New Commandments

[wuapinmon]

Christopher Hitchens, in a recent Vanity Fair article, dissects the Ten Commandments of the Old Testament, and then proposes new ones. There's even a shot against Joseph Smith and the Golden Plates.

Here's the link:

http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2010/04/hitchens-201004

Here's his new list (from page 3 of the online version):

It’s difficult to take oneself with sufficient seriousness to begin any sentence with the words “Thou shalt not.” But who cannot summon the confidence to say: Do not condemn people on the basis of their ethnicity or color. Do not ever use people as private property. Despise those who use violence or the threat of it in sexual relations. Hide your face and weep if you dare to harm a child. Do not condemn people for their inborn nature—why would God create so many homosexuals only in order to torture and destroy them? Be aware that you too are an animal and dependent on the web of nature, and think and act accordingly. Do not imagine that you can escape judgment if you rob people with a false prospectus rather than with a knife. Turn off that <redacted> cell phone—you have no idea how unimportant your call is to us. Denounce all jihadists and crusaders for what they are: psychopathic criminals with ugly delusions. Be willing to renounce any god or any religion if any holy commandments should contradict any of the above. In short: Do not swallow your moral code in tablet form.

[falafel]

Those are pretty compelling. Except the "turn off your cell phone" one. That seems a bit trifiling when viewed next to the "hide your face in shame if you ever harm a child." Child abusers and cell phone users: one and the same.

[wuapinmon]

Those are pretty compelling. Except the "turn off your cell phone" one. That seems a bit trifiling when viewed next to the "hide your face in shame if you ever harm a child." Child abusers and cell phone users: one and the same.

Well, if you had read the entire article, you'd know that he points out that some of the originals seem trifling compared to the others.....I'm sure the cell phone inclusion purposeful.

[myboynoah]

Be willing to renounce any god or any religion if any holy commandments should contradict any of the above. In short: Do not swallow your moral code in tablet form.

[Green Lantern]

Man, does anyone else just find Hitchens almost unreadable? I find that even when I agree with some of his points, his attitude of smug superiority makes his arguments unbearable. As per usual with his screeds, I find some interesting points, but they're hard to take seriously when he seems to spend most of his days denigrating religious people and making arguments for atheism that are about as intellectually sound as those of Bill Maher.

I liked this intereview with theologian John Haught who basically accuses guys like Hitchens of not being steeped enough in religious theory to even be very good atheists, paling in comparison to guys like Nietzsche and Sartre.

[DU Ute]

Man, does anyone else just find Hitchens almost unreadable? I find that even when I agree with some of his points, his attitude of smug superiority makes his arguments unbearable. As per usual with his screeds, I find some interesting points, but they're hard to take seriously when he seems to spend most of his days denigrating religious people and making arguments for atheism that are about as intellectually sound as those of Bill Maher.

I liked this intereview with theologian John Haught who basically accuses guys like Hitchens of not being steeped enough in religious theory to even be very good atheists, paling in comparison to guys like Nietzsche and Sartre.

I enjoyed that article, GL. Thanks

[wuapinmon]

Man, does anyone else just find Hitchens almost unreadable?

Hitchens and Dawkins, actually.

[Babs]

Man, does anyone else just find Hitchens almost unreadable? I find that even when I agree with some of his points, his attitude of smug superiority makes his arguments unbearable.

Really? That's what I love so much. I think it's hilarious. I read him at times just for the comedic value.

[Green Lantern]

Hitchens and Dawkins, actually.

In that link I posted, Haught lumps Dawkins into the same group.

[RobinFinderson]

Man, does anyone else just find Hitchens almost unreadable? I find that even when I agree with some of his points, his attitude of smug superiority makes his arguments unbearable....

Really? That's what I love so much. I think it's hilarious. I read him at times just for the comedic value.

Bingo! Babs nails it. Actually MikeWaters sort of falls into the same camp... pompous asshole whose occasional bit of satyrical genius occasionally makes it worth wading over to his personal blog to see what is on his mind. For the record, I enjoy Chris Hitchens.

[wuapinmon]

In that link I posted, Haught lumps Dawkins into the same group.

I focus on the word "almost" in your question. Their intellects bring much to the table. I prefer Hitchens to Dawkins, because I don't get the feeling from Hitchens that he's ever trying to sound 'humble,' whereas Dawkins has this attitude of being a savior, of sorts, to the world to free us/them from belief in God. While he might deny that, that's how Dawkins comes across to me.

[Babs]

Dawkins has this attitude of being a savior, of sorts, to the world to free us/them from belief in God.

hmm. Why does this sound so familiar?

[Green Lantern]

I focus on the word "almost" in your question. Their intellects bring much to the table. I prefer Hitchens to Dawkins, because I don't get the feeling from Hitchens that he's ever trying to sound 'humble,' whereas Dawkins has this attitude of being a savior, of sorts, to the world to free us/them from belief in God. While he might deny that, that's how Dawkins comes across to me.

Good point about Hitchens. He has certainly cultivated his pomposity as part of his public persona. The problem for me is that smugness is a total humor-killer. Babs and Robin can still find the guy hilarious and witty but "arch" and "smug" cancel out any wit in my eyes, which makes Hitchens and his less intellectual (and yet more allegedly humorous) comrade-in-atheism Bill Maher simply insufferable. Agreed on Dawkins.

I also agree that Hitchens and Dawkins do have formidable intellectual power but didn't Uncle Ben teach us that "With great power, comes great responsibility?" Specifically in Hitchens' case, I don't see him trying to improve the world as much as improve his readership.

[Babs]

Good point about Hitchens. He has certainly cultivated his pomposity as part of his public persona. The problem for me is that smugness is a total humor-killer. Babs and Robin can still find the guy hilarious and witty but "arch" and "smug" cancel out any wit in my eyes.

I think you're missing my point. That's what MAKES him so funny: his ironically self-righteous condescension to self-righteousness; his sanctimonious loathing of sanctity; his ideological rejection of ideology; and his boolean conviction that there is no absolute. His is among the highest echelons of unwitting comic brilliance.

[Green Lantern]

I think you're missing my point. That's what MAKES him so funny: his ironically self-righteous condescension to self-righteousness; his sanctimonious loathing of sanctity; his ideological rejection of ideology; and his boolean conviction that there is no absolute. His is among the highest echelons of unwitting comic brilliance.

Oh well if your appreciation is ironic then I can relate 100%. I have the same relationship with Nicolas Cage movies.