Barry Goldwater biographer Rick Perlstein attends a Bush campaign party to meet those who see W. as a great man; nay, a god: “I ask Tom what role he sees in America for nonbelievers. ‘Well, if people are of an opinion that their God is supreme and are willing to burn your house down to prove it or dismantle your car to prove it or make all sorts of loud noises, disturbing the peace, and say that they have a right to do that in the name of God….’ he begins…. Later I parse out what the hell he was talking about. I was asking about atheists. But Tom understood ‘nonbeliever’ according to the premise that God is exclusively Judeo-Christian. It wasn’t about whether you believe in anything, but whether you dared diverge from his belief. ” Read “The Church of Bush.”

Washington Times: An end to “Protestant America”?

Luke Ford of Protocols interviews J.J. Goldberg, EiC of the Jewish Forward: Q. “What are the biggest obstacles to providing compelling journalism on American Jewish life?” A. “The biggest obstacle is that most Jews don’t want compelling journalism on American Jewish life.”Read more…

The Revealer hasn’t gone easy on NYT columnist Nicholas D. Kristof in the past — his religious ignorance, combined with his sanctimoniousness, has resulted in some breathtakingly bad columns — but we’re on his side today. “Saying No to Killers” tells the overlooked tale of Carl Wilkins, a Seventh-day Adventist missionary who used his faith, his courage, and his American passport to save lives during the Rwandan massacre. Similar nightmares are taking place, now, in Sudan, and Kristof challenges anyone “inspired” by Wilkins to make their actions — or, at least, their wallets — match their noble sentiments.