Will someone please remind me again why I find militant secularism ...

... so condescending, shallow, dull, insulting, intellectually-lacking, obnoxious, boring, and adolescent? Ah, Herb Silverman, Founder and President of the Secular Coalition for America, has agreed to help jog my memory. Over to you, Herb:

Thank you, Bishop DiMarzio, for inadvertently reminding the apathetic public why separating religion from government is so critically important. In trying to become more politically relevant, I hope the latest pronouncement of the Catholic Church will make that church even less relevant. As far as I can tell, the Catholic Church is on the wrong side of all issues pertaining to sex.

Let's see if I have this right. The Church wants heterosexual couples to remain celibate until marriage and then to have as many children as nature (excuse me, "God") provides, whether they want or can afford them. The exception is for priests and nuns who must remain celibate their entire lives because …. (Fill in the blank, since the reasons have changed over centuries.) It's bad for straight couples to cohabitate, but good if they commit to a monogamous marriage; it's bad for gay couples to cohabitate, and even worse if they commit to a monogamous marriage. Don't anyone even think of the sin of masturbation, which is safe sex for pleasure only. And I—

Okay, okay. That's enough. I remember now. Thanks. Apparently Silverman and Victor Stenger are having some sort of dubious contest. Good effort on Silverman's part, but I think Stenger has a solid lead...