Bill Maher’s new documentary Religulous is, as the title plainly suggests, a satirical look at religious beliefs and their consequences in modern society. Although he takes swipes at Mormonism and Scientology, two religions which have gotten much media play in the last couple of years (Mormonism, with the presidential candidacy of Mitt Romney; Scientology, with the strange coterie of empty-headed Hollywood fans of L. Ron Hubbard), the three major faiths (Christianity, Judaism and Islam) are the main targets here. Maher finds some rather colorful figures to have fun with, from a gathering of truckers in a semi-trailer chapel, to a Puerto-Rican with a sizable congregation who actually believes himself to be the second-coming of Christ, to a fervently anti-Zionist Rabbi, to a confused Muslim rapper, to a Dutch man whose faith centers around cannabis, even a U.S. Senator who seems to take the Creation myth at face-value. These are easy targets for Maher, and he makes the most of the opportunities. He cracks wise relentlessly, and the film’s editing underscores the effect of his jabs. Maher says or asks something that exposes a hole in the interviewee’s reasoning, the camera cuts to the latter’s face which is locked in a clueless stare.
Yet, we do laugh along with Maher, because a) his shots, even the cheap ones, are funny, and b) these people are truly Wackos. Speaking of which, Maher travels to a Christianity-themed attraction in Orlando and interviews the earnest portrayer of Jesus who demonstrates, maybe more that anyone else in the film, the disconnect that exists between faith and reason. While Maher has fun knocking these softballs out of the park, he also deals with the fundamentals of the big faiths themselves, and ruminates on the absurdity of canonical beliefs in the face of science and common sense. He is an advocate for doubt, a crusader for clear thinking.
This a one-sided attack, as Maher talks with precious few capable defenders of the faith (in fact, two of the more credible voices in the film belong to a couple of older Catholic priests who openly dismiss a fundamentalist reading of the Bible); and he’s preaching to the choir with me, but it’s a good film. It’s lively, fast-paced, with plenty of laughs.
Maher’s travels around the globe are peppered with scenes of violence, presumably religious-fueled, yet it really isn’t until the end of the film where Maher turns serious, pleading for a public revolt against religion. And, this is the serious message underlying the lampooning: that religion is often a poisonous thing, especially when its victims are those with real power in this world.
Yet, we do laugh along with Maher, because a) his shots, even the cheap ones, are funny, and b) these people are truly Wackos. Speaking of which, Maher travels to a Christianity-themed attraction in Orlando and interviews the earnest portrayer of Jesus who demonstrates, maybe more that anyone else in the film, the disconnect that exists between faith and reason. While Maher has fun knocking these softballs out of the park, he also deals with the fundamentals of the big faiths themselves, and ruminates on the absurdity of canonical beliefs in the face of science and common sense. He is an advocate for doubt, a crusader for clear thinking.
This a one-sided attack, as Maher talks with precious few capable defenders of the faith (in fact, two of the more credible voices in the film belong to a couple of older Catholic priests who openly dismiss a fundamentalist reading of the Bible); and he’s preaching to the choir with me, but it’s a good film. It’s lively, fast-paced, with plenty of laughs.
Maher’s travels around the globe are peppered with scenes of violence, presumably religious-fueled, yet it really isn’t until the end of the film where Maher turns serious, pleading for a public revolt against religion. And, this is the serious message underlying the lampooning: that religion is often a poisonous thing, especially when its victims are those with real power in this world.
