Religulous Trailer

[mrbucketfoot]

Ok. You're entitled to your opinion.

Anyway, the point is he's being confrontational and not helping the problem. If people think certain religious people are crazy, then fine.
But what he's doing in this movie is encouraging division. The non-religious people will laugh and be all "ha-ha", the religious people will
just be pissed off that people are giving them crap. Then it's a big fight.

There's no open and honest dialogue. No one exchanging their ideas in a respectful arena. Then the fighting continues and everything stays the same.

The same old Civil War we've been fighting for decades.

[Howard2k]

Ok. You're entitled to your opinion.

Anyway, the point is he's being confrontational and not helping the problem. If people think certain religious people are crazy, then fine.
But what he's doing in this movie is encouraging division. The non-religious people will laugh and be all "ha-ha", the religious people will
just be pissed off that people are giving them crap. Then it's a big fight.

There's no open and honest dialogue. No one exchanging their ideas in a respectful arena. Then the fighting continues and everything stays the same.

The same old Civil War we've been fighting for decades.

So it's ok for religious people to encourage division and try to mock the beliefs of atheists, but not the other way around?

[mrbucketfoot]

Did I say that?
No, obviously I didn't. And no, obviously that's not okay.

[The Chad Cometh]

but there are also people are very intelligent, logical, down-to-earth people who have firm convictions about their faith and have gathered that conviction through critical analysis of the Bible/Qur'an/religious text and historical fact.

I think you'd find the vast vast vast vast majority of religious people have been indoctrinated into their faith from a very young age.

[TAP]

but there are also people are very intelligent, logical, down-to-earth people who have firm convictions about their faith and have gathered that conviction through critical analysis of the Bible/Qur'an/religious text and historical fact.

I think you'd find the vast vast vast vast majority of religious people have been indoctrinated into their faith from a very young age.

Yeah really. People don't generally come to religion because of critical analysis. There's a reason that Jesus called his followers sheep.

[freedom78]

Why deluded?

For the same reasons of Greek Mythology. I have been drinking heavily, and I might not be able to explain myself well, but I think it is readily apparent, to anyone with an open mind, that religion is bullshit.

I am thoroughly enjoying the inherent contradiction in that sentence.  It's a beaut!

[The Dog]

Ok. You're entitled to your opinion.

Anyway, the point is he's being confrontational and not helping the problem. If people think certain religious people are crazy, then fine.
But what he's doing in this movie is encouraging division. The non-religious people will laugh and be all "ha-ha", the religious people will
just be pissed off that people are giving them crap. Then it's a big fight.

There's no open and honest dialogue. No one exchanging their ideas in a respectful arena. Then the fighting continues and everything stays the same.

The same old Civil War we've been fighting for decades.

don't you think you should see the movie first before assuming you know what it's going to be like?  I love when people (not saying you) are all like "ban this movie, it's not right/fair!" and it hasn't even come out yet 

[mrbucketfoot]

Some of you love putting words in people's mouths and making assumptions. I never said anything like that.

I didn't say ban it or anything. Even if I don't agree with it, that's fine. I thought we were past the whole witch-burning, art-destroying
kind of thing, but on second thought, I doubt America is.

But the point is, I know Bill Maher and trailer gives a very strong impression of what the movie is going to be. Divisive, all in the name of humor
and that it isn't helping anything, it's merely prolonging a conflict and poking an open wound.

Yeah really. People don't generally come to religion because of critical analysis. There's a reason that Jesus called his followers sheep.

Yes but you're taking that scripture out of context. Jesus also said that the road was narrow and only a few find it. And that anyone who didn't give up everything, could not be his disciple.
In a culture of easy-access, quick fixes, instant gratification, etc., a lot of people are going to be falling short of the true "giving up everything" type of faith.

But regardless, most "religious", "spiritual", and "Christian" people wouldn't know what The Bible says or doesn't say, they don't read it.

[Howard2k]

But regardless, most "religious", "spiritual", and "Christian" people wouldn't know what The Bible says or doesn't say, they don't read it.

Amen.

[TAP]

Yes but you're taking that scripture out of context.

Haha....

[norway]

I think you'd find the vast vast vast vast majority of religious people have been indoctrinated into their faith from a very young age.

I was indoctrinated by Christianity, but am now a great beliver in the pagan ideology and way of life..

I CCL for the spiritual part, but somethings gotta exist.

