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December 29th, 2011
05:48 PM ET
Bill Maher takes on Tim Tebow and feels the wrathBy Eric Marrapodi, CNN Belief Blog Co-Editor (CNN)– On Christmas Eve the Denver Broncos were getting destroyed by the Buffalo Bills* on the football field and comedian, liberal commentator, and religious provocateur Bill Maher couldn't help but tweet about it.
People quickly responded to Maher on Twitter and called him (in summary) a hell bound atheist piece of trash. Maher's social media jab was picked up by the media too and landed in newspapers, websites and TVs everywhere. Pundits and twitter users called for a boycott of Maher's HBO show Real Time, and threatened to cancel their HBO subscriptions.
The timing could not have been better for Maher. The new season of his show begins next month and the week between Christmas and New Years is a veritable wasteland for actual news. In a world where no publicity is bad publicity, Maher scored big. Maher has long skewered people of all faiths as part of his act. In 2008, Maher starred in "Religulous" a documentary that poked fun at any and all religions. For all the fury aimed at Maher for the Tebow crack, the long time atheist received comparatively little heat for his Twitter dig at Jesus the next day on Christmas.
It was insulting Tim Tebow, not Jesus Christ, that drew the ire of a nation. "[Tebow's] public image is built on goodness and virtue," Patton Dodd said. Dodd is the author of "The Tebow Mystique: The Faith and Fans of Football's Most Polarizing Player" and the managing editor of Patheos.com. "His particular expression of Christianity, or Christian witness, is built on acts of kindness to the poor and needy and to strangers. It's not just taking a knee on the field and thanking Jesus after the games. I think a lot of his fans know that." Dodd said fans likely felt defensive towards Tebow, but acknowledged an athlete so public about their faith could not viewed as untouchable. "I think the difference here is what Maher said was particularly crass and crude and I think it's seen as aimed more ... at Tebow's fan base than Tebow," he said. For those who said Maher crossed an unspoken line with the tweet, comedian Pete Dominick said no way. "Our job is to push the envelope. There is no line for us. We don't have a line. You can make a joke about my kids getting cancer as long as it's funny. It has to be funny. That's the only rule, that it's funny. We're supposed to be controversial we're supposed to be provocative, that's what our job entails." "He's begging to be made fun of," Dominick said. Dominick, who is also the host of Stand Up! with Pete Dominick on the POTUS Chanel on SirusXM, said Tebow's outspokeness about his faith makes him a prime target for comedians. "He goes out on TV and talks about his faith, he puts it on his eye black. We're going to choose to make fun of it. Always." "I think it's the wrong thing to get upset about. It's a tweet. It's a predictable tweet from a guy who says these kinds of things and who has an audience who love him for those kinds of things," Dodd said. For his part Tebow has not commented on Maher's tweet, keeping true to his formula of not engaging critics. Dodd said part of what makes Tebow such a great athlete is his ability to block out the noise and focus on the game of football. Requests for comment from Maher were not responded to by his publicist but Maher tweeted on Wednesday night:
There Maher goes after Tebow in far more than in the 140 characters Twitter allows per post. If Tebow and his Bronco teammates can win on Sunday they will make the playoffs. *An earlier version of this story incorrectly had the Detroit Lions as the Broncos opponent. We regret the error and apologize to Bills fans everywhere. They have suffered enough this season. soundoff (2,202 Responses)« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 Next »
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The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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I find it interesting that if anyone had said what Maher said, but to a Muslim, Jew or Hindu, they would be excoriated and demonized as an intolerant hate monger. But since Maher attacked a Christian, it's apparently OK. Welcome to the Progressive movement.
I find it interesting that you attack Maher without knowing more about him. He HAS said disparaging things about ALL religions. Because they are ALL nonsense, and responsible directly for the vast majority of the world's suffering.
Well Voig, I never attacked Maher in my comment...just his classless choice of words. And for your information, I'm quite familiar with Maher, his viewpoints, and his attention-seeking tactics. Why would you assume I didn't? oh that's right....I have the gall to disagree with him. I see how this scam works 🙂
Your comment was nonsensical. You alluded to the imagined outcome of Maher or someone like him having said the same things about other religions, and he HAS. And guess what? No one else freaked out the way the Jesus freaks do. Now, do you see how THAT works? Or are you too busy playing semantics and trying desperately to be clever?
