Bill Maher has a new documentary coming out called Religulous. Here's the trailer:
The only commentary I'll offer is that I'd be surprised if Bill actually talked to anyone who might prove him wrong or challenge his assumptions. It seems to me that he's managed to round up everybody on the fringe of religion and make wild claims on the whole shebang.
Anyway...
A note on the title from Wikipedia, "the title of the film is a portmanteau derived from the words 'religion' and 'ridiculous,' implying the satirical nature of the documentary that is meant to mock the concept of organized religion and the problems it brings about."
Check out the disbeliefnet.com site for more.
Thoughts?
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Comments (26)
Two questions, though:
1) What do you have to say to the Christ of the Gospels, as you read them for yourself, and
2) If not Christ, then what? Are you, Maher, just peddling more post-modern compost, as explored by Evan Sayet? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...
America is amazing, ergo America is amazing.
p.s. liberals hate America because they question the usefulness of this logic.
I would disagree with your statement that Maher has never done anything worthwhile. As silly as it was sometimes, Politically Incorrect routinely put people of wildly varied worldviews together. It was definitely interesting.
As a rational skeptic who believes in God, I am a little tired of these repetitious attempts at "humor" delving into whether any or selected or all religious beliefs are true or valid. The bottom line is, IF there is an omnipotent God who created the universe, then that God is outside space, time and matter, so there is no rational test. Personal experience may lead an individual to accept that such a God exists. Mine has, in a very quiet and subtle way. Maher's little comedy makes as much sense to me as Missouri and Wisconsin Synod Lutherans calling each other names. Now I could explain, seriously, why I am not a Roman Catholic, nor a Mormon, nor a Lutheran, Muslim, Buddhist, why I am not Jewish, why I am not a member of the Southern Baptist Convention... but I don't laugh at those who are. The best jokes about religion are told by believers, not by disbelievers. Remember all those great jokes Catholic kids told about priests and nuns and the rituals of their church? Who else could have told them so authentically? Maher falls flat, because he is laughing at what he doesn't know.
Then the Lord said, “These prophets are telling lies in my name. I did not send them or tell them to speak. I did not give them any messages. They prophesy of visions and revelations they have never seen or heard. They speak foolishness made up in their own lying hearts. - Jeremiah 14:14
I agree with what you say, and if he (Bill) did interview anybody that could give anything close to a level headed answer to the reality of faith in Christ, then they won't be included any more than Microsoft would have included into the Mojave website footage of people who didn't like the 'new' platform :-)
Maybe someone should only interview hard-line communist dictators to get a view of what 'all' atheists are like?
Regarding the attitude of people like Bill Maher, we need to remember that this is precisely the kind of attitude that we can expect. The gospel is utter foolishness to people who don't 'get' it, and if we could look at the Gospel through his uninformed eyes, we'd agree. The idea that believing in a dying man who came back from the dead can wash us of all that's wrong with us is absolute crazy-thinking... 1Cor 1:23, but that's what I love about the Gospel, it bypasses the intellectuals and the great and the noble and saves the meek, the lowly, the so-called 'stupid'.
And if being stupid means that I've been blessed with the love of Jesus and His salvation and His life and His right-ness, then call me all the stupids under the sun.
Does that make sense? (But even asking that is outside of the rules--it is what the "intellectuals" would ask--and your religion is for the meek.)
As far as this movie goes, I think the history of pop culture shows that blasphemy sells. You've got Madonna, Prince, even Michael Jackson who were happy to assume divine attributes to boost their show business careers (Michael Jackson once told fans at a concert "I would die for you" and at one time was worshiped in certain JW circles as the "Archangel Michael.") What better way to sell tickets then by launching an attack on organized religion? Too bad Mr. Maher values his immortal soul less than a big payout at the box office.
We are not talking racism, sexism, or homophobia; but this country does have a history of anti-atheist, populist witch-hunts. And it continues today where even subtle things, like prayer in congress and "God" in presidential speeches, makes it clear that there is an in-group, and an out-group. And it isn't the atheist that are this country's in-group.
Now I know you all believe that this country is run by atheists and the anti-god-left-liberal media. Maybe you are right. But just check out a poll or two. This country is overwhelmingly religious (on the level of Iran), even if they aren't all your particular brand of Christian. And these are the people Maher is talking about. The voters. The populists. The people who guide our foreign policy on the basis of what they read in a book of dubious origins drafted 2000 years ago and revised innumerable times in the duration. Those are the people he wants to stand up against and say, STOP, listen to reason, and please--for once--doubt yourself.
Bring it on.
J
I also have a question. Why do nonbelievers spend so much time, energy and money to disprove something they feel is no more than a fairytale?