HHWJL: How Hard Would Jesus Laugh?
If you believe the Bible, you’re a fool. This is the general premise behind Bill Maher’s “docu-tainment” film Religulous. Bill Maher raises legitimate questions about religion, the accurancy of the bible and the reasons why so many people cling to unexamined ideologies for dear life. He travels the world from Israel to Rome, interviewing religious believers and asking them to explain their beliefs. The only problem is, he does this in much the same way that a high school jock seeks out a pock-faced geek only to turn around and ask him to explain why he’s such a freakin' loser.
Overzealous, slightly buffoonish religious characters entertain you as they clumsily stumble for bible verses to defend their beliefs. It’s apparent that Maher is right; many people do blindly believe and espouse views that they themselves have not fully thought through. Of course, not all believers in this world are as clueless as the ones Maher interviewed. But for our (or his) amusement he sure did find some doozies. There’s the reformed “ex-gay” turned devout Christian; the zooted pothead leader of some Marijuana Church; the pimped out, gator wearing minister and the store owner who believes a miracle helped him upstage a bully. You will definitely be amused by Maher’s obvious and unabashed set-ups for a little while. But how many times can you watch someone sit on a whoopie cushion and believe that they really did fart before the joke gets old…or until you become ashamed of yourself?
There are some gems in this movie which beg to be unearthed but never quite see the light of day, such as the Catholic priest who begins to talk about the separate points in history when religion and science evolved and the scientist who begins an explanation on how religion actually affects the chemistry of the brain. Unfortunately, it seems, Maher hadn’t had his Wheaties that morning and lacked the energy to dig a little deeper. Meanwhile, Borat Director, Larry Charles, is busy using old film clips, subtitles and trickery to get a laugh. He is successful... just like so many class clowns are successful at getting a laugh while simultaneously flunking out of school. One moment in particular proves hilarious, when a Puerto Rican preacher insists that he is the descendent of Christ (why? Because his name, like many Latinos is Jesus).
Maher proselytizes his "dogma of doubt" throughout the movie which proves to be just as iritating over the long haul as it would coming from any pulpit-loving Christian. There is a moment in this movie when a bunch of truckers literally makes a heartfelt prayer circle around Maher, after he asks them to “pray for me”. They are blindly unaware, it seems, that they are being mocked. It is at that moment that I realize that while Maher is incredibly right, he is also incredibly wrong; for one could be lost in the darkness, but also blinded by the light.
Religulous is entertaining in all its Borat-like glory, but ironically it is also hollow, disingenuous and incoherent, in the same way Maher accuses organized religion to be. The question of whether Maher squandered a brilliant opportunity to create a poignant commentary on society's need to reexamine the world’s religions, by instead setting up one big religious fart joke is debatable. The answer will no doubt depend on how seriously you take the matter of faith. One thing is clear; Maher had no intention of sincerely examining a thing when making this movie. He thinks religion is a farce and he wants you to know it. End of story.
It is clear that Bill Maher is a spokesman for doubt, and man who doesn't believe in religion, but what is unclear is what Maher actually does believe. We’ve all seen Christians wearing WWJD bracelets as a constant reminder to ask themselves What Would Jesus Do? I can’t help but think that Bill Maher should be wearing one of his own. WEDMB …What Exactly Does Maher Believe? Maybe one day he'll find his answer.
Grade: C
Rated R, some profanity, and some nudity and sexual material
1 hr., 41 min.
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