Influential Christians and Christopher Hitchens

Christopher Hitchens is a well-known figure among a group of people known as the “New Atheists.”  What makes them “new” is their desire to actively convert people to their way of thinking.  An example of their activity is Hitchens’ book, God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything.

Hitchens is currently battling esophageal cancer, which has a high mortality rate.

I read an article about him in the Knoxville newspaper The News Sentinel.  Because of his work at trying to convince people that God is not real, it is understandable that many believers are interested in Hitchens’ fate.  Perhaps surprisingly to some, there are many people out there praying for mercy for Hitchens.  The atheist claimed in an interview on CNN (according to the newspaper article) that there are some people praying for his death, but there are others, “much more numerous, I must say, and nicer,” who are praying for his spiritual and physical well-being.  Hitchens added, “It’s touching to be thought of in that way.”

I say it is more than touching–it’s a proof (not the proof, but a proof) that God is real.  To pray for someone who has outspokenly mocked them and undermined their most precious beliefs, shows that these people have benefited from their faith in God.  It shows that despite what Hitchens wrote, religion does not spoil everything.  IF God can inspire us to pray for the well-being of our enemies then this is a proof that God is great.