How ya doin'?' I always think, What kind of a question is that?, and I always reply, 'A bit early to tell. Christopher Hitchens More Quotes by Christopher Hitchens More Quotes From Christopher Hitchens In one way, I suppose, I have been 'in denial' for some time, knowingly burning the candle at both ends and finding that it often gives a lovely light. Christopher Hitchens lovelylightgiving Literature, not scripture, sustains the mind and - since there is no other metaphor - also the soul. Christopher Hitchens soulliteraturemind God did not create man in his own image. Evidently, it was quite the other way about, which is the painless explanation for the profusion of gods and religions, and the fratricide both between and among faiths, that we see all about us and that has so retarded the development of civilization. Christopher Hitchens godmencivilization Evolution has meant that our prefrontal lobes are too small, our adrenal glands are too big, and our reproductive organs apparently designed by committee; a recipe which, alone or in combination, is very certain to lead to some unhappiness and disorder. Christopher Hitchens adrenal-glandsrecipesevolution Beautiful sentences pop into my head. Beautiful sentences that aren't always absolutely accurate. Then, I have to choose between the beautiful sentence and being absolutely accurate. It can be a difficult choice. Christopher Hitchens difficult-choicespopsbeautiful A good day is one where I can not just read a book, but write a review of it. Maybe today I'll be able to do that. I get for some reason somewhat stronger when the sun starts to go down. Dusk is a good time for me. I'm crepuscular. Christopher Hitchens good-daywritingbook Religion comes from the period of human prehistory where nobody - not even the mighty Democritus who concluded that all matter was made from atoms - had the smallest idea of what was going on. It comes from the bawling and fearful infancy of our species, and is a babyish attempt to meet our inescapable demand for knowledge. Today the least educated of my children knows much more about the natural order than any of the founders of religion. Christopher Hitchens orderchildrenideas Take the risk of thinking for yourself. Much more happiness, truth, beauty and wisdom will come to you that way. Christopher Hitchens risktexasthinking Forgotten were the elementary rules of logic, that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence and that what can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence. Christopher Hitchens logicforgottenreligion It's a big mistake to think that your own cause, or your own country, or your own side has God in its corner. For one thing, it commits the sin of pride. Christopher Hitchens pridemistakecountry Morality comes from humanism and is stolen by religion for its own purposes. Christopher Hitchens stolenmoralitypurpose David Irving is not just a Fascist historian. He is also a great historian of Fascism. Christopher Hitchens historianfascistsfascism To the dumb question, 'Why me?' the cosmos barely bothers to return the reply, 'Why not?' Christopher Hitchens cosmoswhy-notdumb Religion fosters servility and solipsism. Christopher Hitchens solipsismatheismreligion If you want to stay in for the long haul, and lead a life that is free from illusions either propagated by you or embraced by you, then I suggest you learn to recognize and avoid the symptoms of the zealot and the person who knows he is right. For the dissenter, the skeptical mentality is at least as important as any armor of principle. Christopher Hitchens importantprincipleslong Jesus makes large claims for his heavenly father but never mentions that his mother is or was a virgin, and is repeatedly very rude and coarse to her when she makes an appearance. Christopher Hitchens motherfatherjesus It's impossible, I think, however much I'd become disillusioned politically or evolve into a post-political person, I don't think I'd ever change my view that socialism is the best political moment humans have ever come up with. Christopher Hitchens politicalviewsthinking There can be no progress without head-on confrontation. Christopher Hitchens confrontationargumentprogress George Bush made a mistake when he referred to the Saddam Hussein regime as 'evil.' Every liberal and leftist knows how to titter at such black-and-white moral absolutism. Christopher Hitchens moral-absolutismblack-and-whitemistake Do I fear death? No, I am not afraid of being dead because there's nothing to be afraid of, I won't know it. I fear dying, of dying I feel a sense of waste about it and I fear a sordid death, where I am incapacitated or imbecilic at the end which isn't something to be afraid of, it's something to be terrified of. Christopher Hitchens wastedyingfear
