Christopher Hitchens

I just read about Mr. Hitchens' death, at the age of 62, from esophageal cancer. I loved reading him back when I was younger; even after converting, I still liked reading him and especially watching him debate. I must be honest: I've never watched a debate where anyone really managed to get the better of him. And that's the case even though I vociferously disagree with much of what he says.

I think what I liked most about his ideas were that, although he was flat out wrong on so many issues, all of his arguments stemmed from a deeply held belief in the value of freedom and the value of human life and well-being. And that matters. Honestly, I think he did Christianity a service as well - people like him make us sharper, make us question our assumptions. I know that in an ideal world everyone would know and love the God that made us, and "religion" would become a thing of the past. But we don't live in that world, and religion HAS done a great deal of harm - or at the very least, people acting in the name of their religion, including Christianity. And so Hitchens' arguments still are vital to the debate.

He was also clearly a courageous man, which one could see in his battle with cancer. He wrote several pieces on the subject of dying in a clear and honest manner, speaking of the fears and pains of the experience, and continued to write to the end. His last piece is here.