Richard Dawkins vs. Ayaan Hirsi Ali: Political Christian or Truly a Christian?
Ayaan Hirsi Ali is a hero, a staunch fighter against the violent intolerance and bossy control freakery of Islamism. She is also a personal friend of whom I am very fond. When she recently announced her conversion to Christianity, I assumed that she must be no more than a political Christian, regarding Christianity as a bulwark against Islam. I have some sympathy with the view that if you must have a religion at all, Christianity is hugely better than the leading alternative. In Hilaire Belloc’s words, “Always keep a-hold of Nurse for fear of finding something worse.”
I agreed to have a public conversation with her in New York, in which I was all prepared to emphasize the distinction between a political Christian and a true believing Christian, who actually thinks Jesus was born of a virgin and rose from the dead. I think the distinction is a really important one. I don’t think a political Christian is a real Christian, any more than the kind of cultural Christian I am myself.
When we met on the stage at the Dissident Dialogues meeting in New York, I was wrongfooted when Ayaan began with a personal statement which seemed to suggest that she really is a believing Christian, not just a political Christian. Well, her form of words was “I choose to believe.” I’m not sure what to make of that. Anyways, see what you think; here is the recording of our New York meeting.
One of the most emotionally powerful sessions of that two day conference, to hear Ayaan's most personal story becoming Christian. And to see the respect, despite the weird philosophical schism, between RD and Ayaan.
‘The message of love in Christianity has led to the flourishing of western civilisation’. Really??! Tell that to the inquisition.. also, there are a lot of African and South American countries that are Christian. Are they ‘flourishing’ like western civilisation? What does age mean flourishing because here I’m sure she means spiritual flourishing, right? God is all about the spiritual realm.. europe is primarily godless. Is it not flourishing? What a load of garbage..