Good job, Paisano. Last week an article on campus drug use (with plenty of attention grabbing paraphernalia on the front page), and this week atheists and smut? These are a few of my favorite things.

I’m torn about the Atheist Agenda’s campaign. On the one hand, as an avowed atheist I know the unspoken scorn we suffer on a daily basis.

I spent years making excuses for my beliefs, softening them in public so as to not offend those I work with (or for). It’s just so hard being an atheist in today’s world… okay, not really. Usually it’s pretty nice; I do get Sundays off.

I appreciate the intent of this ‘in your face’ atheism… I have little stomach for it myself, but it’s useful and productive to make people confront their beliefs.

But really, comparing religions to Nazi Germany? I would love to agree – religions have signed off on plenty of terrible massacres throughout the years. Unfortunately, as soon as you compare the other side to a Nazi you lose all credibility. That’s the way it is.

Of course, the seminarian-to-be’s comments also don’t make any sense.

You can talk all you want about how a religion “should be,” or “could be,” or “might-be-if-every- body-followed-these-written-rules- but-not-those-rules.” The best way to “judge” is from outside.

Seeing what people who profess a faith actually do in this world. The good, the bad, the horrendous, the wonderful things its members choose to inflict on their fellow human beings. How else could you?

But, my real critique is this: the whole campaign is unnecessarily porn negative. Why are we insult- ing smut? What’s wrong with porn? Yes, I know our thinly veiled Puritan ethics (read: Religion) would have you overcome with divinely inspired guilt every time you enjoy a little alone time (or partner time?) watching ‘Pulp Friction.’

But surely we can come up with a way to engage in meaningful debate over the differing merits of belief systems (…or more likely not) without bringing perfectly legal adult fun into the discussion.