Christmas is right around the corner, and you know what that means: Time to talk about the mythical made-up “War on Christmas” (this year known as the “Christmas Controversy”). Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly was more than happy to bloviate about the topic on Wednesday’s “The O’Reilly Factor,” getting into a near shouting match with David Silverman, president of American Atheists.

At first, things started out cordial between the two as they discussed “this year’s Christmas controversy situation.”

“You’re an atheist, a nonbeliever, and I respect that, that’s fine. I don’t look down on you,” O’Reilly told Silverman. But later, after Silverman attempted to define what O’Reilly cared about, the caustic commentator characterized Silverman’s point of view as “insane” before flat out calling him a “fascist.”

Interestingly enough, during the course of the interview, O’Reilly also said, “It is a fact that Christianity is not a religion. It is a philosophy.”

So there you have it. Bill O’Reilly calls the leader of an atheist organization a “fascist” over “philosophical” — but not religious — differences.

— Posted by Tracy Bloom.

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