lets question religion shall we?

May 24th, 2009

It was a rainy wet Sunday today so me and the French boy decided to go to the local cinema which plays alot of independent films/documentaries. The cinema contains just 11 old scruffy armchairs in a teeny tiny theatre, so needless to say, it’s very cosy. The film we watched was Religulous. It is a comedy/documentary film with comic Bill Maher tackling a very dangerous and provocative topic… Religion (which by the way, both religion and politics are topics which I believe should never be discussed while drinking alcamahol). Anyway, the movie’s name Religulous rhymes with both ridiculous and incredulous so two guesses what angle the movie is taken from.

Basically this guy Maher travels around the world speaking to those with a range of views on Religion or God. He questions people about their faith and questions the void that is sometimes filled in by people with their own corruptions and limitations and agenda. Such as a guy who believes he IS the living Jesus H. Christ in the flesh and refers to himself as “Jesucristo Hombre“ which translates to “The Man Christ Jesus”. Or a guy who justifies his expensive clothes and jewellery (care of money from the church) by saying they want him to look good and that Jesus wore good quality linen so there’s nothing wrong with being rich from profits of the Church (a good businessman?).

handle with care

It’s a movie that will make you laugh and make you think, whether you are a believer or not. Sometimes he does cross the line with his sarcasm and is incredibly blunt.

But it did bring a very interesting discussion between me and the French boy as we both have different upbringings and ideas. And I guess if it got us talking, then it made us both think.

The topic of Religion is something which is fragile and needs to be handled with care. But it also opens unlimited discussions on our lives and thoughts. And there’s nothing like a good debate to get your mind going.

Categories: films i love · philosophy


4 Comments

  1. Isabella said

    May 25, 2009 at 2:05 am

    Thanks for sharing this! I agree: no alcamahol drinking while discussing politics/religion ;-)

    For me, it’s a sensitve topic & I avoid talking about it usually with anyone who I know ahead of time won’t agree. I don’t want to sound as if I’m disrespecting them or telling them their mind is small or unopen. I especially am careful with a few friends who are very religious & serious about their beliefs. Thankfully they don’t tread on my thoughts/beliefs either.

  2. cathy said

    May 25, 2009 at 8:12 am

    unlimited discussions! that is great. i always dislike those awkward moments when you run out of things to say with a person you don’t know very well…

    for religion, i feel as if i don’t know enough about all the different religions to have a good, thoughtful discussion. i’m still learning and exploring. but i do love all the different perspectives that religion brings.

  3. Kim said

    May 25, 2009 at 9:53 am

    British Boy and I rarely engage in a conversation about religon as we have differing views. I do ask him about what he believes and if he attends church with his family etc. I’m scared that perhaps I may not be accepted into his family as I’m an athiest. I’d like to continue to explore religion before I decided on something. I find it all fascinating but I’m definitely not educated a lot about it. I find it very unfair that at school we were only taught about christianity (I don’t think there is religion in state schools now?) and therefore we were only exposed to one religion. I think it would be good to teach children about all of the main religions and then for them to understand why others are different to themselves and their beliefs and its not necesarily wrong, just different. I would have loved to learn more at school about different religions.

    Politics is definitely a conversation to be avoided at all costs with me! I’m very opinionated when it comes to politics and my ex boyfriend and I would have very heated arguments about it! Especially around election time.

  4. karl said

    May 25, 2009 at 4:35 pm

    Religion is an interesting subject. I think we are all religious. Religion doesnt tell us who God is, it is only a set of rules to follow that is believed to bring fulfillment and eternal bliss.I think there are things we all do in hopes of a better and more fulfilled life. Still doesnt tell us much about God. Organized religion can lead us to a better understanding or not. I believe God can be found in nature and in the teachings of Jesus. Some religions
    teach the words of Jesus and some dont.

Post a Comment