Posted on 05/16/2007 10:33:32 AM PDT by RatherBiased.com
Over the past years, the liberal mainstream media has produced gushing tributes to deceased "secular saints" such as Princess Diana, John F. Kennedy, Jr., and Coretta Scott King. It would have been practically sacrilegious for these outlets to air any kind of immediate criticism of such figures. Yet, in the 24 hours or so since the death of Christian conservative leader Jerry Falwell, the mainstream media has given air time to every sort of criticism of the late evangelical. On Tuesday night's "Anderson Cooper 360," noted atheist Christopher Hitchens launched one of the most vitriolic attacks to date on Falwell. Among the terms Hitchens used to describe Falwell were "ugly little charlatan," "bully," "fraud," and "little toad."
In his five minute interview with Hitchens, CNN anchor Anderson Cooper barely challenged any of his vicious assertions. The subject of Falwell gave Hitchens an opportunity to rant about a number of other issues that involve religion, such as the conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians (Hitchens thought Falwell "encouraged the worst elements among Jewry") and President Bush's relationship with Russian president Vladimir Putin.
This type of rhetoric from Hitchens towards religion and religious leaders is not unheard of. Besides his latest book, "God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything," Hitchens also made notorious attacks upon Mother Teresa throughout her life and after her death.
What follows are the key excerpts from Anderson Cooper's interview of Christopher Hitchens:
ANDERSON COOPER:Christopher, I'm not sure if you believe in heaven, but, if you do, do you think Jerry Falwell is in it?
CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, "VANITY FAIR": No. And I think it's a pity there isn't a hell for him to go to.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsbusters.org ...
I am not particularly surprised, shocked, or outraged that controversial figures are talked about in a controversial way.
What the big deal? Falwell was a controversial man, and far from shying from it, he gave as good as he got. A discussion of his death that whitewashed controversy and the strong opinions would not be doing the viewers a service.
What would you expect from the Communist News Network?
I remember the leftwing media’s glorification of terrorist Yasser Arafart at his death.
Hitchens destroys HIMSELF with his sicko “comments” here.
The Rev. Falwell leaves behind a University, a drug and alcohol treatement center, a center for abused women and a legacy of preaching the gospel and trying to hold America to the right path (as in correct) even if he sometimes stumbled off it.
What will Christopher Hitchens leave behind?
Some books in the discount rack of Sam's Club...?
You have to be ready to take the good with the bad when listening to Hitchens.
What is peculiar is WHY CNN would have someone on their program like Christopher Hitchens to comment on the passing of Jerry Falwell. I mean it’s like having Bozo the clown on your show to comment on a significant event. It is not news. It is some form of entertainment. Even Fox
does it by bringing Al Sharpton on the air to comment on something.
Al Sharpton is no expert analyst. In fact, he appears very
simple minded to me. So his opinion is nothing to millions. So why do they do it?
So right! It is to be expected. Christians aren’t shocked by this.
Although Hitchens is both very smart and an atheist those are hardly prerequisites to finding Falwell wanting.
I am neither very smart nor an atheist, yet concur with Hitchens.
Hitchens is still really a Trotskyist and a socialist. He is also a drunken ass. He is an intellectual only to those who think that means he has an accent. He doesn’t have to worry about spending eternity with the likes of Rev. Falwell and Mother Theresa...he won’t be where they are.
Our Priest has asked us many times
“Where do you get your truth from? CNN, CBS and Newsweek
Or THE Church”?
I have grown to appreciate this question more and more..
A question we should all be asking ourselves for sure.
You want to see hateful? Watch a rerun of Larry King from last night. I have never seen such a disgusting display from the media before. Franklin Graham, and Robert Scheuler, were part of the show and I am writting both of them to express my equal digust with both of them for being such cowards.
ANDERSON COOPER:Christopher, I’m not sure if you believe in heaven, but, if you do, do you think Jerry Falwell is in it?
CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, “VANITY FAIR”: No. And I think it’s a pity there isn’t a hell for him to go to.
Really... That's interesting.
The thing that I noticed most was no matter where we went that day in Lynchburg, anyone and everyone who came up to him was given his FULL attention. It was quite amazing. ..I'm not talking about him being a celebrity in Lynchburg, which of course he was, but I'm talking about Jerry making himself available to everyone he met no matter who they were, whether they were a church member, a high-roller donor or just the cleaning lady at the hotel. ..he was available for whatever was on their mind.
When Jerry said he was nothing but "an ol country preacher" it wasn't an act. ..he was the real deal!
It is something that Hitchens, given his background as a British intellectual atheist, could never, and probably, will never know; and while we are considering that which Hitchens will never know, lets add good manners to the list.
For a guy who doesn’t believe in God, Chrissy Hitchens spends an awful lot of time talking about Him.
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