HBO and the Bill Maher Show

[AlAyeti]

How does this show and its "star" find legal grounds to attack Christ, Christians and Christianity? Isn't there federal laws protecting against discrimination and the fomenting of hatred of religious beliefs?

[Corvus]

AlAyeti, I am an Australian and I also try to avoid the television as much as possible. Are there any transcripts available online clearly showing discrimination so that we may judge its level of severity?

I've flicked through some of the transcripts on the webpage and only found examples of fairly tasteless humour.

[ENIGMA]

How does this show and its "star" find legal grounds to attack Christ, Christians and Christianity? Isn't there federal laws protecting against discrimination and the fomenting of hatred of religious beliefs?

Come now, the show is broadcast in America where they have something called the first amendment, which, seeing that he's not inciting violence or doing the equivalent of yelling "fire" in a crowded theater, is ample protection for his program.

The same amendmant protects Pat Robertson's 700 Club, PAX's religious crap shows with the general premise being roughly "It dun gotta be a MIRACUL!!", Every televangelist on the air as well as every evangelist that I get the marginal pleasure of making fun of on College Campus is protected. It also protects my right to make fun of them.

You don't like it? Don't watch it, and, if it'll make you feel any better, be proactive and start an online petition, so that you can pretend to make a difference.

[AlAyeti]

And a person that comes from nothing and is heading to that origin can give me what kind of contructive criticism?

I cannot understand choas-ian. But I know you can understand english.

Maher would not try fomenting hatred against any other religion. And one is really killing people and some are truly hilarious. You would think that trying to stop murderers, murdering innocent people in the name of a desert god and religions that believe a tree is a recepticle of deity or the world is being held up by an elephant is where I would think jokes for a comedian would find a source.

But people trying to keep sanity in society, seem to be something Maher and his babbling cohorts seem to think is so intolerable.

The first amendment was written by "just" men. Why believe it any moreso than the Bible? Written as I know you believe by "just" men.

It is also illegal to denegrate and discriminate against people for their religious as well as cultural beliefs. Maher is certainly discriminating.

[bernee51]

You would think that trying to stop murderers, murdering innocent people in the name of a desert god

I assume by 'desert god' you are referring to the JCI god, in whose name(s) murders have been committed for millennia. Surely you know the history of your god.

and religions that believe a tree is a recepticle of deity

or that a talking snake could convince innocents to eat from something called the 'tree of knowledge'

or the world is being held up by an elephant

Actually in that particular belief system the elepant you refer to is standing on a tortoise, after that its tortoises all the way down.

is where I would think jokes for a comedian would find a source.

It is the religious who cause their belief systems to be treated as jokes. If the 'religious' truly undestood the perennial philosophy at the core of their particular myth and acted in accordance, religion would not be the joke it is today.

The first amendment was written by "just" men. Why believe it any moreso than the Bible? Written as I know you believe by "just" men.

Is there any record of who wrote the bible and if there is, how do you believe them to be 'just'?

Maher is certainly discriminating.

So stop whining and do something. Sue him. Start a petition. As the saying goes, either poo or get of the potty.

[ENIGMA]

And a person that comes from nothing and is heading to that origin can give me what kind of contructive criticism?

Come now AlAyeti, if you are going to keep insulting my parentage (such as calling my mother, a card carrying member of the ACLU, a "jack-booted thug"), please at least be consistant about the criticisms.

I cannot understand choas-ian. But I know you can understand english.

Really? Considering that I've participated on the board for quite a while and your posts are the second most fragmented and incomprehensible that I've seen (Second only to YOGHI, who I think I can safely say has a secure position in that department). Half of your posts are semi-random rants about this or that which barely qualify as coherent.

I honestly thought you were a native speaker. Could you perhaps try English please?

Maher would not try fomenting hatred against any other religion. And one is really killing people and some are truly hilarious. You would think that trying to stop murderers, murdering innocent people in the name of a desert god and religions that believe a tree is a recepticle of deity or the world is being held up by an elephant is where I would think jokes for a comedian would find a source.

One of the perks of being a comedian is that you get to write your own jokes. Why don't you become a comedian?

But people trying to keep sanity in society, seem to be something Maher and his babbling cohorts seem to think is so intolerable.

The Borg just wanted to keep order in the universe... Why are they always percieved as the bad guys in Star Trek?

The first amendment was written by "just" men. Why believe it any moreso than the Bible? Written as I know you believe by "just" men.

