Religion

Act_of_Reparation

(9,116 posts)

92. Hitchens isn't learning anything

Tue Dec 10, 2013, 09:30 AM

Dec 2013

He's dead.

Not that it matters particularly, because--despite what the author of this hack-piece suggests--Hitchens never advocated persecuting believers in the first place. No one is. That may have something to do with all of the atheists around here screaming "straw man" every other line.

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What Hitchens got wrong: Abolishing religion won�t fix anything [View all] cbayer Dec 2013 OP

Religion is politics, but with God on your side. JoePhilly Dec 2013 #1

Straw man. immoderate Dec 2013 #2

And the "logic" he attempts to attribute to atheists skepticscott Dec 2013 #3

This comes pretty close. rug Dec 2013 #6

Seems quite different to me. immoderate Dec 2013 #9

Yes, "everything" seems rather limited. rug Dec 2013 #12

Well, it is everywhere, but it's not the only "thing." immoderate Dec 2013 #16

Even saying religion poisons everything... Silent3 Dec 2013 #22

Saying religion poisons everything is hyperbolic pap. rug Dec 2013 #23

So the only way to properly point out hyperbole... Silent3 Dec 2013 #24

No, one can also rephrase that to which one objects in such a fashion as to suggest that what rug Dec 2013 #25

Rather than archly referring to what "one" can do, and vaguely... Silent3 Dec 2013 #26

Thank you for that courteous post. rug Dec 2013 #27

My civility only lasts until you pull that kind of smug bullshit. Silent3 Dec 2013 #28

I'll tell you straight. rug Dec 2013 #29

That quote you quote isn't anything Hitchens, or any other atheist I know, wrote. Silent3 Dec 2013 #30

OK, we now agree it's not the sole cause. Let's quantify and test that. rug Dec 2013 #31

I certainly don't think the Mideast would suddenly be at peace if religion went away. Silent3 Dec 2013 #33

He also wrote that atheists believe "abolishing religion would bring about utopia" muriel_volestrangler Dec 2013 #35

Have you not seen similar things said here? cbayer Dec 2013 #37

'end world conflict'? 'the cause of all human suffering'? 'bring about utopia'? muriel_volestrangler Dec 2013 #44

The author also paraphrased the Communist Manifesto. rug Dec 2013 #41

So, after telling us to 'read the whole thing', and quoting just one part of it muriel_volestrangler Dec 2013 #42

Not at all. If you want to know what I said, read my words, not yours. rug Dec 2013 #43

Except that Hitchens goes on to demonstrate it for things that one might not otherwise assume AtheistCrusader Dec 2013 #54

He didn't demonstrate his premise it all. rug Dec 2013 #63

He supplied an entire book supporting the premise. AtheistCrusader Dec 2013 #68

He supplied an entire book (which is the perfect way of putting it) but it does not support it. rug Dec 2013 #69

Those don't mean remotely the same thing. gcomeau Dec 2013 #32

I see. Exaggerated rhetoric is only for Hitchens. rug Dec 2013 #34

You know the difference between... gcomeau Dec 2013 #38

Yes. Hitchens' statement is a flat out lie, designed to rally the peanut gallery. rug Dec 2013 #39

Oh fun, now we're going to play the intentionally obtuse game. gcomeau Dec 2013 #45

Merry Christmas. rug Dec 2013 #47

Aww, that's cute. gcomeau Dec 2013 #48

I agree. You clearly were not making an argument. rug Dec 2013 #51

Congratulations! gcomeau Dec 2013 #52

Don't forget page 47. rug Dec 2013 #65

Aww, you regressed. :( -eom gcomeau Dec 2013 #71

Page 44. rug Dec 2013 #76

Now you're not even trying. gcomeau Dec 2013 #79

Wrong. Not even close. AtheistCrusader Dec 2013 #53

Tha's been answered above. rug Dec 2013 #64

Inadequately answered. AtheistCrusader Dec 2013 #66

So, your priority is the elimination of religion over a capitalist political economy. rug Dec 2013 #67

Well religion does poison everything. cbayer Dec 2013 #70

I'd better check my refrigerator. rug Dec 2013 #74

Yep! You better make sure there's no religion in there or you could die tonight! cbayer Dec 2013 #77

