religulous

[saz]

Bill Maher has a new film "Religulous," a documentary slated for release October 3 and Huffington Post has an exclusive clip.

The documentary bills itself as an "uproarious nonfiction film about the greatest fiction ever told." It's directed by one of the guys who brought you Borat, Larry Charles, who was also the executive producer of "Curb Your Enthusiasm." You can probably guess that it's going to involve man-on-the-street interviews with unsuspecting believers and a mic-wielding Maher and "gotcha" interviews with religious fanatics who get tangled up in a web of their own contradictions.

Here's an exclusive clip from the movie (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/22/bill-maher-takes-on-relig_n_114325.html).

Also, here's the extended trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qB8fPJ6zds8)

In a statement about the film, Maher explained his rationale for making it:

It has been my pleasure over the last decade and a half to make organized religion one of my favorite targets. I often explained to people, "I don't need to make fun of religion, it makes fun of itself." And, then I go ahead and make fun of it too, just for laughs.

With religious fanatics like George Bush and Osama bin Laden now taking over the world, it seemed to me in recent years that this issue -- this cause of debunking the man behind the curtain -- needed to have a larger, more insistent and focused forum than late night television. I wanted to make a documentary, and I wanted it to be funny. In fact, since there is nothing more ridiculous than the ancient mythological stories that live on as today's religions, this movie would try to be a real knee slapper. Unless, of course, you're religious, then you might not like it.

As part of the film, Maher has also created a website, Disbeliefnet (http://www.disbeliefnet.com/), as a parody of Beliefnet (http://www.beliefnet.com/), the popular spiritual website.

[NoFenders]

He's just a male Madonna (singer). Media whore in other words.

:cool:

[ThatGuy]

He's the hole of an ass...

[WildBaldMonkey]

He really needs to do some research before he attempts to discredit a religion. On his Disbelief website, the article, Jesus Christ and His Magic Kingdom he states "Jesus's big break came when he got an impressive gig baptizing John (a well-known theologian who was also up for the office of next messiah)"...John Baptized Jesus! Why do think he's known as John the Baptist? Also he wasn't "up for the office of next messiah", when the people wanted to know who he was, he told them, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.", basically a forerunner of the Messiah! Seriously, do a little research!!

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%201%20:9-11;&version=31;



http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%201:21-23;&version=31;

[saz]

he's a comedian and he's ridiculing organized religion (y)

[WildBaldMonkey]

Yeah, but his information is inaccurate.

[saz]

not only do you not know if bill wrote that piece, but you're also missing the point. that site is an entire joke, because those behind it view beliefnet, as well as organized religion and its doctrines and texts, as a joke.

[Bob]

not only do you not know if bill wrote that piece, but you're also missing the point. that site is an entire joke, because those behind it view beliefnet, as well as organized religion and its doctrines and texts, as a joke.

in other words it would be like criticizing the onion for having poor fact checkers?

[Waus]

Criticizing the average Christian is like criticizing the average American.

I'd bet a pretty huge part of Christianity doesn't know much about theology, apologetics etc.

I think you could probably make a similar movie and make fun of "patriots" for not knowing a lot about their government's beginning, founding fathers, detailed laws.

I guess what I'm saying is - using subjective ignorance to criticize an objective ideology is stupid.

[QueenAdrock]

I love Bill Maher and can't wait for this movie. (y)

[saz]

I guess what I'm saying is - using subjective ignorance to criticize an objective ideology is stupid.

organized religions aren't objective, but can be rather subjective with prejudiced doctrines and teachings against women and homosexuals.

[ms.peachy]

in other words it would be like criticizing the onion for having poor fact checkers?

Well put.

The trailer looks funny, but I have to say that first clip was a bit dull, I wonder why they chose to release that, of all possible options?

[venusvenus123]

"objective ideology"??? all religions are incredibly subjective--witness the current row in the Anglican church over the crazy idea that women priests could be considered as bishops. outrageous!

any organised religion has a lot to answer for. i could be here all day saying why, but i have doors to sand and paint.

oh yes, and i'll probably be seeing that film.

[Waus]

"objective ideology"??? all religions are incredibly subjective-

I guess what I'm saying is - since it's such a subjective thing, it's not really fair to take one person's beliefs or ignorance and then use that as a generalization to make fun of a whole group of people.

[venusvenus123]

how about, "all religion is objectively quite ridiculous"?

;)

[saz]

I guess what I'm saying is - since it's such a subjective thing, it's not really fair to take one person's beliefs or ignorance and then use that as a generalization to make fun of a whole group of people.

maher isn't just making fun of a few followers of particular faiths, and then stigmatizing an entire flock. like george carlin, he has always spoken out against all organized religions (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IcUumWzue4).

[NoFenders]

It's kinda cheap and lazy.

But then again, it is Bill Maher.

:cool:

[saz]

Bill Maher hates your (fill in the blank) religion (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/the_big_picture/2008/08/bill-maher-hate.html)

06:00 AM PT, Aug 7 2008


In Bill Maher's new documentary, "Religulous," the film's protagonist--Maher himself--feels the same way about the film's subject matter at the beginning as at the end: In other words, he thinks religion is a big crock of spit. You know irreverence is the order of the day when Maher, reacting to a smooth-talking black preacher's boast that he got a great deal on his $2,000 suits, drolly observes, "I find it interesting that you're a Christian, you used to be a Muslim but you buy all your clothes like a Jew."

