Being some account, by James Macintyre, of the similarities, differences and relationship between the brothers Hitchens. The occasion of it is a review by Peter of Christopher's God is Not Great. In this connection, the following is an obvious non-starter:
Peter, 55, confirms to me that he was implying in his review that Christopher, 58, was closer to religious belief than he had ever accepted. "There is always, in the atheistical struggle with God, the fight against temptation. If it didn't matter to you, why write a book about how wrong it is? The first person you have to convince with any book you write, is yourself. If you didn't need convincing... why go to all those lengths?"There are several possible reasons other than being tempted by it that people can have for trying to combat something: the view that that something is harmful or dangerous may be one; the view, simply, that it is wrong another; the wish to poke fun at it a third.