The Mirthful Ministry Church of Bill Maher

[Barquentine]

 Is it just me or does 'Real Time with Bill Maher' remind anyone of a church service? As a boy I attended church
every week with my mother and siblings. (Dad never went.) There was a set program that varied very little from week to week, always ending with a sermon.
 Maher's show is very similar, with a set order of service culminating in a sermon by the host. The sermon either describes and criticizes some modern political or cultural activity, often ending in a critique of the Democrats, telling them why they're lost and how they need to change to find redemption. He comes off as 'Holier Than Thou" sometimes.
  My criticism of Maher is that he picks low-hanging fruit to make his points and generalizes too much, which is lazy thinking and leaves no room for nuance.
 He does have some interesting guests though. I would like to see more of this kind of programming, a kind of thoughtful light talk show format.
  I suppose there are podcasts.

[John Johnston]

10 minutes ago, Barquentine said:

 Is it just me or does 'Real Time with Bill Maher' remind anyone of a church service? As a boy I attended church
every week with my mother and siblings. (Dad never went.) There was a set program that varied very little from week to week, always ending with a sermon.
 Maher's show is very similar, with a set order of service culminating in a sermon by the host. The sermon either describes and criticizes some modern political or cultural activity, often ending in a critique of the Democrats, telling them why they're lost and how they need to change to find redemption. He comes off as 'Holier Than Thou" sometimes.
  My criticism of Maher is that he picks low-hanging fruit to make his points and generalizes too much, which is lazy thinking and leaves no room for nuance.
 He does have some interesting guests though. I would like to see more of this kind of programming, a kind of thoughtful light talk show format.
  I suppose there are podcasts.

Indeed. His schtick is now old and tired, and it shows. 

[Legato]

2 hours ago, Barquentine said:

 Is it just me or does 'Real Time with Bill Maher' remind anyone of a church service? As a boy I attended church
every week with my mother and siblings. (Dad never went.) There was a set program that varied very little from week to week, always ending with a sermon.
 Maher's show is very similar, with a set order of service culminating in a sermon by the host. The sermon either describes and criticizes some modern political or cultural activity, often ending in a critique of the Democrats, telling them why they're lost and how they need to change to find redemption. He comes off as 'Holier Than Thou" sometimes.
  My criticism of Maher is that he picks low-hanging fruit to make his points and generalizes too much, which is lazy thinking and leaves no room for nuance.
 He does have some interesting guests though. I would like to see more of this kind of programming, a kind of thoughtful light talk show format.
  I suppose there are podcasts.

 

A fickle argument at best, a small turn of the worm.

Classical Liberal Standpoint: Maher describes himself as an "old-school liberal" and freethinker. He maintains that he hasn't changed, but argues that a segment of the left has shifted too far left—specifically adopting identity politics, "woke" culture, and extreme social policies that he frequently mocks.

[herbie]

Never been to a Church service where the sermon picked apart and criticizes Christianity.

Unlike the man professing to be a Democrat who only criticizes evrey move and perpetuates the myth that Democrats are behind wokeness and political correctness.
Sometimes hes funny, sometimes he's merely an ass.

[Barquentine]

21 hours ago, herbie said:

Never been to a Church service where the sermon picked apart and criticizes Christianity.

No, but it tells all the congregation they are lost souls who must redeem themselves.

[herbie]

But that's how you educate people 2,000 year ago.

Hell, half the population can't accept they need a higher power to threaten them..

The Life of Brian was likely close to a documentary.

 

[User]

49 minutes ago, herbie said:

But that's how you educate people 2,000 year ago.

Hell, half the population can't accept they need a higher power to threaten them..

The Life of Brian was likely close to a documentary.

 

Once again... you claim to be a Christian. 

 

 

[SpankyMcFarland]

Some years ago, he started relentlessly chiding young people for being too sensitive on Twitter and the like, perhaps a product of being childless himself, but now is more than ready to accuse others of bigotry on Israel when they don’t agree with him. More seriously, his anti-vax views really came out during Covid. These days he’s a grumpy old man with nothing new to add. I’ve given up watching him.