Religulous

[crayon]

Anyone heard of this upcoming film doc?

Followers gathered at Ryerson Theatre on a gloomy afternoon for a one-time only, alternative Sunday service.

The awakening was led by Bill Maher and Larry Charles. The topic: their work-in-progress, Religulous. The tagline: “When religion gets ridiculous, it’s religulous.”
After years of criticizing religion in his stand-up routines and on his television shows, Maher decided it was time to share his views with a larger audience. He found young producers willing to fund the controversial project and they suggested he collaborate with Larry Charles, director of Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. Moving in the same circles for years, the two had never met. “It’s spooky how right this was,” says Maher. “If there was a God, this would be fate,” adds Charles.
“It’s a passion project,” says Charles, who then cautioned the audience to prepare for more cheap puns. They went on to make use of words such as revelation, miracle and sacrifice when describing their project and their journeys towards its completion.
Though religion is not typically the subject of comedy, the duo is attempting to do more than just be funny. Recent films like Bruce Almighty and its sequel, Evan Almighty, have taken a light-hearted approach to theology. But Charles points out, “They poke gentle fun; we stab it to death.”
Maher believes “the less people take their religion seriously, the better.” People need to learn to separate ethics from religion. “Neither Bill or I are saying there’s nothing,” says Charles. On the contrary, they are saying there is something so massive it is beyond our comprehension.
The approximate 20 minutes of rough footage shows Maher interviewing representatives of the three most-practiced religions in the world – Christianity, Islam and Judaism – as well as Raelians, Satanists and Mormons. More often than not, the speakers lampoon themselves with little help from Maher. One scene shows Maher worrying over a senator, a man of power, believing in the creation story. The senator’s defense is there is no IQ test required for the job. Of course, the occasional joke (or jab, depending on your position) is still told through subtitles.
Fans of Maher’s are sure to recognize key points being explored but now the religious community is getting a chance to respond, or glare at him condemningly. When asked if it was difficult to get or complete interviews, Maher reveals, “Even religious clerics are media *****s.” Another questioner inquired if the pair fear any retaliation because of the film’s subject matter and Maher coolly responded, “No… it’s a comedy.”
Students of rationalism will appreciate the film’s arguments, while others can just enjoy a good laugh. The film does not appear to try to alienate believers, but rather convince them to ask some questions instead of relying on blind faith. Obviously, not everyone is going to like the film. When asked what they think Michael Medved, conservative radio talk show host’s, opinion will be, Charles responded, “He’s not gonna like it, duh.”

source-http://www.popjournalism.ca/pop/news...ligulous.shtml

Well, it has the same director as "Borat", so that says a lot.
Lately people really seem to enjoy mocking organized religion, so I guess it was about time someone made a movie about it.
Pshhh.

[Whatsthepoint]

Well, it has the same director as "Borat", so that says a lot.
Lately people really seem to enjoy mocking organized religion, so I guess it was about time someone made a movie about it.
Pshhh.

It's not the first movie mocking it. Ever heard of Monty Python's Life of Brian? Great movie, I highly recommend it, it focuses on Christianity and Judaism so you as a Muslim probably won't be offended, though you may find it less funny than Christians, Christian apostates and other people of the Judeochristian traditions.

I would just like to add that organized religion in most cases deserves to mocked!

[crayon]

Nope, never heard of that movie..
Plus just because I personally am not offended, doesn't mean the movie itself isn't offensive. I don't mind films/docs that look into something (be it religion, poitics, whatever) and criticize it, but when it's done as a mockery it's simply juvenile.

It reminds me of something I've seen on here, by several muslim and non muslim members. Someone replies to a post properly answering a question and explaining their position, and then someone else replies with "hahahahahahahahaha you're just stupid you've got it all wrong, etc.". I mean, grow up.

"I would just like to add that organized religion in most cases deserves to mocked!"

((Those in sin used to laugh at those who believed,And whenever they passed by them, used to wink at each other (in mockery);And when they returned to their own people, they would return jesting;And whenever they saw them, they would say, "Behold! These are the people truly astray!" But they had not been sent as keepers over them! But on this Day the Believers will laugh at the Unbelievers: On Thrones (of Dignity) they will command (a sight) (of all things). Will not the Unbelievers have been paid back for what they did? )) The end of surat al mutaffifin.

[DAWUD_adnan]

@ the verse above...

Yes, exact retribution.

[Whatsthepoint]

Nope, never heard of that movie..
Plus just because I personally am not offended, doesn't mean the movie itself isn't offensive. I don't mind films/docs that look into something (be it religion, poitics, whatever) and criticize it, but when it's done as a mockery it's simply juvenile.

It reminds me of something I've seen on here, by several muslim and non muslim members. Someone replies to a post properly answering a question and explaining their position, and then someone else replies with "hahahahahahahahaha you're just stupid you've got it all wrong, etc.". I mean, grow up.

How do you define mockery?
Saying someone is stupid is not mockery, it's an insult. Movies like Life of Brian on the other hand are a humorous criticism of religion, its origins etc. They're not meant to be offensive, their aim is to present alternative theories about religion and criticize it in a humorous way, I don't know if that's mockery or not, if it is, mockery's fine, if mockery is calling someone stupid, then it's not fine. But then again, various religions claim certain groups of people, namely non-believers, are stupid, vile or whatever, so I don't really see a problem if someone returns the favor.

[crayon]

That's true, saying someone stupid is not mockery, it is an insult. But where do we draw the line between criticizing something humorously and insulting it or making fun of it? What someone views as simple criticism someone else can view as a sharp jab at their beliefs.