I thought it would be worthwhile to get around to the “series” I began weeks ago which discuss the latest views Christopher Hitchens explains in his new book, “God is not Great.” The focus of this post is a discussion on Christianity Today, in which hitchens has a friendly debate with Douglas Wilson, a theology professor at New Saint Andrews College.
Hitchens argues, in part
Many of the teachings of Christianity are, as well as being incredible and mythical, immoral. I would principally wish to cite the concept of vicarious redemption, whereby one’s own responsibilities can be flung onto a scapegoat and thereby taken away. In my book, I argue that I can pay your debt or even take your place in prison but I cannot absolve you of what you actually did. This exorbitant fantasy of “forgiveness” is unfortunately matched by an equally extreme admonition‚Äîwhich is that the refusal to accept such a sublime offer may be punishable by eternal damnation. Not even the Old Testament, which speaks hotly in recommending genocide, slavery, genital mutilation, and other horrors, stoops to mention the torture of the dead. Those who tell this evil story to small children are not damned by me, but have been damned by history and should also be condemned by those who shrink from cruelty to children (a moral essential that underlies all cultures).
I think it is clear hitches is trying to convince himself, against what seems to be his common sense judgement, that Christianity is the worst thing sense slised bread. He seems to think it unfair that humanity can “cheat” on their mortgage (i.e. sin) payments by accepting God’s free gift of forgiveness, but then fret that the consequences of that very sin will be visited upon those who do not cheat. In hitchens perfect world, sin should be repayable with human efforts… but wait, he doesn’t believe in sin.
I suggest you read the whole piece… it is quite worthwhile.
I always think its interesting that those who have no belief in God are the ones to seem to have all of his mysteries solved.