It may also be relevant to point out that Dom Imus wasn't let go until the advertisers on his show started pulling out. Imus wasn't fired for his comments as much as he was fired for public reaction to them.

 

Exactly my point about a double standard. Imus' ill conceived remarks were reported by every media outlet in the country. That as much as anything led to the public outcry. And he did say it tongue in cheek afterall so shouldn't it have been overlooked as just humor?

He called the Pope a Nazi.

He is lower than Rosie O'Donnell, he is toe lint, pond scum. Anyone in this thread who tries to justify it unfortunately loses all credibility with me.

 

Not just any ole toe lint....

How about Rosie O'Donnell's toe lint?

 

I wish there was someway to get this idiot off the station and not give him a method to spew his hate.

National radio and HBO are two different animals. I've thought Maher was an idiot for quite awhile. I guess that's why he's on HBO instead of regular tv.

Priests in the Catholic Church molested children...that is a fact. It's also a fact that nothing like what has happened to the "cult" in Texas happened to the Catholic Church. Why is that?

 

IMVHO this is an absurd statement. What should have happened comparable to the cult in Texas? The church has paid out billions of dollars most of which went to making attorneys rich while giving the real victims only a small pittance. The scandal was handled poorly by the church, I will not argue that point but to even suggest that it is comparable to a cult that bears and raises children with the sole purpose of perpetuating that lifestyle is ludicrous. The percentage of priests that were abusers is extremely small compared to the cult in Texas where it appears that all of the adults were involved in those actions. I also don't remember ever hearing anyone from the Catholic Church saying that the abuse was just a practice of their religion and therefore should not be attacked.

I was told that the comparison to Southern Baptist's former support of slavery and painting all Southern Baptists as slavery supporters was unfair because it happened to long ago. When does the statute of limitations run out on this?

 

I don't like seeing any religion attacked, especially by some bigot hiding behind the contention that he is a comedian and thus his commentary is only satire. I think if he wants to spout off in such a manner it should be labeled accurately as his own views and rantings and not have an "I'm only kidding" alibi to fall back on.

 

Now, in relation to the quote above, All Tell, I think it is rather hypocritical of you to bemoan the attack on the Catholic religion while simultainiously bringing up the past faults of the Southern Baptists not once but several times. I understand you're trying to make a point. Make it and move on.

Do a little research and see some of the other garbage Maher has spewed about the church.

 

I'll ask you the same question I asked someone else and haven't gotten an answer on yet.

 

How long is the sex abuse scandal fair game to paint an entire religion as a cult of pedophiles? I was told that the comparison to Southern Baptist's former support of slavery and painting all Southern Baptists as slavery supporters was unfair because it happened to long ago. When does the statute of limitations run out on this?

 

I don't think the Catholic Church should be painted as a cult of pedophiles and I don't view them as such. Maher, no doubt, takes it to the extreme to make a point, so I should backtrack on the statement that he was dead on with everything. But, there were a lot of valid points/questions in his diatribe.

 

The overriding idea I got was the contrast between how the issue in Texas was treated versus the church scandal. Again, my biggest complaint with the church was how they handled the situation...some of the guilty priests were merely transferred to another area, but still in a position to continue their behavior. I don't think these men should have been cast away, but all of them should have been removed as priests and certainly not allowed any contact with children within the context of the church operations. Rather than address it forcefully, it seems to me that the church tried to sweep it under the rug...

 

Questions:

 

How did the church deal with the guilty individuals? Did they report all the occurrences to the authorities (police)? When they transferred a priest to another locations, did they notify everyone in the new area that the reason he was now there was because he molested children?

 

I don't really know how to answer your Southern Baptist/Slavery question. I can say this...just because I have a problem with how the church dealt with the child abuse scandal doesn't mean I consider all Catholics pedophiles or supportive of it. I don't. I think I read something like 4% of priests were involved, so it's obviously a minority. My problem is with how the authorities in the church hierarchy dealt with the scandal.

 

We, as Christians, are held to a higher standard, IMO. And we should be...we have the teachings of Jesus and we're supposed to reflect that and "shine as lights in a dark world". When we, any of us, mess up, there are always going to be people ready to pounce and point it out. I think dealing with the problem more forcefully would have ultimately minimized the backlash and criticism on the church. No doubt there would be some, but there is always going to be some...but, had they handled it in a better way, they could have limited the criticism to the guilty parties rather than opening up the whole church to it.