I honestly don't care if the first amendment was written by aliens, dolphins, or mice, it is the law of the land and I have no objection to being explicitly guaranteed freedom of speech.

It is also illegal to denegrate and discriminate against people for their religious as well as cultural beliefs. Maher is certainly discriminating.

Such discrimination is only illegal if said person is a government official or is acting on behalf of government (such as an independant institutions recieving federal funds). Maher is neither, and thus can say whatever he pleases with the two exceptions noted in the previous post. Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell also have that right, which allowed them to blame atheists and every other group which they didn't particularly like for 9/11.

[AlAyeti]

Bernee:

"It is the religious who cause their belief systems to be treated as jokes. If the 'religious' truly undestood the perennial philosophy at the core of their particular myth and acted in accordance, religion would not be the joke it is today."

Replace "religious" with Christians, and "myth" with fact, and we have finally come to 100% agreement.

ENIGMA,

How pitiful to attempt ad hominem attack about my "ranting."

Everyone knows exactly what I am saying and why and how.

Even you.

I just do not choose the little lamb voice in the debate. I have my positions that are oppositie of yours and several others, and I back them up with observable experience. I wasn't born with my views. I learned the truth by experiencing lies.

Don't take it so seriously if I'm incoherent. But of course we both know I'm not.

Hence, your ire!

Please insulting your mother? I am a nameless faceless person in cyber space. Your guilt and her's is not owned by me or anyone else. My opinion of the ACLU is empirically based and reaffirmed everytime I drive by a prison, juvenile hall or AIDS hospice.

"Opinions" are just that. Unless of course they are forced on an unwilling majority of the populace by well, the ACLU.

[ENIGMA]

ENIGMA,

How pitiful to attempt ad hominem attack about my "ranting."

Well you would know about that sort of thing.

Everyone knows exactly what I am saying and why and how.

Even you.

You generally support all of the fundamentalist Christian causes by making random references to "Empiricism" and "Experience", the latter consisting of your prejudice and the former existing solely as a catch-all for any other points you wish to make and lend some sort of credence.

Just another drone, I'm afraid.

I just do not choose the little lamb voice in the debate. I have my positions that are oppositie of yours and several others, and I back them up with observable experience. I wasn't born with my views. I learned the truth by experiencing lies.

You? Back up your positions? That's a laugh.

Don't take it so seriously if I'm incoherent. But of course we both know I'm not.

Hence, your ire!

Aww, the drone thinks it can read my mind, how cute.

I'm having quite a bit of fun with this actually, but it does get a bit tiresome with the same alledged "arguments" over and over.

Please insulting your mother? I am a nameless faceless person in cyber space. Your guilt and her's is not owned by me or anyone else.

I honestly do not give two cents about what your particular opinion about my mother happens to be. I mentioned it for your benefit, since you seem to have some difficulty in establishing a realistic view of the world. Let me be of further assistance:

My opinion of the ACLU is empirically based and reaffirmed everytime I drive by a prison, juvenile hall or AIDS hospice.

Fascinating, you blame the ACLU for so many ills, yet fail to acknowledge its benefits such as helping to secure freedom of speech for those who are unpopular, heck, it even helped a street-preacher in Las Vegas preach against all the "ungodly" activity that was happening when the State threatened to quelch that preacher's freedom of speech.

Even if the ACLU were the evil bogeyman that you claimed, it simply wouldn't have the budget to cause any more than a small fraction of the ills you blame it for constantly. I've heard enough complaints about membership dues and budget cuts to realize that much.

"Opinions" are just that. Unless of course they are forced on an unwilling majority of the populace by well, the ACLU.

Yes, how dare we prevent good Christians from generously providing gay people a rope, a fire, and appropriately named wood! It's an outrage I say!

Let's repeal desegregation laws and court orders since those were forced on an unwilling majority of the populace. A sturdy tree and a rope will be sufficient in this case for dealing with them uppity folks.

Are you sure that you wish to be taking this path?

Do try to respond to me and not at me.

[Corvus]

Okay, let's simmer down a little, people. Who would have thought a thread about a talk show host would become so heated?

[Corvus]

Bernee:
I have my positions that are oppositie of yours and several others, and I back them up with observable experience.

Speaking of observable experience and, your favourite word, empiricism, I asked at the start of the topic if you could supply me with some evidence that Bill Maher is doing what you claim he is doing. This would be very easy to do. Go through the transcripts and produce some quotes to that effect.

It's very difficult to defend or castigate the man when you have no examples of what he has done.