Hitchens, the atheist, died

[Ramadhan]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16212418

What I don't get is this:
Hitchens was as atheist as they come. But when he died, many including atheists wish him R.I.P. (rest in peace).
Well, he was an atheist and he believed there is nothing after death, so what's the "rest in peace" for?
And I am amused that atheists are also using the expression, wouldn't it contradict their belief?

 

[Tyrion]

The man is dead. Can't we give it at least a day before we start criticizing him or his "followers"?

 

[Maryan0]

The man is dead. Can't we give it at least a day before we start criticizing him or his "followers"?

Nope. Let's criticize away...
Salam

 

[Tyrion]

Nope. Let's criticize away...

Excuse me? I really hope that was just a bad attempt at humor.

The Prophet (saw) respected the passing of any human being, whether he/she was Muslim or not. We should try to do the same. Also try and show some decency to those who followed him. Use this as a chance to prove to them that you (as Muslims) are not as crass and ignorant as they think you are.

Anyway, he's off to meet his Lord now, and only He can judge him.

 

[Maryan0]

Excuse me? I really hope that was just a bad attempt at humor.

The Prophet (saw) respected the passing of any human being, whether he/she was Muslim or not. We should try to do the same. His Lord will judge him now.

Hitchens was an enemy of Muslims and I don't recall the Prophet peace be upon him respecting the passing of enemies of Islam. Neither do I recall Hitchens respecting the passing of countless Iraqis killed by western aggression when he continuously supported and promoted the war in Iraq.
I stand by my point I neither care nor feel sorry that he is dead. If people want to criticize then criticize away!
Salam

 

[Ramadhan]

The man is dead. Can't we give it at least a day before we start criticizing him or his "followers"?

Hitchens died yesterday.
We've given it a day, no?

 

[Ramadhan]

Use this as a chance to prove to them that you (as Muslims) are not as crass and ignorant as they think you are.

Please tell me where in my post I was crass?
I was not mocking Hitchens. He's dead anyway.

I am questioning the living atheists who I've read eveywhere saying "r.i.p. hitchens"
This to me is a contradiction if not hypocrisy of their belief. So maybe our resident atheists can explain this apparent contradiction.

Anyway, he's off to meet his Lord now, and only He can judge him.

Well, Hitchens did not believe in God, let alone hereafter.

But from muslims standpoint, hitchens is definitely NOT meeting Allah (swt). I am saying this based on the Qur'an and ahadeeth.
Unless the sentence you used above is just a meaningless expression?

 

[Ramadhan]

I recall Hitchens respecting the passing of countless Iraqis killed by western aggression when he continuously supported and promoted the war in Iraq.

Yes, it is well documented that Hitchens was actively supporting Bush invading Iraq.

 

[Tyrion]

Please tell me where in my post I was crass?
I was not mocking Hitchens. He's dead anyway.

The whole idea of this thread is crass. And you're right, he's dead. That means he's no longer doing anything in this world, and the only judging that gets to be done is by God.

I am questioning the living atheists who I've read eveywhere saying "r.i.p. hitchens"
This to me is a contradiction if not hypocrisy of their belief. So maybe our resident atheists can explain this apparent contradiction.

And I've pointed out that this is unnecessary and, once again, crass (or if you want a different word, petty). You know they don't mean it literally, but you still feel the need to nitpick and make these kinds of posts...

Well, Hitchens does not believe in God, let alone hereafter.

But from muslims standpoint, hitchens is definitely NOT meeting Allah (swt). I am saying this based on the Qur'an and ahadeeth.
Unless the sentence you used above is just a meaningless expression?

*Sigh* Yes, he's not literally going to meet God, but just because Hitchens didn't believe in Him doesn't mean He wasn't his Lord or that he won't be judged. When Pharoah (Who obviously didn't believe in God) asked about Allah from Moses, he was told that He was "Your Lord, and the Lord of your fathers"... The point was that his Judgement is in the hands of God now. None of this is necessary, and it doesn't look particularly good on your part.

Nobody is arguing that he wasn't an open enemy to all religions... But would it kill you to be the bigger person? Anyway, as Muslims we don't believe in judging the hearts of people. For all we know, he could have (and I know this is extremely unlikely) had a change of heart sometime before his death.

 

[Ramadhan]

The whole idea of this thread is crass. And you're right, he's dead. That means he's no longer doing anything in this world, and the only judging that gets to be done is by God.

Read again my first post.
I was not questioning, let lone mocking hitchens.
I am questioning living atheists.

*Sigh* Yes, he's not literally going to meet God, but just because Hitchens didn't believe in Him doesn't mean He wasn't his Lord or that he won't be judged.

I'm glad you clarified that Hitchens will not meet Allah swt (btw, out of curiosity, why do you prefer to use the word God or Lord, instead of Allah?).

And you and I know that Allah is his God and Lord and that he will be judged during yaumul qiyamah.

