Last night, during his War on Christmas discussion with Father Jonathan Morris, Bill O'Reilly made a rather startling admission: Christianity is a religion. Why is this statement that most of us would consider an obvious truth significant? Because just last week, when he was attacking arguments against Christmas displays on public property, O'Reilly insisted to the atheist he began yelling at that Christianity is a philosophy.

As I wrote in my post last week about O'Reilly's attack on discussion with David Silverman, of American Atheists,

O’Reilly... said brusquely, “You listen to me and you answer my questions.” Then, in a condescending tone, he “asked,” “What religion is involved with Christmas?”



As Silverman said, “Christianity,” O’Reilly interrupted to say, “That’s not a religion, that’s a philosophy.” Silverman was not snowed by this gotcha tactic. He said, “It’s not cool for you to cloud this issue,” with that argument. Things devolved from there.

But with Father Morris, O'Reilly sang a completely different tune. Or should I say, "hymn?" At the end of the segment, at about the 6:30 mark, as the two talked about the importance of Christians standing up for their faiths (or whatever), there was this interesting exchange:

O'Reilly: "This isn't a Catholic issues, you Protestants out there and you unaffiliated Christians, we're all in the same soup bowl here." Morris: And not just Christians. Not just Christians and Catholics. People of belief. O'Reilly: People who admire the philosophy of Christianity. But we are under siege... Morris:The religion of Christianity. Let me correct you on that. O'Reilly: We're not gonna debate that now. Morris: It's also a religion. O'Reilly:It's a religion but it's a philosophy that is being... administered by different religions. But we'll have you back for that discussion. Morris: I couldn't let you get away with that.

By the way, Jon Stewart also destroyed O'Reilly's "Christianity is a philosophy, not a religion" argument, too.