I don't think the Catholic Church should be painted as a cult of pedophiles and I don't view them as such. Maher, no doubt, takes it to the extreme to make a point, so I should backtrack on the statement that he was dead on with everything. But, there were a lot of valid points/questions in his diatribe.

 

The overriding idea I got was the contrast between how the issue in Texas was treated versus the church scandal. Again, my biggest complaint with the church was how they handled the situation...some of the guilty priests were merely transferred to another area, but still in a position to continue their behavior. I don't think these men should have been cast away, but all of them should have been removed as priests and certainly not allowed any contact with children within the context of the church operations. Rather than address it forcefully, it seems to me that the church tried to sweep it under the rug...

 

Questions:

 

How did the church deal with the guilty individuals? Did they report all the occurrences to the authorities (police)? When they transferred a priest to another locations, did they notify everyone in the new area that the reason he was now there was because he molested children?

 

I don't really know how to answer your Southern Baptist/Slavery question. I can say this...just because I have a problem with how the church dealt with the child abuse scandal doesn't mean I consider all Catholics pedophiles or supportive of it. I don't. I think I read something like 4% of priests were involved, so it's obviously a minority. My problem is with how the authorities in the church hierarchy dealt with the scandal.

 

We, as Christians, are held to a higher standard, IMO. And we should be...we have the teachings of Jesus and we're supposed to reflect that and "shine as lights in a dark world". When we, any of us, mess up, there are always going to be people ready to pounce and point it out. I think dealing with the problem more forcefully would have ultimately minimized the backlash and criticism on the church. No doubt there would be some, but there is always going to be some...but, had they handled it in a better way, they could have limited the criticism to the guilty parties rather than opening up the whole church to it.

So now you are retracting your statement, disagreeing with what Maher said, and saying that the Church handled it poorly?

 

So the only thing that you agree with Maher on is that the Catholic Church deserves some criticism. His little tirade was way out of line

IMVHO this is an absurd statement. What should have happened comparable to the cult in Texas? The church has paid out billions of dollars most of which went to making attorneys rich while giving the real victims only a small pittance. The scandal was handled poorly by the church, I will not argue that point but to even suggest that it is comparable to a cult that bears and raises children with the sole purpose of perpetuating that lifestyle is ludicrous. The percentage of priests that were abusers is extremely small compared to the cult in Texas where it appears that all of the adults were involved in those actions. I also don't remember ever hearing anyone from the Catholic Church saying that the abuse was just a practice of their religion and therefore should not be attacked.

 

You're right there...it was a bad comparison. :thumb:My fault...

So now you are retracting your statement, disagreeing with what Maher said, and saying that the Church handled it poorly?

 

So the only thing that you agree with Maher on is that the Catholic Church deserves some criticism. His little tirade was way out of line

 

To be honest, I find the outrage about this humorous. I've watched Bill Maher's show many times and I couldn't count the times on both hands that he has said something about Christians that I disagreed with or thought was totally wrong or off-base. Does it offend me? I suppose the answer is yes, but not the point that I'm going to get all bent out of shape and calling for his head. Ultimately, I don't care what he thinks...he's got a right to his opinion and the freedom to speak it just like I do. I have better (and more important) things to do than dwell on an erroneous, misguided or offensive statement that Bill Maher (or anyone) makes about my belief in Jesus Christ as my personal Savior. To be honest, I pray that people like Maher (and everyone) would come to know the truth...

 

I'm not surprised at the outrage because in today's world people seem to be looking for any opportunity to get upset and lash out at someone about a supposed offense or "over the line" statement. I find it ridiculous. It's not worth getting bent out of shape for...

But who really watches his segments anyway? That is why he is on HBO.

Fellow Catholics please don't let this loud mouth idiot offend you, he's not worth the credit he would like to have due for it.

IMVHO this is an absurd statement. What should have happened comparable to the cult in Texas? The church has paid out billions of dollars most of which went to making attorneys rich while giving the real victims only a small pittance. The scandal was handled poorly by the church, I will not argue that point but to even suggest that it is comparable to a cult that bears and raises children with the sole purpose of perpetuating that lifestyle is ludicrous. The percentage of priests that were abusers is extremely small compared to the cult in Texas where it appears that all of the adults were involved in those actions. I also don't remember ever hearing anyone from the Catholic Church saying that the abuse was just a practice of their religion and therefore should not be attacked.

