Quote of the Day (Douthat)

“…[T]he new mass-market atheism is following the same pattern as the Christian Right before it, which likewise drew strength from a sense of embattlement and persecution. These mirror-image movements can be seen as backlashes against the genteel secularism of mid-century, with its faintly condescending respect for the idea of Religion, and its studious indifference toward actual belief. This backlash has made debates over religion more polarizing than they used to be—and also more interesting.—Ross Douthat, “Mass-Market Atheism,” in “The 11 ½ Biggest Ideas of the Year,” The Atlantic, July/August 2008 issue