I apologize for posting a video of the hate-monger, Bill Maher, but I wanted to commend Carly Fiorina for defending people of all faiths.
I’m not sure what to make of Michael Steele nodding his head in agreement and refusing to challenge Maher’s religious bigotry.
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Kristofer Lorelli can be contacted at lorville@rogers.com, on Facebook and Twitter/Kris_Lorelli
November 10th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
As a Mormon, I don’t care. I don’t believe in policing people’s thoughts or mind reading, but usually it is wrong.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
*but=because
November 10th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
Wonder if our Chairman would oppose Mittens based upon his religion. If so I’m sure Huckabee and Palin would welcome an endorsement.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
I’m not sure what sources Bill Maher took this from, but it is possible that they were influenced by a talk presented by Elder Mark E. Petersen at BYU in the early 1950s.
Elder Petersen’s comments were, to some degree, a reflection of the cultural beliefs of his time and generation in the U.S., and were based on his interpretation of the limited knowledge he had available. Many of the expressions he used in his speech are objectionable to a twenty-first century audience that has better learned the lessons of racial equality and tolerance.
It is clear from the context of this talk that Elder Petersen did not believe that any group or race would be slaves in heaven. That notion goes against all teachings concerning the nature of the Celestial kingdom. It is a notion that is completely reprehensible to any responsible member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Anyone who believes that there will be slavery in heaven is absolutely mistaken.
But I think it should be emphasized that one speach given by one man over 50 years ago is hardly indicative of the beliefs of a 13,000,000 member church as a whole.
Latter-day Saints need feel no responsibility to defend what may, by today’s standards, seem to be racist statements attributed to fallible Church leaders in the past. No mortal man is above error, and there has been only one perfect person in all of human history. Each of us, to one degree or another, reflects the culture in which we are raised.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
This is the best example of ignorance I have seen in a long time.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
This is the best example of ignorance I have seen in a long time.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
BTW, anti-Mormon slurs always in the end help the Mormons more than anything because people gain a desire to find out what it really is all about.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
Maher was wrong on all accounts. Shots of Steele amounted to what, 5 seconds? Kristofer, you only posted this as yet another firebomb, in hopes of starting a flame war thread that would result in hundreds of responses. All of your threads have been duds for what, a couple of months? So now you have to revert to your old standby mo of throwing firebombs since you aren’t intellectually engaging enough to generate long discussions otherwise.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
Jesus lived 2000 years ago, he says, so that can’t be proven or disproved. Does Maher say the same about dinosaurs? It was so long ago, we just can’t prove there really were any. Maher is so full of chicken sheister I fail to see any credibility in what he is saying, especially about religion. So is Lorelli considering Maher a religious expert here? Or was this just an exercise to see how Steele and the nice lady hold up during an irrational and embarrassing assault on the Maher-fabricated religious beliefs of Harry Reid, Mitt Romney, Glenn Beck, and millions of other lesser known people across the globe? Mitt Romney believes blacks have to be slaves to get into heaven? I’d bet you can’t find a Mormon type that believes that. Honestly? Let’s go ask Gladys Knight about that one.
I’ll tell you what this was, it was a good look into the true intentions of a godless person. It is always to humiliate and destroy, even if falsehood is needed to do so. I saw Huckabee take this approach with Romney, I’ve never seen Romney dish it out to anyone. Why not? He would’ve been justified in the eyes of some to criticize evangelical intolerance like other politicians have done. There’s something special about someone who doesn’t lash back when attacked personally like that. It doesn’t seem natural, but I respect it. I would like to be more like that. If I had to be subject to that diatribe I probably would have just sat still like Mr. Steele did and quietly push the police call button under the table. There was nothing of value to see in this video clip.
Back to your original quest for excellence, Lorelli.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
“Does Maher say the same about dinosaurs?” Best line of the day.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:01 pm
Michael Steele: Some white GOP ’scared of me’?
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1109/29341.html
November 10th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Maher was out of line.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
“Maher was out of line.”
Yes, but that is nothing new for Mr. Maher.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:16 pm
“Does Maher say the same about dinosaurs?”
Best line of the day, 10?
Does it really need to be pointed out that Jesus Christ the individual is different than entire species? We know damn well there were humans on the planet 2000 years ago. Proving scientifically that a particular man walked the earth is a different manner.
It’s like saying that because I don’t know for sure that Billy the T-Rex walked the earth and perform x acts, that I can’t prove dinosaurs existed. W. T. F?
