Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by TK on January 6, 2011 at 8:30pm

Bill O'Reilly is an instigator.  He kept putting words in Mr. Silverman's mouth.  It's impossible to rationalize with irrational people.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Gila Guerilla on January 6, 2011 at 8:49pm

Bill O'Reilly is also a bully. He is also rude. He won't let his interviewee get a word in edgewise. He also insults atheists with his implied understanding of what this interview was about, but the sub-text is that the other guy, and most atheists are morons, and the meaning behind this atheist effort is stupid.

 

He also throws his hands around in the air and says, "Whoaa", when someone says that they don't know something. He implies that people with whom he disagrees must have all of the answers. I prefer to know that I don't not have all of the answers, rather than accept some b*llsh*t answer.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Darrel Ray on January 6, 2011 at 9:04pm

Awesome interview with O'Reilly.  Silverman doesn't give an inch.  Thanks for posting this.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by MarkFL on January 6, 2011 at 9:23pm

It was funny when O'Reilly forgets that the moon causes the tides. However, Silverman was not as sharp as he has been in other interviews. His basic argument was that the word scams was not offensive to others. This is a very hard argument to make effectively. I, as an atheist, am not offended but you can definitely see how this particular billboard did not win over many friends. His argument should have been: "We are trying to draw atheists out of the closet." If he stuck with that, he would have done better. Even then, this billboard really does nothing for atheists. The NY billboard that says that all religions are myths is not offensive to anyone because it is calling a story fictional. The word scam implies that people are being tricked and even if they are (they are), people don't want to hear that. That is legitimately offensive to some people. I guess it depends on if you care if it is offensive. Silverman might have scored more points if he stuck with, " yeah it's offensive and we don't care". I don't really care if people are offended but that doesn't mean that the billboard is not offensive. Despite being the king of douchebags, O'Reilly does a good job of finding the weakest aspect of an opponent's argument. Silverman did well and held his own but that Scam billboard is not doing atheists any favors.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by TK on January 6, 2011 at 9:38pm

Yeah I found that amusing as well when he was like, "you can't tell my why the tides come in!"  I was like, umm the moon.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by LesYpersound on January 7, 2011 at 1:19pm

I think Silverman's tactic was right--because if he went down the stupidity hole w/ O'Reilly re: tides it would've further obfuscated the point of him being on that show: there's no proof that God makes anything happen in the world, religions are a scam, we know there are atheists in the pews, and his organization are welcoming them to come out. :]

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jennifer W on January 10, 2011 at 7:50am

Why do you people torture yourself by even attempting to listen to Bill O'Reilly? His and many similar shows are like the WWE + Politics. They just want elicit a response.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Gary C. on January 21, 2011 at 12:55am

I bet many of the right wing Christians who were watching the show thought that David Silverman was Satan incarnate.  There is a bit of similarity.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Gary C. on January 21, 2011 at 12:56am

O'Reilly is such a bully on his show.  I loved seeing Jon Stewart and David Letterman talk down towards him when he came on their shows.

• ▶ Reply