Bill Maher vs. God: The Atheist’s Challenge Every Believer Must Answer

In a recent episode of Club Random, host Bill Maher and conservative commentator Charlie Kirk engaged in a fascinating conversation that transcended the usual political divides. Despite their stark differences—Maher, an atheist Jew, and Kirk, a devout Christian—they found common ground in their support for Israel and rejection of Woke progressivism. Their discussion ventured into territory rarely explored in mainstream media: the existence of God and the purpose of human suffering.

While discussing faith, Maher presented what he believed was an ironclad argument against belief in God: “If a prime mover could do that, why not skip all the suffering? Why don’t you just get us to where we’re the perfect thing? Why go through all that if you are a prime mover?” He continued, questioning why an all-powerful Creator would permit horrors like the Holocaust rather than creating perfect beings from the start.

Maher is asking a great question. Why didn’t God create a more perfect world? Why create a world with so much evil?

The sages provide an answer to this question through the concept of nahama d’kisufa—literally, “the bread of shame.” The imperfection of our world isn’t a design flaw but rather its essential purpose.

Rabbi Yosef Karo, the 16th century author of the Shulchan Aruch (the code of Jewish law), explains that souls before their descent to earth are “like those who eat bread from the king’s table without serving him.” These souls experience shame at receiving divine sustenance without earning it. They desire to descend into the physical world precisely to escape this shame—to work, to choose righteousness, and to earn their spiritual bread rather than receive it as charity.

“And the Lord God took Adam and placed him in the Garden of Eden to work it and to guard it” (Genesis 2:15). From creation’s very beginning, humanity was tasked with partnership, not passive existence. God deliberately created an incomplete world requiring human effort and choice.

This principle extends beyond creation to redemption itself. Rabbi Hanan Porat teaches that redemption could certainly come all at once through divine intervention alone—what Jewish tradition calls Ateruta Dile’eila (awakening from above). However, such a redemption would forever bear the mark of nahama d’kisufa—the bread of shame.

Instead, God desires Ateruta Diletata (awakening from below)—a redemption that unfolds gradually through human partnership with the divine plan. The prophet Jeremiah speaks to this reality:

This reversal of normal courtship symbolizes how Israel (represented by the woman) must initiate reconciliation with God (the man). It demonstrates Israel’s responsibility to actively participate in the redemption process rather than passively waiting for divine intervention.

Why must redemption unfold slowly, step by step? Because only then can humans genuinely participate as partners rather than passive recipients. Only through this partnership can we escape the bread of shame and claim our redemption as something we helped earn.

Bill Maher asks why God doesn’t simply create perfection from the start. The answer is that such a reality would rob us of our most fundamental gift: genuine freedom to choose and participate in creation’s completion. A world without the possibility of evil would be a world without true free will—and without free will, goodness itself becomes meaningless.

Maher’s question deserves serious engagement rather than dismissal. However, he stops short of seeking the answer. If he continued his spiritual inquiry, he might discover that the imperfection he identifies is not evidence against God’s existence but rather evidence of God’s desire for authentic relationship with humanity.

Today, we witness this principle unfolding in modern Israel. God could certainly bring immediate redemption to His people, vanquishing their enemies and establishing perfect peace in an instant. Yet He restrains His power, inviting us instead to participate in this historic redemption through our own choices and actions.

The prophet Isaiah declares:

Note the dual reality in this verse—God’s glory rises, yet we are commanded to arise and shine. Divine action and human response work in tandem.

This is why Israel365’s annual campaign is so vital. When we support Israel through our three-pronged approach—education combating antisemitism on campuses, advocacy defending God’s undivided land in Washington, and charity sustaining wounded IDF soldiers and bereaved families—we answer this divine invitation. We reject the bread of shame and claim our role as partners in redemption.

For two millennia, Jews and Christians walked separate paths. Today, through Israel365, we stand together in defense of God’s land and biblical truth, bringing light to Israel in its hour of greatest need. Our campaign, “Be A Light For Israel” isn’t merely about supporting a worthy cause—it’s about participating directly in the fulfillment of biblical prophecy.

The question isn’t whether God could bring redemption alone—certainly He could. The question is whether you will seize the opportunity to partner with Him in this sacred work. Will you join Israel365 today? Will you choose to be the light that pushes back darkness? Will you find the blessing that comes from active partnership in God’s redemptive plan for Israel?

Be the Light. Find the Blessing.

BECOME A LIGHT FOR ISRAEL TODAY