Summary

In "god is not Great," Christopher Hitchens presents a scathing critique of religion, arguing that it is a man-made construct rooted in ignorance and fear. He begins by recounting his own childhood disillusionment with religious dogma, triggered by a teacher's simplistic explanation of nature's design. This early skepticism leads him to identify four fundamental objections to religious faith: its misrepresentation of human and cosmic origins, its inherent servility and solipsism, its dangerous sexual repression, and its reliance on wish-thinking. Hitchens emphasizes that his atheism isn't a belief system, but a respect for free inquiry, science, and reason. He argues that literature, art, and music offer more profound wonder and consolation than scripture, and that an ethical life doesn't require religious belief.

Hitchens contends that religion's claim to absolute knowledge in a complex world is both arrogant and dangerous. He supports this claim with examples of religiously motivated violence and conflict from around the globe, citing experiences in Belfast, Beirut, Bombay, Belgrade, Bethlehem, and Baghdad. He emphasizes how religion fuels tribalism, bigotry, and hatred, using examples like the Rushdie affair and the 9/11 attacks to illustrate the dangers of religious extremism.

The book delves into the problematic relationship between religion and health, citing instances where religious dogma has impeded medical progress and public health initiatives. Hitchens criticizes the Catholic Church's stance on condoms and AIDS prevention, and discusses how religious beliefs have contributed to the spread of diseases like polio. He also condemns religion's history of child abuse, highlighting cases of child rape, torture, and denial of medical care.

Hitchens systematically dismantles common religious arguments, including those from design and revelation. He argues that the Old Testament is a collection of immoral and implausible stories, and that the New Testament is equally flawed and contradictory. He critiques the Koran as a collection of borrowings from earlier Jewish and Christian myths, emphasizing the absurdity of its claim to be the final and unalterable word of God. He dismisses miracles as either fraudulent or explicable by natural phenomena.

He also explores the decline of belief in hell and the tawdriness of modern miracles, arguing that religion's increasing reliance on these elements shows its growing insecurity. He examines the corrupt beginnings of various religions, including cargo cults, Pentecostalism, and Mormonism, to illustrate how religions are manufactured and often driven by greed and power. He questions the notion that religion makes people behave better, citing examples of religiously motivated atrocities throughout history.

Hitchens concludes by emphasizing the need for a new Enlightenment, one based on reason, science, and humanism. He argues that skepticism and inquiry are essential for human progress, and that religion has become an obstacle to this progress. He calls for a renewed focus on human values and the pursuit of truth, arguing that this is the only path to a more just and humane future.