The Bill Maher Effect: When Fools Impart Their Imagined Wisdom

I first posted this on my Facebook page a few months back, when Bill Maher was suffering from spotlight withdrawal and so decided to launch into yet another of his characteristically infantile rants against Catholicism (in this case, repeating the provably false allegation that Pope Benedict XVI was a Nazi in his youth and painting all priests as unrepetentant child molesters). I repost it now in anticipation of the storm of criticism he is likely to receive for his coming straw man amateur video, Religulous:


LET'S STOP GIVING BILL MAHER EXACTLY WHAT HE WANTS

You know that adolescent relative who didn't get spanked enough as a child who feels the occasional need to do something infantile just to be the center of attention? You know, the spoiled brat who feels the need to occasionally lash out at those who didn't give him everything his little heart desired during the "Mine! Mine! Mine!" phase of his life (a phase which may or may not still be in progress)?

You ever notice that little juvenile delinquent smiling to himself when everyone suddenly makes a big fuss over him after he goes and does something stupid?

Take a look at Bill Maher, and you might recognize him.

Let's not kid ourselves. He is absolutely reveling in all the attention he's receiving. The worst that'll happen to him is that he'll get fired by HBO (I wouldn't hold my breath), in which case he'll quickly land on his feet with some other far-left broadcasting entity with an ax to grind against Christianity in general and Catholicism in particular (and likely owned by Ted Turner).

Don't get me wrong. I support the current movement to boycott HBO and have Bill Maher removed from the air. I'm just saying that we should remember to keep this in the proper context. The only people who take Bill Maher seriously are those who were predisposed to take the latest of Maher's many anti-Catholic diatribes seriously (they can usually be identified by their Oscar trophies, their Nobel prizes, and the prescription anti-depressants they consume at 10-20 times the recommended dosage).

Let's do our part to dwindle Bill Maher's available outlets for his illogical, slanderous drivel and hold his employers accountable for giving him said outlets. But let's not lose our heads in the process. To do so is to ascribe a level of relevance to Bill Maher that he neither possesses nor deserves. And that is exactly what he wants.