Corporate cronyism is a problem, certainly. AtheistCrusader Dec 2013 #72

Marx's critique of capital went far beyond cronyism. rug Dec 2013 #75

I'm not aware of any corporations that want to ban any of my activities. AtheistCrusader Dec 2013 #82

That's because you're not trying to form a union. rug Dec 2013 #83

I also want to keep the ACA in force of law AtheistCrusader Dec 2013 #84

A handful. The insurance industry on the other hand is preparing for a windfall. rug Dec 2013 #85

I deal with the biggest threat first. AtheistCrusader Dec 2013 #86

And you picked the wrong one. rug Dec 2013 #87

Wrong one in your estimate. AtheistCrusader Dec 2013 #88

When one bases political action on the adage that religion poisons everything, rug Dec 2013 #89

The RCC has infringed on my life in ways that can never be repaid. AtheistCrusader Dec 2013 #90

Politics is not based on your life. Or my life, for that matter. rug Dec 2013 #91

Well, he jousted at a dead woman. rug Dec 2013 #4

A really horrible woman. Can saints be dead? immoderate Dec 2013 #10

Then he was a good match. rug Dec 2013 #11

Except that he wasn't a scam. immoderate Dec 2013 #14

Discounting his cheerleading for the Iraq War. rug Dec 2013 #15

No discount. He fails there. But that's not the issue. immoderate Dec 2013 #17

Neither are post mortem critiques. rug Dec 2013 #18

Which is what this thread is for! immoderate Dec 2013 #19

Nah, three of the four of them are still alive. rug Dec 2013 #20

He did start while she was alive muriel_volestrangler Dec 2013 #36

And poceeded with relish after her death. rug Dec 2013 #40

That is not what he claims they said. cbayer Dec 2013 #5

Again: Straw Man Act_of_Reparation Dec 2013 #7

I think the straw man here may be nit-picking the concept. cbayer Dec 2013 #8

He certainly does Act_of_Reparation Dec 2013 #50

Sorry, false. skepticscott Dec 2013 #21

There is no logical correlation between AtheistCrusader Dec 2013 #55

The author doesn't use the word everything in the entire article - not once. cbayer Dec 2013 #60

It is a complete exaggeration, because it would require them to say things along the line AtheistCrusader Dec 2013 #61

Here's something for you to do, cbayer. trotsky Dec 2013 #73

Just checking in. trotsky Dec 2013 #93

Religion just makes the politics of war easier NoOneMan Dec 2013 #13

What a pathetic attempt at an article. trotsky Dec 2013 #46

Gotta love how... LostOne4Ever Dec 2013 #49

Fortunately Salon commenters have taken him to task. trotsky Dec 2013 #57

How much war/strife in the Middle East these days if Judaism and Islam weren't at loggerheads? AtheistCrusader Dec 2013 #56

I find the religion/politics distinction specious myself Act_of_Reparation Dec 2013 #58

It's certainly an element of it. AtheistCrusader Dec 2013 #59

Well, they are separable in one direction only Act_of_Reparation Dec 2013 #62

Considering the Marxist Soviets tried it and Stalin brutally, Cleita Dec 2013 #78

Hitchens isn't learning anything Act_of_Reparation Dec 2013 #92

No one? cbayer Dec 2013 #96

That's right: no one. Act_of_Reparation Dec 2013 #101

I think that argument could be made. cbayer Dec 2013 #102

An argument could be made for any conceivable idea... Act_of_Reparation Dec 2013 #104

You may disagree with me, but that does not mean I am wrong. cbayer Dec 2013 #105

Words mean things, cbayer. trotsky Dec 2013 #106

Huge straw man!!!! longship Dec 2013 #80

Fails Philosophy of Logic 101 pokerfan Dec 2013 #81

Well, cbayer thinks it's a fantastic article. trotsky Dec 2013 #94

I think cbayer can speak for herself. longship Dec 2013 #95

Excellent! trotsky Dec 2013 #97

While I agree that the author takes some liberties and exaggerates some of cbayer Dec 2013 #98

Pretty hard to stay warm outside here. longship Dec 2013 #99

I have one word for you - cbayer Dec 2013 #100

So basically you admit he lied, trotsky Dec 2013 #103