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Bill Maher's Christian-bash fest:

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Polycarp_fan

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Welcome to another go 'round of the Passover Plot huckster style.

Bill Maher sets out to insult and denigrate Christians as effectively as he can.

Here is a good response: http://www.tektonics.org/religuguff.html

A glimpse:

[SIZE=+1]Religupigulous[/SIZE][SIZE=+1]
[SIZE=+1]Bill Maher's Arrow Through the Head [/SIZE]James Patrick Holding[SIZE=+0]


[FONT=Times, Times New Roman, Serif]August 27, 2008 Okay, so...Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code...the Zeitgeist movie...the "lost tomb of Jesus"....Flemming's The God Who Wasn't There....oh yeah. Now this.


[FONT=Times, Times New Roman, Serif]. . . [/FONT]

[FONT=Times, Times New Roman, Serif]The film "Religulous" starring comedian (another word for "not Biblical scholar") Bill Maher is due out Oct. 3 though it was popped into some markets earlier as a way to vie for an Oscar (not the one who lives in a trash can, surprisingly). I hardly need emphasize that Bill Maher commenting on religion is like Conan the Barbarian offering commetary on the table manners at Versailles. Indeed, even from the few clips at the start of this record I found plainly idiotic comments from Maher that rate him somewhere below Brian Flemming, or a rock, in terms of Biblical knowledge and scholarship. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times, Times New Roman, Serif]. . . [/FONT]


[FONT=Times, Times New Roman, Serif]
How ignorant is Maher? Check out a line from here, where Larry King interviews him. Maher apparently wanted the film released at Easter, originally; it was delayed in release due to the writers' strike. But he says, at :30 in, on the film being released at Easter: "I'd like it out right at the time that people are celebrating the spaceman's flying up to heaven."
[/FONT]
[FONT=Times, Times New Roman, Serif]Apparently Maher is so ignorant that he doesn't know the difference between Easter and the Ascension. Nor would it appear he could admit such an error without making an topically related (but logically unrelated) one-liner to cover his embarrasment (as with the Pope comment, see below). [/FONT]

[FONT=Times, Times New Roman, Serif]Another interesting line at 1:03: "My main proposition is, 'I don't know.'" If someone else tells him what happens when we die, his answer is that he doesn't know and nor do you." [/FONT]

[FONT=Times, Times New Roman, Serif]For someone who says his main proposition is ignorance, Maher spends a lot of time indicating how wrong religious people are. However, it is hardly a surprise that he fails to see the contradiction. Of course, the real issue is, how did we acquire knowledge of such things as heaven, and are we warranted in trusting the source? Maher, like anyone else, trusts others who claim to have seen things he has not himself seen. If he does not trust them, he needs a reason; "I don't know and nor do you" is an empty challenge, not an argument. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times, Times New Roman, Serif]It is just as easy to reply, "Yes, I do know, Bill. How do you know that I don't?" Since Maher makes ignorance his personal standard, he cannot answer such a challenge honestly or consistently. It is a pale resort he uses to cover his inability to argue rationally. [/FONT]
[FONT=Times, Times New Roman, Serif]For the Christian, the value of the source relates to the validation of Jesus via the Resurrection. The show of authority, as it were, validates his witness to the conditions in Heaven, to use an example from Maher. The real argument needs to be, "Why isn't the testimony of this authority sufficient?" Given that Maher stumps for the thesis that Jesus did not exist (see below), it is doubtful that he could engage any such complex reasoning apart from, again, one-liners that reduce complex issues to sound bites. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times, Times New Roman, Serif]For the rest of the piece go here: http://www.tektonics.org/religuguff.html[/FONT]




[/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE]
 
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Mankin

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Interesting article. This riduculous irrational movie is nothing more than an attempt by an ignorant man to attack uneducated Christians.

He makes as many presuppositions in his movie(which he states as fact) as the people he interviews. Even they seem more reasonable than he is.
 
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Grateful4God

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He is not doing the left any favors by releasing this just before an election. Why would a highly recognized Obama supporter release this just 6 weeks before the election? Why would he want to stir the pot with the Christians?

Not a smart move on his part to help his candidate of choice win.
 
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p@nd0ra

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You know, actually, I found that movie to be very good. I thought that, behind it's sarcastic tone and obvious bias, it made quite a few good points, especially towards the end. Whether or not you agree with what he says, you have to admit that he does bring up a few good points and raise some interesting questions.
 
