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Friday, September 24, 2004
Bill Maher and Comedy Against Christians
What's up with Bill Maher? It seems he's particularly allergic to Christians, especially smart ones (if there is such a thing). Jay Ambrose of the Scripps Howard News Service had an interesting article on comedian Bill Maher. Jay writes,
Forgive him, for Bill Maher could not have known what he was doing the other night on his HBO show, "Real Time," when he said that half the nation thinks "more Jesus" and "more guns" were the answer to everything that ails America...He didn't stop with the "more Jesus" line, which was clearly meant to convey what superstitious boobs many believers are, but went on to mock prayer as moronic. When others with him did not then break out into spasms of laughter, he explained that people, including President Bush, prayed as if seeking gifts from Santa Claus.
He continues...
The only thing wrong with all of this - even as a joke - is everything. But let's grant a few points. There are charlatans among those who preach the faith, just as there are charlatans everywhere. There are puzzling understandings of Christianity among the faithful. Yet, even if Christianity is viewed as only a cultural phenomenon, its richness, accomplishments, depth and reach have been extraordinary.From it has grown some of the greatest art in the history of humankind - the paintings of Michelangelo, the marvelous gothic cathedrals, the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, the poetry of John Donne. Some of the greatest thinkers ever to have lived have been Christian thinkers, and their influence reaches to this very day. Important institutions have arisen from the faith. Without monks copying the words of the ancients, much of ancient thought would be lost to us. Absolutely profound has been the influence of Christianity on the ethical propositions we hold dear. Even many of the moral arguments people use against the church come from the church. Maher himself is undoubtedly influenced by Christian ethics, whether he recognizes it or not. The accusation that Christians do not always abide by their ethics will win their concurrence; many recognize a sinfulness for which they must repent.
More important than what it has been culturally, Christianity has been a means by which people for 2,000 years believe they have experienced forgiveness and redemption, and have found meaningfulness in a context larger than the here and now.
Among the more than 80 percent of Americans who count themselves as Christians, of course, there are many differences: Some are regular churchgoers, others aren't; some take their Scripture by and large literally, others more figuratively; some are conservative politically, others liberal. But the vast majority of those in all these groupings have a theological understanding that goes well beyond the flip phrase "more Jesus" and a far deeper view of prayer.
I won't go into the issues of guns or Iraq. Rather, what I want to emphasize is that those who express contempt for a huge section of our population and their dearest convictions - especially when doing so based on a stereotype instead of knowledge or reflection - have themselves earned contempt.
Here's a link to the full article in the Courier & Press
What do you think? Please feel free to leave a comment.
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September 24, 2004 in Current Affairs | Permalink
Comments
The "more Jesus more guns" comment doesn't seem to be an attack on the need for Jesus in society - it's an attack on the contradiction found in the position of many conservative Christians. That is to say, how can so many "Christian" people believe that gun proliferation is a good thing? It was a satirical comment....
Posted by: Chris Linzey | Oct 4, 2004 10:14:25 AM
This was more than a "satricial comment," as anyone who has listened to Bill M would know.
But as to "gun proliferation," why is it a bad thing? I ask that because the assumed belief seems to be that if there were no guns, there would be no violence. That is not the case. In fact, in some states with guns, violence and crime is down, not up.
As with all issues, this cannot be handled in sound bites or comedy quips.
Posted by: James Wartian | Oct 4, 2004 1:23:08 PM
Bill Maher has been a "thorn" in the side of Christians ever since he began "Politically Incorrect" many years ago. He continually attacks evangelicals and tries to make them out to be "pie in the sky" idealists. He makes no concession for the fact that he himself professes no spiritual beliefs whatsoever. Every time I tuned in P.I. years ago, it always seemed there would be one "evangelical" on the show, and the others would inevitably gang up on him/her to show the world just how stupid his/her beliefs actually were.
God will deal with Bill Maher in His own way. We can ignore him for now...
Posted by: David A. | Oct 4, 2004 2:19:05 PM
Bill Maher's craft is money-making. He has etched out for himself a character role he can play to the media in American pop culture. For this he is paid well. This is the only serious thing about Bill Maher -the money he is making. I doubt that he takes anything else about himself seriously. No thinking person would take him seriously. Why should Christians? Bill Maher, Jay Leno, Conan O'Brien, etc. earn their living as scavengers. Except that they are paid very well for their craft, they are pitiable creatures. Can you imagine what it would be like earning a living by doing what they do?
Turn the channel and get on to more worthwhile things! As Nehemiah said to Sanballat: "I don't have time for this nonsense - I have better things to do." (Nehemiah 6:1-4)
The same goes for those posing as "scientists" on the Discovery Channel and "historians" on the History Channel - they also are just making a good living as entertainers for American pop culture. "Be done with lesser things."!
Posted by: Bill Furioso | Oct 4, 2004 3:53:43 PM
"No thinking person would take him seriously. Why should Christians? "
I do not watch Bill Maher. But it is a mistake to think he does not have an influence on people. His biggest influence is undoubtedly reinforcing the beliefs of those who already agree. Maher may be a comedian, but his former show on ABC was not just a comedy routine. He is out to change minds, and the above piece is a valid warning of such things.
