--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The famous atheist Christopher Hitchens…" description: "\"“The famous atheist Christopher Hitchens once declared that ‘You’re expelled from your mother’s uterus as if shot from a cannon, towards a barn door st..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53b/quentin-s-crisp-4149_atheist_the-famous-atheist-christopher-hitchens_2778123.jpg" --- # The famous atheist Christopher Hitchens once declared that… ![“The famous atheist Christopher Hitchens once declared that ‘You’re expelled from your mother’s uterus as if shot from a cannon, towards a barn door studded with old nail files and rusty hooks.’ Presumably that was what he had in mind when conceiving his three children.” quote by Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53b/quentin-s-crisp-4149_atheist_the-famous-atheist-christopher-hitchens_2778123.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53b/quentin-s-crisp-4149_atheist_the-famous-atheist-christopher-hitchens_2778123.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53b/quentin-s-crisp-4149_atheist_the-famous-atheist-christopher-hitchens_2778123.jpg) > ““The famous atheist Christopher Hitchens once declared that ‘You’re expelled from your mother’s uterus as if shot from a cannon, towards a barn door studded with old nail files and rusty hooks.’ Presumably that was what he had in mind when conceiving his three children.”” [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A vivid, hyperbolic metaphor underscores the harshness of birth and life's challenges. **In simple terms:** Birth is portrayed as a violent launch. Key Takeaway Recognize life's inherent struggles and resilience. Themes birth hardship metaphor Mood dark thoughtful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - philosophy - writing - stand‑up comedy Key Concepts existential absurdity human condition dark humor Questions to Reflect On - What does this metaphor reveal about life? - How do you find humor in adversity? A Different Perspective Metaphor may be overly grim for some audiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist/) [Atheist Christopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist-christopher-3289863/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christopher-hitchens/) [Famous Atheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/famous-atheist-3289862/) [Hitchens Declared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hitchens-declared-3289861/) [Hypocrisy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hypocrisy/) [New-atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-atheism-130721/) [Nihilism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nihilism/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) ## Related quotes > [Christopher Hitchens is perhaps the greatest orator ever. He's such a famous atheist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-buble/christopher-hitchens-is-perhaps-the-greatest-orator-ever-he-s-such-a/) [Michael Buble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-buble/) > [Few would argue that Richard Dawkins is the world's most famous atheist, especially now that his friend and rival for the title, Christopher Hitchens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-comfort/few-would-argue-that-richard-dawkins-is-the-world-s-most-famous/) [Ray Comfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-comfort/) > [“I’ve often wondered how the term “'New Atheism”' gained such currency. It is a misnomer. There is nothing new about nonbelief. All of us,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-tayler/i-ve-often-wondered-how-the-term-new-atheism-gained-such-currency-it/) [Jeffrey Tayler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-tayler/) > [“Wilson’s weakness was to be over-literal, or to assume that his opponents were. One treatise, The Uttermost Pit, demonstrated with considerable geological learning that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-valentine/wilson-s-weakness-was-to-be-over-literal-or-to-assume-that-his/) [Mark Valentine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-valentine/) > [“I never said a word against eminent men of science. What I complain of is a vague popular philosophy which supposes itself to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/i-never-said-a-word-against-eminent-men-of-science-what-i-complain-of/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [In conclusion, there is a marvelous anecdote from the occasion of Russell's ninetieth birthday that best serves to summarize his attitude toward God and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-conclusion-there-is-a-marvelous-anecdote-from-the-occasion-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“For Dawkins, atheism is a necessary consequence of evolution. He has argued that the religious impulse is simply an evolutionary mistake, a ‘misfiring of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/for-dawkins-atheism-is-a-necessary-consequence-of-evolution-he-has/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [Christopher Hitchens was a writer and an orator with a matchless style, commanding a vocabulary and a range of literary and historical allusion far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/christopher-hitchens-was-a-writer-and-an-orator-with-a-matchless/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Christopher Hitchens and I were not friends or even acquaintances. We never met or spoke on the phone, just exchanged occasional brief letters -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-king/christopher-hitchens-and-i-were-not-friends-or-even-acquaintances-we/) [Florence King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-king/) > [“It is quite clear, whether you read Christopher Hitchens or Friedrich Nietzsche, that the image of God running the world to which they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright/it-is-quite-clear-whether-you-read-christopher-hitchens-or-friedrich/) [N.T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/) > [“Literary censorship should not be necessary within the parameters of the law because it's simply a reflection of prevailing social prejudices! Writing should challenge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-tar/literary-censorship-should-not-be-necessary-within-the-parameters-of/) [Jack Tar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-tar/) > [ “One evening, at the time of the Six-Day War, I \[Christopher Hitchens\] had my wicked way with a lovely lady, who had earlier intimated… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-brown/one-evening-at-the-time-of-the-six-day-war-i-christopher-hitchens-had/) [Craig Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-brown/) > [“Incidentally, I have also learned a bit about the importance of avoiding feminine embarrassment ('Daddy,' wrote Sophia when she enrolled at the New School…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/incidentally-i-have-also-learned-a-bit-about-the-importance-of/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Atheism is a moral position - a rather rigid one, if you've ever read the opinions of its highest-profile espousers, Christopher Hitchens and Richard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-coady/atheism-is-a-moral-position-a-rather-rigid-one-if-you-ve-ever-read/) [Lynn Coady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-coady/) > [“Christopher Hitchens once said that he drinks “because it makes other people less boring.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-maarten-troost/christopher-hitchens-once-said-that-he-drinks-because-it-makes-other/) [J. Maarten Troost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-maarten-troost/) ## More by Quentin S. Crisp > [I have a sense of them being Easter religions, for some reason. Christianity, of course, is a mystery religion, too, and I believe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/i-have-a-sense-of-them-being-easter-religions-for-some-reason/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [ If we do want to do that \[ colonise space to survive, \], then vacuous materialism is not going to be enough for us. