Posted on 02/18/2005 2:58:40 AM PST by ViLaLuz
Television personality Bill Maher, host of HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher," says Christians and others who are religious suffer from a neurological disorder that "stops people from thinking."
"We are a nation that is unenlightened because of religion. I do believe that. I think that religion stops people from thinking. I think it justifies crazies. I think flying planes into a building was a faith-based initiative. I think religion is a neurological disorder. If you look at it logically, it's something that was drilled into your head when you were a small child. It certainly was drilled into mine at that age. And you really can't be responsible when you are a kid for what adults put into your head."
The former host of "Politically Incorrect" said the lack of enlightenment of so many Americans means the nation actually has more in common with its enemies than one might think.
Said Maher: "When you look at beliefs in such things as, do you go to heaven, is there a devil, we have more in common with Turkey and Iran and Syria than we do with European nations and Canada and nations that, yes, I would consider more enlightened than us."
Maher explained that he was not singling out evangelicals, but was targeting all "religious" people.
"I think the vote in Missouri [rejecting same-sex marriage] and a lot of other states is because people are religious," Maher said. "They don't have to be evangelical, but they're religious. They believe in religion, which as – I think it was Jesse Ventura who had that quote about religion is a crutch for weak-minded people who need strength in numbers."
The television host told Scarborough he was convinced evangelicals' influence will wane.
Said Maher: "When people say to me, 'You hate America,' I don't hate America. I love America. I am just embarrassed that it has been taken over by people like evangelicals, by people who do not believe in science and rationality. It is the 21st century. And I will tell you, my friend. The future does not belong to the evangelicals. The future does not belong to religion."
Later in the interview, Maher returned to the childhood-religion theme, comparing fairy tales to Bible stories:
"When you were a kid and they were telling you whatever you believe in religion, do you think if they had switched the fairy tales that the read to you in bed with the Bible, you would know the difference?
"Do you think if it was the fairy tale about a man who lived inside of a whale and it was religion that Jack built a beanstalk today, you would know the difference? Why do you believe in one fairy tale and not the other? Just because adults told you it was true and they scared you into believing it, at pain of death, at pain of burning in hell."
Next time, Maher oughta take his head out of his butt before he speaks.........maybe he'll make more sense.
I think his real issue with Christians in particular is morality. He lives a certain way that is contrary to Christian living and it bothers his conscience.
What you said...
Bump!
Bill's mind is severely Mahered.
Maher is truly a drooling idiot. His atheism is worn as a badge of so-called "enlightenment".
Sad that ANYONE listens to this damned fool.
So? People vote issues based on many,many different thoughts. Because some MAY have voted along religious lines, does that make their vote any less valid?
No you don't!!!! That means that you would be there too.
Why do we refer to these morons as 'talking heads' when we should really call them what they are?
Talking HOLES!
Maher is a FOOL.
Nuff said.
Bill who?
The media? Heck, you should have been around here around Christmas--there's plenty of Freepers that have a problem with Christians.
I'll have to borrow another line from Triumph, The Insult Comic Dog, and say that to make fun of Bill Maher would be, well... like pooping on poop.
Maher is typical of the narcissistic personality that believes that the mere ability to pose a difficult question is in itself proof that no satisfactory answer exists.
I'VE SEEN THE LIGHT!!! I've burned my Bible, prayerbooks and icons, renounced my baptism and ordered a subscription to the Sunday New York Times (gotta have something to fill those Sunday morning hours) and called my doctor for some pills to keep that bad old neurosis from coming back. Thanks, Bill Maher, O Wise Sage!!! I'M FREE!!!!
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