Comedian, TV personality, and podcast host Bill Maher is well known as an atheist, but during a recent episode of his “Club Random” podcast, a fellow comedian encouraged him to dig deeper into Christianity than he generally does. Specifically, that Christian comedian, Chris Distefano, encouraged Maher to read Lee Strobel’s “The Case for Christ.” That book provides voluminous historical proof of Jesus.
Distefano’s call for Maher to dig deeply into Christianity and the proof of Jesus came about half an hour into the “Club Random” episode as the two discussed show business and their careers. Distefano, thanking Jesus for giving him the opportunity to work in the comedy show business, said, “Look, I love my show business compatriots. It’s a wonderful business. Thank you Jesus for putting me in it.”
Pausing, Distefano interjected, “I believe in Jesus, by the way.” Maher seemed somewhat taken aback, with Distefano adding, “We’ll talk about that.” Continuing, Distefano explained to Maher that he is “reading ‘The Case for Christ’ by Lee Strobel. It’s convincing evidence.”
Maher gave a somewhat hand-wavy response to Distefano’s profession of faith, saying, “Believe in whatever you want.” But Distefano didn’t let it go. He explained that he went to Catholic school as a kid, but that it was when he read “The Case for Christ” that he realized “the factual evidence that [Jesus] existed is kind of overwhelming.”
Replying, Maher told him, “I’d like to see that.” He then added that he’d like to read it “because the factual evidence that he existed has always been underwhelming.” Challenging Maher to give the book and the information in it a good-faith effort, Distefano said, “Give it a shot.” Maher said he would, telling him, “Yeah, I will.”
Maher then asked what sort of evidence for Jesus is in the book and Distefano discussed the “archeological finds” and “theological finds.” Continuing, he then told Maher that were the book full of “factual evidence about Alexander the Great, you would believe me.”
Responding, Maher admitted that Jesus “may have existed,” but argued that Distefano’s claim about Alexander was a “silly point because who cares if Jesus lived? It’s whether he’s then died and was reborn and is, you know, up in heaven with his father, who’s really him. That’s where the rubber meets the road.”
Distefano, pushing back, argued that the plethora of sources who wrote independently about Jesus within just decades of his death show that there was something special going on. He told Maher, “But according to ‘Case for Christ,’ independent sources who didn’t know each other who wrote about him within 20 years of his death…talked about these miracles happening as in real time.”
Later, Distefano told him, “I’m just convincing you of ‘Case for Christ.’” Maher replied, “I can’t go there with you.” Distefano then explained why he likes having something to believe in and encouraged Maher to try it out, telling him, “I’m just saying, it’s nice, the idea to believe in something. I’m just trying, trying it on for size.”
Watch their discussion here:
Featured image credit: screenshot from the embedded video