By Bill Maher's usual standards - he's fairly easy going here. Or maybe Norm has just 'renormalized' my expectations of what is civilized when putting down religion. ☺

boy do i love my job. here we go: maher says he has a hard time telling the real via de la rosa from the commercialized, theme park version in florida's "holy land". he says its like " the via de la rosa mall". he says he is qualified to make this call as he has been to both places. then he says (with all undue respect) that he doesn't believe in heaven or the afterlife because no one has been there.

well, it's nice that he's sticking to scientific method by making falsifiable statements, but this must be combined with reasonable powers of observation to be credible. and i have to say, based on his "via de la rosa" statement that even if bill maher actually went to heaven and came back to tell us about it, i still wouldn't believe a word he said.

i've only seen the "holy land park" version on the internetz and postcards and via descriptions of people who've been there. but the real via de la rosa is well known to me, as i lived in the old city of jerusalem for more than 2 years. it's just a number of small, smelly streets- alleys, really- in the muslim and christian quarters that are indistinguishable from any other of the small, smelly streets in these areas. i understand that various christian groups have yearly festivals in which they re-enact jesus's trip to the cross. during these festivals arab urchins sell trinkets, postcards, religious materials, popsicles, etc. and that's about the extent of the "commercialization". beyond this, the whole area has a feeling of danger, neglect, general filth, ancient vendettas and darkness that would scare away all but the most intrepid of the kind of fat, well-scrubbed christian tourist that might go to "holy land park", which is clean, bright and secure, not unlike the disneyland on which it is based.

so, in conclusion, if this is an example of maher's powers of observation, i don't think i'll be taking his word for anything, anymore than he would trust rick warren.

still, i put up with him becaus he occasionally says very, very funny things

I haven't been to the Via de la Rosa, but I can say that this clip was friggin' hilarious, and right on the money in my book.

The problem I have with Bill Maher is that I think he thinks he is way smarter than anybody else. While he can be very funny Jon Stewart is by far a smarter person.

Bill's arguments always fall short to me. He states that one's beliefs are based on another person who is not much better than you. Well, the religious can make the argument that a person's belief in medicine is based on someone who is also no better than him or her. The point is that we believe that the doctor is better than us because of his or her studies. The same can be said about the belief of believers that their pastor, priest, etc have greater knowledge because of their studies.

The problem that I have is that Bill keeps trying very hard to get believers to not belief. Why? a person should be free to think what he or she wants to think. The dangerous thing is not that believers belief but that there are some that would like to change our laws based on their religion. I agree with him that the 16% of people who are atheist should simply stand up against these religious conservatives and I will add to that 16% the vast majority of religious people who believe in separation of church and state and who simply want to make this a better world.

He states that one's beliefs are based on another person who is not much better than you. Well, the religious can make the argument that a person's belief in medicine is based on someone who is also no better than him or her. The point is that we believe that the doctor is better than us because of his or her studies. The same can be said about the belief of believers that their pastor, priest, etc have greater knowledge because of their studies.

I couldn't disagree more. While it is true that I tend to believe doctors because of "their studies", the basis of my placing greater weight on their opinion is my knowledge of what "their studies" entail. I know that "their studies" are based upon, or should be based upon, evidence - the results of controlled verifiable experiments and properly conducted clinical trials. I do not trust doctors implicitly, but my residual distrust is based on my doubt about whether they really have adhered to such a program of study. When considering the question of what happens after one dies, anyone's opinion is as good as anyone else's - that is unless you can cite evidence. A pastor or priest can study the Bible for 60 years and still be without a single shred of evidence as to what happens after you die.

The great folks over at Right Wing Watch have uploaded Rick Warren's "Atheist President" quip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MfYdulRVdQ

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think it is the Via Dolorosa (path of suffering) and it is a stupid tourist trap, at least the one in Jerusalem. Perhaps the theme park is more tasteful. I bought a crucifix snow globe there.

I always think that if someone is pissing off white America (mostly white trash America in my view) then they can't be all bad. Maher is OK by me.I'm tired of ass-stupid religious hicks having their way while politicians bow down before their ignorance and make believe it is enlightenment. Good thing I'm not running for office any time soon.

There are so many religious fanatics mouthing the most outrageous bullshit imaginable that I find it hard to believe that anyone finds Maher to be offensive.

P.S. Larry King is still not dead.

http://goldderby.latimes.com/awards_goldderby/2008/08/jesus-religulou.html

Bill and the gang are already trying to build Oscar buzz. Which I think is great.

I do wish this had come out a few months ago or next spring or something so I didn't have to worry about some negative effect on the election. But I doubt that will be a large response. And I think America needs more outspoken atheists making a sound and responsible argument against believing mythology.