Uh, Bill has made fun of most religions. You seem to be in the dark about a number of things. Maybe you should go back to burying your nose in your "bible" so you aren't so offended when people speak the truth about religions.
This article says he's receiving the wrath of people, so I don't think he's necessarily getting away with it. Plus if he said something awful about another religion – which has has done in the past – I don't believe he would be treated differently. People of all religions despise his disrespectful actions. I'm not religious, but I think his remarks are unnecessary. What good are they, anyway? Just for laughs? It's like high school humor. Pathetic.
You are an enigma Voig. You get all hysterical b/c some Christians reacted to Maher's insensitive and attention-seeking tweets (I guess that's not allowed in your world), and yet when I put forward a simple scenario of using Maher's words towards another religion, ethnic group, whatever, you get all bent out of shape. Hmmmm.
OMFG! Some people thought his joke was actually very funny and something that needed to be said! Imagine that! When religions and their followers learn to respect human beings as human beings, not based on whether they accept a certain myth or not, then religions will finally actually deserve proper respect. Until then, if religions can damn people to hell for all eternity, then fu** you too.
Flipper: are you high? Like right now? I think you're high.
Nothing you've written has made any sense. When confronted with this, you pull some kind of odd half-baked subject change. ALlow me to spell it out for you:
1. You suggested we'd all be up in arms if someone said of Jews or Muslims what Maher said of Christians.
2. Maher HIMSELF HAS said similar things about Jews and Muslims.
3. No one got up in arms about it, which is why you didn't know about it.
4. You have tapioca in your head.
Well DeeCee, I feel sorry for those people who thought Maher's comments were funny. I have a great sense of humor and I didn't find them funny. Maher can be a funny guy when he isn't dropping his pants and taking a big, steaming dump on those who don't think like he does. Maher has the right to tweet whatever he likes...and he has the right to get slammed for it.
Flipper, I don't disagree with what you wrote above, believe it or not. Maher IS offensive. I just think it's important to remember that religious comments made in public can be EQUALLY offensive.
Voig? I have tapioca in my head? You have completely discredited yourself already...please try not to destroy your family name with anymore silly, laughable, ridiculous comments.
Uh religions have done much worse than simply take a dump on someone, try torture and murder. As I've said before, when religions finally learn to respect human beings, then religions will earn deserved respect. Until then, if you can't take the heat, maybe you should join a group that isn't so hateful.
Wow, look who's talking. You cannot even read. Accusing me of saying I'm not hating on religion and then hating on it... I NEVER said I wasn't hating on religion. You misread what I wrote. I was saying I didn't find hating on religion to be dumb. Holy cow. You need to go to bed now and let the adults have their conversation. Go on. You'll feel much better after some sleep.
Flipper please go bury your nose in your "bible" so that the adults can have a meaningful discussion. . . actually its so that we can make fun of you and your religion while you're not watching so we don't feel bad about making fun of you and your religion in front of your face.
Wow DeeCee, you are filled with unbridled hate towards religion, especially Christianity. From your intolerant, condescending comments I can see you don't have the slightest clue what Christianity is actually about. Sadly, you're a one-trick pony who says the same thing (well insults actually) over and over again, thinking that you are making a valiant point but in reality you are spewing the same predictable, anti-religious cliches that we have all heard.
How many times have I seen it....people who haven't set one toe in a church for decades think they're experts on religion. Oh well!
@Flipper. You must live on a deserted island without any contact with the rest of the world.
I wish...then I wouldn't have to endure your mind-numbing, inane drivel.
Hey Flipper. . .What do I say to people who believe in religions that like to damn non-believer to hell for all eternity?
"SEE YA' IN HELL!"
Well DeeCee, I have looked for these Christians who "damn everyone to hell," but sadly there aren't too many of them (thankfully). Of course, the way you phrase it, you would think that all Christians damn all non-Christians to hell, which is absurd on all levels; no rational person who thinks clearly actually believes that.
