My personal favorite film of the year, even though I ranked others higher...(what can I say, in the end I'm a hopeless romantic who also adores Batman!)
It's an hour and a half spent following Bill Maher around, trying to get answers out of people about what they believe and why on God's name do they believe it? Very funny and even more thought-provoking than say, "Borat" which was also directed by Larry Charles. (and which shares the same premise in that none of the interviewers knew beforehand that they'd be talking to Bill Maher.)
Here are some clips to get you in the mindset of questioning your own beliefs and joining the "I DON'T HAVE A GOD DAMN CLUE" club...
4 comments:
I was always a big fan of Policially Incorrect, but haven't followed Maher much since he moved to HBO, went hardcore left, and targeted religion. At one point, he claimed that he was a Deist, but I think he's abandoned that.
I'd take Maher a little more seriously if he wasn't so cavalier about Global Warming aka Warmonism. I still find him amusing though.
It's interesting that he quotes Franklin, because Franklin was a true Deist, not an atheist, and like most of the Founding Fathers, he firmly believed that our Democracy was created for moral and religious people, and that without religion, society would fall apart.
I'm extremely interested in watching both Maher's film, and Expelled by Ben Stein.
Right...the same Franklin that traveled to France quite often to have numerous affairs. THAT's the religious and moral code our nation needed in order to sustain itself.
You realize that most of the countries we currently have problems with are filled to the brim with religion, right? I mean, "society falling apart?" That's just hogwash. Why am I any less of a decent citizen because I don't choose to believe in a bearded man up in the clouds?
It reminds me of a Student Council teacher in high school (who also taught FCA) who would argue with me that, "If there is no God, no Heaven, why would I be teaching instead of out robbing banks and killing people?" Like that's some deep, dark urge inside of all of us, but we simply don't allow it to boil to the surface for fear we won't be able to reach the afterlife? I would always just answer him, "Cause you'd spend the rest of your life in jail and then be extra pissed when you found out this is all the "life" you get."
But people like Jefferson, who took all of the "magic" out of the New Testament, and made it more about Jesus' teachings and wisdoms, I can respect that. But that's not even close to the crazy religous stuff going on nowadays. That would be looked upon as evil and wicked by today's standards.
I mean, really? Ben Stein's film? You really think that Evolution and Intelligent Design should be taught side by side?
...yet Global Warming is such a myth?!
I'm not arguing that you have to believe, or raise your child to believe, but I am making the case that the societal standards that allow you to live without fear of your neighbor is the TOLERANT belief in God.
I recognize that between numerous battles fought over religion and people who believe "The Gays" are destined to Hell frighten a lot of people away, but if it were determined that there were no Deity, the criminals who already fear judgment would become even more cut throat. There would be less people willing to give their life for their country by joining the military or the police, and less people who would spend their time taking care of other people because they'd be focused on taking care of themselves and their family.
I believe that two or three generations into that type of society, and you'd have anarchy, and after reading Ben Franklin's Biography, I was emboldened in this belief because it's on record that he, and other Founding Fathers like John Adams had a similar view. Franklin may not have been faithful to his wife, but the point of Christianity is that no one is perfect, yet everyone who accepts that Jesus died for our sins is forgiven.
It's fun to tease people about Noah's Ark, but really, what's wrong with the message of Jesus Christ, to love your enemy, to help the needy, and to forgive your debtors? It would fail as a foreign policy, but it's what every individual should strive for.
Well, we're just completely opposite on this subject. I think it's great that future generations are getting less and less religious. People are questioning their beliefs and above all else, not simply going to church in order to "be saved."
What you fear is "anarchy," I believe is progress.
I'm just so confused with the logic in which you believe that a simple belief in God is keeping us from complete disaster. You're saying that criminals, who already have no fear of our laws and prisons on this life, would be even worse if we all gave into the notion that there ain't an afterlife? You really think they're holding back now because they're so full of guilt? You think the type of sickos who rape and murder people spend a lot of time thinking about which religion best suits them?
And I'm sorry, but do you honestly believe that a majority of military and police officers are serving because they have a belief in a higher calling? You don't think other factors like having a job or being able to pay for college kind of overwhelms the needs of "doing's God's work?" And how exactly does a faith in a Deity play out by becoming a cop or soldier? Shouldn't they be missionaries or Priests?
The idea that you have to believe in some sort of "Creator" in order to not be a self-rightous asshole is silly. There's a need inside of me to look after my fellow man and treat others with kindness, not because I hope to score bonus points in the Pearly Gates...but because it's simply the right thing to do.
And finally, the argument of "What's wrong with the message of Jesus" is as pointless and hollow as the argument, "What's the harm with hanging the Ten Commandments in schools?"
How about, "It's not needed?" Or, "The people who usually bring up the "teachings of Jesus" are rarely the ones who themselves strive to be like him."
You spent so much time on your blog ranting and raving about people on welfare and how this stimulus is going to only go towards people buying HDTV's and drugs and blah blah blah...
You think Jesus would give a fuck about some single mother abusing the welfare system? Especially while CEO's and people on Wall Street are stealing billions? It's about having priorities, looking out for the false prophets, and in the end, backing up what you say.
It's more than "teasing people about Noah's Ark." It's about living as Americans first and Christians second. We can't get things like Equal Rights for EVERYONE in this country because there are idiots who still believe it's a "choice" to be Gay. We can't work on finding cures for diseases because fools believe that stem cells are precious and to be tampering with them is the same as killing a child.
The list goes on and on and on and it all comes down to people's beliefs infringing on the rest of our common good.
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