When Pharoah (Who obviously didn't believe in God) asked about Allah from Moses, he was told that He was "Your Lord, and the Lord of your fathers"....The point was that his Judgement is in the hands of God now.

I am glad you are teaching me that Allah is God of everything and that judgement is by Allah. Thank you.

None of this is necessary, and it doesn't look particularly good on your part.

None of this necessary? none of what?
This thread is not even primarily about Hitchens, but about reactions of the atheists over hitchens' death.

Nobody is arguing that he wasn't an open enemy to all religions... But would it kill you to be the bigger person? Anyway, as Muslims we don't believe in judging the hearts of people. For all we know, he could have (and I know this is extremely unlikely) had a change of heart sometime before his death.

Again, I challenge you to tell me where I either mocked hitchens or talking bad about him?
I have never seen you this sensitive when a muslim child is killed by american or israeli weapon.
It is very interesting to witness, I may say.

 

[Tyrion]

Again, I challenge you to tell me where I either mocked hitchens or talking bad about him?

I consider making a thread about a dead man (only hours after his death is announced) in order to point out how amused you are with his oh so naive atheist followers being inconsistent to be pretty childish and uncalled for.

I'm glad you clarified that Hitchens will not meet Allah swt (btw, out of curiosity, why do you prefer to use the word God or Lord, instead of Allah?).

And you and I know that Allah is his God and Lord and that he will be judged during yaumul qiyamah.
I am glad you are teaching me that Allah is God of everything and that judgement is by Allah. Thank you.

None of this necessary? none of what?
This thread is not even primarily about Hitchens, but about reactions of the atheists over hitchens' death.

I have never seen you this sensitive when a muslim child is killed by american or israeli weapon.
It is very interesting to witness, I may say.

I don't have time for your sarcasm, condescension, or questioning of my character/faith. I think I've gotten my points across. (And by the way, that last bit was pretty disgusting and low, even for you... Although it wouldn't be the first time you've accused me of something like that.)

 

[Ramadhan]

I don't have time for your sarcasm, condescension, or questioning of my character/faith. I think I've gotten my points across.

I am also gllad I have gotten my points across, despite your accusing me of something I didn't do in this thread.

 

[جوري]

Good Riddance Christopher Hitchens!

Writer Christopher Hitchens participates in a panel discussion ('U.S. and Iraq One Year Later : Right to Get In? Wrong to Get Out?') at the 9th Annual LA Times Festival of Books on April 25, 2004 at UCLA in Westwood, California. (Photo by Amanda Edwards/Getty Images)

