Topic: I talked loads about Hitchens in front of my religious parents, and they're learning about him now.
stickybuns !bENfolDsOU started this discussion 15 years ago#15,274
They're learning of him through conservative talk radio. I never mentioned his religious views around them, but the whole 'evil anti-theist Hitchens' thing is going full force on the shows of Laura Ingraham and others.
Any ideas how to talk my way out of what they'll see as admiration towards an evil man? They don't know I'm not religious anymore :/
My mom actually said she heard he was an atheist earlier, and she said it with a hint of hate in her voice. So, idk how this will turn out.
LatestDude !!nEftABMoF joined in and replied with this 15 years ago, 3 minutes later[^][v]#267,459
Many people hate certain groups they are thoroughly ignorant of until they personally know someone who reveals themselves as being part of said demographic. Unless they're very hardcore, fundamentalist types, they'll likely be "okay" with it, at least after you give it a bit of time. If you need help or support, you can ask here: http://www.reddit.com/r/AtheismComingOut
Ks !KansasxqvM joined in and replied with this 15 years ago, 1 minute later, 4 minutes after the original post[^][v]#267,463
Laura Ingraham was talking about Christopher this morning, she wasn't bashing him for once!
Fake anon !ZkUt8arUCU joined in and replied with this 15 years ago, 1 minute later, 6 minutes after the original post[^][v]#267,466
If they're Bush-type conservatives, and they supported the war in Iraq, you could introduce him to them via some of his pro-war articles I guess.
Anonymous E joined in and replied with this 15 years ago, 58 seconds later, 7 minutes after the original post[^][v]#267,467
> the whole 'evil anti-theist Hitchens' thing is going full force on the shows of Laura Ingraham
Ah, bashing dead people. How righteous.
Honestly, he wrote a lot and had a diverse range of opinions. If you want something that will mix well with blindly-patriotic middle-American neocon philosophy, you might tell them about his stance on the Iraq war.
stickybuns !bENfolDsOU (OP) replied with this 15 years ago, 53 seconds later, 8 minutes after the original post[^][v]#267,468
@267,459 (LatestDude !!nEftABMoF)
My parents are very unclear on whether or not they'll be okay with it. They're very religious, but they never talk about it. It still catches me off guard when they randomly bring up god. If they were one way or the other, it'd be easier to guess a reaction. They certainly keep their cards close.
I regret bringing the Hitch up around them now simply because they'll call his irreligion into question with me (especially since their only information from it is from the religious right). One show my mom's listening to is playing sound clips from him lol.
And thank you for that resource.
stickybuns !bENfolDsOU (OP) double-posted this 15 years ago, 2 minutes later, 11 minutes after the original post[^][v]#267,471
@267,463 (Ks !KansasxqvM)
I only caught a bit of what she was listening to, but I heard Laura call him an an anti-theist against god and her associate said 'well he knows now!' Hopefully it's not all about him being godless .-.
@267,467 (E)
I foresaw earlier there might be an issue with this coming up, so I brought up his support of the Iraq war and his status as a former-socialist advocate who is now a marxist believing in capitalism. I also brought up his freedom of speech stuff.
Anonymous E replied with this 15 years ago, 15 minutes later, 27 minutes after the original post[^][v]#267,489
@previous (stickybuns !bENfolDsOU)
He was quite vocal politically, and quite critical of a lot of people. (For example, conservatives generally applauded his less than complimentary remarks about the tactics of people like Bill Clinton and Micheal Moore.) Boiling his position down to just being a vocal atheist is really oversimplifying the man.
stickybuns !bENfolDsOU (OP) replied with this 15 years ago, 1 minute later, 28 minutes after the original post[^][v]#267,493
@previous (E)
I agree with that sentiment. They're liable to simply see 'outspoken enemy of god' and label him with that. I'll try to bring the Clinton stuff up as well if they begin probing me with questions concerning him.
Anonymous F joined in and replied with this 15 years ago, 9 hours later, 9 hours after the original post[^][v]#267,935
@267,466 (Fake anon !ZkUt8arUCU)
This trips me out so much. 1. That Christians could support such a war in the first place 2. That Hitchens wasn't raised as a neocon hick but converted later in life 3. That his parents wouldn't like except for the fact that he supports murder and violence.
USA = too far gone
Anonymous E replied with this 15 years ago, 34 minutes later, 10 hours after the original post[^][v]#267,953
@previous (F)
Honestly, I think 9/11 and the idea of radical Islam scared the shit out of him. His fear of religion-fueled wars probably had a hand in pushing him toward supporting more aggressive foreign policy that he saw as containing it.
Anonymous F replied with this 15 years ago, 7 minutes later, 10 hours after the original post[^][v]#267,955
@previous (E) > interfere in the middle east for 50 years > occupy their holy land > they attack back > WE MUST STOP THIS JIHAD BY LAUNCHING A CRUSADE! WE SHOULD KILL THEIR LEADERS AND CONVERT THEM TO CHRISTIANITY (lol) > this should contain religious violence!
For someone who prides himself on being rational, that's a pretty dumb conclusion to draw.
hamfist !!mZuNK1i+C joined in and replied with this 15 years ago, 5 minutes later, 10 hours after the original post[^][v]#267,958
You could, you know, not mention it?
Anonymous E replied with this 15 years ago, 1 hour later, 11 hours after the original post[^][v]#267,973
@267,955 (F)
I don't know if simplifying it down to "Well, western foreign policy started it" provides a solution to the political problems of today, and I find it difficult to believe he would have advocated converting anyone to Christianity. It's a complex issue, and he wasn't unaware of the history that played into it. I can't say I agree with his stance, but I can understand someone becoming genuinely afraid of what the Middle East has been turning into politically and what it might mean for the rest of the world.