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Religulous
RandomEngy
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Religulous is a movie by Bill Maher, where he talks to and asks questions of a lot of religious people. In my opinion the results are often hilarious. It's aimed at atheists, agnostics and moderates/doubters, with one of the main messages being that it's not a good idea to have people in charge who think the end times could come in the form of a nuclear war. However there's a lot of lightheartedness in the discussions and there were a lot more humorous moments than I was expecting.
My favorite parts were that bald priest in the Vatican, the interview with the senator, and the house full of devices that allow you not to "work" on the sabbath.
Hopefully this won't devolve into a religion debate, but, discuss!
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I saw the TDS interview and what he said there and what I saw of the movie (talking about scientology while dressed up like a bum) was pretty sharp. I doubt the movie is ever going to be released outside the US, but I think it's good movies like this are being made. Sometimes you just need someone laughing the face of religion.
My understanding based on a few reviews is that this is largely true until about 3/4 of the way through, when it suddenly gets all serious and "Religion will destroy us all" on you.
Religious types were extremely offended that NPR's Fresh Air had Maher and Charles on to talk about Religulous. So much so that NPR's web staff had to banhammer some of the comments and even post a reminder for people to keep it civil. This is NPR I'm talking about!
This film is showing at a local theater, and I'm sure there will be a bunch of fundies protesting it. This area is crawling with them. About every week there's a Letter to the Editor in my local paper evoking His name and Lord this, true God, Jesus says, and so on. I'm sure I'll get to read a whole bunch more with an article yesterday saying,
"Yes, I couldn't help but notice that Ms. Palin was probably going to be pretty good for my movie," he says, flashing that trademark -- and just a tad smug -- Maher grin.
"It's scary that a country that just went through eight years of an anti-intellectual, anti-science, Jesus-freak president, and saw him drive the country into a ditch, still can't connect the dots."
Steam ID - BewilderedRonin
No offence to any sane people on the Comedy Central's forums/comments. But I glanced over the Indecision blog once and read some comments and I don't think I ever want to read through any of that again. :?
If it turns out that he does have something beyond obvious commentary and snide humor, I might watch, but otherwise I can just read the Atheists thread and save myself a few bucks.
https://twitter.com/Hooraydiation
Personally, I'd like the see the interview with the Vatican guy who's like, "yeah, the whole Jesus resurrection thing is a bunch of bologna." I want to see it because I like Bill Maher and I want to laugh at some of the wackos he interviews. It's not being billed as serious or hard-hitting, it's a comedy and I doubt this movie is going to really inform or persuade anyone.
So, in your case, it might be best to save your money and maybe rent it on NetFlix or catch it on TV in a year or two.
Steam ID - BewilderedRonin
I actually did like that film.
Not that I understand why you brought it up. Predictability in a historical film that is known for the strength of its performances is a far cry from a humorous documentary that documents only well-worn ground.
https://twitter.com/Hooraydiation
Not everyone is as sure of their footing where religion is concerned as yourself.
I really fucking hate religious peoples.
EDIT: Not that I think it's impossible that there at least one bishop in the Vatican who doesn't believe... but finding him and getting him to say it openly in front of a camera would be something.
It definitely wasn't made to change anybody's mind, though...just something to entertain/depress people who are already agnostic or atheist.
Although, my religious girlfriend was excited to go see it with me, but she does have a healthy bit of agnosticism and can enjoy laughing at religious nutjobs.
That's about all I have to contribute.
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Overall, it was a fun show. I got some real laughs out of it.
Reminds me of the 9/11 Conspiracy club rep we saw at Club Day on campus last year (yes, my old university had a 9/11 conspiracy club for some reason). So me and this girl were walking around the club kiosks looking for cool ones to join, and when we passed near that 9/11 conspiracy one the guy started talking and telling us about the lies. Anyway, after a minute or two of listening to his ramblings, I turn to the girl and say "You can keep listening to him if you want, I'll be standing at a polite distance." She turns back and says "Oh, I thought you were listening to him. Let's go."
