Christopher Hitchens on his debates with Douglas Wilson:

Wilson isn’t one of those evasive Christians who mumble apologetically about how some of the Bible stories are really just “metaphors.” He is willing to maintain very staunchly that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ and that his sacrifice redeems our state of sin, which in turn is the outcome of our rebellion against God. He doesn’t waffle when asked why God allows so much evil and suffering—of course he “allows” it since it is the inescapable state of rebellious sinners. I much prefer this sincerity to the vague and Python-esque witterings of the interfaith and ecumenical groups who barely respect their own traditions and who look upon faith as just another word for community organizing. (Incidentally, just when is President Barack Obama going to decide which church he attends?)

Sometimes Christians are embarrassed of or afraid to defend what we believe, so we pussyfoot and equivocate, thinking maybe then unbelievers will like us. Hitchens’ take here suggests otherwise. If you’re going to believe something the world hates (and they will), might as well man up and really believe it. They may think we’re stupid, but at least they won’t think we’re irrelevant.