Flipper, I do believe you have tapioca for brains. Have you actually read your "bible"? You must be living on another planet. I'm thinking you're either not all there, you forgot to take your psych meds, or you are living on some other distant planet. I have nothing more to say to you. It's scary that people as dumb as you are out and about in society. I would be shocked if someone with your intelligence would be able to drive a car, or operate any type of machinery. You should wear a t-shirt that says, "I'm a total moron with tapioca for brains, come near at your own risk".
Well DeeCee, I don't know how to respond to that little tirade of yours (actually, it looks like the same tirade that you have repeated multiple times in multiple posts). Reading that last post makes me feel that I just walked into the middle of a 1st grade classroom filled with fussy six year-olds who are having a tantrum b/c they don't get their chocolate milk.
Really I would like to believe that you are a reasonable person who doesn't get hysterical whenever you encounter someone who disagrees with you; however, it's clear that's probably not the case. Oh well, I'll leave you to your Stalinist view of religion, you Mussolini-esque tolerance of others, and your Maher-like sensitivities.
Christianity SHOULD be attacked. So should Islam, Judaism... ALL of them. Organized religion is the world's biggest problem. Eliminate them all and watch this planet become the paradise the rest of you keep killing and maiming to try to create in the name of your imaginary Gods.
That's dumb. What do you think has being going on for millennia? People saying they need to attack religion. There are other options, my friend.
And atheism has a great track record? Just ask the people in China, North Korea, and the former Soviet Union. How many tens of millions were slaughtered by atheistic, totalitarian governments...in the last 100 years alone?
Religion has caused, either directly or indirectly almost every major war on this planet. I find that dumb. Not hating on religion, for being subjective, unprovable, boogey monster BS.
You are jumping to conclusions, as most indoctrinated, overtly religious folks do. I said nothing about Atheism. I was talking about organized religion. The examples you give, by the way, are of countries whose people suffer not because of atheism, but because of their dictatorial leadership. Honestly, if you come to debate, bring a brain.
Well Voig, that comment is regularly repeated by anti-religious bigots like yourself ad nauseum. However, if you actually look at history (and add up all the deaths from religious wars & persecutions), it doesn't hold a candle to the slaughter of non-religious based wars, especially in the last 100 years when anti-religious bigots like Hitler, Stalin, Mao, etc. had their way.
Religion is not supposed to be provable like science. It's about faith and life after death. Millions have faith. Let them have their religions. You don't have to attack it. It's cool. It's all good. Just don't start any wars. I agree on that part.
ANti-religious... ugh. Really? Okay, first of all, you just violated the well-known principle of the first guy to mention Nazis in a debate loses. But even that pales in comparison to your lack of understanding of history. Hitler was Christian, you moron, and his scapegoating of the Jews and Gypsies was nothing if not an example of exactly what I already stated factually: RELIGION is responsible. It motivated genocide.
I love how Voig proclaims that he is not "hating" on religion, and then he slams religion...in the same post. LOL! It's amazing how brave some people are when they hide behind a keyboard.
Voig, you can't argue with a moron. . .I mean you CAN but. . .
Isn't that a bit hypocritical to demand respect for beliefing there is no God and suggesting disrespect to others? There are plenty of poster children for atheistic violence. How do you like being associate with Stalin, Communist Russia, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold? Doesn't really fit does it?
@Random: I have no issue with individual belief. Believe all you like, in whatever you like. It's when people get together in groups that it becomes a problem. You get the Crusades, the Holocaust, Eritrea, Darfur... it goes on and on. Faith, which is the belief in something not only in the absence of proof, but even in the PRESENCE of clear evidence AGAINST it, is a terrifying concept to me. That people would be willing to stake their lives and the lives of others on a supposition about a story that was orally passed down for centuries before ever being written, and then was edited, reinterpreted and translated countless times strikes me as exceptionally ill-advised. I'd rather they keep it to themselves if they choose to do so, and not infect the rest of society with their delusional nonsense.
