Actually you don't need the command line to be a Maemo 'expert', as you don't need it to be an expert of any contemporary Linux distribution.

I'm a proud Linux user since 2002 and I have proudly escaped from the command line in order to squeez and tame the lovely free desktop.

Like others have said in this thread, the path of growth goes next to the community. The commandline is lovely if you need it for what you want to achieve. Otherwise, you can happily forget about it. And same with programming. There are many ways to get involved and become an 'expert' in your field of interest. Programming is just one of the possibilities.

Actually there are surely less programmers than you think hefe in talk.maemo.org.