Is Bill Maher and Religulous right?

For the most part, yes. Anyone or group who is so certain that their way is the only way is detrimental to society. Whether its religion or politics, not being open to discussion of other possibilities and other solutions is a problem. I believe its the biggest problem with the American Empire. In the case of religion, it doesn’t necessarily need to conflict with science.

I believe religion should be treated like drugs:

1. Don’t do it in public
2. Don’t push it on others
3. Don’t give it to kids
4. and don’t get so addicted that you can’t function without it

More people have been killed/maimed/injured in the cause of religion, than for any other reason.

Depends on which society you are gauging.

America was founded on the principle of freedom of religion (individual choice) and separation of church and state (no national relgion as exists in England, Iran…).

John McCain, not long ago, turned his back on the growing base of Christian fundamentalist who support the right wing conservative party and believe that the bible is a factual document and anyone who believes otherwise is unAmerican as well as not Christian.
Less long ago, John McCain ingratiated himself with this group because he was doomed to lose without their support. (So much for separation of church and state)

The first time this issue came up in my life was when JFK was campaigning against R.Nixon. Nixon quickly spread the word that if JFK was elected, the pope would be making his decisions (Watch out America).

You probably noticed all the flack that Romney got in the republican primaries. (Is a Mormon really a Christian; Mormons don’t use “our” bible…)

Yes religion is trying hard to screw up our society, but it is the Christian fundamentalists who are the one’s trying, because they believe that morality is a government responsibility and as the beliefs of the conservative party demonstrates they too believe government is responsible for morality AS LONG AS IT FITS WITHIN THEIR OWN DEFINITION OF RIGHT AND WRONG.

When a religious group is able to pressure schools into:
-teaching that the bible is as scientific as evolution
-not allowing books about sexual things they disapprove of (which is pretty much anything related to sex)
we should all be concerned.

Wars are fairly common throughout the history of people.
Wars based on religious ideologies have been among the worst and most damaging.
Any ideology (religious or not) that seeks to physically eradicate non subscribers is to be avoided at all costs.
Any ideology that seeks to repress education and individual freedom is bad.
Any ideology that seeks to disenfranchise groups of non subscribers is bad, therefore
Republicans are bad.

Is the movie worth seeing? There are some interesting statements here ^^, triggered by the movie or the question?

I’d say it’s biased but humorous.

So, I should go? Funnier than Michael Moore? More or less biased? (I am a MM fan, FWIW.)

Less biased than MM, but just a funny. I’d recommend it. There isn’t much else right now.

I think Spam is destroying the world.

Here there is a wonderful indie movie called FROZEN RIVER, with Melissa Leo. But thanks for the heads-up.

I don’t know if it’s the only thing that’s destroying the world, but it certainly is one of them! In our (USA) society, the Christian Right is the most vocal, and quickest to condemn other belief systems. In other places in the world, other religions take that position. In my opinion, even if one believes in God, one should not accept any religion at face value. All religions are man-made…God didn’t write that book you believe in, man did.

I think the need to use a god-figure to explain the world is inherent in all cultures, so that need must be at the core of human psyche. The bible itself is a Catholic political document, uniting disparate groups of believers to give them a common identity.

@ gail, The movie is really good. It brings a lot of humor to a subject that touchy for many people. Bill Maher is at times antagonistic (a la Michael Moore) but very consistent in bringing humor to the situation. The points he makes are all great and provoking. My biggest complaint was that the movie should have been twice as long, delving deeper into more religions around the world.

Religion is not destroying the world. In this movie, Bill Maher is basically calling for the banishment of all the world’s religions. ‘Course, that’ll never happen, but the fact that Maher is serious about it is scary. And the fact that he could find nothing good about any religion is just as scary. C’mon, Bill, open your eyes. If you can’t find anything good done in the name of faith throughout history, you just ain’t looking.

Looking for the positive isn’t the point. That would be an entirely different movie. I don’t think he is arguing for the erradication of religion, just a rational look into religion as it functions at this point in time.

YESSSSSSSSS!!!!!!

The movie is brilliant.

I do not think religion is destroying the world. It is the underlying fear and refusal to think that is dangerous and leads to bad outcomes. If it was not religion, people would sheep together some other way.

Bill Maher is shooting fish in a barrel. Interviewing a Jesus impersonator? C’mon.
If you are looking for humor poked at religion, then this seems fine. If you are looking for a conversation about faith, then this isn’t it.

Religion isn’t and hasn’t caused killing. It’s people believing that others are less-than because they do not share those beliefs. That elitist belief standard is shared by atheists and agnostics alike.

It’s greed and desire for power that have created all of the deaths in the name of religion.
Only through a distortion of spiritual teachings could the atrocities have been performed.

I’m hoping everyone who has an opinion has seen the movie.

@ Ibus and Itmustbeken,
Sure you can make the argument that “religion doesn’t kill people, people kill people.” It is also the motto of the NRA. And as much as I enjoy shooting for sport, we all know that guns are very often used to kill people. The truth of the matter is that more people kill each other in the name of religious differences than for any other reason. Religion is far too often used to segregate.

And if you think the movie is denouncing all religion or calling for its eradication then you are missing the point.

guns dont kill people, people kill people…..

religion doesn’t destroy the world…people destroy the world

I haven’t seen the film, but I do know Bill Maher’s views on organized religion. There is no right or wrong here except for his right to express those views. That right is protected by the First Amendment, and if anyone is offended by his ragging on organized religion, don’t go to see the movie.

I think he took a lot of interviews out of context and edited them together in a funny way, just like they do on the Colbert report.

Sure, there were some valid points, but there is plenty to refute in that movie, just like Zeitgeist. It’s trumped up to sell and to revive his stand-up career.

Why do you think they showed him on stage towards the end?
It wasn’t a documentary except in the sense that that he documented his quest for new comedy material.