Christopher Hitchens

**Eric** · 22-May-2011, 15:24

Our sage and onion Waalkwriter basically thinks that Augustine of Hippo talked a load of cobblers, as we say in elegant Britspeak. But when I opened "The City of God" (which is almost as long as one of those dreadfully garrulous American novels that some on this site like), I espied a short soundbite by Augustine which suggested that "violation of chastity, without the will's consent, cannot pollute character". In other words, if you get raped, your soul is not besmirched by the deed, as you didn't consent to what happened.

Well, I think that's rather relevant nowadays when women who get raped in certain countries get stoned to death or lashed as if it were their fault. And Augustine was speaking back in the fourth century of the Annie Domino calendar. So a few intellectuals and others have had time to read the book before that great theologian Waalkwriter came along with his definitive opinions based on about twenty years of life.

I think Augustine is a jolly good chap (Britishism to annoy those less tolerant).

**Mirabell** · 25-May-2011, 02:32

Excellent essay on the sausage fest of New Atheism
It mentions the debt that Hitchens owes to Hecht, but it should point out how much he took straight from hecht's book, mildly paraphrased, with no/little attribution.
http://bitchmagazine.org/article/the-unbelievers