"At the Pearly Gates" - Alexander Cockburn reflects on death of Christopher Hitchens *Relevant to the self defeating anti-christian sectarianism on this site!

An Envoi for Christopher Hitchens "At the Pearly Gates" by ALEXANDER COCKBURN

On April 20 there’s a memorial for Christopher Hitchens at the Cooper Union in Manhattan.
There’s a PEN tribute, also in Manhattan, on April 30.
Here’s my own little envoi.

SCENE ONE

Antechamber to Heaven, a large reception room in the Baroque style. A door opens and an angel ushers in Christopher Hitchens, dressed in hospital clothing. The angel gestures for CH to take a seat. He is about to do so when he espies a familiar figure reading some newspapers.

CH Dr. Kissinger! The very last person I would have expected to encounter here. All the more so, since I don’t recall any recent reports of your demise.

HK You will no doubt be cast down by the news that I am indeed alive. This is a secret trip, to spy out the terrain diplomatically, assess the odds.

CH You think you have the slightest chance of entering the celestial sphere?

HK Everything is open to negotiation.

CH Have you threatened to bomb Heaven — secretly of course?

HK Very funny. As a matter of fact, Woytila — Pope John Paul II, I should say — has kindly offered to intercede at the highest level. And talking of negotiation, perhaps we could have a quiet word.

CH What about?

ARTICLE CONTINUED......
http://www.counterpunch.org/2012/04/20/at-the-pearly-gates/