The Real Life of Brian

Oh, the lights that now burn brightest

Behind stained glass
Will cast the darkest shadows
Upon the human heart
- Matt Johnson

Religion again. For about a year now I've become quietly, but increasingly interested in the so called 'New Atheists'. I say quietly since to be vocal and evangelical about them, seems to me to be playing into the hands of the very people they're trying to negate.

While there doesn't appear to be any organised or conscious connection between their writings, most of the best selling ones do appear to be by and large saying the same thing - that we shouldn't be passive in our religious skepticism but have the balls to stand up and say stop, stop now.

I had this nagging feeling that if only the likes of Richard Dawkins ('The God Delusion') and co had a sense of humour, then they're message would convince a far larger congregation (pun intended).

Vanity Fair contributing editor, Christopher Hitchens has never shied away from taking on the Christian right. His book 'The Missionary Position' was an outstanding and well researched thorough indictment on the canonization of Mother Theresa and convincingly questioned her alleged good deeds. Ultimately it chastised all of us for elevating her to some kind of demi god on evidence we wanted to believe rather than the actual facts. Guilty as charged.

The night before my birthday I crawled into bed with his latest rant (dare I say crusade?) - 'God is Not Great' believing there was nothing really new to say on the subject. I didn't put it down until 4.30am the following morning. It is a wonderfully smart, accessible, systematic debunking of any argument the religious or their doctrines throw up to justify their often ludicrous teachings and actions.

But most importantly - it's funny. Really funny. Thank god for that.

To prove the point, by chance, later that morning I picked up September's Vanity Fair where Hitchens keeps a diary of his tour to publicize the book. Rather than do the usual book signings, he bravely choses to tour the American Southern States openly debating with the "spokesmen of the faithful."

He describes some incredible moments on the excursion, some of which are a real eye opener, while he concludes the article with this absolute gem which I reprint here without Conde Nast's permission. I'm sure they'll forgive me:



Great stuff. Whatever your convictions of faith, I cannot urge you enough to read this book. And if you want to see Hitchens in all his glory then this is somewhat entertaining:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRvgSrBoI8k