But what he's doing in this movie is encouraging division. The non-religious people will laugh and be all "ha-ha", the religious people will
just be pissed off that people are giving them crap. Then it's a big fight.

Yeah, he is making a video of two stereo-types. I don't respect that so much.
Why don't he film those doing humanitary work in Africa and make fun of them for example?

The bad taste would be equal.

I'd like to think to be religious has because of Judeo-Christianity become synonymous to being weak and stupid.
But Islam and other religious groups doing great work too

It's all about the practicans. Like Heavy Rock itself is not to blame for murder, suicieds and substance abuse.

[Axl4Prez2004]

Is it just me or is it really true...I see many more of my friends, including me, much less religious as age and educational levels add up.  I'm sorry, I don't see the same thing on the other side.  There isn't this mass migration of brilliant scientists "finding God/s" and denying or belittling science.

Might I add, there is little incongruency between science and faith...the problem arises when faith denies science.  There is no reason why God/Gods can't be possible...but, so many religious fanatics take moronic sacred texts literally instead of the alegorical stories they were/should be intended to be. 

mrbucketfoot, serious question.  I don't mean to provoke or inflame, but I am assuming you consider the bible to be a very special book, perhaps thee most important book.  Does this mean you view the koran or ancient hindu texts, etc. in a lesser light?  Why do you think that is, and do you think that's right?  Honest question.   

[freedom78]

Is it just me or is it really true...I see many more of my friends, including me, much less religious as age and educational levels add up.  I'm sorry, I don't see the same thing on the other side.  There isn't this mass migration of brilliant scientists "finding God/s" and denying or belittling science.

Might I add, there is little incongruency between science and faith...the problem arises when faith denies science.  There is no reason why God/Gods can't be possible...but, so many religious fanatics take moronic sacred texts literally instead of the alegorical stories they were/should be intended to be.

I'm not hostile toward faith or belief in the least.  I'm hostile toward people who believe their faith should be imposed upon all of us, by trumping, amending, or circumventing the Constitution.  I'm hostile toward hypocrisy, wherein the religious are overwhelmingly concerned about whose penis is going in whom, yet they don't give a fuck about the billions of impoverished people, as if poverty wasn't the very core of Christs message, rather than gay sex or abortion.  The list goes on...

[TAP]

Is it just me or is it really true...I see many more of my friends, including me, much less religious as age and educational levels add up. 

No it's not just you. It's been consistently shown in studies over the last 100 years that higher educational levels correlate with lower levels of religious belief.

[Axl4Prez2004]

Is it just me or is it really true...I see many more of my friends, including me, much less religious as age and educational levels add up.  I'm sorry, I don't see the same thing on the other side.  There isn't this mass migration of brilliant scientists "finding God/s" and denying or belittling science.

Might I add, there is little incongruency between science and faith...the problem arises when faith denies science.  There is no reason why God/Gods can't be possible...but, so many religious fanatics take moronic sacred texts literally instead of the alegorical stories they were/should be intended to be.

I'm not hostile toward faith or belief in the least.  I'm hostile toward people who believe their faith should be imposed upon all of us, by trumping, amending, or circumventing the Constitution.  I'm hostile toward hypocrisy, wherein the religious are overwhelmingly concerned about whose penis is going in whom, yet they don't give a fuck about the billions of impoverished people, as if poverty wasn't the very core of Christs message, rather than gay sex or abortion.  The list goes on...

Freedom, I sure didn't try to suggest you were hostile, I totally agree with your posts.   

[freedom78]

Is it just me or is it really true...I see many more of my friends, including me, much less religious as age and educational levels add up.  I'm sorry, I don't see the same thing on the other side.  There isn't this mass migration of brilliant scientists "finding God/s" and denying or belittling science.

Might I add, there is little incongruency between science and faith...the problem arises when faith denies science.  There is no reason why God/Gods can't be possible...but, so many religious fanatics take moronic sacred texts literally instead of the alegorical stories they were/should be intended to be.

I'm not hostile toward faith or belief in the least.  I'm hostile toward people who believe their faith should be imposed upon all of us, by trumping, amending, or circumventing the Constitution.  I'm hostile toward hypocrisy, wherein the religious are overwhelmingly concerned about whose penis is going in whom, yet they don't give a fuck about the billions of impoverished people, as if poverty wasn't the very core of Christs message, rather than gay sex or abortion.  The list goes on...

Freedom, I sure didn't try to suggest you were hostile, I totally agree with your posts.   

