Known for his acerbic, piercing - and, at times, witty/snarky - attacks on religion in general; and especially what he regarded as moral hypocrisy, Mr. Hitchens died on December 15. His verbal assault on Bl. Mother Teresa of Kolkata ("The Missionary Position")is perhaps his most well-known pugilistic critique. He outraged, offended and infuriated his opponents with his eagerness to verbally disembowel the most highly-regarded beliefs and personalities of his time, not only in the field of religion but of politics as well.

http://en.wiikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Hitchens

I would suspect that he is no longer an atheist ...

May the Lord God have mercy on his soul. Amen.

This is something that I have struggled with mightily. We are told to pray for this man, and many I have seen say "May the Lord have mercy on his soul." Yet God constantly offered Hitchens His mercy during Hitchens' lifetime and he turned it down flat. Why do we think that a man who has spent a lifetime telling God to go take a hike will either find or even particularly want God's mercy after death.

I don't know if you are familiar with Dr. Alexander Kalomiros' paper THE RIVER OF FIRE. It's a presentation of the Orthodox position on the afterlife. It basically states that we are here on earth to become what we will be in eternity. We make our choices here. If we participate with Christ/God in our theosis, we will find the presence of God a comforting warming fire, but those who, like Hitchens, spent their lives turning into something else will find that fiery love to be tormenting. Kalomiros states that whatever we become in this life, whatever state we die in, is what we shall be in eternity. Those who have become love by cooperating with God's work in their lives shall find eternity a blessing. Those who have constantly embraced sin and turned from God will find eternity a torment and will not be able to turn to God, even though He loves them and wishes only the best for them.

Comments?

Much to his eternal horror.

It's my understanding the Mr. Hitchen's had what at best could be called a highly irregular childhood, with many confusing contradictions and losses (his mother's suicide under unsavoury circumstances, for example). Heavy drinking and excessive cigarette smoking became part of his lifestyle. He once said of himself that he drank enough alcohol every day to stun the average mule.

A devout, practicing Catholic friend of our family, who is also a neuropsychiatrist, opines that Mr. Hitchens likely suffered from bi-polar disorder. Mental illness, as we know, diminishes or eliminates altogether moral guilt.

A very angry, disappointed, bitter man. He lashed out in his writings; and what better target than God or people related to God?? From many of his writings it's apparent he had had neither evangelization nor catechesis, nor good example to follow.

And I think God is very merciful to such deprived and depraved people. Maybe all of us could have a Divine Liturgy/Mass offered for him; or at least light a candle in church for him. What would it hurt?

Indeed you are right. We'll light a candle for him this morning - a good way to start the New Year, with an act of faith and charity for a wounded soul!

I can't help but think of Hebrews 9:27 (KJV)
"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment"

I'm reminded of the saying in the Desert Fathers to the effect that we should not be surprised when a man falls, but rather marvel when one is able to escape the jaws of the Enemy.

Being that we all may fall, that we may all be subjected to the final test, that we may all fail that test, maybe it would be better to pray for this man. He may not believe in God, but God surely believes in him. Consider the chilling words, "Depart from Me. I don't know you." Gives me chills.

What I don't think the atheist considers is the sense of justice that lies in the human heart, yearning for something other than this world that is so often unjust, harsh, and even evil. If there is nothing but what we have here, the whole of our world is nothing but a cruel joke. There has to be more to our being and the environment we find oruselves in and it seems to me there needs to be Someone Who is intelligent enough to have a plan behind not only this but a more just place.

Bob