Bill Maher's Easter Rant

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Anu

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I enjoyed this too much not to share.

This aired on "Real Time . . . ."

People who run everything can't complain that they're underdogs. To whit, this week, there was a highly-attended conference in Washington called “The War on Christians.” Because nothing quite says “I'm oppressed” like the opulent Regency Ballroom of the Omni Shoreham Hotel.
Ah, yes, whatever happened to that plucky little cult, Christianity? Oh, that's right, they're 80% of the American people, and have taken over all three branches of government, country music, public schools, the bestseller list, and until recently, Katie Holmes. You know, Christians, I don't mind that you're part of a dress-up cult that hates sex and worships magic—but the paranoia, that does scare me.
Did you know that the Missouri legislature recently felt the need to propose a resolution declaring Christianity Missouri's majority religion. No kidding. Really, you mean people aren't saying, “Gosh, I'd like to go to Missouri , but…too Jewish.”
In Savannah , recently, a children's book about a baby penguin who is raised by two male penguins – ahh!– was removed from the library for its homosexual overtones. Because you know penguins, in those tuxedos, with the dreamy eyes. Huge fags!
The Christian right are now officially the party of paranoia. Secularists are attacking Christmas! Gays are attacking marriage! Liberals are attacking values! White girls are being abducted at an alarming rate! You know, if you're going to be that paranoid all the time, just get high.
And the worst part is, the people bitching loudest about being persecuted for their Christianity aren't Christians at all. They're demagogues and conmen and scolds. And the only thing they worship is power. If you believe Jesus ever had a good word for war or torture or tax cuts for the rich, or raping the earth, or refusing water to dying migrants, then you might as well believe bunnies lay painted eggs.
And Jesus – and Jesus never said a word about gay marriage. He was much too busy hanging out with 12 guys. Now – now I know George Bush says Jesus Christ changed his heart. But believe me, Dick Cheney changed it back. The only thing Bush has in common with Jesus is they both went into their father's business and got crucified for it.
Thomas Jefferson called the type of Christian who trumpets his own belief in the divinity of Jesus rather than the morality of Jesus “pseudo-Christians.” And that's who's running our country today. And since they thrive so much on turning water into “whining”—and get off on their endless pretend persecution, this Easter season, let's give them what they want. Let's go to the zoo, get some lions, and feed them Tom DeLay.
 
Anu said:

And the worst part is, the people bitching loudest about being persecuted for their Christianity aren't Christians at all. They're demagogues and conmen and scolds. And the only thing they worship is power.

Yes, indeed.
 
I wonder how Bill Maher gets the notion that 80% of the country are Christians and that we "control" everything? Being born in the US doesn't count as being a Christian.
 
Damn. That was great.

:)

I particularly liked: "Because nothing quite says “I'm oppressed” like the opulent Regency Ballroom of the Omni Shoreham Hotel."

Yes indeed. :lol:
 
:applause:

I try to catch the show whenever I can. After reading this, I think I actually caught the rant. This part especially sounds familiar:
Let's go to the zoo, get some lions, and feed them Tom DeLay.
 
I can't stand Bill Maher but he does make some very good and valid points there.

"The only thing Bush has in common with Jesus is they both went into their father's business and got crucified for it." ~ that is a fantastic line :applaud:
 
nbcrusader said:
I wonder how Bill Maher gets the notion that 80% of the country are Christians and that we "control" everything? Being born in the US doesn't count as being a Christian.

Anu said:

This aired on "Real Time . . . ."

and have taken over all three branches of government, country music, public schools, the bestseller list, and until recently, Katie Holmes.

:wink: Oh, poor Katie Holmes.
Good rant, thanks for sharing.
 
"Christians, I don't mind that you're part of a dress-up cult that hates sex and worships magic—but the paranoia, that does scare me. "


It's a shame you can't share a few pints with T.S. Eliot and C.S. Lewis and other friends.


:)
 
T.S. Eliot seriously disliked America. C.S. Lewis would hardly have supported anything our president stands for.

NB, look at any recent poll; 80% of Americans consider themselves Christians. Now, if you don't buy that, then I'll leave you to determine the fate of their soul. I happen - not being God - to not know whether people really are what they claim to be.
 
Sure, some funny lines. I'm a Bill maher fan, but I'm really looking foward to Ann Coulter's new book GODLESS: THE CHURCH OF LIBERALISM. Then well see if the secular left has the same sense of humor when they're the butt-end of the joke. I'm sure Maher will book her for his show.
Due 06/06/06 by the way.
 
blueyedpoet said:


NB, look at any recent poll; 80% of Americans consider themselves Christians.

The only polling I could find said that 80% of Americans consider themselves religous, and that 80% of those people consider themselves Christian. So it would be more like 60-65% of the whole.

I wondered about the accuracy of 80% as well.
Think about it, that's 4 out of every 5 people.
 
INDY500 said:
Then well see if the secular left has the same sense of humor when they're the butt-end of the joke.

Yeah, I sort of thought the same thing.
Maher speaking about paranoia among Christians, he himself sounds a bit paranoid to me.

He has a good show, but you can't watch an episode without a good healthy bash of any kind of religous person/organization.

I'm not sure he's ever been consistent in that respect. He'd rant and rave about intollerance to homosexuals or minority groups (as he should) but on the same token turn around and ridicule, openly, religous people and their beliefs.

I'm not a defender of organized religon by any means, but I like to see consistency. Maher gets good guests, asks good questions, but his comedy material is rather banal. So it's a good show, but I'm not sure if I'd ever give him credit for being fair or making any thought provoking jokes.

Contrast his style to that of the Daily Show, where the joke is implicit most of the time. Not really a need for a soap box moment, whereas Maher always takes the time to browbeat his audience with rather obvious material.

That said, I do like his show and I agree with him on several issues, I just think he lacks the tact and cleverness to really knock a rant like that out of the park. His stand-up routine is the same, banal jokes, which again, I agree politically with him on many of these points, I just think he can be unfair and inconsistent.

Thinking about it, Ann Coulter is a good friend of his, maybe he is just using hyperbole as well sometimes. I'll watch him Friday though, guess he's doing his job. :wink:
 
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