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p@nd0ra

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Sorry I didn't see the movie, but what are those points? Could you please explain?

Thank you. . . .
Basically, he makes the point that it is impossible to know the answers to all the big questions of God and the afterlife. There is absolutely no proof that any religion can offer that they are right. Instead, the only real way to be right is to just admit that we do not know.
He also makes the point that faith (that is, the following of religion without any proof) is not really a good thing. Why would following something with no proof be a virtue?
Also, religions are responsible for so many wars, hatreds, arguments, crimes against women, and deaths. The good that comes from them is by far outnumbered by the bad.
He also points out that, if you take the ideas of religion and just look at them, they are kind of crazy. Would you believe in a virgin birth, resurrection, or turning water into wine if it were not taught as religion? No, because it does not make sense. So why do people still believe it?
Also, if you look at the basic moral premises of most religions, they are remarkably similar, and remarkably obvious. Do you really need God to tell you that killing and stealing are wrong? Couldn't we have figured it out on our own?
He also gets into the evolution/creation argument.
He ends by pointing out the more violent natures of religion. He talks about the apocalypse and how everyone seems to be ok with the idea of the world ending violently, possibly with war or nuclear weapons. How can it ever be a good thing for the world to end?
The fact that we have created the means to destroy the world before we decided that destroying the world isn't the best idea scares me.

Whether you agree with him or not, you have to admit he makes some good points.
 
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Polycarp_fan

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Basically, he makes the point that it is impossible to know the answers to all the big questions of God and the afterlife.

That is because Maher is too busy living a life of stardom, partying and getting laid to seriously consider reality. Contemplating "the big picture" takes a great deal of effort. Mocking takes no time at all.

There is absolutely no proof that any religion can offer that they are right.

Christianity has many, many great thinkers that have establsihed the reality of Christ Jesus. Start with Mere Christianity and go from there. Most anti Christians will never study a day in their life to understand the Christian position on reality.

Instead, the only real way to be right is to just admit that we do not know.

Yet we do know many, many things. None wipe away the reality of Christ Jesus.

He also makes the point that faith (that is, the following of religion without any proof) is not really a good thing. Why would following something with no proof be a virtue?

The idiocy of caliming that Christians follow "no proof" has been thoroughly debunked from Lewis to Leee Strobel. Christians have not hidden from science either. Read some Hugh Ross.

Also, religions are responsible for so many wars, hatreds, arguments, crimes against women, and deaths.

Try to prove that with using real history and see the idiocy of that as well. Non belief in God has caused thousands and thousands of times more deaths. Do the research and take a calculator with you. I have challeneged many atheists to give me numbers and it is enlightening to see them crumble.

The good that comes from them is by far outnumbered by the bad.

That is a statement that is so absurd that it is dismantled by reality. "Christian" reality is that hospitals and universities flowed from "that religion." And we can mention the hundreds of millions of humans that are TRULY cared for BY Christians. HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS!!

He also points out that, if you take the ideas of religion and just look at them, they are kind of crazy. Would you believe in a virgin birth, resurrection, or turning water into wine if it were not taught as religion?

Cloning is birth without sex. Resurrection is a common occurence that anyone with CPR "knowledge" can show, and now, even "dead" organs of a dead person can be brought "back" to life in another human. And "wine" IS the result of it being turned from water into wine. Even grape juice is water filtered and flavored by the grape itself.

God doesn't interject "miracles" that often anyway. There always seems to be a good reason for it. Just like His children do. Why aren't atheists destroying candy and junk food factories?

They greatly cause suffering. Why do atheists ignore the plight of the suffering and give all they have to the poor? Id Maher "on a mission" to do away with the suffering of mankind? Hardly. He's looking for riches and young women with big boobs. And many times, with "supernatural" boobs. It should be the atheists fighting against plastic surgery. Another supernatural event.

It is rational to believe that if humans can "DIS" cover how to do this or that, that the Creator of all things can do even more. Miracles are just intervention acts. We see that everyday in real life. Why not allow a heart attack victim to die "naturally?"

Yet we reach for the supernatural to save them. Putting leg arteries in a chest (by-pass surgery) is a supernatural act.

