What...no Bill Maher?

[Gabi Hayes]

yes, there is. just started

good nightie

[Nite Owl]

1. So far

good show!

[Greeby]

2. I wanted to put a question in for Overtime

But they won't let you if you're not in the US :(

[Maat]

4. Hi, Greeby!

Sorry about that.

:hi:

[Radio_Lady]

30. UPDATE: Thanks for reminding me about this. We went to see "Carmen" on stage in Portland, and

missed Maher! I guess we'll get it ON DEMAND on cable over the next few nights.

[countmyvote4real]

3. I'm watching. Got to get my Janeane fix. n/t

[devilgrrl]

5. This clown on now going on about the Bin Laden fake tape is killing me.

Who are these people trying to kid?

[AlCzervik]

6. this guest---aaaawwwwwkkkkward.

[Cush]

7. Janeane: "Bill O'Reilly can kiss my fat ass.....Hannity too"

[SeattleGirl]

8. Go Jeanine!

:rofl:

[TwilightGardener]

9. Is Rob Thomas on?

[babylonsister]

11. Yes. nt

[countmyvote4real]

10. BM "Keep asking questions or else it becomes a religion."

He said this interviewing climate change author, but the applause was received for the merits of that remark. IMHO.

[babylonsister]

12. Maher was astounded about Blackwater? Who researches for him? nt

[Cush]

13. em: n/m

[countmyvote4real]

14. Janeane is smart and human at the same time. Love her

This was a great outing for her. I wish that she would run for some office someday. She is so informed.

She did really well.

[minkyboodle]

15. Janeane

Marry me.... seriously :) :) God what an amazing
woman so glad she was on tonights show. Honestly I
had nothing but love for the whole panel. Great Real
Time

[Bombtrack]

16. why was Janeane fidgeting and looking abnormal the whole night ?

She looked nice but uncomfortable.

I wonder if Bill keeps the studio super cold like David Letterman is knowing for doing. Everyone else was wearing much warmer clothes than her.

[CC]

17. Looks like it might be that

cold. Someone gave her a jacket for after the show.

[minkyboodle]

29. exactly

She must have been freezing she seemed like she was. Would
have been nice if one of the panelists or someone on the
show had offered her a coat earlier, still she kicked ass
anyway :)

[countmyvote4real]

18. Even though she is a comic, that does not mean that she's comfortable in debates.

This was a very comfortable panel for her. And I thought she held her own on many topics

I don't know what you mean or mean to infer.

Still, it was my favorite panel thus far in the new season. Props to Bill for having her on. He should still think about Randi Rhodes. And ;yet I understand why, she can't stop talking or seperate her show from a penel.

Janeane Rules.

[Kajsa]

19. Maher- Stop beating the anti-belief drum

incessantly.

You hate religion-and any belief system you can't rationalize.

Got it!

---end of rant----

The rest of the show was good.

[Warren DeMontague]

20. I know. I accept that we can't, ya know, burn atheists at the stake anymore, but I don't see why

they need to keep saying "I don't believe in God"... you know, out loud.

Can't they keep their little blasphemous pieholes shut?

Don't those secular whackjobs realize that some things shouldn't be questioned publicly...

...like General Petraeus?

:eyes: :sarcasm: :eyes:

[Kajsa]

21. Out loud- fine.

No problem there.

Cramming it down your throats- something else, altogether.

If a person of faith did that- :nuke:


--nice try--

[Warren DeMontague]

22. Right. We live in a society where every five minutes a high school football player thanks Jesus for

his touchdown. On a loudspeaker. Where poll after poll says that the American People would vote for an axe murderer before they'd vote for an admitted atheist for president.

Oh, yeah, we're "cramming" that atheism down people's throats, all over the place. Just last week I had atheists going door to door in my neighborhood, trying to get people to hear the "lack of good news". And don't get me started on that science rubbish! By forcing kids to learn the facts about how life evolved on this planet, we're practically ripping the bibles out of their hands!

Let me just get this straight:

"I believe in God" is NOT a bigoted statement.

but

"I don't believe in God"... is unacceptably bigoted religion-bashing.

I know it's tough being the downtrodden majority, and still forced to listen to the occasional, rare reminder that not everyone agrees with you. Sorry, cry me a river.

[Kajsa]

23. What?

""I don't believe in God"... is unacceptably bigoted religion-bashing." ?

According to who?

Exactly where did I say that?

[Warren DeMontague]

24. Seems to me a lot of people who complain about outspoken atheists just aren't used to hearing people

who don't believe state their disbelief unapologetically.

Maher can be abrasive. Sometimes I disagree with him- last week he had his head firmly implanted in his ass about women breastfeeding. But he's entitled to his opinion. And frankly, given that we DO live in a country where ALL of our political leadership has to at least pay lip service to a faith that frankly many of us find as nonsensical as belief in the tooth fairy, it's nice that ONE guy, on HBO at least, has the freedom to skewer some sacred cows in that regard.

