Sadly, if that truly is Mr. Maher's stance, then he is far more of a zealot then any 'religious' individual I've ever met. A true believer in the church of Dawkins and atheism.
If you haven't seen Religulous, you should. I am certain that it won't change your opinion, but it is an interesting film. It is completely biased towards atheism, so don't expect equal treatment for both sides, but it does bring forward some interesting points. It's also terribly oversimplified, but highlights the basics of contemporary atheism.
I think the message I appreciated is that not believing in a Deity is just as acceptable as believing. There is a strong undercurrent in today's culture to assume that everyone shares the same neo-Christian paradigm and it's hard to feel accepted otherwise.
It's odd because I grew up feeling exactly the opposite and had to come to place where I felt it was acceptable to be a believer. It felt like the entire world was against faith and I was the odd one out. That there was a strong undercurrent in contemporary culture that "God is dead."
It could simply be that we all feel like outsiders in our own skins regardless and that religion or lack of it is simply a shellac on that feeling, not a cause. Have you ever listened to Billy Joel's "The Stranger"?
Like I said above, I think you should watch the film. I know you have very well defined thoughts about your faith and I really respect the amount of effort you've put into shaping your ideas. The movie will not change your opinions, but it will put the quote in more context
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I think I was fortunate to have a mother who was a traditionalist and a father who was both a rationalist and yet sensitive to the mysteries of the faith. It gave me a rather balanced view growing up
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I think the message I appreciated is that not believing in a Deity is just as acceptable as believing. There is a strong undercurrent in today's culture to assume that everyone shares the same neo-Christian paradigm and it's hard to feel accepted otherwise.
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It could simply be that we all feel like outsiders in our own skins regardless and that religion or lack of it is simply a shellac on that feeling, not a cause. Have you ever listened to Billy Joel's "The Stranger"?
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