Religulous with Bill MaherI just saw it (page 6)

seven006

Terry,

In theory I agree with you but there are always the exceptions. This and every other ex-cult type support and association board are full of the exceptions to that theory. The interesting factor is at what point and for what reason does that flip happen? Every one time closed minded person was just that, closed minded and as you mentioned “belief” seems to be the key that locks a persons mind. I don’t think there is any one specific universal reason or time frame for that belief flip. Either way it is still an individuals belief stance that rutters their ship.

I think at first Bill’s movie will attract mainly those who have made the mental flip already but, given its format and increasing “buzz” I think a lot more fence sitters will start to come out of the mind closet, sneak a peek and begin to think. Critical thinking is the key to beginning any persons journey into open mindedness and self examination. What better way to see how your mind was once closed to alternative thinking than to be able to laugh at yourself while observing it in others?

shamus100

LOL Yes Scully; you're absolutely right. They were convinced that their false religion tract campaign of 2006 was going to spark persecution and hatred from the public (I heard this from many JWs I knew). But so far, all I hear are crickets. As it turns out, all they received from their tract campaign was a big collective yawn from the public.

Why on earth do Jehovahs Witnesses have such a persecution complex? They're numbers are allegedely six million in a world of over six BILLION! In the times of Jesus, his followers were severely persecuted by the Romans. Why aren't Jehovahs Witnesses? There are isolated cases, but pretty negligible. No more than any other religion.

One would think that if the JW message is of such earth shattering importance, that they would have been a target in this Maher film. Afterall, does not Satan the Devil control the media and Hollywood today? Is not Satan furious with the JW message - making it a prime target of his attacks?

Earth shattering importance... hmmm. From my experience living as a worldy pagan, dubs are off the radar. People just don't care. Just look at all the doom and gloom'ers in the world - hell, they're here posting on threads right now. Really, nobody cares, because they're ideas are so preposterous.

Why do some people need religion? Because people need stability in they're lives. They cannot accept that there is nothing beyond this life, and they will become murderers, drunks, drug-addicts, etc. I don't hate religion. It's the crazy ones that we tend to focus on, and I'm sure the craziness is focused on in this film. Just like SuperSize Me - a good laugh, but just focusing on one aspect - the negative.

undercover

Well, I guess I'll have to wait for the DVD, since the po-dunk town I live in isn't showing it. I've been looking forward to this about as much as any movie this year and it's not showing anywhere nearby.

I think Bill Maher had to know going in that he was going to be preaching to the choir, so to speak...at least up front, as Dave mentions. But if the movie creates that buzz, then it can spark the curiosity of others who might otherwise wouldn't have paid any attention to it. And out of those, a good many will call Maher a godless commie or something as stupid, but for others it might just set off a spark in their brain.

When I first started researching the Society's teachings and was questioning what I had believed my whole life, I found myself being enlightened by people like Maher, George Carlin, Lewis Black and others. These guys weren't just comedians, they were commenting on life in this country and pointing out the absurdity and stupidity of things that a lot of people hold in high esteem...even religion. Having found myself to be more open-minded, when I heard these people speak in plain language the stupidity of religion it hit home. I was one of those people that defended their faith even in the face of the facts that I had resused to look at.

Hopefully Maher's movie can do that for someone in a similar situation as I once was . Wouldn't it be great if it was an inspiration to some JWs who were doubting and were daring enough to watch it?

Leolaia

Great posts, Terry and seven006! I think humor is the best way to inoffensively encourage independent and critical thinking among those already set in their beliefs; even when I was a JW growing up, I still really loved George Carlin and enjoyed even his critique and parody of religious beliefs. Of course, the audience that would get the most out of the film would be those who can appreciate where the humor is coming from.

Setting aside the factual inaccuracies about Horus, I am sure I would enjoy the movie very much -- I love catching Bill Maher whenever he is on TV and my political and philosophical views seem to be quite close to his.

ETA: Thanks bebu! I doubt I'll get to 13,000 though.

megs

BTS... He interviews Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Human Genome Project. As well as George Coyne, former director of the Vatican Observator & Father Reginald Foster who is a senior Vatican scholar & the Pope's principal Latinist.

BurnTheShips

He interviews Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Human Genome Project. As well as George Coyne, former director of the Vatican Observator & Father Reginald Foster who is a senior Vatican scholar & the Pope's principal Latinist.

So he interviews two scientists and a Latin expert.

Are they theologians or apologetics experts? Were they given a fair chance to air their views or were they misrepresented? Did they know that they were going to meet Maher to be mocked ahead of time?

BTS

Scully

BTS

I'd like to suggest that you go and see the film for yourself. I don't think anyone who has seen the film wants to spoil it for people who want to see it.

You might actually be surprised at some of the people who are making criticisms of Christianity.

SixofNine

Did Maher provide them with water and snacks? Was it premium bottled water, or tap water? Did he put LSD in their bean dip?

BurnTheShips

You might actually be surprised at some of the people who are making criticisms of Christianity.

Like who?

BurnTheShips

I asked Collins about the interview. He emailed me:
"I thought my interview with him was going to be about the so-called controversy between science and faith, and whether someone could both believe in God and evolution. I was willing to discourse on that.
But in a rambling discussion, Maher migrated into other territory where I am hardly an expert (like the historicity of the Gospels). As you could see, that was the part he chose to include, though he presented a very limited excerpt.
If Maher were seriously interested in hearing a discussion on this topic, he might have lined up an interview with someone like N.T. Wright.
So yes, I felt a bit misused. But I guess no one would claim this was an attempt to find the real truth."

From Maher's original email requesting an inteview:

Also, as a documentary film, we are approaching this project as a journey toward understanding during which it is crucial to consult experts from a variety of fields.
Dr. Collins' explanation of the human genome and its relationship to his faith will express a key point of view on the subject. We are very hopeful that he may have some time to sit down with Bill during the 25th or 26th. We will do our best to work around his schedule.

http://blog.beliefnet.com/stevenwaldman/2008/10/the-case-against-religulous-th.html

Religulous with Bill Maher I just saw it

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Religulous with Bill MaherI just saw it