"Religulous" doesn't open until Oct. 3, but after seeing the movie I couldn't wait to grill Maher about how he managed to get so many deeply religious figures to actually talk to him, since it's obvious to anyone whose ever watched Maher's act (on "Politically Incorrect" or HBO's "Real Time With Bill Maher" or in a comedy club) that he wasn't much of a believer. In many ways, the film is a comic bookend to Sam Harris' "The End of Faith," a humorless best seller that views religion as a bastion of superstition and moral hypocrisy. Although Maher embraces Harris' belief that religion is a destructive force that has brought great pain and suffering into the world--at one point he calls it a neurological disorder--Maher is always searching for the humor in every situation. A longtime acolyte of George Carlin, when Maher confronts a religious zealot or hustler, he prefers mocking over scolding.

Rolling his eyes, often full of derision, Maher gets in his licks with everyone, from a guy playing Jesus at a Holy Land theme park in Orlando to Muslims at a gay bar in Amsterdam to a rabbi who advocates the dissolution of Israel (he wears a card with the slogan "A Jew Not a Zionist"). As everything from "The Gong Show" to "Borat" has proved, real people and situations are often undeniably funnier than anything scripted by the best comic minds. In Holland, Maher is in the midst of questioning a somber Muslim cleric when he's interrupted by the cleric's cellphone, whose ring tone is Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir."

So how did Maher manage to get all these people to actually talk to him? Since "Religulous" was directed by Larry Charles, who also did "Borat," I suspected that subterfuge and trickery were involved. I was not far wrong. Here's how Maher pulled it off:

On how he got people to talk to him: "It was simple: We never, ever, used my name. We never told anybody it was me who was going to do the interviews. We even had a fake title for the film. We called it 'A Spiritual Journey.' It didn't work everywhere. We went to Salk Lake City, but no one would let us film there at all."

On the element of surprise: "Larry Charles' theory is--just keep going till they throw you out. I guess he learned that on 'Borat.' The crew would set up and at the last second, when the cameras were already rolling, I would show up. So either they'd be seen on camera leaving the interview and lose face or they'd have to talk to me. It was like--'And now here's ... Bill!' You could usually see the troubled looks on their faces. At the Holy Land theme park, the PR woman freaked out and finally told us to leave. She was definitely not a happy camper."

On his encounter with Arkansas Sen. Mark Pryor, who tells Maher he believes the biblical account that Earth was created 5,200 years ago: "He's not going to be happy with this movie. I suspect he's going to say that the editing is not favorable to him [laughs]. And he's not completely wrong about that. But we didn't make anything up. When I told him I was worried about people [with such literal interpretations of the Bible] running the country, he's the one who says, 'Well, you don't have to pass an IQ test to be in the Senate.' "

Tomorrow: Bill Maher tells us what he really thinks about religion.

[NoFenders]

I'll never understand amusement by obnoxious actions. So his film is to make fun of others beliefs?? What a great guy.

:cool:

[saz]

He's just a male Madonna (singer). Media whore in other words.

:cool:

It's kinda cheap and lazy.

But then again, it is Bill Maher.

:cool:

I'll never understand amusement by obnoxious actions. So his film is to make fun of others beliefs?? What a great guy.

:cool:

yeah, we got your point the first time, you don't like bill maher.

and yeah, bill is a comedian and he mocks and knocks organized religion. so did george carlin. anyways your last comment though was quite ironic, considering that you've knocked others on here, and hurled insults in the process.

[NoFenders]

yeah, we got your point the first time, you don't like bill maher.

and yeah, bill is a comedian and he mocks and knocks organized religion. so did george carlin. anyways your last comment though was quite ironic, considering that you've knocked others on here, and hurled insults in the process.


I'm glad you get the point. I made another statement about that article you posted where he loves to portray himself as an asshole. Get over it.

Bill is not a comedian, he's an egotistical snob that leans your direction.To compare him to George Carln is an insult to Carlin himself.

It's not ironic since I'm not an egotistical snob. We're all guilty of insulting somebody else. You're insulting all the time to people you have no idea about.Just by what you believe you insult somebody somehow. It's just human nature. Most people are so weak they get insulted pulling into a parking spot.

You trying to call me out is quite laughable though.

Sorry to interupt your Bill love fest.

:cool:

[saz]

I'm glad you get the point. I made another statement about that article you posted where he loves to portray himself as an asshole. Get over it.

there's nothing for me to get over. i know you don't like him and i accept that. so, you don't have to keep repeating it.


Bill is not a comedian, he's an egotistical snob that leans your direction.To compare him to George Carln is an insult to Carlin himself.

an "egotistical snob" eh. comparing maher to carlin is an insult to carlin? not only were they very close friends, but carlin also believed that religion is bullshit (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeSSwKffj9o).


It's not ironic since I'm not an egotistical snob. We're all guilty of insulting somebody else. You're insulting all the time to people you have no idea about.Just by what you believe you insult somebody somehow.

first, i don't hurl insults at people because they see things differently. if you're going to claim that my beliefs are insulting to other people, well, i haven't heard any complaints yet.


You trying to call me out is quite laughable though.

Sorry to interupt your Bill love fest.

:cool:

laughable from your perspective, sure. but then again, you've been called out in this forum so many times. and when you get called out, you either hurl insults, or result to being patronzing, like you're doing so now.