Comments on: This is not a post about Tiger Woods / What Bill Maher said

By: Emil

Emil — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 00:50:17 +0000

I enjoyed reading many poignant marks.

But as no one has mentioned it yet, I just like to add that meditation really works. From my personal experience I think it is very hard to truly understand what buddhist teaching is about unless you had a long meditation retreat. Because in the end of the day the intellectual discourse itself often leads to an unexplicable amount of suffering, by experiencing conflict and ignorance. So I guess in a way the Buddhist thing to do really is just to teach Bill Maher and others meditation and peace from within for all will follow.

By: Ed

Ed — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:37:39 +0000

It’s really too bad Maher isn’t a Buddhist, because he sounds like he has the makings of a really good one.

By: marcia

marcia — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:46:33 +0000

Just stumbled on this site, and I’m so glad. Maher’s comments on Buddhism stunned me; they were inaccurate, ignorant really. I agree that he is enmeshed in his own narcissism. The frustrating aspect to this is that the guy is clueless about himself & his inability to “get it.” His response was so typically materialistic American: feel bad? look out there and find a fix…a movie, food, a joint, a toy. He is suffering and runs from it in a multiplicity of ways. I’m not mad, not offended, just disappointed. He is so clearly out of touch w/his true self; what a shame. The guy is so funny! But he is growing bitter, mean really. I would not like to be in the path of his ire.

By: Dot

Dot — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:01:56 +0000

Maher’s job, as a satirist, (think Mark Twain) is to poke holes in any belief system. What I appreciate about him is his consistency in being irreverent about everything. It does nothing to my Buddhist practice, or to the teaching.
Suzuki Roshi would’ve just laughed.

By: Graycard

Graycard — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 13:20:02 +0000

I was intrigued that Religulous had nothing whatever to say about Buddhism. Actually, of course, it’s not a religion at all, at least as far as its founder was concerned. But we’ve all killed him on the road, right?

By: Rebecca Burgess

Rebecca Burgess — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:03:22 +0000

Nope you’re right, I totally agree with you, and was thinking the very same things when I read this guys article. What the guy wrote was funny, but this kind of satirical humour should be based on the truth too. I dont mind seeing a few jokes/satire about Buddhism, and can find it funny, but only when the comedians know what they’re ranting about in the first place!

By: Patrick

Patrick — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:39:23 +0000

Bill Maher is an entertainer, a professional who is paid to be provocative. As you say, when the power goes out, so does Maher. And I think he has some problems with Religion; not an outrageous condition in our culture.

But a couple of points: the reaction to Tiger Woods’ Buddhism is within our cultural meme of Judeo-Christianity. How else can our culture describe the Buddha but by relating him to Christ? I have to say that a fair amount of my cushion time is spent in the same way, by noting, relating and hopefully letting go ingrained concepts… like evil and guilt.

Personally I liked Maher’s “You want to know the surest way that you can spot a “sex addict?” He’s got a penis.” There is a reason why the nidana Sparśa has a man and woman in the sack. That’s what we do. It’s part of samsara.

Tiger’s very public situation is a great teaching moment. Thanks for the teaching.

By: David

David — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 07:55:09 +0000

I truly fail to understand why so many Buddhists in the West are political liberals. To me, the essence of Buddhism includes seeking individual enlightenment. Appropriating property through State power to apply to policies that create generations of dependency–as with so many social welfare programs have–seems antithetical to any true sense of helping the poor escape lives of just such dependency. It also insulates individuals from learning to be socially responsible for neighbors in need–after all, the “government will do it.”
For someone else to decide what I need, then tax me for the privilege, denies my rights of self determination.
As for Bill Maher being a “libertarian”–that is so much hogwash according to any reasonable definition of libertarianism I have seen.
Personally, I am very much libertarian in my political philosophy, which I believe is the most consistent position consistent with individual freedom and responsibility. I have also spent a great deal of time working with the poor and infirm where I have lived.
At present, the economy is a shambles and getting worse because of the policies of the liberal polticians in power. It will do no one any good if the economy collapses completely–or even if individual States go completely bankrupt as it appears California, New York, New Jersey, and Illinois are well on the way toward. In that event, everyone suffers needlessly.

By: Tony

Tony — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 04:20:36 +0000

You have to be responsible for yourself. That’s the biggest thing I take from atheism.

Can Buddhism help you make a better person of yourself? I think so, but you don’t need it to be a better person.

I believe Maher was once again pointing out that you don’t need religion in your life. You may choose religion and you may want religion but you don’t need religion.

By: Sean

Sean — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 20:29:05 +0000

I’m disappointed in Bill Maher — I honestly thought he was smarter. But am disappointed in myself because I’ll laugh the loudest when he starts ripping on Sarah Palin’s religion.