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| RELIGULOUS: Finally, a Movie for Atheists Like Me [Bill Maher]
| acolyte 
Beyond The Rubicon
User ID: 308272
10/13/2008 3:27 AM
Report abusive post | RELIGULOUS: Finally, a Movie for Atheists Like Me [Bill Maher]
| Quote |
[link to www.alternet.org]
Religulous: Finally, a Movie for Atheists Like Me
Posted by DJK, Brave New Films at 12:39 PM on October 11, 2008.
Religulous – documentary – 101 min – directed by Larry Charles – starring Bill Maher)
Finally, a movie for my people! That's right, I'm an atheist. In fact, I'm so much of an atheist that I don't even like the term. I think the default setting for humans is to not be religious — I might as well call myself a non-snake handler, non-scientologist, or a non-branch Davidian.
But enough about me. Religulous, directed by Borat director Larry Charles, follows Bill Maher as he travels the world questioning religious "experts" and believers about the inherent contradictions and accepted silliness that makes up the bulk of the world's "organized" religions. Maher is not an atheist — he just accepts that he does not know the answers to life's big spiritual questions, and that anyone who claims to know with absolute certainty what God or Allah wants or what happens when we die must be doubted to the utmost. Pretty hard to argue with that.
Maher has been talking about religion for his entire comedic career. At times, the movie feels a bit like watching his stand up being performed to an audience of one, whether it be a Jew for Jesus, a Muslim cleric, or an evangelical senator. Which is not a bad thing — there are big laughs in Religulous as Maher boldly challenges the many illogical, violent, farcical beliefs that form the foundation of most religions. Unlike Borat, Religulous uses a lot of stock footage and clips to punctuate its jokes, while also adding a welcome dose of infotainment. For example, who knew that the story of Jesus — with its virgin birth, 12 disciples and resurrection — is a variation of a tale that had been circulating the Middle East and the Mediterranean for decades?
While Maher does more than his fair share of attacking and mocking, the believers in the film are the most effective in making a mockery of themselves. When you hear people speaking in tongues, declaring that humans coexisted peacefully with dinosaurs, or explaining how prayer can cure homosexuality, it's hard not to conclude that religion is simply an accepted form of mass insanity. And in several refreshing turns, religious officials admit that they are teaching illogical fantasy, that their institutions are rife with hypocrisy, and make fun of their religion's more fundamentalist sects.
Some may find Maher's manner to be condescending or overly aggressive, and sometimes it is. Maher has obviously spent a lot of time studying religion to find its weak points and inconsistencies, and he clearly enjoys confronting people about them. But while Maher can be quite pointed, he often just asks people questions so viewers can hear what these true believers have to say. And it's not that he's springing "gotcha" questions — is it wrong to ask a devout Christian if they really believe in talking snakes or how Jesus could be three people at once?
Religulous focuses mainly on Christianity, Islam, and occasionally on Judaism. Eastern religions like Buddhism and Taoism are excluded, which makes sense to me since I see those as being philosophies more than they are religions. And, unfortunately, the movie ends on a preachy, conspicuously unfunny note as Maher unloads his feelings on why religion is a danger to civilization and, combined with increasingly powerful weaponry, could potentially destroy the earth. I actually agree with much of this sentiment, but the tone and placement of this polemic ends a good movie on a sour note.
Still, Religulous is an entertaining, thought-provoking movie that even religious people will enjoy, especially if they’re able to get a laugh at their own expense. If they aren’t, well, that sort of proves the whole point Religulous and Bill Maher are trying to make.
A FORUM WHERE YOU CAN SPEAK YOUR MIND
[link to speakyourmind.co.za] |
| FAR
User ID: 412806
10/13/2008 3:57 AM | | Re: RELIGULOUS: Finally, a Movie for Atheists Like Me [Bill Maher] | Quote |
Bill Maher looks like he's related to the British queen and George B.
Read - for thy sustainer is the most bountiful one, who has taught the use of the pen, taught man what he did not know!
Nay verily man becomes grossly overweening, whenever he believes himself to be self-sufficient: for behold unto thy sustainer all must return.
Quran 96:3-8
[link to www.islamicity.com]
__________
"Investors must look at this situation as a portfolio opportunity. If you have some extra land (condo developers and house flippers, listen closely), grow a vegetable garden, if you are ambitious, raise some sheep and cows, they will come in handy".
