A religion that does not respect basic human rights does not, itself, deserve to be respected.

And in the catholic realm, some are still whooping it up and backslapping Pope Frank for his one-time (Act now and avoid the rush!) forbearance in allowing women who've had abortions to be "forgiven." (And of course, only a man can offer such.)

Love that comment, btw. Good on her!

Of course, there are those who go after Maher not just for being an atheist, but being a "Zionist" (wink, wink). Funny, ain't it? Screeching about prejudice against people because of their religion, then attacking someone because of their ethno-religious background. This week I learned I "hate" the Pope because I think he is a homophobe. I was "corrected" because I "only focus on the negative" and "refuse to acknowledge the positive, liberal stances." I am "impatient." I (and other gay people) need to "get over y(our)selves" and "y(our) hatred of Catholics." I was also reminded that his gay friend doesn't think he is a homophobe, so I must be wrong.

This is also being discussed in GD in two different threads: here and here. Some of the excuses are so formulaic it makes one wonder from what site they culled their responses.

The one area I disagree with Maher is when he said Islamophobia is a useless, made-up term. While it certainly gets misused, like any bigotry, it is real and there are those who do hate Muslims. Some can call it a "misnomer" and that's fine, but I find it to be the same disingenuous argument of those who claim homophobia is "fear of sameness" or "fear of homosexuals" and they aren't afraid of gays, so they aren't homophobes. The granddaddy of them all, the "anti-Semitism is really prejudice against Semites, like Arabs and Palestinians." The irony is the ones who usually say that shit are the same ones calling everyone Islamophobes.

For example, i can call out gay men for acting misogynistic and abusive to their female friends without being homophobic. I can call out gay white men on tacism about the whole sassy black lady trope without being homophobic. I can call out all homosexuals about their hatred against bisexuals without being homophobic.

But if i just call them out for loving the same gender, then I'm being homophobic, even if i claim to love them anyways.

Upon review it was poorly worded.

New atheists™ are those who are too uppity to know their place, they don't hold hands and sing kumbaya with religious bigots and they are very outspoken.

I have evolved from an atheist into an anti-theist because of men like Dawkins and Carl Sagan - who if he were still alive would also be considered a New Atheist.

Maher is wrong, Islamophobia exists although a better word would probably be Muslimphobia - fear and/or hatred of Muslims which is no different than any other kind of bigotry.

Saying someone is bigoted because they hate Islam or any other religion is absurd, it is intolerance of people that is bigotry, not intolerance of religious ideology.


And don't even get me started on the pope, I cannot understand how people can hate Kim Davis but love the pope since both of them don't think that lgbt people deserve the same human rights as heteros.

One did her best to prevent them from getting married in Kentucky and the other does his best to prevent them from getting married everywhere - and he also doesn't think you should raise children.

Is it because he smiles when he says the things that he does? Is that supposed to make his homophobia and misogyny acceptable?

I think it makes him that much more dangerous, it is easy to accept and defend bigotry when the person selling it is respected and admired.

It all seemed to be hinged on David and her lawyer "lying" as if it somehow vindicated him from his own homophobia?!

Saying someone is bigoted because they hate Islam or any other religion is absurd, it is intolerance of people that is bigotry, not intolerance of religious ideology.

When I came back to DU I was shocked by how many people were fawning over the new pope and it's only gotten worse since he's doubled down on the homophobia and misogyny.

Now we'll never hear the end of it because he's been VINDICATED, see. He really IS a progressive and not homophobic at all because even though he met with Davis no one knows what was discussed.

Or something.

There are still a few of us 'loud-mouthed militants', but we are fewer than before. We point out the homophobia in the remarks of the Pope, were are anti-Catholic bigots. We point out the homophobia from a person who is African-American were are a "nest of racist vipers". We point out the homophobia being used against a Republican, we are neo-cons.

Now we'll never hear the end of it because he's been VINDICATED, see. He really IS a progressive and not homophobic at all because even though he met with Davis no one knows what was discussed.

You forgot...

HE HAS A GAY FRIEND!

That absolves everything!

I have a black/hispanic/Jewish/atheist/gay/etc friend and they like me so I can't be a bigot!!!

...then does the same for another group!



Or, the newest variation, "I can't be "X" because I am/related to "X"!" Some even have to dig way on back into their history to find an "X", but damned if they can't find one to absolve them of their X-ism/phobia.

And of course anyone can say they're anything on DU.

I am always amazed by how many people suddenly claim they're minorities or "activists" after they've been criticized for being insensitive and/or offensive.

That would be a, um, sin.

In response the use, mainly by the right wing, of "Islamofascist", I've sometimes used "Christofascist" to refer to those who denounce the alleged use of Sharia law but who really want to turn the United States into a Christian theocracy.

"Clericofascist" is a great way to point out the underlying similarity.

I'm cheering through the internet.