Reply #60: the onion

[donquijoterocket]

and a lot of the rest of us have run full speed into the operation of Poe's Law.
Poe's law condensed version: Without a winking smiley or other blatant display of humor, it is impossible to create a parody of Fundamentalism that SOMEONE won't mistake for the real thing.
Poe's Law slightly expanded version: Similar to Murphy's Law, Poe's Law concerns internet debates, particularly regarding religion or politics.

"Without a winking smiley or other blatant display of humor, it is impossible to create a parody of Fundamentalism that SOMEONE won't mistake for the real thing."

In other words, No matter how bizarre, outrageous, or just plain idiotic a parody of a Fundamentalist may seem, there will always be someone who cannot tell that it is a parody, having seen similar REAL ideas from real religious/political Fundamentalists.
Good satire and parody have always been difficult and required lots of talent but they're even more difficult when your intended target is so unconsciously gifted at self-parody.
Among other things this accounts for the high number of mis calibrated snark and BS meters.It's just so hard to tell when they're earnest and deadly serious and in some cases I mean literally deadly.
I won't often say this but I think the Newt is among those whom the world and universe would be much better without.