Words to think on from Hitchens...

An article by Christopher Hitchens that was recently posted on RichardDawkins.net contains the following quote that I think I lot of people should read and think on for a very long time:

"..."faith" is at its most toxic and dangerous point not when it is insincere and hypocritical and corrupt but when it is genuine."

What he's getting at here is that the Falwells and Hinns and Swaggarts of the world, vile swindlers that they may be, don't have the strength of conviction to do any of the really crazy stuff. Hitchens is using Mother Theresa as an example - The more profoundly she felt God's absence, the harder and harder she (genuinely) searched for his presence through the advocacy of Catholic-based, counterproductive social policies. The application, however, is much broader than that.

How many suicide bombers do you think would actually carry out their missions without the promise of heaven? How many "witches" and "blasphemers" were tortured, hung, burned, and pressed by the zealous and sincere agents of the Church? How many abortion clinic bombers and assassins were only going by half-measures?

When it comes to religion, maybe we need more hypocrites...

By the way, check out Hitchens' book on Mother Theresa here, complete with a brief review from yours truly.