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Re:In Memoriam: Christopher Hitchens, 1949–2011 by gbog on Friday December 16, 2011 @09:00AM (#3360685)
I don't mind expressing disrespect for religions, I am an agnostic myself, I even think this title was a good catch. But you don't seem to address my point, which is that Hitchens denies the implications and sexual connotation of calling his book "The Missionary Position", which is bad faith. He could have skip the point, or just said he was sorry Simon Leys didn't like it, but saying it is nowhere obscene is plain insincere.
Re:In Memoriam: Christopher Hitchens, 1949–2011 by bravura on Friday December 16, 2011 @10:34AM (#3360960)
Let's go to the text:

"Finally, I note that he describes the title of my book as “obscene,” and complains that it attacks someone who is “elderly.” Would he care to say where the obscenity lies?"

Hitchens doesn't deny that there is a sexual connotation. Regardless, sexual connotation is not synonymous with obscenity. The point is that he invites Leys to discuss whether the title is obscene or not. (He doesn't explicitly deny the claim of obscenity, you'll note.) This discussion would further Hitchens's goal of discussing religious wfigures with less reverence.

p.s. I'm not the one downvoting you, if it matters.

Re:In Memoriam: Christopher Hitchens, 1949–2011 by epo on Friday December 16, 2011 @01:14PM (#3361567)
The book title is a pun. The implications and sexual connotations are purely a fabrication of your imagination. Don't project your hangups onto other people.

EDIT The meaning of the word "obscenity" is quite clear, just saying something is obscene does not make it so. If you are asserting there was obscene content you should support your assertion and say what the obscenity was.

Re:In Memoriam: Christopher Hitchens, 1949–2011 by gbog on Friday December 16, 2011 @10:09PM (#3363252)
Do you mean that for you the two words Missionary and Position put together don't carry any sexual meaning? Then let me explain it to you: The Missionary Position is the name of one of the many possible position both partners can use during sexual intercourse, specifically the one where the girl lies down on her back and the boy lies over the girl.

If you didn't know that, I understand that you might not see the sexual connotations of such a title. But please don't tell me Hitchens didn't know, it would be the most formidable misunderstanding in the history of debating.