November 10th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
#8: Not very many long “flame war threads” these days. At least doesn’t seem like it–though I don’t visit often.
Why? Just to see mind numbing posts by Schmidt replaying any comment Huckabee makes? Just to see MWS try and pick out one sentence in something Romney says that could conceivably be interpreted in some way that might be used to attack Romney? To watch an increasingly smaller group of actors automactically fall into their respective roles repeating the same tired lines??
No thanks. I visit occasionally but thats about it.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
Ann, no there haven’t been many flame war threads lately. But Kris sure liked to use them in the past. His most classic was the thread he started as a preview to his interview of Steve Deace. Kris and Alex also used to like to start threads flaming each other.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:23 pm
And Maher stands for what ????
November 10th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
Ann and her friend Martha are as PARANOID of Governor Huckabee as Maher is of religion in general.
Please seek help. Go to Mike’s website immediately.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
A bigoted slight towards Alex?
November 10th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
I can read what it says in Spanish on the video caption there and see Bill Maher’s ugly face, that’s reason enough for me not to turn it on. There is no single public figure I hate more than that piece of arrogant trash Bill Maher. If Satan took human form someday, I think he would look an awful lot like him.
He’s the stereotype of the punk no-good scourge of society liberal athiest which most athiests tend to fit, no offense to Alex in particular who doesn’t fit that.
Were this another age with different standards of conduct and I saw him in public I would be strongly inclined to do us all a favor and get rid of him once and for all. If I ever appeared on his show I would punch him a good one just when his arrogance reaches its climax and walk off the stage.
As far as any of his content goes, from what I can gather of the comments here, all that needs be said is anyone that expects infallibility from men, even men of God, is going to have to become an ignorant idiot piece of crap like Bill Maher. Whether or not X religious leader or priest or what have you parroted whatever false conception of the time out of ignorance is simply irrelevant to God and to religion. Bill’s one of those idiots that also thinks the Vatican was in on the Holocaust and behind the priest scandals, as if the Church was actually led by godless types like Hitler. Or himself, coincidentally
November 10th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
Who cares what Maher thinks, he’s an idiot.
So NBD.
18. I think you are paranoid of me. You mention me in nearly every post.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
Liberal secular progressives stop at nothing attaching those of faith. It does not matter what the faith is, they’ll go at you.
What a shame, they belittle, condescend, and denigrate. They are the poster boys for arrogance, they just down right hate. All this for a cheap laugh at the expense of millions? It is all very despicable..
To those of other faiths who may laugh at this since Mormons appear to be favorite target since prop 8, think before you laugh. These people don’t respect your faith any more than this one. Who knows, when your faith stands up vocally for what they believe in, it will probably be next.
Every decent minded citizen everywhere, the faithful, the agnostic, and even the repectful atheist, need to boycott Bill Maher, his sponsors, and all his ilk. Just avoid buying the goods & services of his sponsors.
Nobody should be denigrated in that way for having faith. That’s just wrong..
November 10th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
I don’t really care what Steele thinks, either. He didn’t really have much chance to jump in, anyway.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
However, it does bother me, when my faith is misrepresented. Not much we can really do about it, though.
22. cspete, good thoughts.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Thanks Martha,
attaching should read ‘attacking.’
November 10th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
Kris, you should get a job working for Beck. You would be a perfect fit. You’re just as crazy, paranoid, and arrogant as Beck.
November 10th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
“Kris, you should get a job working for Beck. You would be a perfect fit. You’re just as crazy, paranoid, and arrogant as Beck.” I see we need to go back to cheap shots.
November 10th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
I have always been firmly against religious concerns dominating civic concerns within that sphere. Both have their important role in our society, complementary, but different roles. I’ve pushed occasionally against the religious right for wanting to blur those somewhat and drawing things far out of perspective (though I think most of them have dialed it back to proper levels lately).
But the group that are one hundred times more dangerous for our society are the secularists, the religion of the non-believers. If our society ever does go the way of Greco-Roman civilization before us, it will be under their guidance. No other group are greater enemies to our stability as a republic.
November 10th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
Not much is being said about it, but I believe it was dispicable for Steele to be snickering about this! Based on this snickering, I don’t expect to see him doing things that would benefit Romney in his path toward the nomination.
Why didn’t Huckabee essentially calling Palin an ignoramus get more plan on here? Since Huckabee is supposedly the front runner, why doesn’t he get slammed for such statements.
