The Unlikely Conversion of Ayaan Hirsi Ali, by Scott Ventureyra

Not so long ago, Ayaan Hirsi Ali was embraced by the New Atheists. The likes of recalcitrant atheists such as Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris, and Daniel Dennett, who were dubbed the four horsemen of such a movement, claimed her as the fifth member, or, as Dawkins put it, “plus one horsewoman.”

This is, among other reasons, why I was so shocked to learn about Ali’s recent conversion to Christianity. In my mind, such a momentous change of heart would likely send strong enough reverberations into the spiritual realm to force even Christopher Hitchens, wherever he is, to take notice. Such an occurrence would be as likely to me as hearing that Richard Dawkins had recently abandoned Darwinian evolution and embraced Young Earth Creationism; or to learn that philosopher of mind Daniel Dennett has left behind his view of consciousness being an illusion (eliminative reductionism) and embraced substance dualism; or if Sam Harris suddenly had been miraculously cured from his Trump Derangement syndrome. …

Continue reading >>>>>>>>