As I tell people who choose to believe in religions that damn non-believer to hell:
"SEE YOU IN HELL MF ! "
Uh Voig....Hitler was raised Catholic but he abandoned his faith before he joined what would become the Nazi party. He acted out of hate & intolerance, not religion. In fact, Hitler went out of his way to remove all religious symbolism from German society. There is nothing Christian about what Hitler did.
It's amazing how many idiots are crawling out of the woodwork. I said nothing about atheism. And attempting to equate me with historical figures whom you incorrectly suppose were atheists only serves to prove my point that religion has rotted your brain.
You do realize that the biggest despots to exist are/ were atheists right? Stalin, Mao , Pol pot, all dedicated atheist and the worlds worst mass murderers.In fact a good majority of their purging came from a hate for religion. So before you display your ignorance talking about religion like its the worst thing ever do some research first.
@DeeCee....well at least Voig can agree with a moron 🙂
Uh, Flipper: Look up "Positive Christianity."
Hitler was a Christian, my friend. He did not reject religion. He embraced it. If nothing else, his pursuit of the occult expresses his solid faith in the supernatural.
@Daniel: SIGH.
This is about organized religion. Not personal belief. Try reading and understanding before commenting.
lLike I said Flipper, SEE YA' IN HELL !
If you like to embrace hateful thinking, I can too. I pray that every believer ends up in hell for believing in a false god. You will all be damned to the fires of hell for all eternity. . . .and I'll be there to greet you since I can't stand your hateful ideology that damns me to hell. Now go buy yourself an asbestos suit.
Voig, sometimes it's best just to make fun of the idiots who refuse to accept facts instead of trying to argue with them.
Well DeeCee...I have a simple disagreement with you and you brand me as a member of a "hateful ideology." I bet you have used that tactic many times. Yawn.
Oh Voig. I'm sorry....Hitler was no more Christian than you are. I know that's not what you want to believe b/c it inconveniently violates your world view. Anyone who thinks Hitler was acting on behalf of any religion (besides his allegiance to the Aryan race) needs to have intelligence tested immediately.
First of all, to the Christians out there that make up the majority of this country's religious, your going to be persecuted for your beliefs and you are supposed to take it in stride unless it is a direct threat to your well-being. And the other two items I would like to bring up are:
1) Love those who persecute you.
2) Show humility.
P.S. (I'm an Atheist.)
The spelling of You Are is you're. Not "your." Nobody will take you seriously if you can't spell.
Christianity does allow for its members to speak up when their religion is attacked or its fellow members are slandered by such a weasel as Maher.
Flipper, unfortunately Christianity has a long LONG history of doing really awful things to fellow human beings who don't believe in the Christian mythology. You trying to disguise Christianity in a false veil of "victim" is really disgusting.
Maher went over the line. You don't say that about a major religion's god because that is extremely disrespectful. Why does Bill Maher get a pass? Just because you don't believe in a religion doesn't mean you have to go out of your way and insult it. He's wrong and he should apologize. D
Um...no.
This is the United States of America...you know, where we have "Freedom of Speech".
Uh, yes. I'm not talking about freedom. I'm talking about apologizing when you insult people. That's all. Maybe he'll listen when HBO tells him he's about to get fired.
Aren't religions and "God's" the ones who damn non-believers to hell? Once religions and their followers learn to respect other human beings AS human beings whether they follow one fu**ed up myth or another, THEN they will deserve respect. If they are not capable of "doing unto others, blah blah blah" then don't bother trying to cram your crap down other people's throats. In REALITY all human beings belong to the same humongous family, most of which started in Africa. If you are not capable of seeing other human beings because you've been taught to be a bigot and to discriminate against others simply because they refuse to accept your man-made religion, then you REALLY should ask yourself some serious questions about that religion. This hatred and bigotry against fellow human beings based on gods and "religions" is absurd and uncalled for.
@randomguy: Maher finds Tebow's efforts at going out of his way to display his religion to be offensive and insulting, just as you find Maher's comments insulting. I imagine he'll apologize about the time Timmy does.
And this comes from a Gator, too. I love Tebow and think he's a good guy. But it's too much. Believe what you believe, no reason to make others share it. People just want to watch a football game.