No, not at all.  "Hostile" was my word, and my description of my own views.  Not trying to put words in your mouth. 

[mrbucketfoot]

mrbucketfoot, serious question.  I don't mean to provoke or inflame, but I am assuming you consider the bible to be a very special book, perhaps thee most important book.  Does this mean you view the koran or ancient hindu texts, etc. in a lesser light?  Why do you think that is, and do you think that's right?  Honest question.   

I'm not posting from a Judeo-Christian viewpoint or whatever, but since Christianity is what most religious Americans practice, I was using that as a base. My problem with the movie, as demonstrated by the trailer, is that it looks to demean the religions for the sake of comedy. If you think religion is ridiculous, then you can clearly and respectfully state your opinion, and maybe someone will be won over by your openness/ knowledge/respect and vice versa, but provoking someone or calling either side ridiculous/crazy/ignorant, etc. won't help your cause at all. Life's too short to fight.

And the question you pose about viewing other religious texts is a complicated one. But in short, most of the faiths, Islam/Christianity/Judaism, "people of the Book" as they are called, believe that their scripture is divinely inspired by a specific God, so through that lens, their specific Religious Text (whether that is the Qur'an or Bible or Torah, etc.) would put extreme and higher importance on that Religious Text than others. Thinking any less, would infringe upon the Texts themselves, and thus the believer (of whatever faith) would be "in the wrong". I don't really know your exact definition of "lesser light", but according to whatever faith, their scripture takes precedence over the others. Does that mean demean the other religions? No. Call them evil and a blight against (their) God? No.

That being said, my personal thought is that if you have a religion/faith then practice it to it's utmost. There are enough hypocrites in the world. And personally, whatever religion I am or am not, I feel that it would be irresponsible to not study the other religious/spiritual texts for both spiritual/religious/non-religious people as there is a lot of practical wisdom in all of them. At the very least, study them to understand someone else's viewpoint and why they believe things so strongly. If more people did that there wouldn't be as much tension nor would we simply co-exist with each other, but communicate, open and honestly about our beliefs and disbeliefs, mistakes and triumphs and grow closer as a society.

The problem that people seem to have in general isn't the religions, but the people that intermix their opinion and take religion into their own hands and out of their God's.

Like I said, it's not a simple 5-minute explanation kind of thing, but hopefully I shed some insight.

[norway]

Is it just me or is it really true...I see many more of my friends, including me, much less religious as age and educational levels add up.  I'm sorry, I don't see the same thing on the other side.  There isn't this mass migration of brilliant scientists "finding God/s" and denying or belittling science.

Thats a gross stereotype.
Ritualmagic and myths* about gods is just a small part of religion, it's really about philosophy, ideologi, worldviews etc...

Science and religion doesn't have to be mutualy exlusive either actually.
An ancient Scandinavian belief system about man and needs could easily replace the system of "the pyramid of needs" by Maslow.

I think the American view on religion is very demonized by media, it's bad stuff of course but...

*The myths often just have the purpose of sending a message, and a entertainment/magical aspect that makes it more attractive for a more in-depth analyzis. Typical comercial methodiks.
This probably why they have the impact on humans that they have.

So called "satanist" have the belief man should listen the god/s within themselfs and nature but satanism have countless definitions.

[Axl4Prez2004]

Is it just me or is it really true...I see many more of my friends, including me, much less religious as age and educational levels add up.  I'm sorry, I don't see the same thing on the other side.  There isn't this mass migration of brilliant scientists "finding God/s" and denying or belittling science.

Thats a gross stereotype.
Ritualmagic and myths* about gods is just a small part of religion, it's really about philosophy, ideologi, worldviews etc...

Science and religion doesn't have to be mutualy exlusive either actually.
An ancient Scandinavian belief system about man and needs could easily replace the system of "the pyramid of needs" by Maslow.

I think the American view on religion is very demonized by media, it's bad stuff of course but...

*The myths often just have the purpose of sending a message, and a entertainment/magical aspect that makes it more attractive for a more in-depth analyzis. Typical comercial methodiks.
This probably why they have the impact on humans that they have.

So called "satanist" have the belief man should listen the god/s within themselfs and nature but satanism have countless definitions.

"Gross stereotype," I don't understand what you are calling a "gross stereotype" Norway.

[TAP]

Statistical studies of religious belief vs education/intelligence from 1927 to recent times.

http://kspark.kaist.ac.kr/Jesus/Intelligence%20&%20religion.htm