# Bill Maher stirs controversy with Tim Tebow tweet **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 28, 2011, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-maher-stirs-controversy-with-tim-tebow-tweet/607655 "2011-12-28T19:28:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 18
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2012, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-maher-stirs-controversy-with-tim-tebow-tweet/607655/341 "2012-01-02T02:14:41Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > So if there’s no objective definition of excessive, then RaftPeople can’t be any wronger than you are, right? No. It means that it’s not a debatable point since there is no objective way to determine excess. It’s an opinion. > [@RP](#): > > In a case like this we don’t need to know what each hit represents, it just shows that there is much public awareness - his activities stand out. Not really. it just means he’s a popular figure. But to say that it doesn’t matter what the hits means is pretty ridiculous. I guess you haven’t learned the lesson of what “google vomit” means. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2012, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-maher-stirs-controversy-with-tim-tebow-tweet/607655/342 "2012-01-02T02:17:24Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > No. It means that it’s not a debatable point since there is no objective way to determine excess. It’s an opinion. Which means that his opinion can’t be shown to be any wronger than yours, right? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2012, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-maher-stirs-controversy-with-tim-tebow-tweet/607655/343 "2012-01-02T02:18:55Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > Which means that his opinion can’t be shown to be any wronger than yours, right? It’s irrelevant, in a debate. Right or wrong is no more meaningful than someone’s favorite color. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2012, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-maher-stirs-controversy-with-tim-tebow-tweet/607655/344 "2012-01-02T02:21:30Z")
Then why debate it so fervently? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2012, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-maher-stirs-controversy-with-tim-tebow-tweet/607655/345 "2012-01-02T02:24:59Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > Then why debate it so fervently? I’m not debating it. You are. I’m explaining why it’s not a debatable topic. ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2012, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-maher-stirs-controversy-with-tim-tebow-tweet/607655/346 "2012-01-02T02:30:00Z")
Since when are opinions not debatable topics? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2012, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-maher-stirs-controversy-with-tim-tebow-tweet/607655/347 "2012-01-02T02:34:38Z")
> [@ladyfoxfyre](#): > > Since when are opinions not debatable topics? Since we had a forum called IMHO. What’s your favorite color? Let’s debate if it’s the correct one. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2012, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-maher-stirs-controversy-with-tim-tebow-tweet/607655/348 "2012-01-02T02:39:40Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I’m not debating it. You are. I’m explaining why it’s not a debatable topic. Oooooookay… I see we’ve wandered into some netherland where the last six pages never happened. Whatever. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2012, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-maher-stirs-controversy-with-tim-tebow-tweet/607655/349 "2012-01-02T02:40:49Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > Oooooookay… I see we’ve wandered into some netherland where the last six pages never happened. Whatever. I didn’t post on all 6 pages. But, whatever. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2012, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-maher-stirs-controversy-with-tim-tebow-tweet/607655/350 "2012-01-02T02:43:09Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Not really. it just means he’s a popular figure. All of the figures I listed are popular figures. Similar hits for name only, all but one have an order of magnitude fewer hits when pairing the name with an additional phrase. You think that it logically follows that the drop off in all but one name is because he is a popular figure? Despite them all being popular figures? You think that is logical? > [@](#): > > But to say that it doesn’t matter what the hits means is pretty ridiculous. As stated, the goal was to determine level activity/discussion/awareness surrounding his behavior - why would the specific content determine how many people are talking about it? > [@](#): > > I guess you haven’t learned the lesson of what “google vomit” means. There is nothing to learn. The term “google vomit” doesn’t actually make an argument one way or another regarding the multiple step process I took. Unless you think that number of hits reveals zero information with respect to the search term? And that comparing number of hits of different search terms reveals zero information? ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2012, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-maher-stirs-controversy-with-tim-tebow-tweet/607655/351 "2012-01-02T02:43:19Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Since we had a forum called IMHO. > > What’s your favorite color? Let’s debate if it’s the correct one. Right, we do have a forum called IMHO. That doesn’t mean opinions aren’t debatable topics. If opinions are not debatable, what is? We also have a forum called General Questions, since the only other option is facts. But I guess that doesn’t work either, so… ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2012, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-maher-stirs-controversy-with-tim-tebow-tweet/607655/352 "2012-01-02T05:42:00Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > I thought it a nice response to Tebow’s constant praying. I know, right?! Fuck that guy! Always praying, like some kind of asshole! ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2012, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-maher-stirs-controversy-with-tim-tebow-tweet/607655/353 "2012-01-02T05:49:29Z")