__________
How we got here: [link to www.hundredyearlie.com]
Cure: [link to www.youtube.com]
__________
Plasma aliens: [link to www.plasmametaphysics.com]
__________
Were your ancestors pedophiles? [link to www.youtube.com]
__________
[link to www.terrorism-illuminati.com] |
| FAR
User ID: 412806
10/13/2008 3:59 AM | | Re: RELIGULOUS: Finally, a Movie for Atheists Like Me [Bill Maher] | Quote |
"Crazy people who still think the government brought down the Twin Towers in a controlled explosion have to stop pretending that I'm the one who's being naïve. How big a lunatic do you have to be to watch two giant airliners packed with jet fuel slam into buildings on live TV, igniting a massive inferno that burned for two hours, and then think, 'well, if you believe that was the cause...' " - billy
Read - for thy sustainer is the most bountiful one, who has taught the use of the pen, taught man what he did not know!
Nay verily man becomes grossly overweening, whenever he believes himself to be self-sufficient: for behold unto thy sustainer all must return.
Quran 96:3-8
[link to www.islamicity.com]
__________
"Investors must look at this situation as a portfolio opportunity. If you have some extra land (condo developers and house flippers, listen closely), grow a vegetable garden, if you are ambitious, raise some sheep and cows, they will come in handy".
__________
How we got here: [link to www.hundredyearlie.com]
Cure: [link to www.youtube.com]
__________
Plasma aliens: [link to www.plasmametaphysics.com]
__________
Were your ancestors pedophiles? [link to www.youtube.com]
__________
[link to www.terrorism-illuminati.com] |
| Strossus
scaremonger
User ID: 498216
10/13/2008 4:01 AM
 | | Re: RELIGULOUS: Finally, a Movie for Atheists Like Me [Bill Maher] | Quote |
He doesn't believe 9/11 was an inside job, he's an ignorant sheeple.
"We're not scaremongering, this is really happening." |
| scatterbrain
User ID: 498216
10/13/2008 4:01 AM
 | | Re: RELIGULOUS: Finally, a Movie for Atheists Like Me [Bill Maher] | Quote |
He doesn't believe 9/11 was an inside job, he's an ignorant sheeple. Quoting: Strossus
But he's still funny and smart on other topics  |
| Anonymous Coward
User ID: 463567
10/13/2008 4:04 AM | | Re: RELIGULOUS: Finally, a Movie for Atheists Like Me [Bill Maher] | Quote |
GREAT..NOW YOU CAN PEACEFULLY GO TO HELL...YOUR TRUE HOME. |
| Anonymous Coward
User ID: 482097
10/13/2008 4:05 AM | | Re: RELIGULOUS: Finally, a Movie for Atheists Like Me [Bill Maher] | Quote |
even if i tend to a agree with him on religion, someone needs to punch that smug nose of his, that fucking sell-out piece of garbage |
| Poe
User ID: 284011
10/17/2008 2:27 PM
 | | Re: RELIGULOUS: Finally, a Movie for Atheists Like Me [Bill Maher] | Quote |
Has anyone seen this? I live in the south so they're not going to play it here. Will have to wait for DVD.
“Whatever women must do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult.”
~ Charlotte Whitton |
| Uber
User ID: 401041
10/17/2008 2:37 PM | | Re: RELIGULOUS: Finally, a Movie for Atheists Like Me [Bill Maher] | Quote |
Well if you watch the movie... he thinks atheists are stupid too |
| zen warrior
User ID: 485158
10/17/2008 2:44 PM | | Re: RELIGULOUS: Finally, a Movie for Atheists Like Me [Bill Maher] | Quote |
[ link to www.alternet.org]
Religulous: Finally, a Movie for Atheists Like Me
Posted by DJK, Brave New Films at 12:39 PM on October 11, 2008.
Religulous – documentary – 101 min – directed by Larry Charles – starring Bill Maher)
Finally, a movie for my people! That's right, I'm an atheist. In fact, I'm so much of an atheist that I don't even like the term. I think the default setting for humans is to not be religious — I might as well call myself a non-snake handler, non-scientologist, or a non-branch Davidian.
But enough about me. Religulous, directed by Borat director Larry Charles, follows Bill Maher as he travels the world questioning religious "experts" and believers about the inherent contradictions and accepted silliness that makes up the bulk of the world's "organized" religions. Maher is not an atheist — he just accepts that he does not know the answers to life's big spiritual questions, and that anyone who claims to know with absolute certainty what God or Allah wants or what happens when we die must be doubted to the utmost. Pretty hard to argue with that.
