I saw Religulous over the weekend, and it was intriguing, funny at times, a bit shocking and yes a little heavy handed at the end. The film crew was tossed out of the Vatican and off Mormon temple grounds, which didn’t surprise me at all.
Seeing this movie comes on the heels of a conversation I had with Eric about the fact that there are people who have assumed I must be an atheist because I’m not an in your face, bible thumping xtian. First, that’s pretty damn presumptuous, to assume that if I’m not part of the tian army then I HAVE to be an atheist. Second, that’s offensive because it excludes all other faiths that I could ascribe to. Third, frankly its no one’s damn business what faith I practice (or don’t) and it shouldn’t inform your opinion of who I am because I don’t fit into your little check box.
While I am most definitely NOT xtian, and have many issues with this faith… I’m not an atheist. My faith does not instill the virtue that I’m a worthless creature that is always dependent on my G*d, nor does it make me think that I must toil away all my days on the (unproven) chance that if I’m good enough, treat others well enough I might get a little slice of heaven once I’ve passed on. Sorry, not interested in toiling away and missing out on the life I’ve got right now for some (empty) promise of eternal joy that no one can prove exists. I’ll take my joy and happiness now, tyvm. But on to the movie…
It did raise questions without being too offensive, this is Bill Maher after all. What I loved is that he questioned people from the major faiths, showed a couple of “men of the cloth” for the hypocrites they are, and just planted that seed of healthy doubt about some of the religious teachings folks believe.
Of course, Scientology and Mormons were not excluded from the skewering, and inquisitive mind of Maher. I admit I knew nothing about Scientology other than the bit about them believing aliens are residing inside humans. I knew zip about Mormonism until this movie actually, and the fact that the founder claims to have communed with G*d along with Abraham, Jesus, etc… and the fact that people followed this Smith nutter, and that no one calls it a cult (well people who practice it anyway) just amazed me.
All in all, I’d say its a must see movie whether you have faith or not. It may offend those who are deeply religious no matter what the tract; but I think it raises those questions that people often shun and refuse to think about. Mainly, what if I’m wrong and there is no G*d, Jehovah, Allah, etc… because to even think it could cause some people to just melt down, but what I’d hope would happen is that people would step back and just think about what they are doing, what they are devoting themselves to.
There’s more on my mind but it’ll need to wait till I can collect my thoughts and I’m not getting ready to run out the door.
We could let everyone go on and on about how they don’t know anything; least of all about themselves… Once nothing really had any meaning we’d still all be Agnostic.
Still waiting to see when the film is released in the UK. Still remember Bill Maher telling us Brits that the US had the right to see Star Wars before we did.
Guess it all adds to the pleasure delay …