Bad religion

The smuggest people in the world for the least reason are atheists (communists being a close second and, of course, often overlapping). That smugness makes "Brights" like Richard Dawkins and Chris "Suburban Despair" Hedges fun (and easy!) to pick on, but "Dr. RC Metcalf" of Colorado Springs begins his attack on the type rather oddly:

The new atheists are a tumescent bunch, unquestionably articulate, yet consummately misguided.

Consummately misguided, indeed, Dr. RC Metcalf of Colorado Springs, but tumescent? Just what sort of doctor are you, anyway?

Update: Praise the advent of the unedited Speakout column. Praise it!

Update II: Those rational atheists:

Freshman Congressman [and first Muslim in Congress] Keith Ellison was among friends Sunday -- in this case, a gathering of atheists -- so his support for a fistful of hot-button opinions, including the impeachment of Vice President Dick Cheney, brought enthusiastic nods of approval and standing ovations.

The piece doesn't say whether this comment got a standing O:

On comparing Sept. 11 to the burning of the Reichstag building in Nazi Germany: "It's almost like the Reichstag fire, kind of reminds me of that. After the Reichstag was burned, they blamed the Communists for it and it put the leader of that country [Hitler] in a position where he could basically have authority to do whatever he wanted. The fact is that I'm not saying [Sept. 11] was a [U.S.] plan, or anything like that because, you know, that's how they put you in the nut-ball box -- dismiss you."

Underutilized space, the nutball box.

(via LGF, again--it's okay, he needs the linkaging)