This article examines how intertextual references from Arabic religious and non-religious texts are used by a group of Arab elite intellectuals to perform acts of impoliteness in reader comments posted to a London-based pan-Arab news agency platform. The author terms these types of posts or other-attacks as intertextual impoliteness or the use of ritualistic intertextual references with inherent impolite sociopolitical and religious connotations. The article suggests that referencing religious and literary texts in this way (or using implicit other-oriented impoliteness) positions the post author as intellectual and oppositional and the other as deserving of the putdown.