Final Protective Fire

Monday, November 11, 2002

 

I know its kind of redundant to praise a Lileks' piece, but this one is on a subject that I enjoy hearing James opine on, the blind, ignorant and irrational name-calling of conservatives by Democrats. Its toward the end where Lileks is dealing with the canard that conservatives disapprove of "interracial friendships", a claim from a review of Eminem's movie "8 Mile". Lileks then wanders off to confront the arrogance and smugness of that crowd. This paragraph of his puts into words a thought of mine that I've had trouble articulating:

I am not religious myself, but people who are don’t bother me in the least. Sometimes I envy their conviction; sometimes I wish I could lend them my doubt, and I flatter myself to think we would each profit from the exchange. I’m more comfortable on this side because the people who take emotional satisfaction in trashing religion just annoy the piss out of me, and I want nothing to do with them. I’m not talking about atheists - at least they believe in something. I’m talking about those preening sneerbots who lack the capacity for spiritual contemplation, and think that anyone given to theosophical disquisitions is akin to a small boy expecting Superman to fly through the window and help him tie his shoe.

I wish I'd said that.

Robin 11:00 AM