Notable bits from god is not Great, Christopher Hitchens
“…no statistic will ever find that without these blandishments and threats [heaven, hell] we commit more crimes of greed or violence than the faithful. (In fact, if a proper statistical inquiry could ever be made, I am sure the evidence would be the other way.)” p5
“How much vanity must be concealed —not too effectively at that—in order to pretend that one is the personal object of a divine plan?” p7
“A further difficulty is the apparent tendency of the Almighty to reveal himself only to unlettered and quasi-historical individuals, in regions of Middle Eastern wasteland that were long the home of idol worship and superstition, and in many instances already littered with existing prophecies.” p98
“(One recalls the governor of Texas who, asked if the Bible should also be taught in Spanish, replied that ‘if English was good enough for Jesus, then it’s good enough for me.’ Rightly are the simple so called.)” p110
“If the huge number of ‘contacts’ and abductees are telling even a particle of truth, then it follows that their alien friends are not attempting to keep their own existence a secret. Well, in that case, why do they never stay still for anything more than a single-shot photo? There has never been an uncut roll of film offered, let alone a small piece of a metal unavailable on earth, or a tiny sample of tissue.” p144
“…miracles are supposed to occur at the behest of a being who is omnipotent as well as omniscient and omnipresent. One might hope for more magnificent performances than ever seem to occur.” p150
[re those who turn to eastern religions] “They may think they are leaving the realm of despised materialism, but they are still being asked to put their reason to sleep and to discard their minds along with their sandals.” p204
