Christopher Hitchens on the Offer of Salvation

Looking through some old arguments tonight that I'd had saved, I came across the following quote that I wanted to share with you on this topic:


"I could never follow Stalin. He puts people in the Gulag." That is what doubters tell themselves to rationalize their rejection of Stalin. But the truth is that Stalin does not send anyone to the Gulag. It is those who have hardened their hearts against him who send themselves to the Gulag through their bourgeois attitudes and counterrevolutionary actions. This was not Stalin's plan at all. He truly wants everyone to go to the Worker's Paradise. And it grieves him that so many harden their hearts against him. But he will not force anyone into the Worker's Paradise against their wishes, he respects their free will. So if you don't want to go to the Gulag, just open your heart to the love of Stalin. And stop resisting him.

Language of totalitarianism indeed.

A stunning quote. I'm posting that tonight.

Oh, I thought he was talking about Obamaism. Or is that Obamianity? I get these totalitarian quasi-religions mixed up sometimes.

At least we can agree that he is The One, the savior for our times. Oprah told us this, and if you can't believe Oprah, honey, you can't believe nobody!

"...on the offensive side of my current personal rhetoric scale, so I’m not likely to employ it very often."

Y'think?

Where'd he lose you? At "Anyone who believes this is a wicked (as in sinful?) and delusional idiot (then who cares what the villages idiots are saying?)." or "That is the language of totalitarianism (Stalin, Pol Pot, or Mao Tse Tung?) and dictatorship..." or "I will not be talked to in that tone.(Then immancipate yourself from your parents.)" ?

It's hard to takes atheist celebrities seriously when they go on these tirades at these depths.

I wonder what he thinks of, no, nevermind.

-=T=-

Totalitarianism seems to fit the bill quite nicely. As Mussolini said:

"Everything within the state, nothing outside the state, nothing against the state."

The Christian (and similar) religions profess that there is nothing but one god, and going against that one god's word is punishable by damnation. Why can't you take this seriously? What part of this seems unclear to you?

It may sound a little gentler, but I prefer to call it the language of abusive relationships. "I love you, but if you don't do as I say you'll be tortured." That sounds accurate.