:: gia’s blog ::

19 Responses

1. Kelly says:

   September 3, 2008 at 1:42 am

   I’m excited about to see this as well. I actually thought of you when I heard about it last week. ;)

   Have you seen this yet? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02CRWsfxQdE

   I didn’t think I was going to find it that amusing when my friend sent it to me, but man, there are some priceless gems in there. They even prove the existence of Santa Claus!
2. bruce says:

   September 3, 2008 at 9:31 am

   Wow… that’s amazing that Lionsgate have got the balls to release this.
   Borat I get… there are not that many Kazakhstanis to piss off but religion..I can’t wait. It should be interesting.
3. giagia says:

   September 3, 2008 at 9:36 am

   Holy shit! I can NOT believe they are for real, Kelly! Hahaha! What IDIOTS! Oh my god… (EDIT: They aren’t real. Well, read their blog. It’s incredibly subtle satire. I hope.)

   I’m waiting for all the ‘defenders of religion’ from my Atheist Reading List post to come and defend these people…
4. Kelly says:

   September 3, 2008 at 2:17 pm

   Yeah, when I watched it, I wasn’t really sure if they were real or not…but it was good for laughs either way. Will check out the blog for further entertainment.
5. James says:

   September 3, 2008 at 3:19 pm

   “I’m waiting for all the ‘defenders of religion’ from my Atheist Reading List post to come and defend these people…”

   Does that include me? Well, my order or ranking goes:

   defend religion < defend American inbreds

   So I’m out. Only joking of course. In all serious, my response would be that I can’t criticize the film until I’ve seen it. It LOOKS like its going to be another Moore-esque (i.e. crap) film that relies on biased editing (do any Christians wear suits in that film?) and making ”the opposition” look stupid by randomly walking up to any psychologically disturbed person/person genuinely in a hurry they can find on the street and asking them a series of leading questions. I doubt the best of us wouldn’t find a filming crew coming out of nowhere a little daunting, most blush on family holiday photos.

   I already know America is unique in the world for the shear number of lunatics in sandwich boards that walk the streets, so why should I see this film? The presenter has got a face you want to hit for a start – I mean look how arrogant his grin is. But ultimately, how can any documentary report that is designed to make someone choose to watch it rather than say Mamma Mia! be a neutral, academic debate?

   This film will, I’m guessing, simply be more evidence of the overwhelming need for America to develop a proper welfare system and to ban firearms (a statement which, annoyingly, Michael Moore has made millions off in film revenues). I associate America with crime and poverty, it is after all a country built on racism, profiteering and gun slinging. Looking at the incredulous crime statistics for America (FBI murder statistics for 2005, 50% of murder victims in America in 2005 were black), it is no surprise that so many individuals in America are driven to the point of despair. I am however not of course suggesting that to be religious you have to be desperate.

   ‘Lolz – that idiot Christian believes in talking snakes’. I mean come, it’s not hard to make George Bush look like an idiot, he does it for free all the time. Well done America, you elected a plank of wood as your President, deal with it. Rather than poking fun, maybe this film should try and address why so many Americans hold skewed religious views? It’d be interesting to see a documentary that attempts to map and explore religious views across America according to race, poverty, state laws and crime levels. I’m guessing all this film will achieve is a few cheap jokes and a smug cinema audience.

   On a slightly seperate note:

   In Obama, (yet again) we see a Democratic presidential candidate who promises ‘real change’ after years of Republican domination. Isn’t a shame that nearly 50% of Democrats supported a hate campaign against Obama? I won’t go into policy specific issues and I do believe there gaping holes in his manifesto. However, I do broadly believe he should be the next president as I gather so do you.

   Interestingly, on faith his website says, ‘[there is a] need for religious people to translate their concerns into universal, rather than religion-specific, values during public debate.’ Where do you think ‘Religulous’ stands in relation to that statement? Obama is also a Christian is he not? Do you know if this film gives mention to Obama and his faith policy?
6. Steve says:

   September 3, 2008 at 3:53 pm

   And ‘defender of religion’ had better not include me…
7. giagia says:

   September 3, 2008 at 4:51 pm

   James, watch some more clips from the film.

