Bill Maher's 'Religulous': Oscar Bait?

LA Times:

When I attended a press screening for Bill Maher's "Religulous" in New York on Tuesday, it struck me like a lightning bolt on the road to the Kodak Theatre via Damascus: yeah, "Religulous" will probably be nominated for best docu at the Oscars -- and God help us all after that.

We know that "Religulous" is seriously in the derby for several reasons. First, Lionsgate hired veteran Oscars PR reps to handle its ballyhoo (Michele Robertson in L.A., Jeff Hill in New York). Secondly, the studio is giving the documentary its theatrical runs in L.A. and New York to qualify it for academy consideration, as Jeff Sneider notes at Anne Thompson's blog at Variety.com. Thirdly, the hallelujahs that film critics gave it today at the screening. More disciples are sure to follow.

In order to catch on widely like religion itself, what atheism has needed for a long time is a popular preacher to rally 'round. Maher just volunteered for the job that's been vacant since Madalyn Murray O'Hair vanished in the 1990s (eventually found murdered in 2001). Richard Dawkins has been a fine temporary stand-in, but not flashy like O'Hair. Bill Maher kicks things up a notch. He's a pop culture hipster who already has a large, anti-establishment flock, and he has a bully pulpit that O'Hair didn't: his own HBO show plus vast presence across all media.

Read the whole story: LA Times

Comments

[Budokan]

I saw some clips of the movie when Maher was on Larry King, but it just didn't look funny to me, and I despise organized religion. I still plan on seeing it, but I'm not convinced it's as good as the buzz it's currently getting. I am looking forward to it, though, because anything that shoves a thumb in the optic of the religious right I'm all for!

[BaxterJ]

When Maher was on King, it seemed like he spent more time talking about the Veepstakes than talking about his movie: http://www.entertonement.com/collections/2295/Bill-Maher

[RIPRNC]

On the first day, man created God.
I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.
Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day; teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime; give a man religion and he will die praying for a fish.
A lie is a lie even if everyone believes it. The truth is the truth even if nobody believes it.
Take from the church the miraculous, the supernatural, the incomprehensible, the unreasonable, the impossible, the unknowable, the absurd, and nothing but a vacuum remains.
“There are no atheists in foxholes” isn’t an argument against atheism, it’s an argument against foxholes.
Faith does not give you the answers, it just stops you asking the questions.
When one person suffers from a delusion, it is called insanity. When many people suffer from a delusion it is called religion.

[meanguy]

and when people cut & paste the same drivel as if they came up with it themselves, it's called 'pseudo-intellectual posing'

[freerider]

When people are unable to come up with a single valid rebuttal to the above quotes, it is known as "sticking my finger in my ears, saying s'not fair, waaa waa waa"

[normathumb]

Speaking of cut and paste, even a perfunctory study of ancient religions will offer much of the bible in earlier forms, a sort of botched editing job.

[RobinLandseadel]

Oh, I never dismiss all those other gods [And Goddesses, You Sexist Pig! ! !] [ahem.] Nope, if Odin wants to swing, Kali wants to get down, I'm down. Wouldn't have it any other way. "The miraculous, the supernatural, the incomprehensible, the unreasonable, the impossible, the unknowable, the absurd" [and don't forget the candles and incense, I consider them perks of the scene] are my playground and our communal well of stories. There's a spiritual vitamin here, some desperately need that stuff but the abstention of atheists varies from mild amusement to outright hatred of anyone getting off on the spiritual. C'est la vie !

[meanguy]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz........................

[YouDisgustMe]

zzzzzzzzzzz.....right back at ya. PRAISE JEBUS!

[smags72]

HA! Did you ever see the Halloween Simpsons where Lisa has a science project that comes to life and develops a civilization of little beings in a bowl or some small container? And then she somehow shrinks down to their size and visits, and realizes that they think she is their god and worship her, because she made them.... and of course, she doesn't know what they are all up to all day, doesn't care, etc. after they spent their entire lives worshipping her. That is how I feel about there being a god up there - whoever made us may exist, but do they really pay attention to us and what we do? How arrogant are we to think that there is a being there just for ME, hanging on MY every word, thought, prayer, etc.?

[rich3324]

Go Bill. Man created god in his image.

[macintoshsauce]

I think you got that mixed up, Rich.

[ellocoliberal]

No- rich got it exactly right. It is god as/in Man's own image.

[sarasotajeff]

no, sounds about right... the fairy tale god was created by men. All of the fairy tale gods, actually.