Irreverence isn't bigotry, because ideas and beliefs are not people.

[cbayer]

24. I completely agree with your distinction here.

I would also say that someone who says that there is a problem with sexual abuse of children in the Catholic Church would be stating a fact. However, if they say all priests are pedophiles, they would be making a bigoted statement.

In the article, the writer makes broad brush statements about "Religious leaders, such as priests, ministers, clerics, clergy, and acolytes et al,". He makes sweeping generalizations about these people, what they think and how they behave. Not only is he wrong, he is displaying overt bigotry towards these people, who comprise a group of indescribable variability.

He does the same thing towards "Supposed adherents to religions".

These are attacks on people, not institutions.

He then has the audacity to state, "Intolerance cannot be tolerated, regardless of how it is dressed up and justified." But then again, hypocrisy often underlies bigotry.

I guess if I saw you say the things he has said, I might consider you a bigot, but I have not seen that.