Video: Bill Maher On CNN - Religulous

[ThePhoenix]

http://rawstory.com/rawreplay/?p=2042

Comedian Bill Maher’s new documentary film, “Religulous,” pokes fun at religious belief by encouraging people of various faiths to speak freely about what they really believe.

“When you’re a child, you don’t question,” Maher told CNN’s Kiran Chetry, “and that’s part of the problem. They stuff it into your head before you’re old enough to fight back.”

Maher denied that he had specifically focused on Christianity in the film, saying, “It’s the whole idea of people who think magically and in terms of stuff that’s just not rational. … We’ve had eight years of a faith-based presidency, and you saw how well that turned out.”

[pegleg]

1. Maher is a bigot in thr true spirit of bigotry.

[stopbush]

2. Maher is a rationalist who doesn't give a pass to fantasy based delusions

just because someone imagines that god(s) exist(s).

[pegleg]

3. His methods and attitude identify him as an absolute bigot.

I couldn't care less what his beliefs are but he attempts to insult and degrade particular groups of people. That is a bigot as certain as any racist.

[stopbush]

4. Some ideas are worth ridiculing. like religion.

Last I looked, you have every right to believe whatever you will in this country. I respect that right, as does Maher. However, that respect doesn't extend to your beliefs themselves, nor does it confer upon your beliefs any legitimacy or truth.

Put it this way: I respect the rights of Republicans to believe in Reaganomics, including the now-infamous trickle-down theory. That doesn't mean that I need to respect those theories as being true. Neither does it mean that I need to treat those theories with respect. Does treating such beliefs with open derision make me a "Reagnomics/supply side bigot?" Don't think so.

Religious beliefs are the same deal. Why should religious beliefs get a special "respect" carve out that other beliefs don't get? Because people delusional-ly believe that some supernatural being is involved? I don't think so.

Maher is not degrading people or speaking insultingly about groups of people. He is dissing their beliefs. That's a huge difference.

[pegleg]

5. You just described a bigot. You don't seem to understand that

not everyone has the same view as you and that not all rational thinkers arrive at the same conclusion. As long as you're saying that your beliefs are right and everyone else is wrong and shoving that point down their throats - well that's classic bigotry. It can sometimes become quite dangerous - as in any case where people are persecuted for their beliefs. There is NEVER an excuse for bigotry.

def. "One who is strongly partial to one's own group, religion, race, or politics and is intolerant of those who differ."

[ThePhoenix]

6. You Just Described Christianity

As long as you're saying that your beliefs are right and everyone else is wrong and shoving that point down their throats - well that's classic bigotry.

:eyes:

[pegleg]

7. You're right. doesn't really matter who the perveyor is.

Now would you say that is all Christians? And would you extend that to all Muslims and Jews?

[Goblinmonger]

10. So if you say

someone's beliefs are wrong or ill-founded, they are a bigot? How does that POSSIBLY match your definition? So are you an anti-Palin bigot? ORRRRRRRRRR better yet--

Own your bigotry against Bill Maher.

[pegleg]

11. Let me put it this way. If I thought for one second that Bill Maher

represented all atheists,then I would boneheadedly assume that all atheists are bigots. But we know that not to be the case, don't we? Bill Maher isn't just expressing his personal beliefs, but rather attempting to denigrate all religious beliefs and the people who hold them. Personally, I've lived both sides and I'll take religious belief any day. But hey that's just me. And I have some very good reasons for my personal beliefs. Having said that, I have no qualms about defending the right not to believe.
Bill Maher crosses the line. When you publicly degrade people, cutting them off in mid-sentence when they utter anything concerning religion, and use your star status as a springboard for bigotry - then,yes you are a bigot.

