Atheist Maher Tells Charlie Rose: Islam not Like Christianity

Appearing on Charlie Rose's PBS show this week, HBO's "Real Time" host Bull Maher rebuked him for linking Islam to Christianity, defending Christians by saying a vast numbers of them do not believe in violence or treat women as second class citizens.

Maher, a self-proclaimed atheist, began by refuting former Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean's recent statement that vast numbers of Muslims are not like ISIS in Iraq and Syria, an al-Qaeda offshoot that seeks to form an Islamic emirate in the Levant region through "jihad."

Interrupting Maher, Rose asked, "Behind every Muslim is a future member of some radical?"

"Vast numbers of Christians do not believe that if you leave the Christian religion you should be killed for it," Maher responded. "Vast numbers of Christians do not treat women as second class citizens … Vast numbers of Christians do not believe if you draw a picture of Jesus Christ you should get killed for it. So yes, does ISIS do Khmer Rouge-like activities where they just kill people indiscriminately who aren't just like them? Yes. And would most Muslim people in the world do that or condone that? No."

Maher then quoted a Pew poll held in Egypt a few years ago, noting that 82 percent of respondents said stoning is the appropriate punishment for adultery, and over 80 percent thought death was the appropriate punishment for leaving the Muslim religion.

The comedian then added that to claim that Islam is like other religions is "just naive and plain wrong."

Maher also remarked that "we're upset that ISIS is beheading people which we should be upset about but Saudi Arabia does it and they're our good friends because they have oil."

Rose pointed out that Arab League nations are now also fighting ISIS. "They're joining us in the fight. As is the Emirates. As is Jordan. They are all Muslim countries."

Maher responded by saying, "Well, they are both fighting ISIS and they are for ISIS."

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