On Tuesday, Nov. 17, CBS posted this video from The Late Show in which host Stephen Colbert invites guest Bill Maher to return to the Church.
Who got the better of the exchange? Watch above or read a rough transcript here:
Maher: “I probably woulddn’t be invited to your dinner party, because we’re very opposite
Colbert: “Really? How so?”
Maher: “You’re married and religious.”
Colbert: “I give religion a shot”
Maher: “I thought you were a practicing Catholic?”
Colbert: “I am but that doesn’t mean I’m good at it … honest to God. I suck at being a Catholic “You were raised Catholic, right?”
Maher: “I was raised Catholic.”
Colbert: “Well come on back, Bill. The door is always open. Golden ticket right before you. All you have to do is humble yourself before the presence of the Lord, admit that there are things greater in the universe than you that you do not understand. Salvation awaits you. Take Paschal’s Wager. If you’re wrong you’re an idiot. But If I’m right you’re going to hell.
Maher: “I do admit there are things in the universe that I don’t understand. But my response to that is not to make up silly stories.”
Colbert: “Some of them are pretty good stories, Bill.”
Maher: “Or to believe intellectually embarrassing myths from the Bronze Age. But you believe whatever you want.”
Colbert: “Well, yeah I have a connection to our ancestors …”
Maher: “These are men who did not know what a germ or an atom was or when the sun went at night and that’s where you’re getting your wisdom. Anyway, let’s not argue …”
Colbert: “I could eat a big bowl of this. This is good. It’s tasty. My religion teaches me humility in the face of this kind of attack.”
Maher: “You brought it up.”
Colbert: “I didn’t bring anything up.”
Maher: “You gave me a big lecture on come back to the Church.”
Colbert: “I did not. I gave you an invitation. A lecture? It’s an invitation. What are you talking about? This guy gave me a huge lecture about going to dinner. [Imitating a dinner refusal:] ‘I’ll eat what I want. Thanks I’ll eat what I want! Italian food. Hmmph. How dare you?’”
Maher: “I’ve had more inviting invitations.”