It is supernatural to bring a weaker individual "back" from the dead. An unconsious person with n o heart beat cannot survive without intervention that is outside of nature. YET, we are driven to do it time and time and time again. Going against the naturalm every single time.

Why do humans care when another person dies? You do not see gravestones for fallen mice, victims of murderous and literally bloodthirsty owls.

The fact that God is NOT a Puppet Master aligns better with what reality shows us in parenting and life itself. No child wants to live exactly as its parents "demand." EVERYONE wants to be free. Animals show just the opposite, they run to conformity. Why are humans outside of nature on this?

Atheism acts like an unruly and irresponsible child. The Prodigal if you will.

No, because it does not make sense. So why do people still believe it?

Why do people "feel" they want to know who their "real" parents are when they are adopted? There is a drive within us to know our origins and our originator.

What is stupid is 0 x 0 = the seen and unseen universe. Our senses show and prove otherwise. Atheism like Maher's boils down to spoiled children behavior.

Also, if you look at the basic moral premises of most religions, they are remarkably similar, and remarkably obvious.

Proof of the God gene. Why aren't people born pure atheist? Why has history proven that all peoples gravitate towards a deity and not away from it. Atheism is a supernatural path.

Do you really need God to tell you that killing and stealing are wrong? Couldn't we have figured it out on our own?

We do. If you take children in a playground that know nothing of morality, you will see the tougher kids ruling the playground.

But you will see the weaker ones crying about it and "somehow" knowing that being a victim of inequality and violence is "somehow" wrong.

Why don't the little wimpy children accept their place within the evolutionary scale? Justice proves deity, not the other way around. Justice to nature is the strong dominating the weak. We see humans oppose this time and time again. Justice is a supernatural act.

He also gets into the evolution/creation argument.

0 x 0 = Maher's creation. That is idiocy proclaimed. Evolution means I can take everything I want to from Bill Maher because I am far stronger than that guy. THAT is evolution. Maher would call a cop for justice to be implemented and to get his belongings and woman back. That is against evolution.

Humans appear (provably) to exist outside of the notion of evolution.

You do not see gazelles fighting for their rights not to be victims from lions.

He ends by pointing out the more violent natures of religion.

People kill people. The people being killed don't like it. Far more people are killed by the Godless or the anti-God, than by the religious. Ask the Tibetans and the Russians, and the Vietnamese and the Cubans and the Chinese. Oh you can't. Their dead.

Religion has brought us books, scholarship and places to study all of life.

He talks about the apocalypse and how everyone seems to be ok with the idea of the world ending violently, possibly with war or nuclear weapons.

Does he mention Global Warmingites? Secularism is trying to find cures for everything precisely by promoting doomsday. Even Botox shots are out of fear of "natural consequences" and to avoid them.

Why not realize the truth of evolution and let those that die deserve their "natural" fate? Death is nothing but a weeding out of the weak and a cleansing of the worthless. Those that survive and thrive are the only important thing. THAT IS EVOLUTION. Why do atheists look for cures for diseases that bring relief from human overpopulation? Let "nature" take its course and allow the strong and healthy to enjoy everything?

And please . . . why abortion? Evolution finds that insanity. Only the weak or someone elses child should be aborted BUT ONLY to make room for someone elses child. THAT IS EVOLUTION.

Abortion for convenience is antithetical to evolution.

How can it ever be a good thing for the world to end?

Ask the dinosaurs. Er, I mean ask a human. They would have been consumed quickly by dinosaurs if the two lived in the same town.

The fact that we have created the means to destroy the world before we decided that destroying the world isn't the best idea scares me.

Secularists are working on smart bombs as we speak. Is MIT a religious school?

Whether you agree with him or not, you have to admit he makes some good points.

Agree with him on the fact that most people are ignorant about reality. Start with Bill Maher and "move on" from there.

Christians think. Atheists react.
 
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Zoness

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FAIL virgin spelled wrong -- sorry I'm a spelling Nazi

While I think some of the posters are a little off their rocker I agree the that movie is probably going to be garbage. But at the risk of looking like a verbose loser I am going to watch it. Mostly for comedy and some criticism.
 
