Christopher Hitchens dies; Vanity Fair writer was a religious skeptic, master of the contrarian essay

Christopher Hitchens, a sharp-witted provocateur who used his formidable learning, biting wit and muscular prose style to skewer what he considered high-placed hypocrites, craven lackeys of the right and left, “Islamic fascists” and religious faith of any kind, died Thursday “from pneumonia, a complication of esophageal cancer,” according to Vanity Fair, the magazine for which Mr. Hitchens worked. He was 62.

Mr. Hitchens, an English-born writer who had lived in Washington since 1982, was a tireless master of the persuasive essay, which he wrote with an indefatigable energy and venomous glee. He often wrote about the masters of English literature, but he was better known for his lifelong engagement with politics, with subtly nuanced views that did not fit comfortably with the conventional right or left.

cont'd @ http://goo.gl/T4Hto

Re: Christopher Hitchens dies; Vanity Fair writer was a religious skeptic, master of the contrarian essay

Re: Christopher Hitchens dies; Vanity Fair writer was a religious skeptic, master of the contrarian essay

Haha! "If you gave Falwell an enema, he'd be buried in a matchbox!"

Re: Christopher Hitchens dies; Vanity Fair writer was a religious skeptic, master of the contrarian essay

Re: Christopher Hitchens dies; Vanity Fair writer was a religious skeptic, master of the contrarian essay

Wow. I'm sorry to hear. I've been a fan for the past couple of years. RIP

Re: Christopher Hitchens dies; Vanity Fair writer was a religious skeptic, master of the contrarian essay

Eulogy of Hitch by Christopher's brother, a devout and sincere Christian convert:

"Here’s a thing I will say now without hesitation, unqualified and important. The one word that comes to mind when I think of my brother is ‘courage’."

"By this I don’t mean the lack of fear which some people have, which enables them to do very dangerous or frightening things because they have no idea what it is to be afraid. I mean a courage which overcomes real fear, while actually experiencing it."

http://hotair.com/headlines/archives/2011/12/16/my-courageous-brother-christopher-1949-2011/

There is very little ground upon which I agree with Christopher Hitchens, except that I came originally from his perspective to mine.

However, I agree with his brother 100%.

How sad it must be that real Liberals must bear the burden of 'spokespersons' lionized by the media, unmitigated opportunistic thugs such as Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. So-called Christian Conservatives must suffer with posers like Jerry Falwell, Jim and Tammy Faye Baker, Jimmy Swaggart and Robert Tilton, as if they actually represent all of mainstream Christianity.

What a farce! The pathetic spectacle of Hannity orchestrating Ralph Reed and Christopher Hitchens in a satanic symphony of 'confrontation' over the meaning of Jerry Falwell's 'legacy' is one of the worst manifestations of media manipulation I have ever witnessed.

These charlatans do not speak for me, or anyone other than themselves, as far as I can see.

I do not agree with Hitchens much at all, except that seeking the Truth about everything is very personal, and is corrupted by personal or public 'Political' views.