The Huffington Post Jade Walker First Posted: 12/16/11 12:08 AM ET Updated: 12/16/11 07:16 AM ET
Christopher Hitchens died Thursday in Houston. He was 62. The legendary writer was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in 2010.
His death was announced by Vanity Fair.
Hitchens was born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England in 1949. His father, Ernest, a commander in the British Royal Navy, and his mother, Yvonne, a bookkeeper, scrimped and saved so that he could attend the independent Leys School in Cambridge, and later Balliol College, Oxford. They were determined that he would receive a top-notch education and join the upper class, The Guardian reported.
During his time at university, Hitchens studied philosophy, politics and economics, but the more he learned, the angrier he became. Hitchens' disgust with racism and opposition to the Vietnam War led him to the political left. He would eventually join the International Socialists, a faction of the anti-Stalinist left, and participate in political protests against the war.
Attending college in the 1960s introduced Hitchens to a more hedonistic way of life as well. Although he eschewed drugs, Hitchens became both a heavy smoker and hard drinker. He claimed such practices supported his writing efforts. "Writing is what's important to me, and anything that helps me do that -- or enhances and prolongs and deepens and sometimes intensifies argument and conversation -- is worth it to me. So I was knowingly taking a risk," he said.
Writing was also the perfect outlet for him to enrage and enlighten. The British monarchy, Henry Kissinger and the Roman Catholic Church were just a few of his favorite targets in the 1970s. Despite being a bon vivant, Hitchens resolved to spend time at least once a year in "a country less fortunate than [his] own." As such, the early part of his career was dedicated to wandering the globe, reporting on the world's trouble spots and shining a light on those he considered cruel or evil, The New York Times reported.
After immigrating to the U.S. in 1981, Hitchens began writing for The Nation magazine. He would later edit and contribute articles to numerous publications, including Vanity Fair, the Atlantic Monthly, Slate, Harper’s, The Washington Post and The Huffington Post. His surprising advocacy for the war in Iraq, which was prompted by his growing conviction that radical elements in the Islamic world posed a danger to the West, gained Hitchens a wider readership, and in September 2005 he was named one of the "Top 100 Public Intellectuals" by Foreign Policy and Prospect magazines.
According to The Los Angeles Times, Hitchens penned two dozens books -- including "Letters To A Young Contrarian," "God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything" and "Hitch-22: A Memoir" -- and frequently made television and radio appearances. He also taught as a visiting professor at the University of California, Berkeley, the University of Pittsburgh and the New School of Social Research.
As a cultural pundit, Hitchens loved picking fights. He offered unsparing insight on a wide range of subjects, from politics to religion to his own his mortality, but was perhaps best known for his criticism of Mother Teresa, both in his 1994 documentary "Hell's Angel," and in Vanity Fair.
"[Mother Teresa] was not a friend of the poor," Hitchens said. "She was a friend of poverty. She said that suffering was a gift from God. She spent her life opposing the only known cure for poverty, which is the empowerment of women and the emancipation of them from a livestock version of compulsory reproduction."
His negative portrayal of a woman many considered to be a saint prompted hundreds of readers to cancel their magazine subscriptions. And yet, after word of his death was reported, India's Missionaries of Charity order said it would pray for Hitchens' soul, despite his aggressive campaign against its Nobel prize-winning founder, AFP reported.
In 2008, amidst a nationwide discussion of "enhanced interrogation techniques, Hitchens decided to subject himself to a waterboarding treatment to see if it was truly a form of torture. He lasted for 16 seconds.
"It's annoying to me now to read every time it's discussed in the press -- or in Congress -- that it simulates the feeling of drowning," he said. "It doesn't simulate the feeling of drowning. You are being drowned, slowly."
Ever the contrarian, Hitchens adopted the U.S., warts and all, and took an oath of citizenship in 2007 on his 58th birthday. The ceremony was conducted by former President George W. Bush's homeland security chief, Michael Chertoff.
An outspoken atheist -- or as he preferred to be called, an antitheist -- Hitchens rallied many to a belief in rational thinking by describing organized religion as the main source of hatred and tyranny in the world, Reuters reported. In the final years of his life, he debated both religious and political figures about the nature of faith and the existence of God.
"Faith is the surrender of the mind; it's the surrender of reason, it's the surrender of the only thing that makes us different from other mammals," Hitchens said. "It's our need to believe, and to surrender our skepticism and our reason, our yearning to discard that and put all our trust or faith in someone or something, that is the sinister thing to me. Of all the supposed virtues, faith must be the most overrated."
Even after being diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus in 2010, Hitchens refused to turn to a deity or organized religion for comfort. He made it clear that if anyone ever claimed he had converted at the end of his life, it would be either a lie propagated by the religious community or an effect of the cancer and treatment that made him no longer himself.
"The entity making such a remark might be a raving, terrified person whose cancer has spread to the brain. I can't guarantee that such an entity wouldn't make such a ridiculous remark, but no one recognizable as myself would ever make such a remark," he said.
"There will never be another like Christopher. A man of ferocious intellect, who was as vibrant on the page as he was at the bar," said Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter. "Those who read him felt they knew him, and those who knew him were profoundly fortunate souls."
Hitchens is survived by his wife, the writer Carol Blue, and three children.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/16/christopher-hitchens-dead_n_1152786.html

 

[Muezzin]

Re: Good Riddance Christopher Hitchens!

No matter how much I disagreed with and disliked his views, I won't express pleasure at his passing. He was a man with a family.

 

[جوري]

So were the Iraqis that he advocated killing..
I freely express joy and may he rot in hell with his devils ameen

 

[جوري]

Nope. Let's criticize away...
Salam

Love it.. I felt a joy permeate through my being, the same way they cheer for the death of Al'awlaqi or his kid whom they've killed without trial, at least the drunken bast*rd died of his own doing from liquor and smoking!

 

[Muezzin]

Um, I clicked Like when I meant to click reply to post.

So were the Iraqis that he advocated killing..

Yes, they were.

I don't express joy at death, especially when the deceased are survived by family who may not share their views.

It was the same when one of Al Qaeda's infinite 'second in commands' were killed, and some troll wondered why people were not rejoicing.

 

[جوري]

Christopher Hitchens is known as much for his hard-drinking, chain-smoking lifestyle as he is for his controversial writings. But when asked by Charlie Rose if he regrets having burned the candle so thoroughly at both ends -- given that he has now been diagnosed with esophageal cancer -- Hitchens was adamant: absolutely not.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/17/christopher-hitchens-desp_n_685021.html

 

[جوري]

Um, I clicked Like when I meant to click reply to post.


Yes, they were.

I don't express joy at death, especially when the deceased are survived by family who may not share their views.

It was the same when one of Al Qaeda's infinite 'second in commands' were killed, and some troll wondered why people were not rejoicing.

I respect your views akhi, I do.. but I am not going to apologize for feeling as I do & can't change it, and wish a similar and swift fate on the enemies of Islam and enemies of helpless people..

 

[Snowflake]

Good riddance too! How can any muslim have sympathy for him. He rejected Allah remember? ^o)

Hope his eternal torment has begun. Ameen!!!!!!!