November 10th, 2009 at 4:05 pm
Maybe because Huckabee is right
November 10th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
I watched it again, and Steele did nod his head which is unfortunate, but not surprising. If he were not the chairman of a party in which a Mormon may become the nominee, it wouldn’t matter.
He could have at least defended the idea of respecting different religions.
November 10th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
“Maybe because Huckabee is right.” And M & M claim that they are not a tag team these days.
November 10th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
OJ, how can it be a cheap shot to call a spade a spade. Oh, and since I wasn’t talking about you in 26, kindly mind your own business.
November 10th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
Well, Palin herself isn’t a bad person, no one will say that. But her politics are crazy and do not represent the future of the party. I think Romney and Huckabee both get that.
On Steele, until he actually says something of the sort, which I don’t think he’d ever do much less believe what Maher is going on about, I wouldn’t take the head nodding as anything more than not having anything to say at the time.
November 10th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
Why not quote this?
And in 1863 Brigham Young taught,
“For their abuse of [the Black African] race, the whites will be cursed, unless they repent.”
In the days of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, the general public was not concerned about the blacks receiving the Priesthood. Most of the white folk owned slaves and believed that Black Africans should not be allowed even the least of privileges. The truth be known, many believed that black people did not even possess souls. The prophet Joseph Smith spoke out on this matter.
“…they came into the world slaves, mentally and physically. Change their situation with the whites, and they would be like them. They have souls, and are subjects of salvation.”
So unlike most people of that time, including many, many religions of that day, Joseph Smith was way out in front of most religious leaders of his day.”
The saints were accused of being abolitionists and a threat to the status of the state of Missouri, then a slave state. Even from the 1900s to the 1940s, when there was a general segregation of Blacks from so-called white churches, there was no Church policy of racial segregation of blacks and whites in THE CHURCH of JESUS CHRIST of Latter Day Saints. The delay of the blessing of the Priesthood is one thing, but we have welcomed blacks as members since the very beginning of the church, unlike many other denominations.
November 10th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
http://www.theinsider.com/news/442686_Bill_Maher_is_a_Jerk
Setting aside the fact that he dressed up as Steve Irwin that one time (not funny), Bill Maher just seems like he’d be a complete arrogant jerk. And according to his ex-girlfriend, Karrine Steffans, he is not just a jerk but a womanizer to boot. Expected!
November 10th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
What a big tent GOP with Steele and Huckabee leading our party. Wow. Will have to see how that plays out–particularly in the western states. You can see the crowds going crazy right now, can’t you.
November 10th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
I’ve read that commentary Kris. It seems like Maher is the typical arrogant intellectual – always needing someone beneath him to belittle and to kick around. I just don’t get how a waste of oxygen like him is allowed to get away with his attitude from his guests. Very few will stand up to him.
I’m personally in favor of dropping him into an Islamic country. Let him repeat what he just said, to the Ayatollahs of Iran
November 10th, 2009 at 4:28 pm
There is a difference between freedom of religion and freedom from religion. While I agree that there should be no state sponsored Church as prescribed by the Constitution, the liberals misinterpret this to mean that there should not be any religiosity ever in the public sphere. In fact, so many of them like Maher go out of their way to persecute faithful.
Any gumshoe historian can clearly see the role the basic Judeo-Christian values played in forming our very own Constitution & Bill of Rights etc… The founding fathers never intended for us not to have prayers in schools or before a football game when they instituted this principle. They did not want a Church of England set up in America. Is this history even taught any more in our public schools run by liberal unionist teachers?
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof .”
Liberals conveniently ignore the last part there. They clearly seek to prohibit the free exercise thereof, especially with such strong rhetoric coming from the likes of Maher.. It is very clear what their agenda is, to destroy, belittle, and render obsolete and faith to promote their secular liberalism.
November 10th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
MPC, governing the state of AK pragmatically isn’t crazy politics, It’s actually a style of governance that has to do with implementing policies that will end up benefiting that particular state regardless of your own ideological biases.
November 10th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
Good for Smith!!!
November 10th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
Bob,
No hits on Palin for Alaska were intended. Trust me, I pushed hard for her after her selection as a great choice, looking right at that Alaska record. But she seemed to be playing to a different tune down here, an ideological one. Palin was a fresh, driven pragmatist in Alaska – down here, she’s a nightmare unfortunately.
