Unanswerable Prayers by Christopher Hitchens.

[Swede]

snip

What’s an atheist to think when thousands of believers (including prominent rabbis and priests) are praying for his survival and salvation—while others believe his cancer was divinely inspired, and hope that he burns in hell?

"If I were to announce that I had suddenly converted to Catholicism, I know that Larry Taunton and Douglas Wilson would feel I had fallen into grievous error. On the other hand, if I were to join either of their Protestant evangelical groups, the followers of Rome would not think my soul was much safer than it is now, while a late-in-life decision to adhere to Judaism or Islam would inevitably lose me many prayers from both factions. I sympathize afresh with the mighty Voltaire, who, when badgered on his deathbed and urged to renounce the devil, murmured that this was no time to be making enemies."



http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2010/10/hitchens-201010

[msongs]

1. if he was born again Jesus would love him fundies whould never... lol nt

[AnArmyVeteran]

5. Born Again-ites would love Hitler if he repented but hate everyone else.

All an idiot has to do is say they are born again and they automatically have the religious fanatic votes. They hate Obama who has lived an admirable life but love Bush who was an alcoholic, drug user, corrupt businessman and abused others.

[Warpy]

2. Poor Hitch, were he to accept the terms of Pascal's Wager

he'd still be stuck choosing which bunch of charlatans and con artists is the right bunch to meet the terms of that wager.

Both my parents died unbelievers and so I will, too. I can't conceive of any sort of decent afterlife without their company.

[Wilber_Stool]

3. OK, I had to look it up. So shoot me............n/t

[Ernesto]

4. works for me nt

[Iterate]

6. The whole prayer effort smells of some sort of Christian hedge-fund,

Pastor X is betting on a recovery, but Reverend Y is short-selling. Either way they both cash in.

...enjoy your daily bread and we forgive your ideological trespasses...

Hitch, stay away from the light.

[malaise]

7. Interesting read as usual

He continues to play with the fools. I like that.

[alphafemale]

8. Too bad he knelt at the altar of Bush's War

I might otherwise have respected him.

But he's also a misogynist....so I hate he's dying a bad death, but he's still an ass. I'd be lying if I said I'll miss him.

[Snotcicles]

9. In the words of Antonio Porchia

Would there be this eternal seeking if the found existed?