We have expressions of faith made all over the place, by just about everyone in public life. It's as ubiquitous as the air we breathe. But when someone questions it or even expresses the point of view of atheism, it's like the emperor having no clothes. Nevermind that, for instance, there is absolutely zero scientific evidence to back up the vast majority of claims made by the big western religions; if you say that, it's like you're farting in the elevator.

Maher was expressing his point of view, and he was doing it unapologetically. Religious people do that ALL THE TIME, and no one bats an eye. But if an atheist does it, for some reason certain peoples' heads invariably explode. Like, we understand that people don't believe, they just need to be quiet about it.

Fuck that.

[Kajsa]

25. There you go, again.

" they just need to be quiet about it."

who in the hell said that?

Does Maher go on to state, everytime, how anyone who does
believe has their head up their butt AND believes in
fairy tales?

It's just as bad as the Fundies who tell you if you don't
repent and follow " their path" you're going straight to
hell. That negates a good portion of earth's people.
Maher's comments do the same.

They aren't Christians, btw.

I agree with Maher on many things.
On others, he can be very obnoxious.

I'm going to hit the sack- I'll check back tomorrow.

[Warren DeMontague]

26. Well, I don't care what ANYONE believes. I don't presume to have all the answers.

I'll tell you one thing, I'm no more worried about going to hell than I am worried that I'll wake up tomorrow and be able to melt quarters with my steely-eyed laser vision. So it doesn't matter to me if the fundies say half the planet or 3/4 of the planet or only people whose names end with "N" are going to hell. I could care less, either way.

And I'm certainly not going to say that everyone who believes in "God" believes in a fairy tale or has their head up their butt- for one thing, it seems to me that very few people on this planet agree on what, exactly, the word "God" means. For some people, "God" is Love, or the Universe. For some 12 steppers I know, "God" is a tree or a doorknob. Well, I believe in Love, The Universe, Trees and Doorknobs..

What I will say is, anyone who literally believes the Earth is 6,000 years old, or that Dinosaurs were on "Noah's Ark".. Yeah, they believe in Fairy Tales. I think part of Maher's point- and he did make it abrasively- is that "wacky" beliefs that are out of the mainstream- scientology, UFOs- are made fun of on a regular basis by people who don't apply the same critical reasoning to their own literal belief in virgin births or ressurections. Beyond that, religious people all the time make the case for their own faith. I don't think it should be a show-stopper when a nonbeliever does the same.

That said, he handled it differently than I would. I consider myself an atheist for the purposes of the lowest chakra political debate in this country, and I certainly don't subscribe to the big Western Monotheisms, but I'm not a strict materialist and I'm also something of a Taoist/Discordian/Metaphysical Free Agent who doesn't think any labels cut the mustard past a certain point, and my experiences have left me maybe a little more humble when it comes to what goes on in other people's heads. For short, I really don't care what other people believe, and I wouldn't want to take it upon myself to figure the universe out for you, anyway. That's your job.

Unfortunately, given the political realities in our world today, other peoples' faith and religion HAVE become my problem and the problem of the millions of us who would just prefer to have our heads and bodies and beliefs and critical thinking skills and families and kids' science curriculum and birth control choices and personal lives left the fuck alone, TYVM.

And I think that's the source of Maher's abrasiveness on this issue. (the breastfeeding thing is just beyond me, however. That one really pissed me off.) And while I hear what you're saying, my point was only that those of us who don't believe or question organized religion have been pretty fuckin' voiceless in this culture for a VERY long time. Madalyn Murray O'Hair was "the most hated woman in America" not so long ago. Americans United still gets angry death threats (how Christian is that?) every time they issue a press release. I've seen on this board, plenty of example of people who get very uncomfortable with outspoken atheists. I do believe it's something many aren't used to hearing.

But I wasn't trying to put words in your mouth. Peace.

[Kajsa]

27. I understand what you're saying and appreciate

your understanding for others.

I happen to be one of those 12 steppers.

I agree that non-believers have not had a voice.

A friend of mine stated it very well.
" We have freedom of religion AND freedom from religion."

Inserting the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance
came about in the 50's. WTH? So everyone who doesn't
believe in God are out of luck? I don't think so!
Hello- separation of church and state!

The idea of earth existing for only 6000 years is ludicrous.
I love science and know a few scientists who are persons
of faith. That crap drives them crazy.

Even though we started this conversation on a heated note,
it's evolved into a thoughtful, intelligent exchange.

I appreciate that and thank you.

Peace. ;-) :hi:

[alfredo]

28. If anyone has video of the Michael Scheuer segment, I want it.

It scared the shit out of me.

You need to read his book "Imperial Hubris." It is essential reading.



Here's the Fox Nuez interview where he says basically the same thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZNfuIvtLos