Bill Maher's New Movie "Religulous"

From the preview, it seems like he does, BleedBurgundy. Religion is interesting to me. I'm not sure how everyone can think they're 100% right and everyone else is wrong with absolutely no proof. I can understand believing that there's a god, etc. But saying your god is supreme and right basing it off some book, written by humans, with at best, 3rd to 4th hand information baffles me.

We'll see. If i were doing a film of this nature, I'd be hardpressed not to take it easy on the extremist Muslims. You don't want a Fatwah on your ass.

I was listening to Colbert's "I am America and So Can You" the other day in my truck. He has a chapter on Religion where he basically mocks all religions besides Catholicism. Once he gets to Islam, his only comment is something to the effect of "Islam is the one and true religion, etc... Moving on." I thought that was pretty damn funny.

This is what always irks me.

Why would God punish those that have questioned his/her existence?

To me, if there is a God, my idea of him/her would be one that is forgiving and loving of every creature that is on this earth.

Obviously I have not seen Maher's movie yet, but going by his religious rants in the past I think this movie is going to focus on religious zealots who believe 110% that they are right, everyone else is wrong, the existence of God should not be questioned or debated, and everyone that doesn't believe is going to burn in hell. To me, extremist views like that should be called out into the open.

I've never understood why some people can't handle talking about topics like this. It boils down to this for me, neither side can prove the existence of a God beyond a reasonable doubt. So it just seems odd to me that there should be any sort of hardcore belief on either side. But if you choose to believe without any doubts at all, that's fine. Just don't push your beliefs on me and tell me I'm going to hell for not being on "the right team".

Personally I'm not sure what I believe. It's something I go back and forth with all the time. And honestly I hope I never come to a hardcore conclusion either way. I do have a problem with organized religion. I think it's something that's become quite corrupted over time and originally it was something that was used as a method to control the masses through fear and guilt. But some of the basic principles I do find interesting and of redeeming value and I do think you can be a spirtual person without being a supporter or follower of organized religion.

We are of almost the exact same mind on this. The only difference is that I don't necessarily think that a God would be forgiving and loving. I think supreme indifference is also a possibility.

Why would God punish those that have questioned his/her existence? To me, if there is a God, my idea of him/her would be one that is forgiving and loving of every creature that is on this earth.
I struggle with this idea too. I used to argue with a couple of folks who were very traditional "by the book" Christians about people who hadn't "accepted Christ" going to hell. The God I believe in wouldn't condemn someone to eternal damnation because they never had the chance to know Him. In the Catholic faith we believe in Baptism by Desire which addresses this; "Non-Christians who seek God with a sincere heart and, moved by grace, try to do His will as they know it through the dictates of conscience can also be saved without water baptism; they are said to desire it implicitly. (cf. Catechism, 1260)".

I certainly don't believe God would punish someone for questioning him, if he did Mother Theresa and many others (including me) would be in big trouble.

Obviously I have not seen Maher's movie yet, but going by his religious rants in the past I think this movie is going to focus on religious zealots who believe 110% that they are right, everyone else is wrong, the existence of God should not be questioned or debated, and everyone that doesn't believe is going to burn in hell. To me, extremist views like that should be called out into the open.If the movie is what you describe then we agree 100%. But I think this movie will turn into a 90 minute commercial for atheism, demean regular people who believe, and not recognize the incalculable good works people do in the name of faith.

I've never understood why some people can't handle talking about topics like this. It boils down to this for me, neither side can prove the existence of a God beyond a reasonable doubt. So it just seems odd to me that there should be any sort of hardcore belief on either side. But if you choose to believe without any doubts at all, that's fine. Just don't push your beliefs on me and tell me I'm going to hell for not being on "the right team".We agree here too. My experience has been that questioning my own faith, listening to different views, and reading/researching is a very good thing. One thing I think many religious folks forget sometimes is that God gave us free will and if He gives that to us, shouldn't we respect the free will of others?

Personally I'm not sure what I believe. It's something I go back and forth with all the time. And honestly I hope I never come to a hardcore conclusion either way. I do have a problem with organized religion. I think it's something that's become quite corrupted over time and originally it was something that was used as a method to control the masses through fear and guilt. But some of the basic principles I do find interesting and of redeeming value and I do think you can be a spirtual person without being a supporter or follower of organized religion.Unfortunately if you believe in God, you must believe in Satan. Things evil people have done throughout history in the name of religion have kept many away from it altogether.

One of the customers I work with has an E-mail signature; "none of us is as smart as all of us". I think this applies to organized religion, when you worship as part of a group and work together for good things in the name of God, it's often remarkable what can be done that no single person could do alone.

I'm sorry we lost skinsguy over this, I think he overreacted, but religion is a very emotional thing. To be mocked for your beliefs (which I know you weren't doing, but he felt Maher's movie trailer was) isn't a good thing. The video Beem posted calling religious folks "delusional" goes to the opposite extreme IMO of pushing religion on others.

I was going into a bar one night when some guy approached me and ask "Do you want to go to Heaven" I replied "Yes, I'm going in here and looking for her".

Would you believe I thought you were Hindu or Muslim? Who knows why. All this time I thought you were a Hindu or Muslim who happened to have served in the US Army as well. I don't know why I thought that. I think there was some post once that had me thinking that. Not that it even matters in the slightest, just kind of curious.
I may have mentioned being stationed in the Far East while in the USAF or an old friend who was Buddhist. It's pretty funny how we visualize or perceive folks through posts.

I was going into a bar one night when some guy approached me and ask "Do you want to go to Heaven" I replied "Yes, I'm going in here and looking for her".
That wasn't JB's was it....LOL

I was going into a bar one night when some guy approached me and ask "Do you want to go to Heaven" I replied "Yes, I'm going in here and looking for her".

What kind of bar was that? Might not have been a "her" in there... lol...

Bill Maher is maybe the most annoying TV host on the air now. Unless, you believe exactly as he does, your an idiot and have no intellegence.

I'll try to watch him occassionally to see if he has anything intellegent to say, but I usually can only make it several minutes before his self grandure annoys the sh** out of me.

That wasn't JB's was it....LOL
I know where your talking about but no it was a place in Daytona Beach!

Bill Maher is maybe the most annoying TV host on the air now. Unless, you believe exactly as he does, your an idiot and have no intellegence.

I'll try to watch him occassionally to see if he has anything intellegent to say, but I usually can only make it several minutes before his self grandure annoys the sh** out of me.

He does lean pretty far to the left, probably even further than my views go, but I do appreciate the healthy debates on his show and he always has some interesting guests that make the show worth watching.