God is Not Great
By: Christopher Hitchens
Summary
God is Not Great: How Religion poisons everything is book by prominent literary critic, columnist, journalist, and atheist Christopher Hitchens. In this book, Hitchens writes about religion 's fundamental flaws and how it can corrupt just about anything it touches, from everything from politics to medicine. He gives, I must say, a very impressive critique of religions and their ideas. He says that not only is religion not true, it retards the development of society. Or course, coming into this book, I had to keep an open mind and not shy to my presuppositions, and in keeping true to that statement, I found myself doubting my religious feelings more than I already did. I must commend Hitchens for making such a well thought out case.
In Hitchens
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Hitchens ponders the question “Does religion make people behave better?” He argues that it clearly does not. He focuses on the two sides of the abolition of slavery movement, and how the anti-abolitionist side how scripture in their court, and fought with more religious fervor. He also argued that secular morality had a much clearer path to fight a moral cause against slavery.
Later, Mr.Hitchens goes on to talk about how many religious tenants are “positively immoral.” He lists these out as follows: “Presenting a false picture of the world to the credulous, The doctrine of blood sacrifice to appease gods, the doctrine of atonement, The doctrine of eternal reward or eternal punishment, and the imposition of impossible tasks or rules.
In the next chapter, Hitchens asks the question of whether or not religion is child abuse. Hitchens, of course, says it is. He attempts to prove this claim by citing atrocities such as circumcision, indoctrination at a young age, genital mutilation, and the suppression of sexual activity, and clerical tendencies to molest young children. He also cites cases where Muslim jihadis arm children as suicide