[ThePhoenix]

14. Bill Maher

Is not an Atheist.

http://www.celebatheists.com/index.php?title=Bill_Maher

:)

[pegleg]

15. And McCain will win in a landslide.

[Az]

16. Not that I am willing to make a strong argument for this but

He is probably an atheist despite his protestation. There is a relatively common error to assume that agnostic covers a gap between atheist and theist. But atheism and theism are merely mirror images of each other. You are either a theist or an atheist. There is no middle ground. Atheism is a label relating to whether a person believes in gods or not and agnostic is a label relating to whether a person knows gods exist or not. Knowledge does not equate to belief. Two different issues.

Thus based on Maher's general attitudes it may be that he does not in fact believe in gods making him an atheist. Despite his rejection of the title. He seems to be under the impression that an atheist insists that there is no god and he prefers to keep a more open minded position on the matter. This would make him an agnostic atheist, a weak atheist, or an implicit atheist.

[pegleg]

17. Honestly, I don't think he really knows. He has admitted to not believing

and to being a deist. So, who knows?

[Az]

18. Belief can change in a moment

He may sway from position to position on a regular basis. Like I said I am not prepared to make a strong argument. But I tend to suspect him of being an atheist.

[redqueen]

24. So his own statements are meaningless? As opposed to your analysis of them?

Wow...

[Az]

36. If he ran around claiming he was not a human

would we have to take his word on the matter? Or could we form our own opinion on the matter?

As I said. I don't know what he believes. He has not stated it clearly. But his general attitude seems to be in line with a form of atheism.

[redqueen]

23. "You are either a theist or an atheist. There is no middle ground."

Sorry, but that makes absolutely no sense.

Do you honstly think a theist saying "I don't know if there is a God" would ever happen? They believe in God, which is teh same as saying that they *know* God exsits, because they believe it.

[Az]

37. I know quite a few that say just that

They claim they don't know whats out there but they feel that there is something behind it all. Some entity.

Deists tend to be agnostic as an example. There are numerous sorts of theists in the world. Not just the hard core fundamentalists that are assailing our government.

[redqueen]

41. But having a feeling isn't the same thing as believing... or knowing...

are they agnostics or... what?

And yes I know there are other types of Deists besides fundies, thanks. :P

[pokerfan]

51. Agnostic theists exist

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnostic_theism

[elshiva]

20. I did not know that.

Thank you. I can understand where he is coming from there.

BTW: I am an atheist and can't wait to see this film.

[salvorhardin]

22. What would you consider acceptable humor concerning religion?

I'm not arguing against you. I think much of what you're saying is correct, although I would stop just shy of calling Maher a bigot. Sure, he's an insensitive, opportunistic idiot, but I don't know enough about Religulous yet, and I haven't watched or listened to enough of Maher's schtick to know if he's a bigot.

Anyway, I'm just curious what you consider acceptable when making fun of religion and/or religious believers?

[pegleg]

50. I don't think there is anything wrong with humor about religion.

I think it's in the way it is framed. Bill Maher isn't the typical humorist about religion. He has been on many shows where he pounces on and laughs at and degrades any person who mentions anything about religion. It goes way beyond humor. It would be every bit as wrong to do that toward an atheist if they were expressing their beliefs. I think that's where pure bigotry starts. When anyone is openly degraded for their religion, race, ethnicity, sexual preference, whatever - it's wrong and it's not funny.

[salvorhardin]

21. Maher is hardly a paragon of rational thinking

He's anti-vaccination and doesn't believe in germ theory and appears to have the understanding of human biology on the level of a second grader. That isn't the extent of his wing-nuttery, but his anti-science based medicine views alone should tell you all you need to know about Maher's lack of critical thinking. At best he's a pseudo-intellectual jerk who just happens to have some political views agreeable with liberals and progressives and is occasionally funny.

As far as Religulous, I haven't seen it, but it appears to be nothing more than a 90 minute Jaywalking segment with religion as the topic. Is it really funny to cherry pick the dumbest of the dumb and make fun of them publicly? Yeah, sometimes, when the people being ridiculed are not just ignorant but also bigots. That's why the Arkansas Pastafarians driving off Fred Phelps was funny. However, just making fun of people for being ignorant, or for their religious beliefs, is distasteful. And when Bill Maher does it, it's also the height of irony.

