Bill Maher Reacts To Islamic State Debate With Ben Affleck

Liberal comedian Bill Maher has addressed his recent spat with actor Ben Affleck over the Islam religion on the Friday airing of his show "Real Time With Bill Maher."

On the show, Affleck and Maher debated the role of jihadists in the Islamic religion, with Maher arguing that statistics show most Islamic people believe in the principle of the jihad, or dying for one's faith. Affleck shot back, arguing that such a claim was "gross and racist."

Maher, who was accompanied by author Sam Harris on the show, argued that Islam is "the only religion that acts like the mafia," adding that it would "kill you if you say the wrong thing, draw the wrong picture or write the wrong book."

Affleck responded by saying there are millions of Islamic people who are not fanatical. "Hold on — are you the person who officially understands the codified doctrine of Islam? It's gross and racist. It's like saying, 'Oh, you shifty Jew!' Your argument is, 'You know, black people, they shoot each other.'"

 "How about more than a billion people who aren't fanatical, who don't punch women, who just want to go to school, have some sandwiches, pray five times a day, and don't do any of the things you're saying of all Muslims. It's stereotyping."

Maher addressed the heated debate in an interview with Salon on Monday, saying "We're liberals! We're liberals. We're not crazy tea-baggers, y'know, and so it's kind of hard to be making this case — based on facts, based on polling, I think based on what everybody really knows."

"We are not bigoted people. On the contrary, we're trying to stand up for the principles of liberalism! And so, y'know, I think we're just saying we need to identify illiberalism wherever we find it in the world, and not forgive it because it comes from [a group] people perceive as a minority."