Curse of the Christian-bashers

The Wall Street Journal's Houses of Worship column had a gratifying story today.* It noted, with tacit disapproval, that Christian-bashing (as exemplified by the former bloggers driven out of the Edwards campaign) has reached epidemic proportions among the secular Left, with Christians almost being considered equal to (or worse than) Al Qaida by some, or simply dangerously radical zealots by others. There is lots of hand-wringing about "theocracy". And lots of ugly language and F-words. All this while Democratic candidates hone their insincerity and start showing up looking pious at churches (even Clinton, yeesh), trying to cultivate the religious vote.

The article concludes, "Sophisticates and secularists have always titillated themselves by despising the Bible Belt. But professional Christian-bashers have never been as 'embedded' in the liberal mainstream as they are today. And therein lies a problem for Democrats. More Amanda Marcottes are not what the party needs as it scrambles to re-establish its religious bona fides with wary red-staters. No wonder so many Democratic candidates are in church. Now they really have something to pray about."

To be honest I don't know what disgusts me more: Frothing-at-the-mouth liberal secularists showing bitter and ugly contempt for religion, or (is there a stronger word than "insincere"? Deceiful?) politicians who try to make you believe they are pious around election day.

*Will only be valid until around 2/22 or so.