This article, The New New Atheism, is wrong in a whole bunch of ways. But this paragraph, to me, is particularly unsupported:
Playing into the anger and enmities that debase our politics today, the new new atheism blurs the deep commitment to the freedom and equality of individuals that binds atheists and believers in America. At the same time, by treating all religion as one great evil pathology, today’s bestselling atheists suppress crucial distinctions between the forms of faith embraced by the vast majority of American citizens and the militant Islam that at this very moment is pledged to America’s destruction.
So these “crucial distinctions” — what are they? I am no fan of Islam, but the notion that it supports terrorism is nonsense. It’s that same old backwards thinking: while many “terrorists” may be Muslim, most Muslims are not terrorists. Furthermore, Christianity has terrorized the world in the past and, IMHO, continues to this day, by fighting against birth control, stem cell research, women’s rights, gay rights, etc, etc, etc.
Look, I know, there are many, many, many fine, smart Christian people who agree with me on politics and science. But the notion that Christianity is “better” than Islam is far from proven.
I’ll leave to my more eloquent colleagues the task of ripping apart the other inane arguments in this article.
lolife 
Agree with your second paragraph.
as for the first paragraph…how about this.
any ideology has the ability to create a multitude of behaviors…I know some atheists that are complete irrational asswipes….I know christians that are asswipes….sometimes it is not the ideology that makes the ass….sometimes the person is just an asshole looking for a cause.
I, personally, don’t give a rip if you are christian, agnostic or atheist…just don’t be a dumbass…sad to say almost all “radical factions” are maniac magnets…whether religious zealots or “masons” or statanists, or, or , or….
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You keep bringing up this difference between God and man. If you accept the atheist viewpoint (which I know you don’t) there is no God, only man, and your argument makes no sense. Yes, I agree, the problem is with man, not with “God”. So what? That changes nothing. The evil is still here, delivered by people who claim that they are doing God’s will.
I know many, many good Christians. I want them to rise up and crush these fucking asshole retards who fight against “birth control, stem cell research, women’s rights, gay rights, etc, etc, etc.” They are making you look bad.
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just read it all. while I think the paragraph you pulled out is “over the edge”. I Think Berkowitz makes many excellent points.
First, thank you for finding this article. I saw several interviews with Christopher Hitchen’s and found him to be brilliant and entertaining.
Berkowitz, I believe, successfully derails a significant number of points that Hitchen’s makes in his book. Which were also several of his “talking points” whilst being interviewed.
We could debate the article paragraph by paragraph..but I would rather say that Christianity does not fight against birth control, stem cell research, or any of the other items you listed…Man does these things.
I tried to find a comparison to your comment…and though this might be a stretch..try it on for size.
To blame Christianity for all these things would be tantamount to blameing science and scientists for Hiroshima and Nagasaki (sp?), or any other horrors…napalm, DDT, etc…
great discussion points all around.
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