Bill Maher's Religulous offers up refreshing spiritual reminders
In an interview with CBC's "The Hour" during opening week, Maher expressed his intentions for the film: "My hope is that people will walk out of the movie and say, 'Religion is silly!'" So going in I was quite aware of how the edits would go, and Maher delivered as I expected. There was little editorial integrity in the ways people were set up to look foolish; there was little logic in Maher's extreme use of literalism to interpret all sacred texts and experiences; and Maher made sure the majority of his subjects were no intellectual match for his quick wit. Needless to say, most people aware of Maher's manner and past enterprises would assume that the religiously faithful would not willingly subject themselves to this kind of derision. You might be surprised to know that I walked away from the movie feeling refreshed. First of all, I realized that proper confidence in God is different than certainty. It seemed that Maher's subjects felt they had to offer certainty on all issues in order to make their faith tenable. That very quickly got them into spaces beyond their mortal capacities. The reminder that my faith in God can manage doubt was refreshing. Second, the invitation to live my faith authentically where word and deed are coherent came through loud and clear. Saying one thing and doing another is a quick and easy target for laughable hypocrisy. And third, it was refreshing to be reminded that facing rather than fearing derision can serve as a doorway. I went to see the movie gladly, and I came out spiritually refreshed and even happier than when I went in, and that is anything but a ridiculous religious experience. To hear what moviegoers said on the way out of SilverCity that night, click here. |
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