2016, I know Roman Catholics who will swear that Bertrand Russell "recanted" his atheism on his death bed.

What it shows is how utterly feeble the basis of their faith is, that having been PWND by a particular person for all of his life, they seek to diminish it by making these outrageous claims.

I would note that "friend" appears to be well overstating the situation. The article says "knew him for three years". And in the most enormous surprise in all history, there is no evidence whatsoever apart from that one dickhead's word.

I do not believe a word of it.

I could be generous and say that the guy was possibly mistaken, but I'm not about to. It looks all over an attempt to screw up a few miserable dollars from his soft-dicked christian buddies at the expense of a bloody good bloke's corpse.

Wanker.
 
Stories like this always amuse me. I've had religious acquaintances try to convert me with the story of Darwin proclaiming faith on his deathbed, as though I worshiped the man.

My response is always "So? I don't care."

People who live on blind faith assume others live by their own similar yardstick. It's difficult for them to realize that you can actually think for yourself. They worship others, so they assume that if they tear down your personal "gods" they will change you.

It never occurs to them that you don't subscribe to Gods in the first place.

I don't believe for a second that Hitchens almost converted, but even if I did, I wouldn't care. I don't depend on him or anyone else for my own convictions.
 
And even if true, some poor guy getting scared over eternal damnation fairy tales as you're dying is hardly a beautiful bragging point for religion. Ummmm...yey?
 
Beerina said:
And even if true, some poor guy getting scared over eternal damnation fairy tales as you're dying is hardly a beautiful bragging point for religion. Ummmm...yey?
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That's one of the things that scares me- they DO use eternal damnation as a bragging point. It's like advertising Coca-Cola with the slogan "Drink this, or we will come and burn down your house." Don't we have laws against that sort of thing?
 
It is the same tactic used as pretending there is no atheist in a foxhole. "You pretend to be atheist but once it comes to the end you'll repent and admit to believe in god. Ra-ra-ra you are not really an atheist you just pretend to be so. (insert childish giggle)".

Usually if you dig enough you see such tactic reflects the fragility of the faith of the theist and their need to reassure themselves they got the "good" path. One of such is to pretend the faith of others is an empty shell.
 
Sounds like it is worth a read, hell even Hitchens said:

“If everyone in the United States had the same qualities of loyalty and care and concern for others that Larry Taunton has, we’d be living in a much better society than we do.”
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Sounds like a good guy, doesn't it?

Blessed Teresa of Calcutta would be gratified that her nemesis was saved.

Thanks for the heads up.
 
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Belgian thought said:
Her final words, according to my father, were simply "Dad?"
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My grandparents were similar. The catholics didn't say anything about it. No prayers, nothing. The lutheren ones did only so far as to make it clear they didn't want any church service or anything for a funeral.

Makes me wonder why. Why did they spend their whole lives practicing this faith and then give it up at the end of their lives?
 
The Atheist said:
How very droll.

Even in 2016, I know Roman Catholics who will swear that Bertrand Russell "recanted" his atheism on his death bed.

What it shows is how utterly feeble the basis of their faith is, that having been PWND by a particular person for all of his life, they seek to diminish it by making these outrageous claims.

I would note that "friend" appears to be well overstating the situation. The article says "knew him for three years". And in the most enormous surprise in all history, there is no evidence whatsoever apart from that one dickhead's word.

I do not believe a word of it.

I could be generous and say that the guy was possibly mistaken, but I'm not about to. It looks all over an attempt to screw up a few miserable dollars from his soft-dicked christian buddies at the expense of a bloody good bloke's corpse.

Wanker.
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By golly, here, here! :thumbsup:
 
16.5 said:
Sounds like it is worth a read, hell even Hitchens said:



Sounds like a good guy, doesn't it?

Blessed Teresa of Calcutta would be gratified that her nemesis was saved.

Thanks for the heads up.
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Of course, even if he had have converted to Christianity - he didn't - he still would not have been "saved" given that Islam is the true religion.
 
At least the bevilers care about Hitchens and want him saved. He could have ended up like notorious infidel Voltaire who once said “In one hundred years the Bible will be an extinct book”, then suffered the posthumourous humiliation of having Bibles printed in his former house- no redemption there.

At least I think he said that. I haven't located the actual quote, and the fundies who quote it seem to have forgotten where they first saw it.

But I have to admit it sounds authentic, because Voltaire had such a deep and naïve faith in human rationality and intelligence that he might well have said it.

(Or am I thinking of Vultan? I always get him and Voltaire confused)
 
angrysoba said:
Of course, even if he had have converted to Christianity - he didn't - he still would not have been "saved" given that Islam is the true religion.
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That's the amusing thing for me in all this. At least the Darwin one has him converting (or whatever) at the end...this one doesn't even manage that!

Noztradamus said:
(Or am I thinking of Vultan? I always get him and Voltaire confused)
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Vultan would have been in ALL CAPS!
 
Ah yes, "private, unrecorded conversations" from an xian with a book to pimp.
:rolleyes:
 
The deathbed conversion stories always got me confused. I mean even if they were true (which they tend not to be)... so what?

Nobody ever died in perfect health. The body is breaking down, toxins accumulate in the blood, the brain is barely still working, you might be in pain, and are probably scared, since that's the most fundamental reflex. Does that sound like the kind of clear thinking that might convince me to join any particular sect? I mean, by jolly, someone barely conscious and not thinking straight... yeah, that's the kind of source that makes the logical case ;)

Ditto for the supposed foxhole conversions. Attacking the enemy morale is as old as warfare, and it's been tuned to an art form in modern times. It's in fact both sides' main defense nowadays, that armour went out of fashion. Soldiers break down all the time. And I mean ALL the time. Some get PTSD, some do something stupid and get killed, and some can barely keep their crap together to keep their head down or retreat in an intelligent fashion.

So, again, THAT is the kind of source that should make the logical case for God? Someone who can barely think straight?

Plus, WTH is the analogy with my situation or the situation of the middle-class suburban mom or dad preaching that to me? HOW does a deathbed or foxhole situation excuse THEIR not thinking straight? Because for an argument by analogy to work, there must be a relevant analogy. Are they in as much pain, fear and stress as someone dying of cancer? Is their driving to the supermarket or to church as intense a psychological stress as a soldier in a foxhole gets when his position is shelled? Do they have to go "OH GOD, PLEASE DON'T LET IT BE ME!" when they turn on TV and crack open a beer? Or what? How is either the deathbed situation or the foxhole situation even remotely resembling theirs?
 
16.5 said:
Blessed Teresa of Calcutta would be gratified that her nemesis was saved.

Thanks for the heads up.
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So why didn't the Blessed Teresa of Calcutta spend those gobs of money on a real hospital? Why didn't she avail herself of the same health care as she gave to others instead of flying to the west?
 
Here is an excerpt from Michael Shermer about this book:

In this engrossing narrative about his friendship with the atheist activist Christopher Hitchens, the evangelical Christian Larry Taunton shows us a side of the man very few of us knew. Apparent contradictions dissolve before Taunton’s penetrating insight into the psychology of man fiercely loyal to his friends and passionately devoted to leading a life of integrity.
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http://larryalextaunton.com/books/the-faith-of-christopher-hitchens/

Seems like it is well worth a read, because if Michael Shermer, Chris Hitchens and 16.5 are all on the same side, it is probably a good thing.

Gotta get me one.
 
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