Mother Teresa a saint?

Sod bloody Christopher Hitchens.

Actually, I got Christopher Hitchens on Nelson Mandela.

Did he not like him either?!

It's random! Second attempt produced "Christopher Hitchens on the death of Princess Diana."

He has got a lot of views. Does he do anything else in life but spout on the telly?

Is he dead? He could be a bit behind the times then. How can he say for sure the chap's brain infection wasn't cured by her prayers?

Does anyone really believe that praying to a dead person can cure cancer?

I miss Christopher Hitchens - we need his brand of intelligent polemic...

And yes - he died of cancer.

The 'miracle' we are asked to believe that the current Pope believes, consisted of the old sadist's picture being allowed to rest on the woman patient for a few moments. That was followed by the work of an oncological team who eventually saved her.

The woman considered that agony was good for people and for the world - and she certainly did nothing to alleviate it. Oh - and she herself was faithless for her last twenty-five years... Her own ills were treated in American hospitals, to which she was conveyed in First Class airline cabins.

Check out Christopher on YouTube - in debate and elsewhere he shone.

I thought he had died.
And I didn't think he liked anybody.

Surely it is up to the Roman Catholic church to decide by the process they use, not a journalist?
Whether we agree with Roman Catholicism or not is a different matter.

At times I agree with his views, at times no. I certainly agree with him on Mother Theresa and her anti contraception / abortion crusade .

He is an atheist so will always speak out against people's faith. As for mother Theresa being raised to sainthood, if the Catholics want this then their choice ,nit their church their saint

"Does he do anything else in life but spout on the telly? " - A writer of books and regular articles, a lecturer and fierce debater. His putting down of Creationists and Muslims became known as a 'Hitchslap"! Once down, they stayed down!

His brother, Peter, a believer, is not in the same class at all, but they were recnciled before Christopher's death.

And sod bloody Mother Theresa too, if it comes to that...

All sounds a bit negative Feetle. I guess I meant does he do anything useful.

Freedom of speech ?

feetle you could risk eternal damnation if she becomes a saint

Is there freedom of speech in heaven too, as they have both died?

No idea rosequartz, but i doubt he has made his video broadcasts after death

I should be so negative...

"I miss Christopher Hitchens - we need his brand of intelligent polemic..." I am with you on that feetle.

Hitchens was a compassionate man who cared deeply about the underdog and was incensed when the poor and disadvantaged were used to bolster the egos of the "great and the good." I read his book about mother T a long time ago and identified with his anger. I was convinced by his argument that she took the concept of suffering as a god-given gift or a divine test. It makes me shudder.

He was brilliant at looking beneath the hype and carefully researching the reality.

I admire his genuine love of humanity and his willingness to speak out in defence of the poor.

Hitchens described himself as a contrarian which I rather like. He did write intelligent and interesting articles though maybe a bit too certain that his views were the only ones with any merit.

I don't like the idea of a Hitchslap - once down they stay down - but I suppose it wasn't him that coined the term.

He was also erudite - when arguing with biblical fundamentalists his knowledge of the bible and of other religious texts was often better than theirs. I had never heard the word "Hitchslap" - don't find it particularly attractive.

I have read numerous articles about Mother Theresa over the years and I think there remains a big question mark over her some of so called "good works". I believe she thought it was alright to give some Indians the last rites on their death bed, knowing that they weren't Christian which I think was very wrong, not to mention her attitude towards contraception.

I always remember she was very revered at my Catholic convent school and we had pictures of her in the school hall, which we practically had to bow and grovel to along with John F Kennedy, we did know about him then either I don't think she should be elevated to saint status, but there have been others who have had that honour conferred upon them who wouldn't have deserved it either.

Hitchens worked tirelessly, through his erudite talks and books, for greater fairness and justice in the world, especially for the underdogs of society. Anyone who doesn't think that's useful (and good) can sod off.

Well I do think that's useful (and good) so luckily I haven't got to sod off

Although I wouldn't elevate him to a kind of secular sainthood.

Feel rather indifferent to putting any other human being on a pedestal and venerating them.

I'm not convinced by the Mother Teresa thing either. One person can't be just good and free from the darker aspects of human nature.

I do not accord him "secular sainthood" or venerate him (boy would he find that amusing!) - I just think he was a genuinely good man who cared about humanity. That, coupled with a fine intelligence, is to be appreciated. He was of course, like all of us, not perfect.

didn't know not did re JFK on my post.