November 10th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
People, someone nodding their head in a conversation is more often a sign to that person that you’re listening to what they’re saying. Have you ever seen Ann Coulter nod her head when a liberal is talking, then excoriate them as soon as they stop for breath? I can’t watch the clip now (and probably won’t, considering that arrogant gasbag Bill Maher is on there), but if Chrmn Steele isn’t doing more than nod once or twice, and not particularly vigorously, it’s a leap to think he’s agreeing with the jerk.
November 10th, 2009 at 4:35 pm
cwpete,
The liberal teachers in our school were always pretty obvious (liberals are never subtle about anything) and so confrontational everyone knew they were just tossing out their loony opinions on the majority of things.
I think the accepted idea today is, in America you are free to live as you please, which is acceptable. It’s up to our culture to provide religion.
November 10th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
“arrogant intellectual”
Maher is no intellectual. You only require an IQ of 60 to repeat liberal talking points.
November 10th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
Sorry Richard, he was snickering…you need to watch it…it’s pretty repugnant.
November 10th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
True, Kris. Maher does look something like Biden, does he not. Long lost brothers, perhaps?
November 10th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
#46 Well, that’s disappointing, to be sure, if Chrmn Steele would find humor in the ignorant blatherings on religion spewn out by one Bill Maher.
November 10th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
Who said this?
“Conservatism is a belief in strength. It is because of America’s strength that we don’t all speak German and that our kids don’t all speak Russian. And it is because of America’s strength that our grandchildren will not have to speak Farsi or Arabic or Chinese. America must remain the world’s military superpower. That is a first principle of conservatism.”
November 10th, 2009 at 5:06 pm
46. Oh, get off your high horse.
No he wasn’t agreeing with that big mouth God hating liberal. Give me a break, Mr. Conse’
November 10th, 2009 at 5:07 pm
Knowing the poster, one could only guess Romney
It’s an important point, though. Not much in America matters if we aren’t, as a nation, strong and thus secure from enemies at home and abroad.
November 10th, 2009 at 5:10 pm
“America must remain the world’s military superpower.”
Honest question…
Is there a mainstream Republican who does NOT believe that?
November 10th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
Steele was snickering because he was confirming Maher’s situational role of comedian/host.
Richard is probably right. There’s no reason to assume Steele was doing anything beyond being a polite guest.
Maher is an obnoxious loud-mouth idiot. Craig Ferguson, an admitted Democrat, is 10,000 times funnier than Maher.
It was funny in the clip to see Ferguson visibly annoy Maher by poking fun at Maher’s self-importance just when Maher was taking a deep breath to launch into his opinionated rant.
November 10th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
MarkG, I caught that, too. Way to go, Craig!
November 10th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
MarkG, I hope you’re right, but it would be nice if the guy had showed some guts to stand up for right.
November 10th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
The biggest fault of Maher is thinking that just because he can find one Mormon who says says something means he can throw that idea under the heading “Mormons Believe.”
Look! I found a Democrat in 1842 who said slavery is good. Democrats believe in slavery!
Of course, if I said that about Democrats I would look like an complete idiot. Say that kind of thing about Mormons, and even the Republican National Chair will apparently agree with you.
I applaud the women guest who at least had the guts to try to begin to raise this point. If only the RNC chair had the guts she did.
November 10th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
56 – let us hope the ‘woman’ will be the next Senator from CA.
November 10th, 2009 at 5:45 pm
#55 CR, judging by the topics, I’d guess the show originally aired around the early primary season last year, long before there was any talk about having Steele chair the RNC.
On a side note, Wikipedia says that Maher majored in English and History.
Conservatives, libertarians, Republicans: We should thank the heavens that we have no such majors in our midst! Oh, wait…
November 10th, 2009 at 5:47 pm
I think Steele’s problem is that he just isn’t that quick of a thinker.
November 10th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
what is kolob?
November 10th, 2009 at 6:06 pm
#60 I think I’ve heard of it from Battlestar Galactica.
