Christopher Hitchens and Deathbead Conversions
Rod Dreher muses on the claim of noted atheist Hitchens (recently diagnosed with cancer)- “If I convert, it’s not really me.”
You have to feel bad for a guy who is so afraid of converting he warns all in advance not to believe it if it seems to have happened.
Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.
I have to admit to being a fan of Christopher Hitchens and I’m praying that God will reveal himself to Hitch and bring about a sincere conversion. Sometimes those most preccupied with God and fearful of converting are those closest to converting (as opposed to those who simply don’t think about God much at all, such as Ayn Rand claimed).
I encourage anyone interested in understanding the man to watch the three-hour interview with him on IN DEPTH (which can be found in C-SPAN’s video library). He speaks at length about his book GOD IS NOT GREAT as well as his other works, including books critical of Mother Teresa and the Clintons. He’s not a typical, strident, line-toeing liberal as seen on MSNBC most evenings; he’s a thoughtful guy and his disgust with religion is grounded in some uncomfortable facts and personal experiences (for example, hiding his friend Salman Rushdie when Rushdie was under the Muslim fatwa). His book was more thoughtful than those by Dawkins and Harris and he does provide insight into how atheists think, which can help arm us for evangelizing.
I encourage anyone interested in understanding the man to watch the three-hour interview with him on IN DEPTH (which can be found in C-SPAN’s video library). He speaks at length about his book GOD IS NOT GREAT as well as his other works, including books critical of Mother Teresa and the Clintons. He’s not a typical, strident, line-toeing liberal as seen on MSNBC most evenings; he’s a thoughtful guy and his disgust with religion is grounded in some uncomfortable facts and personal experiences (for example, hiding his friend Salman Rushdie when Rushdie was under the Muslim fatwa). His book was more thoughtful than those by Dawkins and Harris and he does provide insight into how atheists think, which can help arm us for evangelizing.
Without realizing it, Hitchens is speaking the truth. If he does receive forgiveness of his sins, it will not really be him, but the new man brought about by the power of God.
John… yes. And Gary, agree also. Perhaps the “Hound of Heaven” is graciously haunting Hitch’s dreams.
Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.
"Our task today is to tell people — who no longer know what sin is...no longer see themselves as sinners, and no longer have room for these categories — that Christ died for sins of which they do not think they’re guilty." - David Wells
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