In case you missed Bill Maher on Larry King Live last night promoting his upcoming “mockumentary” Religulous, here’s an excerpt from the show.
And here’s the trailer for the film (directed by Larry Charles of “Borat” fame) that’s due to be released on the first week of October.
The distributor, Lionsgate, has set up a satirical companion website to the film called disbeliefnet.com which is a parody of the “largest spiritual web site” beliefnet.com.
From the new site, this is what Jesus had to say about Velociraptors:
Dinosaurs were the first creatures kicked out of the Garden of Eden when a T-Rex ate Adam’s first wife Lilith whole. Later, God sent a great flood which wiped out all the large repto-birds in a sort of Dino-holocaust. But when Jesus came to earth his blood cleansed all that God had cursed. That meant dinosaurs could finally get through the gates to Jurassic Heaven and into the loving arms of the Lord. Less fortunate however were the unicorns as gays are still not allowed beyond the pearly gates.
Readers are then invited to follow the rabbit trail…
10 Comments
August 20, 2008 at 8:36 am
One segment looks like Toronto Union Station. Do you suppose that all hell will break lose when this comes out – banned by the Catholic Church, etc.?
August 20, 2008 at 8:50 am
I kind of doubt it. He’s pretty indiscriminate in his criticism of religion in general and doesn’t hold out any one particular faith such as Catholicism for special scorn above the rest. Maybe people like Bill O’Donahue will find it offensive, but what’s new? Besides, Maher likes to be slightly provocative, but he’s not really a bomb-thrower and I suspect that while his position is clearly “blasphemous” it’s also relatively good-natured. It’s kind of the same phenomenon that allows the creators of South Park and The Simpsons to get away with so much (that’s actually really critical of religion and all kinds of other things) pretty much with complete impunity.
August 20, 2008 at 9:14 am
I am counting the days until October 3 ….
August 20, 2008 at 9:15 am
I only saw the stuff Larry King showed last night – my speakers aren’t working.
Bill O’Donahue will love an excuse to blow a gasket.
August 20, 2008 at 9:39 am
Maybe they learned their lesson after protests in the U.S. helped make Life of Brian a big hit at the box office. (Much more so than it would have been otherwise.)
August 20, 2008 at 3:25 pm
I was so dissapointed when I saw the trailer for this movie! I’m a Christian, and even though I firmly belive in my faith, I do understand when people question it.
It’s funny how this type of movie can be put on the big screen, but if it were one that made fun of homosexual relationships or muslims it would be banned, I’m sure. It’s seems “ok” for people to make fun of the Christian faith, but then if we were to question or dissagree with their beliefs, we would be shunned or pounded into the ground.
August 20, 2008 at 3:28 pm
People produce movies and all kinds of other material that makes fun of homosexual relationships and Muslims all the time. Where have you been?
Dan
gay and Christian
August 20, 2008 at 3:55 pm
katelynjane — Take your blinkers off. The movie deals with all religions, not just Christianity. Maybe you missed that parts in the trailer showing people of different faiths (Muslims, Mormons, Hare Krishna, etc.) or where Bill is interviewing a couple of “gay Muslim activists”…
August 20, 2008 at 4:17 pm
People produce movies and all kinds of other material that makes fun of homosexual relationships and Muslims all the time.
Hasn’t KatelynJane ever seen the La Cage aux folles or Jeffery?
I think the central problem is that too many Christians simply don’t have a sense of humour. And that’s ungodly, if you ask me.
August 21, 2008 at 4:23 am
Hey Katelyn,
I’m Christian too and like you I’m getting a little tired of all the ridiculing of religion that seems to be de rigueur lately. And I agree with you it’s more ‘politically correct’ these days to make fun of believers than to make fun of other minorities.
Having said that I think the main thrust of projects like this is to poke fun at ALL religious belief, not just ours. Christianity may get extra slams because it’s the most popular faith in the native country of the movie-makers, but the underlying sentiment is that all faith is ridiculous because it can’t be scientifically proven. As if a camel could pass through the eye of a needle.
I do hope the religious leaders leave this thing alone and don’t give it any publicity… it’s just a new cover on an old book IMO.