Dude, Phred Phelps is always praying.\* \*Unbunch your panties, I am not comparing Tebow to Phelps. I’m just noting that praying and being an asshole are hardly mutually exclusive. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2012, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-maher-stirs-controversy-with-tim-tebow-tweet/607655/354 "2012-01-02T06:13:23Z")
> [@Mosier](#): > > I know, right?! Fuck that guy! Always praying, like some kind of asshole! Making a show of it as this guy apparently\* does is somewhat obnoxious; a way of showing off how much more “holy” you are than everyone else. Not slavering-hateful obnoxious like Phelps, though. \*I’ve no interest in sports and had no idea who this guy was before opening this thread ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2012, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-maher-stirs-controversy-with-tim-tebow-tweet/607655/355 "2012-01-02T12:22:04Z")
I had no idea Tebow was the first Christian to play football. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2012, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-maher-stirs-controversy-with-tim-tebow-tweet/607655/356 "2012-01-02T13:17:15Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > I had no idea Tebow was the first Christian to play football. Wouldn’t that be nice. ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2012, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-maher-stirs-controversy-with-tim-tebow-tweet/607655/357 "2012-01-02T13:24:38Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > John Mace’s argument suffices - > Your logic seems to be “most people don’t do it, therefore it’s excessive and Tebow shouldn’t do it.” > > That doesn’t follow. Most people don’t play professional football either - that is not an argument for Tebow to resign from the team. > You might want to read the whole thread before you post to it. > > Regards, > Shodan I did read the whole thread,and it was about Tebow’s public display of his religiousness, and the critizing by a so called comedian. I think both were over doing it, but that is my own opinion, one was being sarcastic, the other thinking God needs him to show his beliefs. I think both have the right to do as they wish, but in my opinion neither are doing anyone any good by their actions. ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2012, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-maher-stirs-controversy-with-tim-tebow-tweet/607655/358 "2012-01-02T13:33:15Z")
In a way it is just as acceptable as giving the finger in public, or should I say more kind? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2012, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-maher-stirs-controversy-with-tim-tebow-tweet/607655/359 "2012-01-02T17:07:14Z")
> [@ladyfoxfyre](#): > > Right, we do have a forum called IMHO. That doesn’t mean opinions aren’t debatable topics. If opinions are not debatable, what is? We also have a forum called General Questions, since the only other option is facts. But I guess that doesn’t work either, so… Not really. There are things that are simply non-factual, like what someone’s favorite color is. It’s a simply a matter of personal preference. There are factual issues, like who is buried in Grant’s tomb or what day the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Then there are issue about which not all the facts are known, or about what might happen in the future if we do x instead of y. Some “debates” are easily ended when the full facts come to light. But when all the facts are not known, then we have legit debate. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2012, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-maher-stirs-controversy-with-tim-tebow-tweet/607655/360 "2012-01-02T18:43:57Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Not really. > > There are things that are simply non-factual, like what someone’s favorite color is. It’s a simply a matter of personal preference. > > There are factual issues, like who is buried in Grant’s tomb or what day the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. > > Then there are issue about which not all the facts are known, or about what might happen in the future if we do x instead of y. Some “debates” are easily ended when the full facts come to light. But when all the facts are not known, then we have legit debate. Whether Tebow makes religious display more frequently than most other football players is certainly in the realm of fact. Whether it can be called excessive by our societies standards is in the realm of fact (it’s a fact about people’s opinions), but it’s the type of fact that requires definitions and stats, etc.. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-maher-stirs-controversy-with-tim-tebow-tweet/607655.md?page=17) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-maher-stirs-controversy-with-tim-tebow-tweet/607655.md?page=19)