   Here is the Congressman who believes in ‘talking snakes’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWvdEE7NStw

   Here’s Bill talking to a Muslim Burka store owner:
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6q5jnqcYN8

   Here he’s talking to “Jesus”:
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8v36iUQ6dY

   The film seems to be about religious beliefs *generally* though the driving force behind it is COMEDY.

   See, Bill Maher is a stand-up comedian who has been doing political comedy programmes on tv since, oh, well before Jon Stewart. He’s a Libertarian with very wide-ranging political beliefs though seems to hate the neo-cons fiercely.

   Here’s a great video of him talking politics and the ‘idiocy’ of the American population at the Democratic National Convention the other week (pre-Palin):
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0mWi2NYAe0

   Here he is talking evolution and creationism:
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmar4-NAJWc
8. James says:

   September 3, 2008 at 5:50 pm

   Thanks for the videos GIa, but Christ, that guy is unbearable.

   What’s his background, has he only ever lived in the world of media? I ask because he seems pretty certain that he can speak for the ‘scientific community’. He’s sounds pretty bloody arrogant actually, but I guess that goes with his smarmy grin.

   I guess he’s pretty popular in America? Not too sure he’d have made it here in Britain. But anyway, you’ve confirmed my suspicions that this film manages to miss the bleeding obvious. Arghhh, I’ve already found myself shouting at Youtube, I’d explode if I had to watch that film in a cinema.

   A much more informed discussion on religion can be found in Rod Liddle’s The Trouble With Atheism (on the off chance anyone missed it the first time round). There is a bit where Liddle travels to America to take on militant Atheists like that Maher fella, and I think it’s safe to say that he wipes the floor of them to be honest. The show pretty much sums up the view I have held on religion for the last few years, so it’s frustrating that I never got paid to write it, hehe. Eerily, there is even an interview with one of my old lecturers. Bah, maybe my views are just common place and obvious.
9. giagia says:

   September 3, 2008 at 7:12 pm

   Blahblahblah Yea, I watched it. Wishy-washy lefty Islington dinnerparty pap, as I remember.

   Watch these videos: http://xenutv.wordpress.com/2008/04/21/jason-beghe-interview/ They are interviews with an actor who has got out of Scientology. EVERYTHING he said could have been about Christianity or Islam. He talks about ‘waking up’ when he left; how Scientologists are the ‘nicest people you’ll ever find’, but they are deluded; how the more deeply he got into it, the LESS happy he became.

   Watch them and please tell me why that Scientology is any different form other ‘religions’ (OK, apart from the money involved)… Please find a way of defending *that* religion.

   Do you *honestly* *genuinely* think that religion should NOT be challenged? Honestly? Go live in the South in the States then. Or Iran. Try living in a society where the only way you are “accepted” is if you, too, are religious and any wrong step will find you punished, physically or mentally. Did you know that Daddy Bush said that atheists should not be considered to be *citizens* of the US?

   Now, to be perfectly honest, I generally get really tired of you after about 3 comments. Please, make your next one sound less studenty and pointless.
10. Alex says:

    September 3, 2008 at 7:28 pm

    J: “This film will, I’m guessing, simply be more evidence of the overwhelming need for America to develop a proper welfare system and to ban firearms”

    - Sorry…”proper welfare system” goes against our capitalistic beliefs and traditions. Damn you commie! Our nation was founded upon the idea of work hard and prosper, NOT don’t work and get stuff for free. Lazy and the weak have their place, serving happy meals at McD’s. As one European queen once said, “Let them eat Big Macs.”

    Ban our firearms? Are you dense boy?
    Unfortunately for you, and fortunate for MOI, “firearms” are a Constitutional Right – thanks to the Brits who we pwned and have continued to pwn ever since. If it weren’t for the guns, we would be speaking English and not American. And who’s the Super Power now, huh? Oh yeah, America rockorz, stfu nub. And yo, Queenie, what’s up your Hiny? Our guns are bigger than yours! HEEE HAAAWWW!

    J: “I associate America with crime and poverty, it is after all a country built on racism, profiteering and gun slinging.”

