Anyone seen it? I looked at the 1st page and didn’t see it mentioned.
It’s like Bill Maher was in my head the whole time.
While there were some parts he could have done better, overall interesting documentary.
The last 5 mins were very good IMO.
thoughts? Any religious people watch it? Curious as to reactions.
The fiance who is Catholic wanted no part of watching it, lol
I saw it, it was good and right up there with where I stand on religion.
Loved it. Would have liked more critique of Vedic religions though.
[quote]Makavali wrote:
Loved it. Would have liked more critique of Vedic religions though.[/quote]
I think Maher was afraid of something like this happening to him.
Mak, I don’t know how devout a Hindu you are, but there’s something I’ve always wanted to ask.
You’re certainly aware that many devout Jews, Christians and Muslims take a very literal view of even some of the more implausible mythologies of their religions: the earth actually was formed over the course of six 24-hour days, roughly six thousand years ago. Noah actually accommodated a mating pair of every species of mammal, reptile, insect, bird, and freshwater fish on a wooden boat for 150 days. Jonah actually survived for three days in the belly of a fish. Jesus actually came back from the dead after three days and physically ascended into heaven. And so on.
Is this the case among Hindus as well? How widespread is the belief, for example, in the existence of an actual elephant-headed deity named Ganesha, or an eight-armed, blue-skinned deity named Kali (one of my favorite goddesses, by the way, along with Saraswati), or for that matter, in the account that your own home country was actually created when a gigantic eagle-deity named Garuda threw a banyan tree branch into the sea, after eating an elephant and a tortoise?
Or do they look at these more as metaphors for a greater truth? Inquiring minds want to know.
I plan on watching it and I believe in God, I heard a good saying ?Tell me about the God you don?t believe in and I probably don?t believe in him also?
I like Maher’s politics, and his stance on a lot of issues. But Maher himself is such a fucking douchebag. He is SO in love with the sound of his own voice that it is disgusting.
I think he is doing a semi-good job with this whole “exposing religion” thing, but he woudl do a lot better, in my opinion, if he would stop sounding like such a condescending prick douche-bucket.
[quote]Varqanir wrote:
I think Maher was afraid of something like this happening to him.
Mak, I don’t know how devout a Hindu you are, but there’s something I’ve always wanted to ask.
You’re certainly aware that many devout Jews, Christians and Muslims take a very literal view of even some of the more implausible mythologies of their religions: the earth actually was formed over the course of six 24-hour days, roughly six thousand years ago.
Noah actually accommodated a mating pair of every species of mammal, reptile, insect, bird, and freshwater fish on a wooden boat for 150 days. Jonah actually survived for three days in the belly of a fish. Jesus actually came back from the dead after three days and physically ascended into heaven. And so on.
Is this the case among Hindus as well? How widespread is the belief, for example, in the existence of an actual elephant-headed deity named Ganesha, or an eight-armed, blue-skinned deity named Kali (one of my favorite goddesses, by the way,
along with Saraswati), or for that matter, in the account that your own home country was actually created when a gigantic eagle-deity named Garuda threw a banyan tree branch into the sea, after eating an elephant and a tortoise?
Or do they look at these more as metaphors for a greater truth? Inquiring minds want to know.[/quote]
Haha, a pic of Kali? I have a tattoo of her. Her standing on her husband would be a symbolic gesture of the power women have over men. The severed head would be what happens when you mess with her (or her kids O.o)
Hinduism isn’t a single religion, but more of a categorization by the British to identify all the religions in India. They were all similar bordering on the same though.
Hinduism is all about interpretation. Technically, you shouldn’t convert people either, as it’s our belief that faith practiced with sincerity will lead to the same end-game: time in heaven, then back into the cycle of rebirth until all your “bad karma” is worked through.
Everything you hear about Hinduism should really come from the Vedas, and not the tribal myths that get spread around. I’d like to say that everyone that practices Hinduism is sane and rational but sadly, as with all religions, this is not the case.