ETA: I should clarify. I think one can very much make fun of religion. There's a lot to make fun of, and I think it can be done without hurting (very many) people's feelings. Dogma did this I think, and George Carlin did it too. What little I know about Religulous thought suggests to me that Maher is not making fun of religion, but of individual religious believers that have been cherry picked and that's not cool.

[stuntcat]

8. I'm gonna watch

I used to not worry about religious groups too much.. to each their own, you know? Peace out! .But every single day it's clearer to me that religion has been at the middle of the biggest disasters humans have caused, and NOW we're raping the life out of this beautiful planet and no religious groups are stepping in to tell people to protect the Earth and save it's species. God's image is causing a mass-extinction and every day more of us are joining in a Countdown to the END TIMES or to the SECOND COMING or RAPTURE, something that will make our violation of the rest of the planet meaningless. We're gonna bring on Armageddon with our wars and by poisoning the planet. Maybe in their last moments some high-ups in some churches will say 'hhmm, maybe I should have told my people to help the environment' :grr:

I want to be cool with religion.. I don't know, I'm almost afraid to watch the movie, I'm already freaked out enough at what they're letting happen.

[kwassa]

12. even the evangelicals are talking ecology

Many other religious groups have for a long time. The Episcopals have it in many of their prayers

I think you need to look around a little more. This is from the Book of Common Prayer, with excerpts spoken as part of the Sunday service.

Form II

For the good earth which God has given us, and for the wisdom and will to conserve it, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

Form IV

Give us all a reverence for the earth as your own creation, that we may use its resources rightly in the service of others and to your honor and glory.


Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.

[stuntcat]

13. yes!

and most all religions' books talk about caring for the Earth.
As nasty and as urgent as our affect on the planet is getting I wish big religious leaders would start very strongly urging their people around the world to really act. Religion is the most important thing to so many people everywhere. I really think it could move them. Science isn't changing anyone's minds, people recycle and feel like they've helped the world, but the time to make the big changes is running out fast.

I am horrified and sad for the rest of my life.
"What is the nature of a species that knowingly and without good reason exterminates another?" - George Small.

[YankeyMCC]

9. Heard him and the director and the founder of Belief.net interviewed on

Fresh Air today: http://www.npr.org/templates/rundowns/rundown.php?prgId=13

Sounded very good or at least interesting to me.

[morgan2]

19. I saw religulous tonight

it was great

[maxsolomon]

26. i saw it too & i enjoyed it.

maher's an asshole, but the believers he speaks with are ALL DELUSIONAL. and dumb. it's not so much his snark as the inability of believers to face the inherent contradictions of their faiths (with the notable exception of 2 catholic priests, who quite hilariously, candidly, & happily dismiss the bible as nonsense). they don't even need to resolve the contradictions, just acknowledge their existence.

he concentrates on monotheism exclusively, though. i'd have liked to see him take on buddhism. i don't believe it would have worked so well.

[redqueen]

25. I love that he did this.

I hope it gets to some people and they let go of this stuff.

[pegleg]

27. I am sure some will. Kinda like some of the "all muslims are

terrorists" and they want to kill you type stuff. Show to enough people often enough and they start to believe it.

[redqueen]

28. He's quoting the scriptures of these religions. Not even close to the same thing as making up lies.

Care to try again?

[pegleg]

30. I'll withhold judgment until I see the film, but from what I've seen

of Bill Maher he's already been ID'ed as a bigot. This stuff can get out of control and it can be dangerous. Whenever you attempt to ridicule a group (irregardless of what your own beliefs may be) because they are different from you - that's discrimination. You know it, I know it. So don't try and dress it up as something else.