They played the Buffalo Bills.....ud think they would proofread this stuff
Especially since Maher's tweet said BUFFALO.
ummm, maher didn't feel the wrath of anyone. or care about wrath from a bunch of inbred christians who can't understand or take a joke. i mean seriously who cares about this tebow mule. sad that we have such a bunch of bottom feeders in this country who need simpletons like this to look up to and idolize. (really really average football player too)
You must be a liberal. Only a liberal attacks his opponents as "inbred." It's the standard barb repeated by drones....and it gets funnier everytime it's used.
How is "jesus F" somebody a joke?
Flipper, you must be a Conservative. Only a Conservative immediately plays the "liberal" attack card when they feel threatened.
Voig...you're trying to sound clever, but we all know that you are faking it.
LOL... Grow a thicker skin people.
Grow thicker skin? How about if I say let me F your mom? haha. That was a joke. Grow thicker skin.
And let us not forget the vitriol and hatred "Christians" regularly and viciously spew against people who are gay. Shameful and so un-Christian.
Perhaps in your anti-Christian fantasy world...or in the Middle East.
The older I get, the more I think of Christianity as a joke. I have a hard time having respect for people who devote their lives to something that strikes me as an obvious myth. Maher's comment about Tebow reflect the disgust many of us have about the absurd idea "God" is helping him win football games.
Amen
I hear some Christians make hateful remarks about other beliefs such as Muslims, atheists, and Mormons- but if one football joke is cracked they all get offended. Hypocrites...... Bill Maher is a comedian and a voice for atheists on the prideful absurdity that hypocrites exhibit (like Tebow). Get over it.
And let's don't forget Mahr calling the 9/11 murders "courageous."
He didn't. He rightfully pointed out that it takes more courage to pilot a plane into a building than it does to lob missiles from 1000 miles away.
I don't much care for Maher, either, but he's no lover of terrorism, he finds it as stupid as the religions that support and inspire it, which by the way is all of them.
Oh stop already with the "Christians are under attack." Christians attack others all the time. All faiths attack other faiths as well as non-believers. Get a life and stop playing the victim card. Not attractive and certainly not inspiring.
Exactly.
Whenever I think there is no hope in this world....when I think the dumb bullies in this country will just take over....I here one voice crying out for truth and rational thought....and I am grateful for Bill Maher. Thank You Mr. Maher...you are a true American Hero and you give me the hope to keep going.
seems to me he is the one doing the bullying
Bill Maher is a loud mouth bully who believes he is more right then everyone else. He isn't. Lets see him put a picture of Mohammad on his show. He won't cause he's a chicksh$t who hides behind HIS MONEY. LOL TALK ABOUT A 1%er. Bill Maher is a perfect example of a 1%er.
I feel sorry for him. I really do.
looks to me like Christians are under attack. I believe Jesus dies on the cross for my sins so that I may have eternal life. That is all.
Christians make up the vast majority of this country. How you continue portraying yourselves as victims isn't just silly, it's ponderous. Really, get over it. Christians as a group haven't ever been truly beat up in THIS country. Try spending a day as a Jew or better yet, a Muslim, and then come back and tell me how persecuted you poor, fragile Christians are. Pathetic.
Yess... Maher cracks me up.
You can't put yourself on a pedestal and not expect pot shots. If you're a Christian then you signed up for ridicule, your Jesus even warned you. Part of being a Christian is enduring persecution. Come down off that pedestal and the world will leave you alone. If you want your salvation, youre actually going to have to turn the other cheek when hecklers arrive.
...only they AREN'T persecuted. They are far and away the majority. They invite this kind of controversy so they can always have their beliefs front and center in the spotlight. It's sad, like they are screaming "LOVE US!!"
The thing is that Tebow never really put himself on a pedestal. It was the media that focused on his genuflecting and praying...Tebow never sought this type of attention. In fact, there are many professional athletes who express their faith before, during, and after sporting events.
Pete Dominick...if you're requirement is that 'it be funny' then Bill Maher failed...
Bill Myer is a sad, little man.
I believe you, but who is he?