I see things like numerous Gods as our way of making it easier on ourselves. Ganesh, for example, would be one aspect of God who we worship or pray to when we have obstacles in our path, or matter of education at hand.
Everything outside of the Vedas is meant to be read with care. A lot of the stuff I’ve read on “Hinduism” is political bullshit designed to keep the rich rich and the poor poor (i.e. the new caste system where everyone is born into a caste and the addition of “untouchables”).
Here’s a link I found hilarious, but it covers the basics better than I could.
“Try and stay outta trouble, things will probably pan out fine”
awesome flick
Haven’t seen it yet but really want to.
Bill Maher is one of my all time favorites… I especially like sections of Real Time where he talks about what the “magical space god” is against.
[quote]skaz05 wrote:
I like Maher’s politics, and his stance on a lot of issues. But Maher himself is such a fucking douchebag. He is SO in love with the sound of his own voice that it is disgusting.
I think he is doing a semi-good job with this whole “exposing religion” thing, but he woudl do a lot better, in my opinion, if he would stop sounding like such a condescending prick douche-bucket.[/quote]
Quite true
Good movie though.
the interview with the vatican priest was the high light of the movie i think.
moved away from the cycnical tone, brought things down to earth a bit more.
also the reference to jesus ripping off the story of Ra was funny. the christians he interviewed were funny, they were all pretty retarded. but i like how all the muslims he intereviewed were like oh religion of peace religion of peace but hes like i have a feeling theyre just lying to oursiders.
It was a little too obvious that Maher didn’t interview the best and brightest. Most of the people were not prepared to address some of his points. It is a movie though, so I don’t know how much more can be expected.
[quote]BONEZ217 wrote:
It was a little too obvious that Maher didn’t interview the best and brightest. Most of the people were not prepared to address some of his points. It is a movie though, so I don’t know how much more can be expected. [/quote]
Agreed.
I do agree with Maher, but I would have liked him to try some of that shit with a Jesuit monk.
As another mentioned, I liked how he asked people whether they actually believe in the literal word of their holy book. The discussion with the (antique?) guy about Jesus, Santa and Jonah was pretty funny.
[quote]jehovasfitness wrote:
Anyone seen it? I looked at the 1st page and didn’t see it mentioned.
It’s like Bill Maher was in my head the whole time.
While there were some parts he could have done better, overall interesting documentary.
The last 5 mins were very good IMO.
thoughts? Any religious people watch it? Curious as to reactions.
The fiance who is Catholic wanted no part of watching it, lol[/quote]
I am a believer, and I will watch it. I am not expecting anything new or awe inspiring that will make me question my faith.
Then again though I am an exception. I don’t have a problem putting my faith to the test and I have done so on many occasions.
I am only watching it though because when I am asked what I thought I can answer with a descent POV.
From what I have read though I am not impressed with Maher’s tactics in questioning people.
Well, how long is this fucking thing? I’d like to watch it, but it cut me off. Anyhow, it’s good the question, but I somehow get the sense early in this video that rather a sincere questioning, he is seeking a public mocking…Granted I was not able to see the whole thing, so correct me if I am wrong. The little bit I saw seemed to express an axe to grind with religion rather legitimately seeking an answer to God’s existence and religion’s role in that relationship.
To answer the question of why we participate in religion is a simple one. It works. If it didn’t I wouldn’t do it. It works now, not just hoping for some crumbs of happiness when I die. There is more to reality than what can be sensed and reasoned.
I liked the movie, and agree with the points it made. It was a little touchy in the truck stop when he stood up to the redneck truck drivers. He was lucky he didn’t get his ass handed to him.
I think he rides the point “oh, its all bronze age ideas” a bit hard.
I mean, yeah, they are, but so is agriculture, the wheel, law, written language, music and whatnot.
Duh, they serve a purpose, why is religion still around?
I also think it is grotesquely naive to believe that bigotry, hatred and superstition suddenly disappeared if only religion were no more.
