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Bill Maher, Ben Affleck and Islam
Townhall.com ^ | October 7, 2014 | Dennis Prager

Posted on 10/07/2014 12:17:14 PM PDT by right-wing agnostic

Last Friday night a rare dialogue/debate took place on American television. It was rare because it involved criticism of Islam, one of the many taboo subjects that are labeled "politically incorrect." And it took place on the program "Real Time with Bill Maher," a show not generally known for taking politically incorrect positions. But on this night the host, Bill Maher, along with atheism-advocate Sam Harris, had a vigorous debate with Actor Ben Affleck, New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, and former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele.

Bill Maher, a man of the left on virtually every issue, began by defending liberalism's honor against liberal hypocrisy on the subject of Islam:

"Liberals need to stand up for liberal principles. ... Liberal principles like freedom of speech, freedom to practice any religion you want without fear of violence, freedom to leave a religion, equality for women, equality for minorities including homosexuals -- these are liberal principles that liberals applaud for [pointing to his audience], but then when you say in the Muslim world this is what's lacking, then they get upset."

Sam Harris then added:

"Liberals have really failed on the topic of theocracy. They'll criticize ... Christians; they'll still get agitated over the abortion clinic bombing that happened in 1984, but when you talk about the treatment of women and homosexuals and free thinkers and public intellectuals in the Muslim world, I would argue that liberals have failed us. And the crucial point of confusion is that we have been sold this meme of 'Islamophobia,' where every criticism of the doctrine of Islam gets conflated with bigotry toward Muslims as people. That's intellectually ridiculous."

Ben Affleck and Nicholas Kristof -- along with, sad to say, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee -- would have none of that.

(Excerpt) Read more at townhall.com ...


TOPICS: Religion; Society
KEYWORDS: benaffleck; billmaher; islam; theleft
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To: FredZarguna

Maher has actually been consistent about this, and has even compared fundamentalist Christianity very favorably to Islam

...perhaps...and in the middle of January it is possible that the daytime high temperature could exceed 70 degrees here in central Pa...

...Maher not being a creepy jerk and a winter heat wave are both occurrences of tremendous infrequency...


21 posted on 10/07/2014 6:18:54 PM PDT by IrishBrigade
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To: A Formerly Proud Canadian

lol


22 posted on 10/07/2014 8:39:15 PM PDT by Liberty Valance (Keep a simple manner for a happy life :o)
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To: Mrs. Don-o
If your 500 year period ends sometime around 1967, I might agree.

The rest of your post is nonsense. Exporting Western commercial products isn't exporting Western "culture." Nor did Bush claim that anything more than a general desire for freedom motivates mankind. He may or may not have been right about that, but if he was or wasn't, liberty is hardly an aspiration unique to the West.

The problem with Western Civilization is that it doesn't believe in itself anymore, not that it's too aggressive in advancing its agenda.

23 posted on 10/07/2014 11:28:59 PM PDT by FredZarguna (His first name is 'Unarmed,' and his given middle name is 'Teenager.')
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To: FredZarguna

It might have been around 1967 that Western Living Culture was devoured by Western Golem Culture.


24 posted on 10/08/2014 8:45:17 AM PDT by Mrs. Don-o ("I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus: the power of God who brings salvation to ALL who believe.")
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To: Rashputin

25 posted on 10/08/2014 10:28:49 PM PDT by Bratch
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To: Bratch
How about their lame "religioius" excuse for butchering women and children?

Is criticizing that also off limits for the daintly little limp wick folks who don't care how many Christians are butchered every week?

26 posted on 10/09/2014 11:59:49 AM PDT by Rashputin (Jesus Christ doesn't evacuate His troops, He leads them to victory.)
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