Sam Harris

Sam Harris needs to be on the HBO show Real Time with Bill Maher.

It would be interesting.  A recurrent theme of Bill Maher’s is that fundamentalist Christians don’t behave as their book tells them to, and that a “real” Christian would be tolerant and liberal.  Penn Jillette was guest a while back and briefly challenged that assertion, but only in passing, as part of a larger conversation.  Sam Harris would no doubt have made the challenge a central point of the discussion.

I don’t think he thinks that “real” Christians would be more tolerant or “liberal”, per se, but that they would listen more to Jesus’ teachings about compassion and helping the poor. Nevertheless, he’s generally scathingly critical of religion in general, particularly Christianity. He’s called religion a “nuerological disorder” on more than one occasion. He’s actually planning on making a Michael Moore-style documentary on religion soon.

Funny you mention this.  Ever since reading the end of faith I thought that Sam Harris would make a good Real Time panelist. I think we all have a pretty good idea of what Mr. Harris would say on the panel regarding religion and dogma.  But it would be a treasure to see Messrs. Harris and Maher together.  I think the sum of the whole would be greater than the sum of the parts. 

I’d also like to hear what Mr. Harris has to say on issues not directly related to religion that are frequent topics on Bill’s show.  For instance, I noticed that Mr. Harris dedicated A Letter To A Christian Nation to his wife.  I would like to hear his, presumably secular, notions of marriage differ from traditional religious ones. 

Besides, in the last two episodes Mr. Maher’s had Ben Afflek and Jason Alexander as guests.  I found both disappointing for offer opinions and articulatin their reasons for them, especially Mr. Alexander.  IMHO, Mr. Maher could have put those seats on his panel to much better use with someone like Sam Harris.

Making a movie? Confirmation?

Catherine, you said: Besides, in the last two episodes Mr. Maher’s had Ben Afflek and Jason Alexander as guests. I found both disappointing for offer opinions and articulatin their reasons for them, especially Mr. Alexander. IMHO, Mr. Maher could have put those seats on his panel to much better use with someone like Sam Harris.

In response, Maher allows morons from Hollywood a place at the table of ideas (even though they have none). Remember, these are folks that were flipping burgers and serving drinks. Then one beautiful day…..the phone rang, and it was their agent who joyfully relayed the news that they got the “part.” And for whatever reason (luck….timing….stars aligned in the sky….?) that part catapulted them into stardom. And along with stardom comes the idea that you are smarter than the mere mortals who you used to serve. Not only smarter, but more ethical and more and more and more…..YES! A hollywood star has the capacity for thought and reason especially to a high degree than the mere mortals who ate the burgers (and yes….the fries, ‘you want fries with that’......[sorry, couldn’t help myself]) and drank the drinks and gobbled the candy from the liquor store that you used to do. Funny how that works. So now Warren Betty and Sean Penn, Susan Saradon and Ben Affleck….all of them from Santa Monica to Westwood, from Culver City to Santa Clarita, from Calabasas to Burbank, from Chatsworth to North Hollywood, the whole lot of them are smarter…..than…....us….....mere…....mortals! OH I LAMENT THE THOUGHT!

Catherine, that is why they always disappoint when brought to the table of ideas. You can’t expect a depth of intelligence from a bartender or burger flipper. Especially when they have never taken an undergraduate class, much less a junior college class, much less even finishing high school! However, the Bush Administration and a whole lot of Democrats all have college degrees (some are even Ivy-leaguer) and so do 99% of the diplomats at the UN. Catherine, do be sure to remember this fact when listening to airheads from Hollywood expound on taxation, abortion, same sex marriage, traditional values, constitutional issues, and so forth.

bRain524, you said that Sam Harris…. He’s called religion a “nuerological disorder” on more than one occasion. He’s actually planning on making a Michael Moore-style documentary on religion soon.

First of all, Sam needs to get his own comedy lines. Michael Savage has been saying for years that liberals have a neurological disorder and so forth. Sam should come up with a new line.

You said he is planning a Michael Moore-style documentary? You kidding me? I can’t see that. Michael Moore is a clown who misreprents the facts. The sad state of our nation is that many watch his horror films and clap as if he was something beneficial, or something that was long overdue in being said. Very sad. A Moore style documentary? Ya mean one where he lies his way into Charleton Heston’s house and beats an old man over the head with a left wing ideology? Ya mean like the unrelentingly harsh misrepresented Bush bashing 9-11 thing? Ya mean like taking those Columbine kids into Kmart headquarters (as if Kmart had anything to do with Columbine). The guy is a clown and very unpopular with traditionalists, or should I say Red State America (and most of the Nation is Red State America).

Ok, the diatribe is over. You can come out from under your desks, peek your heads around the corner, its ok. Whew….I’m ok. See, I’m ok and your ok….....dee DEE dee DEE dee DEE dee DEE dee DEE dee DEE dee DEE dee DEE .....you are about to enter the Twilight Zone…...

h.

bRain524, you said that Sam Harris…. He’s called religion a “nuerological disorder” on more than one occasion. He’s actually planning on making a Michael Moore-style documentary on religion soon.

First of all, Sam needs to get his own comedy lines.

Bill Maher said that, not Sam. Sorry if I was unclear. I doubt Bill deliberately stole anything from that fascist Michael “War protesters are criminals and should be detained” Savage.

That last post was mine. Forgot to log in. And just to clarify, Bill Maher’s the one planning the movie, too, not Sam.

Well, FOR CYRING OUT LOUD!! Did you even get your name right?

I completely agree with the initial post in this section.

We must get Sam Harris onto the Real Time with Bill Maher show—this season!  I believe the progressive audience of his show would be open to Sam’s arguments.

Sam is the perfect fit for the show too.  He speaks with authority on a range of topics from science to politics to religion.  He is articulate, concise, and well-informed.  What’s more, his position with respect to religion lines up nicely with that of Maher, only Sam is a bit more rigorous and can flesh out the fine points (ie - liberal dogmatism blinding us to the dangers of Islamic fundamentalism) that Maher is completely blind to.

Despite the perfect fit, Sam still has not managed to receive a slot on the show.  This is simply mind-boggling.  Galling and unforgivable really.  Especially given that mediocre minds such as Ben Affleck have been front & center on this show for the past several seasons. 

Over the summer I authored a handful of emails to the show through their HBO website, suggesting having Sam on to discuss Letter to a Christian Nation.  Never received a response.

I have been a huge Bill Maher fan in the past.  However, the inclusion of irrelevant Hollywood types and the broader trend on the show of inviting back the same subset of guests ad nauseum, is starting to change my mind about the program.  If this nonsense continues, I will stop watching altogether. 

Sincerely,
Mark

PS - Here is the HBO Real Time link for anyone who wants to write them to demand an appearance by Sam Harris.

I had actually written his show’s producers an email last month as well. 

Funny thing is, if you listen to Maher’s views on religion, it sounds like he
has read Sam’s books.