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An Unexpected Ally: Did You Know Atheist Christopher Hitchens Was Pro-Life?
Church POP ^ | Jan 25 2017 | by ChurchPOP Editor

Posted on 01/25/2017 8:35:59 PM PST by GonzoII

Christopher Hitchens was a committed atheist and fierce opponent of religion in general, appearing in many debates arguing against the existence of God, published a book called God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything, and even attacked the virtue of Mother Teresa in a film titled Hell’s Angel.

So the following fact might surprise you: he was against abortion.

In a debate with Christian philosopher Jay W. Richards, Hitchens condemned religions that praised infanticide, which prompted one of the moderators to ask him if he was involved in the pro-life movement.

Here’s his surprising answer:

“I believe the concept of ‘unborn child’ is a real concept, yes, and I’ve had a lot of quarrels with some of fellow materialists and secularist on this point.

“If the concept ‘child’ means anything, the concept ‘unborn child’ can be said to mean something. And all the discoveries of embryology, which have been very considerable in the last generation or so, and of viability, appear to confirm that opinion, which I think should be innate of everyone. It’s innate in the Hippocratic Oath. It’s instinct in anyone whose ever watched a sonogram, and so forth.

“So ‘yes’ is my answer.”

Wow!

(Excerpt) Read more at churchpop.com ...


TOPICS: General Discusssion; Moral Issues
KEYWORDS: christopherhitchens; prolife

1 posted on 01/25/2017 8:35:59 PM PST by GonzoII
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To: GonzoII

Yes, I knew that.

Fascinating guy. I wound up having lunch with him after a DC Chapter event around the time of the Klintoon impeachment. Quite a delightful conversation.


2 posted on 01/25/2017 8:37:17 PM PST by TBP (0bama lies, Granny dies.)
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To: GonzoII

The late great Nat Hentoff was extremely Liberal, but also pro-Life.


3 posted on 01/25/2017 8:38:37 PM PST by ClearCase_guy (Abortion is what slavery was: immoral but not illegal. Not yet.)
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To: TBP

Someone else on here once said that, too, about him. They had a similar circumstance of meeting him. Wish he wouldn’t have gotten cancer. Gone way too soon.


4 posted on 01/25/2017 8:40:18 PM PST by beaversmom
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To: GonzoII

He was like a broken clock...

So, much better than a demonrat!


5 posted on 01/25/2017 8:41:53 PM PST by Professional
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He voted for Obama.


6 posted on 01/25/2017 8:42:24 PM PST by TakebackGOP
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To: TBP

I remember reading that some Freepers had hung out with him.
How I would have loved to meet him. Always found him interesting despite disagreeing with him sometimes but that was ok. He had such an extremely good independent mind. I have his book “No One Left to Lie To”. He was an honest liberal unafraid to challnge the party line.


7 posted on 01/25/2017 8:44:27 PM PST by Aria (2017: Stay strong POTUS - the left lost control of trillions & will do anything to regain power.)
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To: TBP

I miss Christopher Hitchens. He was a dedicated lefty BUT he was intellectually honest and could engage in reasoned discussion. Sometimes he even surprised you with where he stood. Intellectually honest people will actually abandon positions which are morally indefensible or which are refuted by evidence. Hitchens, I think, would. I can not only tolerate a liberal like that, I can enjoy hearing him debate because it’s not just talking points.


8 posted on 01/25/2017 8:44:28 PM PST by pepsi_junkie (ui)
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To: GonzoII

It has been said that as he neared the end, Hitchens was coming to reconsider his atheism. One can hope so. A mind as brilliant as his, it would have been a remarkable loss if he entered eternity without arriving at a belief in God.


9 posted on 01/25/2017 8:47:46 PM PST by Ciaphas Cain (The choice to be stupid is not a conviction I am obligated to respect.)
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To: TBP

i’ve read, and watched, a lot of Hitchens (both Christopher and his equally intelligent but less conspicuous brother Peter)

I never heard it asked of him, but I think he still struggled with the idea that without God - what is the basis of morality? I know he would answer - plenty of people and cultures who believe in gods or God would have appalling, brutal moral codes, so what is our basis to know one is more true than another?

Regardless, he would never declare an unborn child was somehow less than human - because he simply understands how brutal, appalling and untrue that would be.


10 posted on 01/25/2017 8:49:08 PM PST by PGR88
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To: GonzoII

If he didn’t believe in a God then he would, I guess, have tended to believe in nature.

It would make sense that he would be against something so unnatural.

That’s what i don’t get about wiccans.


11 posted on 01/25/2017 8:58:18 PM PST by dp0622 (The only thing an upper crust conservative hates more than a liberal is a middle class conservative)
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To: GonzoII
I would think that, of all people, an honest atheist would have to be pro-life. If you believe that there is no after-life then this is the kid's one shot. To deprive him of that for no reason is the ultimate in cruelty.
12 posted on 01/25/2017 9:01:26 PM PST by Harmless Teddy Bear (Not a Romantic, not a hero worshiper and stop trying to tug my heartstrings. It tickles! (pink bow))
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To: GonzoII

There are secular (non religious) and athiests who are pro-life
http://www.secularprolife.org/


13 posted on 01/25/2017 9:13:41 PM PST by Lorianne
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To: GonzoII

A pro-life position is a moral absolute.


14 posted on 01/25/2017 9:16:08 PM PST by rfp1234 (DinosorosExtinction)
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To: Ciaphas Cain
It has been said that as he neared the end, Hitchens was coming to reconsider his atheism.

Mr. Hitchens predicted this canard would be spread about him after his death. Provide a link or other evidence or retract your statement.

15 posted on 01/25/2017 9:33:21 PM PST by Cruising Speed
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To: rfp1234

Late last year, I read “The Faith of Christopher Hitchens” by Larry Alex Taunton. Here’s an edited version of comments I wrote at the time in my reading log:

2016 Nelson Books, Nashville, Tenn.
ISBN: 978-0-7180-2217-4

Taunton is executive director of the Fixed Point Foundation, Birmingham, Ala. He met Hitchens in 2008 while organizing debates between atheist and Christian public intellectuals — e.g. Richard Dawkins and John Lennox.

While Taunton writes that it’s impossible to know whether Hitchens experienced some kind of deathbed conversion, he was unlike most of the other atheist intellectuals in his willingness to engage with Christians.

Taunton gives Hitchens high marks for his intellectual integrity and ability to smell out hypocrites.


16 posted on 01/25/2017 9:34:09 PM PST by Nothingburger
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To: Cruising Speed
See post #16. There were others who intimated much the same.

We simply don't know the final condition of Hitchens. And I would not ascribe salvation to him if it was not merited beyond any doubt. But that he seemed legitimately curious about God, is something to quietly appreciate.

17 posted on 01/25/2017 9:55:32 PM PST by Ciaphas Cain (The choice to be stupid is not a conviction I am obligated to respect.)
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Hitchens could have a softer side...


18 posted on 01/25/2017 10:03:24 PM PST by beaversmom
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To: GonzoII

I did not know that. I lost a long time friend who didn’t know that either. I don’t think she would even believe it.

I almost regret even reading this. Her attack on me was brutal. And it was over abortion.


19 posted on 01/25/2017 10:07:06 PM PST by Parthy (I am a conservative. I just want to be left alone .)
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