Lileks on Swaggart and atheists. “But I have no time for atheists who look at the good works of churches, and nevertheless feel superior because they don’t believe in a Magic Book.”

My gauge for an atheist’s intellect is the word “Jebus.” The moment someone uses that tired Simpsons gag, I regard him about as credible as those sophomoric types who equate God with the tooth fairy, call Microsoft “Micro$haft,” and spell “America” with a triple K. (Apologies to anyone who’s joked around me with “Jebus” and got a snippy remark.)

The real Jebus, of course, was an old name for Jerusalem, and the Jebusites were a Canaanite tribe who persisted in the area until King David sacked the city.

(Aside: that Simpsons episode was most notable to me for the PBS jokes at the start. “You’re a thief! A common thief!”)