And the cult thing/abuse accusations in Texas has yet to be proved.

It all sounds sick and twisted, but we are hearing what the media is telling us.

As of last I heard no 16 year old pregnant girl has even been found, a possible prank call.

I have a feeling this thing is going to have some strange twists and turns!

To be honest, I find the outrage about this humorous. I've watched Bill Maher's show many times and I couldn't count the times on both hands that he has said something about Christians that I disagreed with or thought was totally wrong or off-base. Does it offend me? I suppose the answer is yes, but not the point that I'm going to get all bent out of shape and calling for his head. Ultimately, I don't care what he thinks...he's got a right to his opinion and the freedom to speak it just like I do. ...

 

I'm not surprised at the outrage because in today's world people seem to be looking for any opportunity to get upset and lash out at someone about a supposed offense or "over the line" statement. I find it ridiculous. It's not worth getting bent out of shape for...

A-freakin'-men.

To be honest, I find the outrage about this humorous. I've watched Bill Maher's show many times and I couldn't count the times on both hands that he has said something about Christians that I disagreed with or thought was totally wrong or off-base. Does it offend me? I suppose the answer is yes, but not the point that I'm going to get all bent out of shape and calling for his head. Ultimately, I don't care what he thinks...he's got a right to his opinion and the freedom to speak it just like I do. I have better (and more important) things to do than dwell on an erroneous, misguided or offensive statement that Bill Maher (or anyone) makes about my belief in Jesus Christ as my personal Savior. To be honest, I pray that people like Maher (and everyone) would come to know the truth...

 

I'm not surprised at the outrage because in today's world people seem to be looking for any opportunity to get upset and lash out at someone about a supposed offense or "over the line" statement. I find it ridiculous. It's not worth getting bent out of shape for...

 

My entire purpose in starting this thread was to illustrate the double standard that exists and I think that the responses did just that. It's offensive and must be dealt with when a shock jock on radio says something mildly offensive about 15 college basketball players, even after he apologizes for those remarks numerous times. But when a network comontator unapologetically paints an entire religion as a "cult of pedophiles" we're supposed to just take it in the tongue in cheek manner it was intended. Had the Imus incident been handeled differently and the PC police not made the issue out of it they did then I would have no problem looking at the source of these comments and saying that Maher is a mental midget and is beneath my contempt. However if one group is entitled to their righteous indignation why not this one?

My entire purpose in starting this thread was to illustrate the double standard that exists and I think that the responses did just that. It's offensive and must be dealt with when a shock jock on radio says something mildly offensive about 15 college basketball players, even after he apologizes for those remarks numerous times. But when a network comontator unapologetically paints an entire religion as a "cult of pedophiles" we're supposed to just take it in the tongue in cheek manner it was intended. Had the Imus incident been handeled differently and the PC police not made the issue out of it they did then I would have no problem looking at the source of these comments and saying that Maher is a mental midget and is beneath my contempt. However if one group is entitled to their righteous indignation why not this one?

Agreed, his comments did not really make me personally upset. It made me disgusted, especially that he can make comments like that, and go virtually uncriticized.

I don't like seeing any religion attacked, especially by some bigot hiding behind the contention that he is a comedian and thus his commentary is only satire. I think if he wants to spout off in such a manner it should be labeled accurately as his own views and rantings and not have an "I'm only kidding" alibi to fall back on.

 

Now, in relation to the quote above, All Tell, I think it is rather hypocritical of you to bemoan the attack on the Catholic religion while simultainiously bringing up the past faults of the Southern Baptists not once but several times. I understand you're trying to make a point. Make it and move on.

 

I've never said I believe that stance (and I don't by the way) but I felt like it was the safest comparison for me to make. I could have rolled off any number of stereotypes or offensive notions about Muslims or Jewish people but I felt that would be more likely to be viewed as improper to post on this site (no dig intended at the site or the moderation of it). As someone pointed out it perfectly acceptable to discuss the shortfalls of Christians in this PC day and age but non-Christians tend to be viewed differently.