IF THEY WERE A CHALLENGE THEY WOULDN'T BE COMING UNHINGED:

Atheists challenge the religious right: Growing religious influence in the US government has led some nontheists to take positions some describe as 'secular fundamentalism.' (Jane Lampman, 1/04/06, The Christian Science Monitor)

Only a small percentage of Americans admit to being nontheists (between 2 and 9 percent, depending on the poll), but that equates to many millions. And religionists' role in debates over stem-cell research and evolution vs. intelligent design - as well as radical religion in world conflicts - have galvanized some atheists to mount a counteroffensive. [...]

These offerings are so intolerant of religion of any kind - liberal, moderate, or fundamentalist - that some scientists and secularists have critiqued their peers for oversimplification and for a secular fundamentalism.

It's precisely because they no longer afford any meaningful challenge that they're becoming so desperate.

Posted by Orrin Judd at January 4, 2007 12:01 AM