Letters have been written.
https://twitter.com/Hooraydiation
It was mentioned on NPR's Fresh Air. (you can hear it by clicking the red speaker button. i think you need flash)
Sorry it took so long to get back to you, I was listening to it again to check who the guy was. His name is Father Reginald Foster, he is American and he's the Chief Latinist at the Vatican. He has an office and apartment right down the hall from the pope, according to Maher, but only met Pope John Paul once when he was anointed pope. Larry Charles said when Father Foster was asked about the Jesus resurrection and rising from Hell, Father Foster opined, "Oh, Hell. That's a bunch of nonsense." Maher later noted that Foster basically summed up the bible as, "you know, people need their stories."
Steam ID - BewilderedRonin
Good to know I'm not the only one who finds Maher to be a smug, arrogant shit.
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I'm less disapointed by Religulous, more disapointed by the lack of choke.
Also I envy him and his perverted snorting-coke-off-a-Thai-hooker's-tits ways.
The Archbishop of Canterbury has said Christians don't need to believe in the Virgin Birth.
that's rather well for only being released in 502 theatres
I was surprised...we were like the only people there under 45, too. If I had to pick a general demographic that this movie would not appeal to it would be seniors, who tend to be more religious, but there were 10-15 older people watching it with us.
I like that on TDS he didn't stand with Atheists either because they were also certain and he doesn't like certainty. He was basically a guy asking "How do you know for sure that this is true?" and it was fun to see people use something silly to make their case.
Also did anyone else cringe when
My mom is also curious about that amusement park in Orlando, Florida.
And as Taximes said, I too am surprised a lot of 30+ were there including senior citizens. But I guess they won free passes and weren't going to turn it down.
Overall I enjoyed it just as much as I enjoy his tv show on HBO. I think sometimes he can be a dick though, which is why I like that he had people take shots back at him in the movie and on his show. But most of the time I do think he is right about a lot of things.
It stays fairly light-hearted until the very last little monologue he does, however, I absolutely love some of the points that he brings up, things that I think really do need to be mentioned. Like, how the entire story of Jesus is basically copy&pasted out of almost every single (older) religion in the world.
And yeah, the Vatican guy was awesome for being able to stand there and say that no body is going to burn in hell for not believing in the bible.
That, and the Vatican Astronomer who basically said that anyone that believes there is even a hint of science in the bible is an idiot, because the development of modern science was so far removed from the writing of the bible that it just isn't possible.
Over all, I just thought it was a really good movie. Just be prepared for a bit of "Either grow up and out of religion or die." in the ending monologue. Beyond that though, he mostly does it all with a fair dose of light-heartedness.
PSN: SAW776
I think I just became Catholic again
If he goes after religion and tries claiming that anyone who believes in God is automatically an idiot, that's just stupid. Since God can't be disproven, he'd be treating a strong belief (atheism) like fact, and would be no better than the fundies when it comes to his argument style.
It looks like it's going to be the former, in which case, it could be an interesting film.
You need to get those mood swings under control dude :P
I would say that he is attacking Religion and not Faith or Spirituality. And I think that there is a big difference between them. He basically takes the stance that organized religion is bad, but that he can totally understand the need to have faith in someone whose on your side.
He mentions that in his 40's, he was going through some shit, and made a deal with God that if He fixed it, he'd give up smoking. He said that at that point in his life, it was important to believe in something, and it actually helped him keep his promise to stop smoking.
He also compares God to an Agent--sometimes you just need to believe that there is someone out there who, while maybe they don't love you, is at least working for you.
Maher makes a point to make idiots out of the Evangelical preachers who ask for money from poor people while they wear $2,000 suits and mountains of gold. He doesn't go after anyone, that I can remember, for simply believing in God. He goes after them for checking their logic and reason at the door and daring to argue that Jonah survived inside of a big fish for three days, but that Jack and the Bean Stalk is just plain silly.
So, yeah. The Torah, Bible, and Koran are what he is trying to tear apart, not the idea of God in the slightest.
PSN: SAW776
When that happened the whole theater erupted into laughter. It was pretty much the best part of the movie.