Nicholas Kristof indulges in a faith-based slam against atheists.

The core message is exactly the same as what’s being said to the incoming Democrat-led Congress — the burden of years of excess by the Rabid Right is on you. Play to the center, and before you say anything… have a nice cup of STFU:

[whydoesgodhateamputees.com] is part of an increasingly assertive, often obnoxious atheist offensive led in part by Professor Dawkins — the Oxford scientist who is author of the new best seller “The God Delusion.”

It’s a militant, in-your-face brand of atheism that he and others are proselytizing for.

…the tone of this Charge of the Atheist Brigade is often just as intolerant [as religionists] — and mean. It’s contemptuous and even … a bit fundamentalist.

“These writers share a few things with the zealous religionists they oppose, such as a high degree of dogmatism and an aggressive rhetorical style,” says John Green of the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. “Indeed, one could speak of a secular fundamentalism that resembles religious fundamentalism. This may be one of those cases where opposites converge.”

Now that the Christian Right has largely retreated from the culture wars, let’s hope that the Atheist Left doesn’t revive them. We’ve suffered enough from religious intolerance that the last thing the world needs is irreligious intolerance.

Besides linking to a snarky website that makes an interesting point — the only “miracles” God seems to perform are things that happen unmiraculously every day — Kristof presents no evidence whatsover for his claims that unbelievers are unsociable and that their rejection of dogma is somehow dogmatic.

Maybe someday we’ll learn the cordial ways of Kristof, who wonders why God “doesn’t pull out a thunderbolt and strike down Richard Dawkins.”

But at least we learn that the Christian Right has folded its tent. That’s quite a relief to hear.

In fact, this article must have been quite a relief for the facts themselves. I’m sure they’re glad to have made it out of Kristof’s butt.

As for the Why Does God Hate Amputees site, it proves that Republicans really are closer to God than Democrats are, because they hate amputees, too.