I Do Not Like to be Called Ignorant

I was recently reading an article about Bill Maher and I found myself annoyed.

Maher has become something of a hero to many people who are on the 'left.'  He is a comedian who does a great deal of political commentary.  He takes great delight in being offensive to people and using vulgar language on HBO.  I no longer have HBO so I don't watch his show any more.  I'm not really missing it.

I wonder if many fair minded people who are on the more progressive side of things are offended by him.  I suspect there are people who are more conservative who find themselves embarrassed by the often malevolent bigotry of Rush Limbaugh.  Limbaugh and Maher are often two sides of the same coin.  One speaks on things from the left and one speaks from things on the right.  Both are mean-spirited and like to call people names.

They both have many fans, however and that, to me, is rather sad.

One thing that disturbs me greatly these days about Maher is that he is something of an evangelizing atheist.  I am a minister so I obviously disagree with his theology or lack thereof.  I also respect his right to believe or not believe.  I respect his right to share his opinion with others.  One thing which does disturb me, however, is that he lumps all people of faith together and sees people of faith as ignorant.

He has a tendency to interview people and illustrate his points by using people who often make many of us who are people of faith cringe.  Within religious life, within the boundaries of purely rational thought and faith, there are people on both extremes.  There are people who can literally 'think themselves lost,' and become so caught up in their rational thought, they lose sight of their faith.  Conversely, there are others who 'feel themselves into lala land.'  When one's religious beliefs completely contradict science and history and you have to make things up to justify your position, lala land is very much present.

Maher loves to interview the lala land folks.  They are often easy to make fun of.  Conversely, he's also interviewed folks who have thought themselves lost.  They begin to argue themselves out of faith and it all gets very bizarre.

He never does get around to people who blend rationality and faith.  There are many people who are well educated, very rational people, who also are people of great faith.  They are people who find themselves often in the middle of a continuum without many extreme positions.  I like to consider myself in this.  I ted to think I lean toward the 'rational' side but I very much am a person of faith.  And as a person of faith, I do not like to be called ignorant.

Frankly, the lala land or overly rational folks shouldn't be mocked either.  People are on faith journeys and a life of faith is a life of ongoing conversion and change.  Where we are today may not be where we are tomorrow.

Perhaps Maher is a nice reminder that our society of almost craven meanness is not healthy, not good, and really needs to change.