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/if-we-do-want-to-do-that-colonise-space-to-survive-then-vacuous/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [I seemed to recall some words from an old Zen master, something like, "My Zen cuts down mountains." My rejection of Buddhism was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/i-seemed-to-recall-some-words-from-an-old-zen-master-something-like/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [ This is the strange thing about existing in time. As \[Philip\] Larkin puts it, "truly, though our element is time, we are not used… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/this-is-the-strange-thing-about-existing-in-time-as-philip-larkin/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [I've never been baptised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/i-ve-never-been-baptised/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [It would be hard to say that exactly, but antinatalism is a reality in my life, not just an interesting idea. I can feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/it-would-be-hard-to-say-that-exactly-but-antinatalism-is-a-reality-in/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [ \[william\] Burroughs, incidentally, took up the slogan that we are "Here to go", which contradicts the tendency in Eastern mysticism to advocate staying where… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/william-burroughs-incidentally-took-up-the-slogan-that-we-are-here-to/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [As children in the seventies we were told about nebulous 'strangers'. By definition, we didn't know who these strangers were, and we didn't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/as-children-in-the-seventies-we-were-told-about-nebulous-strangers-by/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [This is part of the fundamental character of Buddhism that I find problematic - that it is not interested in anything. Hence the 'Fascination'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/this-is-part-of-the-fundamental-character-of-buddhism-that-i-find/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [ I also remember a line from a song by Smog \[Bill Callahan\], which seems to describe the experience of a town-dweller moving to the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/i-also-remember-a-line-from-a-song-by-smog-bill-callahan-which-seems/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [This strong sense of who I am that I've always had, since I was very young, is what makes me write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/this-strong-sense-of-who-i-am-that-i-ve-always-had-since-i-was-very/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [I like the concept of an anti-muse, though I'm not quite sure what that is. If there is such a thing in my life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/i-like-the-concept-of-an-anti-muse-though-i-m-not-quite-sure-what/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [ I really think \[William\] Burroughs was onto something here, when he said, "Dreams are a biologic necessity and your lifeline into space." ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/i-really-think-william-burroughs-was-onto-something-here-when-he-said/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [ \[My muse\] is, in fact, a woman of the world, and precisely because of this, hopes that a diversity of cultures will endure, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/my-muse-is-in-fact-a-woman-of-the-world-and-precisely-because-of-this/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [I do have a muse. I am not sure how to describe her. She can be very elusive. She was born in England but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/i-do-have-a-muse-i-am-not-sure-how-to-describe-her-she-can-be-very/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) [Explore all 115 Quentin S. Crisp quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) ## More Atheist quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [That the world is in a bad shape is undeniable, but there is not the faintest reason in history to suppose that Christianity offers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/that-the-world-is-in-a-bad-shape-is-undeniable-but-there-is-not-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [Atheist’s denial of God’s existence needs just as much substantiation as does the theist’s claim; the atheist must give plausible reasons for rejecting God’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-copan/atheist-s-denial-of-god-s-existence-needs-just-as-much-substantiation/) [Paul Copan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-copan/) > [“The atheist joined his hands. It wasn't against the Gods. He smiled, with his hands folded, saw his daughter's in-laws approaching near.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhavik-sarkhedi/the-atheist-joined-his-hands-it-wasn-t-against-the-gods-he-smiled/) [Bhavik Sarkhedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhavik-sarkhedi/) > [I am surprised that anyone can profess to be an atheist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-comfort/i-am-surprised-that-anyone-can-profess-to-be-an-atheist/) [Ray Comfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-comfort/) > [“I have found it an amusing strategy, when asked whether I am an atheist, to point out that the questioner is also an atheist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-have-found-it-an-amusing-strategy-when-asked-whether-i-am-an/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [An Atheist wandering down a road where he meets up a four road junction , he asks a passer by hey !, where does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/an-atheist-wandering-down-a-road-where-he-meets-up-a-four-road/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [Good churches are not built by bad men; at least, there must be probity and enthusiasm somewhere in the society. These minsters were neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/good-churches-are-not-built-by-bad-men-at-least-there-must-be-probity/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [An ineffably holy God, who has the utmost abhorrence of sin, was never invented by any of Adam's descendents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/an-ineffably-holy-god-who-has-the-utmost-abhorrence-of-sin-was-never/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [If all the Atheists & Agnostics left America, they'd lose 93% of The National Academy of Sciences & less than 1% of the prison population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/if-all-the-atheists-agnostics-left-america-they-d-lose-93-of-the/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [I am an atheist. I don't think there's anything divine. Beautiful, impressive, awe-inspiring - sure, but not divine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nomy-arpaly/i-am-an-atheist-i-don-t-think-there-s-anything-divine-beautiful/) [Nomy Arpaly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nomy-arpaly/) > [I am like all other atheists only in that I do not believe there are any gods. Beyond that, I may differ dramatically in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-carrier/i-am-like-all-other-atheists-only-in-that-i-do-not-believe-there-are/) [Richard Carrier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-carrier/) [Browse all 2,434 Atheist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The famous atheist Christopher Hitchens once declared that ‘You’re expelled from your mother’s uterus as if shot from a cannon, towards a barn door studded with old nail files and rusty hooks.’ Presumably that was what he had in mind when conceiving his three children.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Quentin S. 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