NYPress - Cage Match - Matt Taibbi - Vol. 16, Iss. 51: "Non-believers in America are far too polite, which will prove to be their undoing. There is a reason why the life of a typical atheist family resembles the Marshall-Will-and-Holly model from Land of the Lost. They live in caves, only venturing out for food and water, conceding the entire plush territory to T-Rex and the idiotic Sleestack. A guilty conscience prevents them from taking positive steps to change the situation: We're only here by mistake, it was our own fault for rafting down those rapids, this is their world, not ours..."

Oh, we hadn't noticed the poor plight of the atheists. But Taibbi and his buddies should remember the words of Christ, that it is rather foolish to venture out to war without counting the cost. Atheism exists because of the tolerance of Christians, who overwhelmingly in America would oppose any kind of government establishment of religion. We are content to compete in the marketplace of ideas. Atheism is so unreasonable and destructive that in only attracts a few misfits, who are usually unable even to catechise their own children in the "principles" of atheism.

Atheism never wins a permanent victory in the public forum of ideas. It seems to gain ascendency when people are angry and discontented. It is one of those irrational forces that sometimes sweep like an irational wind through the minds of people who are angry and discontented. It is always established by force and persecution, as in the old Soviet Union, present-day China [though it is slipping there], and American public schools.

Of course, Taibbi considers himself among the "smart people" who are being victimized by the likes of Billy Graham. That's the trouble with atheists, for he can never really engage the argument, for he has defined his opponent away as stupid.

You see, Billy and Franklin Graham may be wrong about some things, but they are not stupid, and Christians in America are not stupid. But Christians don't really have to worry about such people as Taibbi, unless they wield power. The fact that atheists like Taibbi can flourish in a society "dominated" by Christians gives the lie to what Taibbi says. Christians have never flourished in societies ruled by the sword of atheism. The Christians and their kindness have permitted his sort simply because of the teachings of Christ, which he despises: "Love thy neighbor as thyself."

I do not know a Christian who expresses the hostility toward non-Christians--even atheists--that Taibbi expresses. Sure, we try to convert them, but that is because we want them to be better, not degraded and destroyed.

But if you don't think that the persecution of Christians is just over the horizon, read Taibbi article again.