[redqueen]

31. So you're admitting you don't even know what you're criticizing.

In this movie, he repeats the stuff people claim to believe... and due to the context, people think he's insane.

He quotes scriptures (the not-already-edited-out ones... like the dome with stars painted on it), and people think he's insane.

[pegleg]

33. Like I said, I'll withhold judgment until I've seen the movie, but I know Maher.

His actions are what I'm critical of. I have no problem with criticizing religion, at times it is very much warranted. My problem is that I have seen Maher stop some people in the middle of a conversation at the very mention of anything religious, and put them down along with their beliefs.

[redqueen]

34. Yeah... I'm not a fan due to his tendency to act like a jerk...

but this, I like. :)

[cosmik debris]

29. Isn't it funny how

The truth sinks in and stands on it's own, but the weird shit has to be reinforced weekly.

[pegleg]

32. There is alot of truth in religious belief and there is an equal amount of wierd.

I have to agree with you on the wierd part. About atheists, SOME are just as obnoxious about shoving their ideas down people's throats as any religious fanatic.

[Evoman]

35. Like what? What truths are there in religious belief?

[pegleg]

38. the truth that a believer looks at the world and life and sees it as proof

that there is a God and that there will always be nonbelievers who look at the world and life and see it as proof that there is no God.

[Evoman]

39. Basic misunderstanding of nonbelievers.

We don't see the world as proof that there is no god. At least I don't. I just see a lack of EVIDENCE that god exists. If that's your truth, then your "truth" is wrong.

Besides that, this really is not an answer to my question. I asked what truths there are in religion, and you just told me that people look at the world in different ways. Thats not really a truth of religion.

[pegleg]

43. That is very much a truth from the Bible namely that there will

always be believers and non-believers. The truth is that a religious argument can never be won because no one can provide positive proof to support their ideas. Therein lies the problem my friend. If anyone expects their right to believe and to speak to be respected, then they also need to respect that others are free to believe as they so choose without discrimination (And I don't think simple criticism is discrimination). I will use the word evidence instead of proof. That I agree with you on.

[maxsolomon]

45. as a non-believer in monotheism, i see truth in the bible

or at least in the ethical teachings of jesus from the gospel of thomas.

"If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you."

"If those who lead you say to you, 'look, the Kingdom is in the sky,' then the birds will get there first. If they say 'it's in the ocean,' then the fish will get there first. But the Kingdom of God is within you and outside of you. Once you come to know yourselves, you will become known. And you will know that it is you who are the children of the living father."

basically, this jibes with buddhism - the cause of your suffering is YOUR attachments. and that Heaven is THIS EARTH, this existence. the rest is just fairy tales for the feeble minded.

[Goblinmonger]

42. How is that a "truth"

to be found in religion unless the word "truth" actually has no meaning to you?

[cosmik debris]

40. Why did you need to insult atheists?

I said nothing about atheists or theists. Are you just trying to be an ass again? Or is your bigotry showing? Or maybe you're just trying to shove your ideas down my throat?

[pegleg]

44. How did I insult atheists? I ageed that there is a bunch of wierd

within Christianity as well as other religions. There is a lot that goes on that I would refuse to defend. And I meant that there are some atheists (as well as theists) who insist on shoving their ideas down others' throats.

[cosmik debris]

46. It was a polite conversation with no insults until

You compared some atheists to religious fanatics and called them obnoxious.

It is hard to have a polite conversation with someone who goes out of their way to insult people.

[pegleg]

47. Don't play coy. If i wanted to insult atheists I would just make a movie that does that

and put it in theaters around the country.

[cosmik debris]

48. Do you carry that chip on your shoulder every where you go? n/t

[pegleg]

49. Only for you.

[cosmik debris]

52. I'm sure we all wish you a speedy recovery.

Get well soon.

[pegleg]

53. Say a little prayer and give my best to the wife and kids.

[joecooool]

54. Can't wait to see it

Love Bill's work.