I came across this comedy/documentary by chance when my brother told me how hilarious it is. Starring Bill Maher, a political comedian and directed by Larry Charles, Religulous is a satire about organised religion. Bill travels around the world exploring a range of views on religion, seeking explanations and rationale for the myriad of religious beliefs including Christians, Jews, Muslims and Scientologists.
Two particular interviews are worth noting in the film. One was with controversial Muslim Rapper Propa-Gandhi.. who struggled to answer the question posed by Bill Maher who asked why the double standards on dissent amongst those Muslims who supported the death threat on Salman Rushdie, the author who wrote Satanic Verses. Propa Ghandi ooh and arrhh…and kept waffling on until Bill put it to him really well when he said to Propa ..“All you gotta to say is that it is wrong for someone to suffer a death threat for writing a book”.
The other interesting interview was with Father George Coyne, Phd. who until recently was the Director of the Vatican Observatory. Father Coyne deserves credit for being painfully honest when he said..... “The Christian Scriptures were written between about 2000 years before Christ to about 200 years after Christ...Modern Science came to be with Galileo..up through Newton…up through....Einstein.. what we know as modern science ..ok.. is in that period. How in the world can there be any science in scripture? There cannot be ...just the two historical periods are separated by so much. The scriptures are not teaching science. It’s very hard for me to accept not just a little interpretation of scripture but a fundamentalist approach to religious beliefs. Is kinda of a plague presents itself as science and it is not”
In summing up, Bill had this to say and I quote him verbatim:
“The plain fact is religion must die for Mankind to live. The hour is getting very late to be able to indulge in having key decisions made by religious people, by irrationalists and by those who will steer the ship of state not by a compass and by the end-trails of a chicken. Faith means making a virtue out of not thinking, is nothing to brag about and those who preach faith are intellectual slave holders”
“Religion is dangerous because it allows human beings who don’t have all the answers to think that they do. Most people would think it’s wonderful when someone says “Lord I’m willing , I will do what you want me to do”
“That void is filled in by people with their own corruption, limitations and agendas – anyone who tells you that they know – they just know what happen when you die - I promise you …you don’t – and how come I am so sure? Because I don’t know and you don’t possess mental powers that I do “
“The only appropriate attitude for men to have about the big questions is not the arrogance certitude that is the hallmark of religion but doubt. Doubt is humble and that is what men needs to be considering human history is just a litany of getting shit dead wrong”
Well said ..Bill !!!!
