FROM THE ARCHIVES 7: a review of "Religulous"

Originally written March 8, 2009

"RELIGULOUS" Directed by Larry Charles Produced by Bill Maher
*1/2 (one and a half stars)
This film was frustrating and the more I think about it, the angrier I feel. If you have ever had an argument with someone who was not even remotely interested in hearing or attempting to understand your side of the issue--or even cared in the first place, then you will understand the experience of watching Bill Maher's "documentary" about the hypocrisy in the world's religions. This was so unfortunate as Maher is someone I truly count on to go into the media and passionately cut through the double speak that plagues our ears and minds on a daily basis. From his series "Politically Incorrect" to his current "Real Time With Bill Maher," he always has the final word--hey, it is HIS show--yet, he always makes the time to have differing points of view on his stage for healthy and hilarious debates about the state of the world. The programs make for consistently riveting television and with his brilliant jabs at life's absurdities, and politics in particular, it is also raucously funny. That is why this enormously hypocritical film is a strangely confusing and disappointing one. I expect so much more from Maher and unfortunately he tragically succumbed to his own dogma.

In the film's opening segments, we meet members of Maher's own family and learn that he was raised Catholic although his Mother is Jewish. His family left the church when Maher was 13 years old, most likely due to the church's stance on birth control and he has never returned. Maher then voices his spiritual doubts as an agnostic and decides to head out into the world and speak with people about religion, faith and all spiritual matters in order to better understand people's ties to issues that cannot be proven. But, if only he did this honestly. Yes, it is his movie and he can do whatever he wants with it but he spends the entire time talking out both sides of his mouth. Maher claims to essentially be an agnostic but most of what he spews is clear atheism--which would be just fine if he were honest about his motives.

While opening scenes may feel a bit more authentic and filled with Maher's trademark blistering sarcasm and challenging nature, the film quickly nose dives into Maher essentially going around the world and telling everyone that their need to have faith is wrong because there is no God, no Christ or any unproven faith that one subscribes to. He comes off as a bully by refusing to allow people to speak, mocking them constantly and refuting anything anyone says, even if it is something reasonable to ponder. A telling sequence is a discussion between Maher and an actor portraying Jesus Christ at an outdoor crucifixion re-enactment facility. When speaking of the possibility of the Holy Trinity, the actor makes an analogy of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit being something similar to water, as it can exist in the three different substances of steam, liquid and ice while always being water. Maher gives it a moment and then slaps it down as hogwash. When the actor gently challenges Maher and asks him, "What if you are wrong?" Maher doesn't give it an honest thought. He evades it entirely with a childish, "What if YOU are wrong?" For someone that claims to want to understand, that is a close-minded way to show it.

From there, the film gets worse as Maher essentially speaks only with a variety of fanatics to prove his own point of how religion is hostile and hypocritical. How people, evangelists, religious leaders, man-made organizations, and world leaders have consistently used the Bible as a weapon to discriminate, to pass judgement, to wage wars and so on. But why didn't he speak with average everyday people about their ties to religion and faith to provide a counter-balance? I just don't believe he was interested at all. And besides that, crazy fanatics make for a better movie, don't they?

It is when he approaches Muslims that the film came to a deeply disturbing point as his footage essentially presents a jingoistic view of the world and a view he completely rallies against within his own television show. While I do not feel that Maher is a racist, I have to admit to being confused and hurt by this stage of his movie. Are you really trying to say that all Muslims everywhere in the world are all fanatics and suicide bombers ready to subscribe to a faith and kill us all? It was demeaning and ugly and I found it to be contradictory to his nature as presented on his show and comedy routines for decades.

Even as a movie, it is a disappointment as his sole point could be uttered in ten minutes. Since he had nothing else to say other than his main point, the running time makes for slow going, despite a laugh here and there. The finale of the film is a nearly ten minute rant similar to his brilliant "New Rules" segment, in which he makes his point yet again and ultimately says that everyone in the world should toss religion aside, put away their unshakable certainty with all things unproven and belong to a religion of doubt because the fact that no one really knows is the only thing we know. Great point, yet it is presented with the precise unshakable certainty he has spent the entire movie condemning.

I should say at this time that my critique is not coming from a place of faith. I am not a church-goer and I haven't been one since my adolescence. My church upbringing was a positive one and I hold nothing against that experience. I had a wonderful Pastor and I remember a conversation we had before my confirmation in which I asked him about the Holy Trinity and how did that work. He was actually unable to answer. I never held that against him because he was a brilliantly good man who led his church with tolerance and grace and whose faith was a powerful one. I just knew that I had some questions that maybe I needed to find answers to on my own spiritual path. As a dear friend once said to me a few years ago, "There are many roads up the same mountain." It is because of that friend, I left my agnostic thoughts of my 20s behind and found a stronger place of faith today. But...I still have my questions.

There are many of Bill Maher's points that I agree with. The man-made structure and the hypocrisy behind it just does not work for me and at times enrages me as world leaders arrogantly used the word of God to commit crimes against humanity. But what does that have to do with my friends who believe, who go about their lives the best way they are able, who have friends and families of their own and hurt no one? I would never and could never begrudge anyone else's faith or need to have it. How is that hurting anyone? I have often consulted with friends more deeply involved with their church organizations and have found every discussion and source of spiritual perspective enlightening and helpful. I thank those people for being gracious enough to share.

My criticism of this film is coming from a place of fairness. How can Bill Maher have a film covering the wide range of religion itself and only speak to a small fraction of fanatical people on the fringes? It inadvertently lumped everyone who believes in any sort of a higher power together in the same boiling pot of crazy. It is a disjointed, aimless, mean-spirited movie that is beneath the character I want to believe Bill Maher has. It was Maher against the world and since in his mind, as depicted in this film, he's always right, there is no room for any other differing points of view whatsoever. And isn't that the very issue he wanted to tear down in the first place?