    - Yes, so what? We got rich on those things, just like the British Empire, the Spanish Empire, the French Empire, the Roman Empire, etc. (you may replace “gun” with any weapon appropriate).

    So who gave the Europeans the monopoly on getting rich and having Empires? Why not us – AMERICANS? Screw you Europeans…you are just jealous of our ten gallon hats and our six-shooters. HEEEE HAAAAWWWWW!

    J: “Looking at the incredulous crime statistics for America (FBI murder statistics for 2005, 50% of murder victims in America in 2005 were black), it is no surprise that so many individuals in America are driven to the point of despair.”

    - So many? Driven to the point of despair? Where? I see nothing but rich people driving around in their BMW/Mercedes/Lexus/Limos with their trophy wives half their age…oh wait, it’s because of the RNC in town. But never mind that. Crime only happens in the ghettos, so that’s OKie Dokie with us, rich folk. HEEE HAAAWWWWW! So screw you, you Eurpoean Intellectual Elite on your high horse! You can take your commie metric system and shove it where the sun don’t shine.
11. Steve says:

    September 3, 2008 at 10:59 pm

    Religulous will be funny, I’ll laugh, and it will do a little bit of good.

    James’ Obama quote (among others) is one of the reasons I’m hoping he intends to make *real* changes: ‘[there is a] need for religious people to translate their concerns into universal, rather than religion-specific, values during public debate.’ It’s only a start but Obama has the potential to actually embody an ethical, rational, free-thinking secular way of living that could make an enormous difference. We’ll see…
12. bruce says:

    September 4, 2008 at 7:58 am

    Oh come on James… your comments (or anyone else’s) can’t be taken seriously if you resort to ad hominem. Anyway, Maher’s a comedian, his looks are part of the package.

    I still cannot get over the guy on the trailer who suddenly starts speaking in tongues….I am not sure who’s funnier now.
13. James says:

    September 4, 2008 at 10:58 am

    Gia, I *honestly**genuinely* do not care either way for theism. A belief in or lack of belief in a God would not in anyway affect the way I live my life right now. It’s a complete non-question to me. If I lived in Iran, I would probably quite happily attend a mosque on a Friday, I’d just use the time to think. My upbringing would have been different, but I still like to think that what forms the core of me as an individual would still be there. I like to think, for example, that I would still be in a loving relationship similar to the one I am in now. My love for my girlfriend transcribes both my religious beliefs and my nationality; I could still fall in love even if I was Iranian.

    I seem to be unique on your website in that I am willing to ”defend” theism whilst not actually belonging to any religious establishment myself. I guess this leaves me open to having defend all religions, or at least explain why I don’t believe a certain belief system should not qualify as a religious belief system It’s hardly an easy position I find myself in and so my reflection simply is, do you *honestly**genuinely* believe that ALL religions should be challenged? If not, then why challenge some and leave others alone? And if you are challenging belief systems, them why not challenge the belief systems behind atheism?

    Can I ask what you would do if your husband or your son found God tomorrow? Would you challenge them? Would you continue to challenge them if they didn’t waver in their beliefs, for how long? Years? Do you think they would ‘less than’ the individuals you know and love now?
14. giagia says:

    September 4, 2008 at 1:05 pm

    Yes, I *do* think all religions should be challenged. If I don’t discuss Islam, Hinduism or Shintoism, it’s because I don’t *know* as much about them. It would be stupid of me to say something like, ‘Shintoists are dumb because they believe that God sits in Heaven in a throne’, when, in fact, Shintoism is more of a ‘nature worship’ religion.

    Neither my husband nor my son would ‘find God’. I’m 100% positive about that. If, however, they were slightly brain damaged and did, I would, of course, challenge them… If their brain damage was severe enough that they lost their ability to really think clearly at all, then I would only challenge them when they brought it up. Would they be ‘less than’ the individuals I love now? Yes. They would be, purely because both of them would DEFINITELY have to suffer a brain trauma for that to happen. And losing something, anything, technically means they are ‘less’ than they are now.

