Religulous does show some of the dark sides of organized religion coupled with humor, and in Maher’s defense I can see why he has such antipathy towards religion. Maher has valid criticisms about organized religion in general because all faiths have been hijacked one time or another by crazies, lunatics, and extremists. All you have to do is take a look at the injustices, murders, travesties, genocide, and jihad committed in the name of religion. Mix in the motives behind some of the religious, like power, greed, money, and even sex (sounds a lot like politics). Follow it with hypocrisy, misrepresentation, outrageous interpretation, and commercialization, and what’s left? It’s amazing we don’t have more doubting Thomases.
According to Maher, “Faith means making a virtue out of not thinking; it is nothing to brag about.” This is coming from a comedian who brags about smoking pot and shouldn't be taken seriously, however, it is one thing to attack organized religion and another thing to infer all people of faith lack intellect.
If generating doubt in faith was the objective of Maher and Religulous, it failed in my case and has actually emboldened my faith. If his message is that people of faith should cultivate more humility, then he prevails. Motives aside, Maher does display quite a bit of haughtiness on a topic of which he is so close-minded.
In the end, I did enjoy Religulous. I also have to confess that I do like Bill Maher, he always has that “cat that ate the canary” smirk on his face.
NEW RULE: Documentaries about religion have to include more than a few characters that have more education then Spongebob and an IQ over 70.
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Article comments
1 - Alie James
I think a review is especially effective when the reviewer is up front and honest about his or her bias. That way, you really don't know what you're going to get. Christine, now I'm the one that's curious. Thanks.
2 - Christine Lakatos
Thanks Alie, I forgot to mention, since I don't get out much, LOL, I missed this film when it cam out in theaters so I bought the DVD. Worth watching!
3 - Jordan Richardson
I didn't really like this movie at all. I thought the entire closing segment was idiotic, with Maher posing and posturing over corny "fear" music and visions of destruction while telling us all how dangerous religion is.
Prior to that, his insistence on his indifference and on his "doubt" seemed sensible, but he really blew himself out of the water with the conclusion. Gone was the passive, smug, amusing observer of 90% of the documentary. In place of that, Maher became one of them with no humour, no sarcasm or derision. That he was outright serious during the closing segment was the really insulting thing.
4 - Dyrkness
Bill Maher is a a comedienne? I thought he was a he.