tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1973938108988281018.post3531039447157517323..comments2024-02-06T03:23:37.329-08:00Comments on No Jesus, No Peas: The obligatory Maher postJames Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212877636980569324noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1973938108988281018.post-59786871869566961272009-09-29T12:20:06.523-07:002009-09-29T12:20:06.523-07:00I think there is a danger in trying too hard to gu...I think there is a danger in trying too hard to guess at other people's thought processes and then make decisions about them based on that, particularly since even the most rational among us might be surprised at how many of our day-to-day decisions are made for irrational reasons for which we later invent a rational explanation. By the same token, I'm not inclined to dismiss Maher's views on religion based on my/your guess at the thought processes that got him there.<br /><br />And whether Maher would be pro-religion/anti-atheist in a different world is somewhat irrelevant. As I <a href="http://nojesusnopeas.blogspot.com/2009/08/my-deconversion.html" rel="nofollow">confessed in an earlier post</a>, it's quite possible I would have remained a Mormon my whole life if I didn't find the church and its members so goddamn annoying, i.e. I was initially driven away from religion for aesthetic reasons rather than logical ones. I don't think that undermines my current position...<br /><br />I do agree with you that Maher has not demonstrated that he is a "reasoned thinker", though, and that's why I'm not crazy about the AAI's choice.James Sweethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17212877636980569324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1973938108988281018.post-60913886389352092822009-09-29T11:55:43.603-07:002009-09-29T11:55:43.603-07:00as has been pointed out, Maher is less an athiest,...as has been pointed out, Maher is less an athiest, less a reasoned thinker than he is simply anti-authority. If by some miracle (haha) atheists began to rule the world, Maher would be all over that as he was in religulous, which is evidence by his not subtle support of quackery simply because it is anti Big pharma. So I don;t see how anyone can support the awardAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com