    My son worked out “God” by himself. He was questioning his RE teacher about the realistic practicalities of building Noah’s Ark when he was 7 (I think he’s got an engineer’s or an architect’s mind). He asked his RE teacher about who Adam and Eve’s children had children with when he was 8 (“Where did their wives come from?!”). When he was 10 he asked his RE teacher if they could learn about the Flying Spaghetti Monster in class…

    The kid is intelligent – not ridiculously so – and hasn’t had any religious brainwashing at ALL. We *talk* about religion, but not a whole lot – the first time was when he was 4, it was around Easter and he said he was really really sad cos his friend Charlie told him about these bad guys who’d nailed this baby called Jesus to a cross. I told him the story- as a story – to set him straight and stop him from getting nightmares about baddies nailing up babies.

    When he was 6 he asked me what it’s like to die. I told him that was the one thing that no one knows. There isn’t a grown-up on the planet that knows the answer to that… Two weeks later, out of the blue he said, ‘I know why people want there to be a God, because then they could come back and tell us what it’s like to die.’

    I was floored by that. He’d worked it ALL out… on his own.

    If a 6 year old with no religious brainwashing can work it out for himself, then it’s not difficult, it’s not only for ‘intellectuals’ or ‘them book readers’, it’s 6 year old kid stuff.

    The problem, of course, is the brainwashing.

    Aside: when he was 7, he worked out that the Tooth Fairy wasn’t real!
15. Alex says:

    September 4, 2008 at 3:12 pm

    You don’t need Religion to be a good person.
    You don’t need Religion to understand the Universe.
    You don’t need Religion to forgive others who trespass against you.

    You don’t need God to be a good person.
    You don’t need God to understand the Universe.
    You don’t need God to forgive others who trespass against you.

    It is Religion that needs you.

    Religion needs you to give them money.
    Religion needs you to spread the word of their faith to others so others will give them money.
    Religion needs you to control you through fears and lies.
    Religion needs you so they can lobby governments to benefits the Religion.
    Religion needs you to fight their wars.

    Organized Religion is the biggest scam in human history. All Organized Religions are nothing more than a Cult of Personality (e.g. Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, North Korea, Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, etc.). Jesus followers are the same as those who drink poisoned cool-aid waiting for a comet to take them home. They believe in incredible bull shit that reasonable minds would reject. Organized Religion also continues to seek out others to join them. And this is why Religion must be counteracted. Organized Religion perpetuate their lies and scams to convince the young, the dumb, the lost, to give up control of their lives and do the work of their God. And soon, they can be convinced that trees can talk, God can cure cancer, only sinners get AIDS, and killing others who don’t believe in their God is blessed. Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, they are all the same in this respect. FYI – even in the history of Buddhism, who are supposed to be pacifists, there have been wars fought between different temples – yeah, imagine monks with martial arts weapons kicking ass, like in those Kung Fu movies.
16. giagia says:

    September 4, 2008 at 3:47 pm

    Hey, if the Christian War On Terrah was fought with all nunchucks and like running up walls n triple kicks shit that be damn cool.
17. Deb says:

    October 5, 2008 at 12:13 pm

    Any news on a UK release schedule? I’ve googled but not found one yet. Any suggestions as to how one might lobby for a general release? Thanks.
18. Irish fella says:

    December 2, 2008 at 3:56 pm

    I was wondering the same actually. I’d heard about this docu and I’ve heard this Bill Meyer chap is very good too.

    It’s been nearly 8 months now. Is this available yet over here yet? A quick google brought up nothing more informative than this page.

    Surely there should be somewhere online I can purchase of download this?
19. Hector says:

    May 29, 2009 at 3:26 pm

    Finally watched it last night. The movie is great. What I got from it is that religion is like a drug. The question Maher asks is “how can otherwise smart people believe in such nonsense”. You can ask the same of a drug addict. How can a smart person get hooked on heroin despite all the problems that he or she knows are associated with it? Because it feels good, and people are willing to ignore the negative stuff in order to get that high. Maher is smarmy and weird-looking, but he is also very very smart. The scene where he tells the head of the church of cannabis that his head is on fire is brilliant. And, for the record, he makes it clear in the movie that he has never claimed to be an atheist.