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Vandrian

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I haven't seen the movie. Bill Maher isn't on my "go-to" list but some of the things you said struck a vibe w/ me. I'm not sure if I understand these things from the same perspective as you, but if your thoughts ever start eroding at your faith

side note: I have a freaking drunk rapper outside my apartment door at 2:10 in the morning!!! I can't concentrate!!! Ahhhh :bow:

Rom. 1:20 We know God by what was created.

Limits of Knowledge: Science becomes a guessing game in a lot of areas.

http: // homepage.mac.com/billtomlinson/LOK (.html)

homepage.mac

One of my favorite sites for when that little voice that always asks too many questions for me to answer.


www godandscience org

==========================

Maher: if anyone becomes less interested in Christ because of him, am I really to blame Maher? I just as well ask this drunk rapper...
 
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PantsMcFist

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I personally am looking forward to this, but it seems that too many people on both sides are missing some strong philosophical arguments in favor of theistic views, as well as the sociological and psychological functions of religion (which are generally good). Also, blaming conflict on a religion or lack thereof is silly. People make their own choices, regardless of their own ideology. Conflicts are the result of bad decision, or bad people, in power. Not just an idea.
 
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gwynedd1

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Basically, he makes the point that it is impossible to know the answers to all the big questions of God and the afterlife. There is absolutely no proof that any religion can offer that they are right. Instead, the only real way to be right is to just admit that we do not know.
He also makes the point that faith (that is, the following of religion without any proof) is not really a good thing. Why would following something with no proof be a virtue?
Also, religions are responsible for so many wars, hatreds, arguments, crimes against women, and deaths. The good that comes from them is by far outnumbered by the bad.
He also points out that, if you take the ideas of religion and just look at them, they are kind of crazy. Would you believe in a virgin birth, resurrection, or turning water into wine if it were not taught as religion? No, because it does not make sense. So why do people still believe it?
Also, if you look at the basic moral premises of most religions, they are remarkably similar, and remarkably obvious. Do you really need God to tell you that killing and stealing are wrong? Couldn't we have figured it out on our own?
He also gets into the evolution/creation argument.
He ends by pointing out the more violent natures of religion. He talks about the apocalypse and how everyone seems to be ok with the idea of the world ending violently, possibly with war or nuclear weapons. How can it ever be a good thing for the world to end?
The fact that we have created the means to destroy the world before we decided that destroying the world isn't the best idea scares me.

Whether you agree with him or not, you have to admit he makes some good points.


Hi p@nd0ra,

I agree with him on the end of the world stuff where Christians willfully ignore any and all time elements and context. However did anyone point out to him that specifically atheistic political ideologies run by the likes of Stalin, Pol Pot and Mao probably have racked up over a 100 million dead?
 
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brinny

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Basically, he makes the point that it is impossible to know the answers to all the big questions of God and the afterlife. There is absolutely no proof that any religion can offer that they are right. Instead, the only real way to be right is to just admit that we do not know.
He also makes the point that faith (that is, the following of religion without any proof) is not really a good thing. Why would following something with no proof be a virtue?
Also, religions are responsible for so many wars, hatreds, arguments, crimes against women, and deaths. The good that comes from them is by far outnumbered by the bad.
He also points out that, if you take the ideas of religion and just look at them, they are kind of crazy. Would you believe in a virgin birth, resurrection, or turning water into wine if it were not taught as religion? No, because it does not make sense. So why do people still believe it?
Also, if you look at the basic moral premises of most religions, they are remarkably similar, and remarkably obvious. Do you really need God to tell you that killing and stealing are wrong? Couldn't we have figured it out on our own?
He also gets into the evolution/creation argument.
He ends by pointing out the more violent natures of religion. He talks about the apocalypse and how everyone seems to be ok with the idea of the world ending violently, possibly with war or nuclear weapons. How can it ever be a good thing for the world to end?
The fact that we have created the means to destroy the world before we decided that destroying the world isn't the best idea scares me.

Whether you agree with him or not, you have to admit he makes some good points.

actually, he makes a good point...it is in demonstrating how hateful one can be as an un-believer. He really should not discuss wars and hatred. What is spewing out of his mouth as he criticizes both, is a demonstration of the epitome of both.
 
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brinny

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All kidding aside, in the end he promoted co-existing, which I do agree with and think it sorely lacking in some religions.

But really guys, consider the source. He is against religion, it's like complaining because Fox News is conservative.

He's also a bore. Hasn't anybody told the poor shmuck yet?
 
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