Bill Maher brings the belief that unconditional faith in religion is a form of mental illness to his new documentary, Religulous. This is a funny film, an important film and a poorly executed and fatally flawed attempt to examine the oldest, most important and currently the most powerful aspect of human culture.
Maher’s first mistake is that he takes on an enormous task with too little focus. There are approximately 22 major organized religions (with members numbering over half a million) in the world (all with various sects and branches) and countless smaller religions and spirituals practices and Maher examines basically just three: Islam, Christianity and Judaism. He mentions Scientology and goes into some of the sects of Christianity, but does not even attempt to look at eastern religions, which is probably a good thing because he spreads himself thin enough as is. Unfortunately, because he sets the film up as a non-specific look at religion, he inadvertently limits himself to a narrow point of view.
His main claim is that people (but not all people) have evolved intellectually past the need for religion, particularly those religions based in ancient myths and traditions. He blames these three religious superpowers (Christianity, Judaism, Islam) for most of the blood-shed and violence in the world, certainly as of late, but throughout history as well. Unfortunately, Maher is only preaching to the choir and his methods are little more than cheap tricks that will only enrage those who are not already religious skeptics, atheists or agnostics and probably only inspire deeply religious people to be more rooted in their sometimes blind devotions.
Maher and his director Larry Charles (of Borat) use a technique popularized by Sacha Baron Cohen: basically they let the ignorance of their subjects trap, insult and make fun of themselves. This method is in poor taste, only mildly affective in making a meaningful point and ethically questionable as an artist, journalist or sociologist, which ever of these, if any, Maher is claiming to be in this film. He seems to be claiming to be all three while playing the ignorant, innocent skeptic at the same time.
Early in the film, Maher seems genuine in his assertion that he is “just asking questions” and that his perspective on the subject of religion is “I don’t know.” That would be a fine place to begin if it didn’t so quickly become clear that Bill Maher actually believes that these people whom he interviews are in fact either ignorant, mentally insane or simple scam artists. He doesn’t believe in the possibility of any of the myths these religions claim, the power of faith or the need human beings may need for structured religious beliefs and practices to be an important part of human culture and development. His quick lack of open-mindedness immediately undermines his credibility as a journalist (and even as an objective artist) in the film. He proceeds to let subject after subject make fun of him or herself because Maher doesn’t want to seem disrespectful, even though most of his follow-up questions are set-ups for making them look stupid (Exposing ignorance? Yes. But in what context? For what purpose?). He questions their beliefs with no desire to learn from them—only to undermine them with what he believes is his superior intelligence. Not surprisingly, he avoids truly great and intelligent religious leaders like the Dalai Lama, for example, because he would be way out of his league. He sticks with simple followers, because he knows he will always have the upper hand. Isn’t this is in gross distaste?
Perhaps the most questionable part of Maher’s exploration is that he completely ignores all the good that comes from religion and faith (two terms which he seems to use interchangeably with no regard for the fact that these are often two separate entities). Maher does a good job pointing out the ridiculous nature of some of religious myths (Jonah being swallowed by the whale or Moses communicating with god through a burning bush) but he does not interview people who use these stories as metaphors for positive teaching and living, only people who believe them as fact (there is an exception or two to this but he doesn’t allow these individuals to share the importance of still teaching these stories). He also ignores the positive affect the rituals of religion (communion, prayer, meditation) may have on the human mind and behavior of people. He writes off these positives as acts of mental illness of an insane or ignorant mind. If he at least acknowledged some of the positives that can come from faith and religion—foundations of hope, inspiration and charity—then perhaps his assertion that religion does much more harm than good (which is probably true) would hold more water. Alas, again he undermines the potential power of his film and the possibility of his insights and explorations effecting positive change.
Maher claims that a large minority of people in the United States (and the world entire) are either atheist or agnostic and that this group of individuals is larger than any other minority group in the country. He asks us to rise up and make our voices heard to stop the senseless blood-shed, violence and the division that results from religion. Well, yes I agree. We should. But we should do so by trying to understand why religion is so important to most people of the world in a way that isn’t so divisive as Maher’s approach, where teaching and learning are of mutual exchange.
Education is a path to true freedom but it has to be mutual. A well-educated atheist or agnostic can learn much from a Christian, Jew, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, etc (well educated or not) and vice-versa. But you’ve got to be open minded, willing to fully engage, give and take ideas and above all respect each other and each other’s beliefs. This conversation and exchange of ideas and knowledge is the way to root out dangerous extremists and fundamentalist religions. If you think, as a minority in this country and certainly in this world, that non-believers can just rise up and kill god like a coup of some third world dictator, you are sadly mistaken. Because one thing most of these religions believe remains to be true: god is still All Powerful, because that power lies in the belief of the people who worship him and their undying faith. Faith can be changed and faith can be altered, but it can never be killed or simply overthrown, because it is faith itself that is the strength and the will that binds humanity together; and it always will be, whether it represents bowing to an imaginary super-being somewhere in the stars or reaching out our hands to our human neighbors and trusting in the fortitude and love of their grasp as we pull and tow each other along in this life…
See Religulous. Because I believe that the heart of Bill Maher’s film is true, even if his method and execution is flawed. There is much to be learned and taught from/to each of us. If we have faith in each other…
