Real Clear Politics linked an essay over at the Daily Caller by Mark Judge speculating that atheist Christopher Hitchens may be moving toward Christianity. Not only is there very little—none really—evidence for that, but I don’t think it is right to speculate about such matters when the subject is terminally ill and a non believer. Indeed, I think it is a disservice.
I express my views in some detail over at Secondhand Smoke . Here’s a sample:
It would be condescending to not praise or criticize Hitchens’ work just because he is seriously ill (and Judge does some of that, which is fine). But to claim that he may be close to becoming Christian not only shines a light on one’s own faith when discussing another, but moreover–and here I am sure Judge did not mean for it to be–I think it disrespects and even dehumanizes the ill person by talking about him as if he were not there–something that drove my hospice friend Bob to utter despair–and believe me, public people know what is written about them.
Am I saying that Christians should not care about Hitchens’ lack of faith? Of course not. But there are correct and incorrect ways of addressing the matter.
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