November 10th, 2009 at 6:09 pm
From Wikipedia:
In Mormonism, Kolob is a star or planet mentioned in the Book of Abraham as being nearest to the throne or residence of God. Mention of a star or planet by that name is found within the Book of Abraham, which is canonized by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Mormon fundamentalist organizations, the Restoration Church of Jesus Christ, and other Brighamite Latter Day Saint denominations. While the Book of Abraham refers to Kolob as a “star”,[1] it appears to refer to planets as stars,[2] and therefore, some commentators consider Kolob to be a planet.[3]
In modern Mormonism, Kolob is a rare topic of discussion within religious contexts. However, it is periodically a topic of discussion with Mormon apologetics. The idea also appears within Mormon culture, including as the subject of a Mormon hymn, and the inspiration for the planet Kobol within the Battlestar Galactica universe, created by Glen A. Larson, a Mormon.
November 10th, 2009 at 6:15 pm
One of our readers sent me thie following link. It is an excellent response to Bill Maher, from Elder Maxwell.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqoJ6GrHZFA
November 10th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.cfm?ID=1764
Obama: 39-59
Reps: 16-81
Dems: 17-81
Snowe: 14-70
Lieberman: 20-66
November 10th, 2009 at 6:26 pm
Here’s the question that was asked by Zogby:
“How would you rate the job performance of each of the following people only in regard to healthcare reform legislation?”
November 10th, 2009 at 6:33 pm
57. My bad. I should have recognized her / seen her name in the write up.
Oh, and that link in 63 is solid gold.
November 10th, 2009 at 6:55 pm
MPC,
“But the group that are one hundred times more dangerous for our society are the secularists, the religion of the non-believers. If our society ever does go the way of Greco-Roman civilization before us, it will be under their guidance. No other group are greater enemies to our stability as a republic.”
That is the best comment I’ve read in a while.
November 10th, 2009 at 7:58 pm
I can’t believe Michael Steele to be that stupid.
November 10th, 2009 at 11:26 pm
Federal judge nixes SC license tag with cross
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gYuJ5cTgLZaXlvNJajXC5jJ5B33gD9BSV0D00
http://www.au.org/media/press-releases/archives/2009/11/summers-v-adams-summary.pdf
November 10th, 2009 at 11:29 pm
Since nobody has refuted the only “proof” Maher offered in his denunciation of the church, let me make it clear that The Book Of Mormon only suggests that SOME Indians came from the Holy Land. Extensive research proves that the Book Of Mormon took place in MesoAmerica, far from the Indians that came from East Asia.
Others have dealt with the “slave” assertion. Maher was not merely wrong on every count, he obviously knows NOTHING about the religion he trashed.
And, BTW, why was this a front page post??
November 11th, 2009 at 1:19 am
Dear Martha, I am paranoid of you…in a strictly affectionate kinda way.
Dear Mr. Maher…you are going to hell….nuff said.
Dear Mr. Steele, please get the hell outta my party…you are making us look almost as bad as G.W. Bush did.
Dear everyone else, i don’t know what relgion you are, i am a christian. If you are not a christian…good for you. If you don’t even believe in God, good for you. If you believe in some weird god that wants you to do strange things like knock on peoples doors and tell them about a book, there is a lot worse things i can think of to believe in and do.
Jesus said, love one another. Everything he did was rooted in love. At the very LEAST, he was a great humanitarian that healed many people of their ailments…and at the very most he was and is everything he said. Historical figures wrote about Jesus. We can prove that he existed, and that at the very least there were stories about him that reached far away from where he was. The fact that our chairman seems to be an idiot when it comes to “big tent” republicanism isn’t a joke. You must start with the base of the tent, and build on it. You CAN NOT build a big tent by evicting the most conservative members of the party…who happen to be christians and mormons.
November 12th, 2009 at 12:36 am
Maher’s idea of a perfect world is transforming America into North America’s version of the Netherlands. Any illicit drugs, including heroin and LSD- LEGAL. All forms of pornography, including child pornography should not only be LEGAL, but easily permisable. Statutory rape- out the window. Restrictions on late term abortion- NO LONGER. Rights to homosexual marriage: that’s a given. Any immoral or permiscuos act capable of performing, would be an accepted part of Maher’s ideal society.
And he knows in order to ultimately get what he wants, he has to do away with religion and spirituality both, his biggest hurdle. Do Mormons believe that a black mman must be a slave to get into heaven? Of course not, and any reasonable person knows that. But Bill grabs a hold a hold of anything; maybe one line from a speech given by one man 65 years ago, and plays with it until it becomes morphed inside his own twisted mind as the full fledged truth. He makes a nice living spouting off fat juicy lies; no lie fatter than what we just heard from that u-tube clip
There will be a day when Maher is not laughing anymore. I am 100 percent sure of that