James
Posted by: James Wartian | Oct 6, 2004 2:13:22 PM
as a believer and a christian and a husband and a pastor and a father I admit to watching Bill. He is a comedian and the things he says about religion and christians don'tr bother me or phase me. Jesus is not going anyway just because he doesn't get what christianity is all about. I enjoy watching him he is funny and witty, I love the new rules segment. Who really knows what he's thinking about when he's all alone. Let us pray that he meets and accepts Jesus before it's late.
Posted by: al smith | Oct 9, 2004 5:43:13 PM
Bill who? Do I know this man? No. Does he know me? No. Does he need salvation? Yes. Let's convenant together to get this man saved!
Dan Moore
Posted by: Dan Moore | Oct 12, 2004 8:46:22 AM
Jay Leno is Catholic (an active Christian). I was very impressed with his opening bits about The Passion on the two nights he had Mel Gibson and Jim Cavitzel (I can't spell) on his show. Very funny, but point making, insightful, and under the surface full of respect for the film and its content. I don't pity Jay Leno. I repsect him for that. (But other than those 2 nights for the Passion, I never watch tv after 10pm. I can only write about what I saw once from the one man.)
Posted by: Laura Watson | Oct 14, 2004 3:01:31 PM
Bill Maher works as a comedian. For a paycheck he influences those who will listen. I work for God. For an eternal paycheck I influence those who will listen. Unless Bill finds a saving knowledge of Christ he will only have earthly rewards. Pray for Bill - he needs it. Try to remember people it's all about HIM and don't get overly anxious or threatened by one man who doesn't get it. Pray for him instead.
Posted by: Mollie Smith | Oct 19, 2004 5:53:25 PM
That does sound cult like,"we have to save him!" cults are know for in group out group
distinctions, they see him as working for the devil if he is not working for god, black and white thinking is typical of cults too(no middle ground).
I don't give a damn what it says in the bible, no man deserves the right to be punished for what are his beliefs. The god you worship is an evil one if that's so. That's free will the FREEDOM to believe in what you want, not to be scared into internal punishment and guilt. You may be the one who needs to be saved.
Posted by: joeBlow | Aug 21, 2006 2:33:59 AM
When I was very young I had many friends that believed in Santa Claus and no matter how much reasoning I used it would not deter them. They were so emotionally invested in it that they did not think, a life without magic was just to sad for them. It was their emotion that override there thoughts.
The point were a christian fails is the point of separating from what you FEEL and what you think. Nothing is without a reason even faith, ask yourself WHY you believe in god, you will find out it's based on emotion not reason. This is the problem with Christianity is that it obscures the real problems and precludes the individual from discovering himself by attributing our problems to the control of the devil, it takes away are need to control ourselves. Find happiness within your self you will not need a god.
Christianity is mostly destructive to the individual and society, history has shown us this, as well as my personal observations. Look at our government, look at our president, christianity breads radicalism , intolerance , prejudice, bigotry and ignorance. Does it make you feel special that you are granted eternal paradise at the exclusion of others? Many kids behave very well so they are rewarded by Santa, how is this different?
Posted by: zack | Aug 21, 2006 3:01:33 AM
Brainwashed all christians are into a 2000 year old cult, if only they could be saved, pray for yourselves! Evil resides in ignorance.
Posted by: John | Aug 21, 2006 3:05:22 AM
Remember castaway, and Wilson? Wilson is God. How is that? Wilson was a creation of the castaways mind, it was inanimate love, illustrating that love for god is love for the inanimate and unreceived, it is love created from the mind and the human ideal, the castaway represents us as a society and our fear of loneliness and that we are all stranded on a mental island. This is christianity, fear, loneliness and false hope but is there such a thing as false hope?
Praise the athiest they are strong and they have more to fear without the blanket of promise. Enlightinment is the hard path folks but it's more rewarding to know.
Posted by: Godless | Aug 22, 2006 1:49:15 PM
What is fear of the unknown? perhaps that there is no such thing, that the unknown is nothing more than a blank sheet unto which we write our fears. Fundamentalist are correct in their name, their is nothing more fundamental, nothing more primitive as fear.
Posted by: godless | Aug 22, 2006 2:16:56 PM
Follow you heart followers of Christ do not let these Elitist fools persecute you by using these things called "reason" "logic" and "intellect" which is obviously used to mask evil. These so called "thinkers" spend to much time thinking(and probably engaged in homosexual activity) questioning the glory of god while smacking it in the glory of a bunghole.
Posted by: GoodJesus | Aug 22, 2006 3:01:52 PM
Goodjesus has a point here, these liberals will say anything to push their gay agenda. I say ENJOY THE ENTERNAL FIREY PITS OF HELL! Stay the course Christian's we will reach the promise land soon enough!
Posted by: FaithMatters224 | Aug 22, 2006 3:20:02 PM
