Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Maher: 'I'm spreading the anti-gospel'
Chicago Suntimes.com ^ | October 24, 2004 | CATHLEEN FALSANI

Posted on 10/25/2004 5:37:38 AM PDT by jaydubya2

In person, Bill Maher the man is just like Bill Maher the TV character. Just as snarky, just as opinionated, just as curmudgeonly. Perpetually perturbed.

Few things, though, seem to get his dander up like religious folks.

"One of the many things that annoys me about religion is that it's arrogance masquerading as humility," he says. It's a sentiment he'll repeat on his HBO show a few weeks later. "How arrogant to think you know what happens to you after you die? You don't. That's your guess.

"It's arrogant to think that, if there is a force in the universe, this force, whom most people refer to as 'Him,' has the time and inclination to listen to your stupid, petty laundry list of what you want in this life. Prayer. That's another, silly Santa Claus notion. Pray to Santa, and he'll give you what you want. It's so silly. It's so childish. And so much of the world is getting over this," he says, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Maher pauses and produces a stack of those blue TV note cards, like the kind Dave Letterman reads his top 10 list off of each night. Maher's blue cards contain factoids and statistics about religious beliefs and practices. He's searching for one particular statistic and, after a few moments of shuffling and flipping, he finds it.

In 1990, about 7 percent of the American population said they had "no religion," and in 2000, that number had doubled to 14 percent, he says.

"So, in 10 years, we've doubled the amount of people who say they don't have a religion," he says. "I find that incredibly encouraging."

The world would be much more "sane" without religion, Maher argues.

"So many of these born-agains, these evangelicals, when you hear them speaking, no matter what the question is, they can't leave Jesus out of it for two seconds," he says, his voice rising. "It's OK when you're a child. Children have an imaginary friend. When you get to be an adult, no more imaginary friends. But Jesus is their imaginary friend. Everywhere they go, everything they do, Jesus is along. Oh, Christ."


TOPICS: Miscellaneous; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: angry; insecure; maher
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-92 next last
To: Callahan; Petronski

He thought that playmate was interested in him, and then he was all happy because he had the privilege of dumping a playmate. Whatever. It was his wad she liked, cash wad that is. He's a sniveling little turd who I can't bear to watch.


21 posted on 10/25/2004 5:46:14 AM PDT by cyborg (http://mentalmumblings.blogspot.com/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: jaydubya2

Yep, but they sure don't have a problem peppering all of their conversations with HIS name over and over again.


22 posted on 10/25/2004 5:48:07 AM PDT by Paved Paradise
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cyborg

If Bill is an example of what it is like to be "sane" oh man we are in deep doo doo!!


23 posted on 10/25/2004 5:48:24 AM PDT by dmw
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: jaydubya2
One of the many things that annoys me about religion is that it's arrogance masquerading as humility

Maher: If I can't be pope, I won't play the religion game.

24 posted on 10/25/2004 5:48:36 AM PDT by syriacus (VANESSA Kerry would probably say she's glad her father didn't destroy her for stem cell research.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Callahan

I saw a breakdown on FR once of the number of people that were killed as a direct result of socialism---at least more than 50 million!


25 posted on 10/25/2004 5:49:40 AM PDT by Aggie Mama
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: Callahan

I saw a breakdown on FR once of the number of people that were killed as a direct result of socialism---at least more than 50 million!


26 posted on 10/25/2004 5:50:03 AM PDT by Aggie Mama
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: jaydubya2

"How arrogant to think you know what happens to you after you die? You don't. That's your guess."

Is it just Christianity he's attacking? Or should he go tell the terrorists to forget about the virgins?


27 posted on 10/25/2004 5:50:19 AM PDT by LibSnubber (liberal democrats are domestic terrorists)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jaydubya2
Who is Bill Maher?

Sorry, I'm too busy burning heretics to really care about transient popular figures.

28 posted on 10/25/2004 5:52:01 AM PDT by Martin Tell (I will not be terrified or Kerrified.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cyborg

One time Howard Stern had some Playboy chick on his show who read a letter that Maher had written to her in a pathetic attempt to score. It was incredibly embarrassing. Obviously, he blames God for the fact he's human waste with nothing to live for except his b-list "celebrity" and a couple sweaty-palmed visits to Hefner's "paradise."


29 posted on 10/25/2004 5:52:03 AM PDT by Callahan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: 2banana

Satan rules on earth. There is a reason why we pray "Thy Will be done on Earth as in Heaven" - His will isn't always done. We were left with the Holy Spirit until He comes back, and this is also for a reason.

Satan offered Jesus dominion over all the earth as he tempted Him in the desert. He had the power to make that offer.

We are sheep left to wolves. This is why becoming a Christian requires almost nothing but faith. Not money or talent or brains - just faith, yet for most accepting Jesus is the hardest thing in the world. Probably because it goes against everything the world asks of us.


30 posted on 10/25/2004 5:52:26 AM PDT by RinaseaofDs (The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: jaydubya2

A little man gaining speed on the down side of the curve.


31 posted on 10/25/2004 5:52:48 AM PDT by chiefqc
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jaydubya2
"How arrogant to think you know what happens to you after you die? You don't. That's your guess.

How does he know that we don't know what happens after death? He doesn't --and we do know. He's simply expressing his erroneous opinion founded in ignorance and arrogance.

32 posted on 10/25/2004 5:53:34 AM PDT by Aquinasfan (Isaiah 22:22, Rev 3:7, Mat 16:19)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: syriacus

When a jackass like Maher starts to lecture about "arrogance" I turn the channel.


33 posted on 10/25/2004 5:53:36 AM PDT by Callahan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: Registered

This boy needs to look like Satan.


34 posted on 10/25/2004 5:53:42 AM PDT by bmwcyle (I wear sleepwear therefore I think (When they are off I am single minded))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jaydubya2

>>One of the many things that annoys me about religion is that it's arrogance masquerading as humility<<<

He does not want anything making him feel guilty for his cocaine use and whore chasing.


35 posted on 10/25/2004 5:53:49 AM PDT by snarkytart
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tai_Chung
He thinks he is smarter than 86% of the people!

Even more pathetic is his belief that anyone really listens to or cares what he has to say. Madalyn Murray O'Hair learned she couldn't singlehandedly destroy Christianity, and neither can Bill Maher.

36 posted on 10/25/2004 5:54:14 AM PDT by mountaineer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: 2banana

Excellent post!!!


37 posted on 10/25/2004 5:55:54 AM PDT by rollo tomasi (Working hard to pay for deadbeats and corrupt politicians)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: ClearCase_guy

"It's been that way since the French Revolution."

Sadly, I think you're right, it is so true. Historical Criticism showed up soon after and it really caused the rise of religious Darwinism and even today's French/German/Europe prideful cynical selfishness.


38 posted on 10/25/2004 5:56:00 AM PDT by Duke of Milan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Aggie Mama

I'd appreciate a link to that thread.


39 posted on 10/25/2004 5:56:21 AM PDT by Callahan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: 2banana
"Hell is a place where God is absent. This is exactly what the people who rejected God all their lives wanted."

That is my understanding also.

40 posted on 10/25/2004 5:57:04 AM PDT by Dust in the Wind (I've got peace like a river . . .)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-92 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson