Your statement is far, far too simplistic. First of all, there already is a secular "fairy tale" about life after death, called "survival of consciousness." There are actually a handful of researchers around the world working to prove that this is a reality, and many more who believe that it is a reality, yet churches continue.

But the other reason why your statement oversimplifies things is that fear of death is not the major reason behind religion. There are two other reasons that are more important: fear of chaos and the need for meaning. See, even though most humans a terrified of the idea of dying, at least it's a certainty. If there is no afterlife, at least the lights go out and there's no "I" anymore to feel any fear. But for most humans, what's far more frightening is the idea that the events of life have no order behind them--that there is no reason for children to be murdered by serial killers or planes to crash into the Twin Towers. We don't want to feel that all this is random and chaotic, but that there is some kind of reason behind it all.

Humans also have a powerful need for meaning in our lives. We need to feel that we are here for a reason, that we are working toward some goal greater than simply passing down our genes to the next generation. This also muffles our thanatophobia, because we can feel like if we can make a difference in the world or work toward fulfilling God's plan, then we will have gained a measure of immortality.

Obey will talk tough until the blogosphere and Rush (otherwise known as the "blobosphere") start ranting about Democrats not supporting the troops. Then the Dems will fold like a poker player with 3-7, just like they always do. Sigh.

On the upside, it's nice to see that Dana Perino is upholding the proud Bush press secretary tradition of bullshit, condescension and obfuscation established by Ari Fleischer and Tony Snow. Whew. I had thought we might lose that.

Yesterday in a letter I wrote about the fun I was planning to have watching McCain, Rudy, Fred Thompson and Mitt bend themselves pretzel style to kiss the sphincters of the Religious Right. I had no idea the show would start so early! "Honey, bring the popcorn! John McCain is about to accept James Dobson's bank account as his personal lord and savior!"

All snark aside (and it's not easy), what a sad end to the political aspirations of a man who was once principled, honorable and forthright. Like Colin Powell, John McCain has sunk to the level of his peers. He's a good reminder, once again, that honor has nothing to do with wearing a uniform. Either you have it and live it, or you don't.

RIP, Senator. Don't wear your best suit to the immersion.

Personally, I'm stacking up the nachos, laying in the frosty cold beers and getting the plasma screen all set up. Football? Nah. MLB playoffs? Heck no. Nope, I'm going to settle in and truly enjoy watching the Four Stooges--Mitt, McCain, Fred and Rudy--perform wondrous mental and ethical acrobatics as they go all Blarney Stone to kiss the sclerotic anuses of the Religious Wrong.

Think of the excitement! The tortured flip-flops by Romney as he tries to explain his latest change of heart on abortion (and why a dude named Moroni, not Jesus, is on the top of his church). The two-minute drills of hypocritical evasion as Thompson (who I did love as the commander in "Hunt for Red October") explains patiently that no, he's always been against teaching evolution and thinks climate change really is an atheist plot. The cheers for Rudy G. as he professes his loathing for gays and his respect and support for traditional marriage and family. Those two divorces, the affairs and the kids that hate him? C'mon, who hasn't had a bad decade?

I'm going to love this. As these idiots contort themselves into Cirque de Soleil shapes to suck up to a constituency that has the power to decide NOTHING, they will kill what little credibility they have as candidates. And Hillary and Obama will just hang on the sidelines going, "WTF?"

Onward Christian Hypocrites! Let your marginalization begin.

Quiet Type,

Don't be surprised that the WHPC is chuckling and buddy-buddy with Bush at these ridiculous excuses for press conferences. I'm a journalist and I can tell you being pals with your sources is a hell of a lot easier than being confrontational. The press is so thoroughly corrupted and co-opted that to be a hardass political reporter means doing the following:

1. Asking rough, nasty questions and getting stomped on by a president and press secretary who won't answer them.

2. Getting raked over the goals personally on right-wing nutjob blogs and talk shows.

3. Possibly being de-invited from press events by the most secretive, anti-media administration in history.

4. Being chewed out by editors and advertising execs for possibly costing your paper ad dollars from conservative advertisers.

5. Losing source access and having to work 18-hour days finding new sources to write the hard-hitting investigative stories you should be writing, leaving you no time to write your book.

None of these is an excuse. There is NO excuse for some of these reporters not ripping Bush to shreds with their unanswered questions, thereby getting more Americans to start asking them, and getting them asked in editorials. But it is much easier to be buddy-buddy with the Resident, chuckle at his witty Texas bon mots, then go back and write a story that parrots the administration's talking points.

So the question really is, why aren't we turning out more journalists, editors and publishers who have a street fighter mentality, who take deadly seriously the single most important duty of the free press: to hold those in power accountable for their actions.

Answer: Money, of course.