Maher has been talking about religion for his entire comedic career. At times, the movie feels a bit like watching his stand up being performed to an audience of one, whether it be a Jew for Jesus, a Muslim cleric, or an evangelical senator. Which is not a bad thing — there are big laughs in Religulous as Maher boldly challenges the many illogical, violent, farcical beliefs that form the foundation of most religions. Unlike Borat, Religulous uses a lot of stock footage and clips to punctuate its jokes, while also adding a welcome dose of infotainment. For example, who knew that the story of Jesus — with its virgin birth, 12 disciples and resurrection — is a variation of a tale that had been circulating the Middle East and the Mediterranean for decades?
While Maher does more than his fair share of attacking and mocking, the believers in the film are the most effective in making a mockery of themselves. When you hear people speaking in tongues, declaring that humans coexisted peacefully with dinosaurs, or explaining how prayer can cure homosexuality, it's hard not to conclude that religion is simply an accepted form of mass insanity. And in several refreshing turns, religious officials admit that they are teaching illogical fantasy, that their institutions are rife with hypocrisy, and make fun of their religion's more fundamentalist sects.
Some may find Maher's manner to be condescending or overly aggressive, and sometimes it is. Maher has obviously spent a lot of time studying religion to find its weak points and inconsistencies, and he clearly enjoys confronting people about them. But while Maher can be quite pointed, he often just asks people questions so viewers can hear what these true believers have to say. And it's not that he's springing "gotcha" questions — is it wrong to ask a devout Christian if they really believe in talking snakes or how Jesus could be three people at once?
Religulous focuses mainly on Christianity, Islam, and occasionally on Judaism. Eastern religions like Buddhism and Taoism are excluded, which makes sense to me since I see those as being philosophies more than they are religions. And, unfortunately, the movie ends on a preachy, conspicuously unfunny note as Maher unloads his feelings on why religion is a danger to civilization and, combined with increasingly powerful weaponry, could potentially destroy the earth. I actually agree with much of this sentiment, but the tone and placement of this polemic ends a good movie on a sour note.
Still, Religulous is an entertaining, thought-provoking movie that even religious people will enjoy, especially if they’re able to get a laugh at their own expense. If they aren’t, well, that sort of proves the whole point Religulous and Bill Maher are trying to make.
I saw the movie and it was very entertaining and even had a few well thought out intellectual points. The ending was my favorite when he chastises the world for blind faith and the results war, division and ignorance. I think Mr. Maher is right on about how stupid religion is, but he is still very much a capitalist, materialist and interested in his worldview! |
| Anonymous Coward
User ID: 528825
10/17/2008 2:46 PM | | Re: RELIGULOUS: Finally, a Movie for Atheists Like Me [Bill Maher] | Quote |
Bill Maher is not much better than O'Reilly. Honestly, they should hook up and make beautiful asshole music together. |
| Anonymous Coward
User ID: 520854
10/17/2008 2:48 PM | | Re: RELIGULOUS: Finally, a Movie for Atheists Like Me [Bill Maher] | Quote |
Bill Maher is a sanctimonious elitist prick and I agree he is no better than O'Reilly - equally arrogant. |
| Poe
User ID: 284011
10/17/2008 2:50 PM
| | Re: RELIGULOUS: Finally, a Movie for Atheists Like Me [Bill Maher] | Quote |
I saw the movie and it was very entertaining and even had a few well thought out intellectual points. The ending was my favorite when he chastises the world for blind faith and the results war, division and ignorance. I think Mr. Maher is right on about how stupid religion is, but he is still very much a capitalist, materialist and interested in his worldview! Quoting: zen warrior 485158
Thank you. I don't know much about Bill Maher but I do thoroughly enjoy an equal opportunity mockfest.
“Whatever women must do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult.”
~ Charlotte Whitton |
| Kristina
User ID: 272356
10/17/2008 2:50 PM | | Re: RELIGULOUS: Finally, a Movie for Atheists Like Me [Bill Maher] | Quote |
Has anyone seen this? I live in the south so they're not going to play it here. Will have to wait for DVD. Quoting: Poe
I'm in the same boat you are. I live in Alabama and surprise, surprise, it's not showing in the whole state! |
| Anonymous Coward
User ID: 454845
10/17/2008 2:51 PM | | Re: RELIGULOUS: Finally, a Movie for Atheists Like Me [Bill Maher] | Quote |
it's an entertaining movie, but yeah, maher can get pretty obnoxious. |
| Poe
User ID: 284011
10/17/2008 2:53 PM
| | Re: RELIGULOUS: Finally, a Movie for Atheists Like Me [Bill Maher] | Quote |
I'm in the same boat you are. I live in Alabama and surprise, surprise, it's not showing in the whole state! Quoting: Kristina
I was even surprised they were showing "W" here! ;)
“Whatever women must do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult.”
~ Charlotte Whitton |
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