[Buddha-l] Maher as philosopher

[Jim Peavler]

I have always thought of Maher as one of the better stand-up comics  
(although I understand his present TV show is a sit down, round-table,  
kind of like Howdy-doody's Meet the Press on NBC on Sunday). I  
wouldn't mistake him for a serious documentary creator, nor as a  
religious philosopher, nor anyone who should be held to remembering to  
be sure to ask a crack-pot from every known religion to say or do  
something stupid for his movie (which, though I didn't see it) I bet  
was done more for comic effect than for theology or academic accuracy  
and completeness. And, since I grew up amongst kinda rough cowboys,  
miners, and lumberers I got used to a certain roughness of language,  
used mostly for emphasis (like pointing your finger), which was  
expanded considerably by several years in the civil rights movement,  
so that I am not offended by mere profanity, obscenity, nor sacrilege.  
It takes hate-speech (which I have also heard a considerable amount  
of) to piss me off.

It sounds like I would probably enjoy this "documentary". As long as  
it only makes fun of a reasonable selection of religious nonsense, I  
am cool with it. Sorry -- I'm kinda unsophisticated that way.