Bill Maher
But possibly, there could be a larger message in the offing.
Maher begins the movie in Megiddo, Israel, a site where many believe that Armaggeddon will occur, ending life on Earth as it is. This is where Maher states his reason for doing this film: He contends that man will create the end for himself, a self-fulfilling prophesy. And he feels that religion is detrimental to man's progress - the cause of the world's ills.
During Maher's one hour and 40 minute film viewers take a journey through various religious sites, such as Jerusalem; Salt Lake City; Megiddo, Israel; and a creation museum in Orlando, Fla., among others. The film flashes varied images captured on many a news camera from around Western civilization. The scenes show religious groups, evident by the dress of the people, in different states of being: praying, singing, dancing, fighting and protesting, historical and ceremonial images alike.
It is interesting that Maher does not leave himself out of the movie. He thrusts his own doubts into the fray. Indeed, it is the questioning within him that has caused the man to inquire into major religious tenets. He includes his upbringing, which was Catholic on his father's side. The Jewish religion of his mother was never practiced by his family, although his mother never attended masses on Sunday either.
He interviews his mother and his sister inside a church and asks the questions that come from deep inside him. Those questions appear to be from the inquisitive little boy that he once was, a boy who wanted to know why they went to church, or why as he grew older religion didn't appear as relevant in his life as girls.
Only now, that boy has grown. And having seen life around him, good and bad, he adds to the mix his sarcastic wit and makes everything a joke, that either offends or sets an audience to laughter. Maher explores the ineffectual offerings of religious clerics to questions that no one has answer to; and through their stunning silences, the audience is persuaded to see the hypocrisy of leaders who know not where they are actually leading their flocks.
When Maher questions a religious actor portraying Jesus in an Orlando religious theme park as to what God is waiting for when it comes to defeating the devil, the traditional standby, "It's not for us to know," becomes sad remark on the whole premise is behind religion: By God's will and in His own time.
As Maher argues when discussing the commandment of "having no God before me," the jealousy puts God on the level of men and shouldn't a god be above all that?
Another interesting tidbit in the movie is that when Maher questions religious people who are supposed to have the answers, the faithful become testy and dislike having to defend their beliefs. It might be that they don't have all the answers, but rather than saying that, it appears to be easier to get defensive.
It would probably be very interesting to go back in time to the Biblical scene when Jesus overturned the moneychangers' tables in the Jewish temple.
Wasn't Jesus thought of as a troublemaker, too, upsetting the religious status quo?
Religion is the faith induced big brother you never had crutch. So if you can't believe in yourself, you can always beleive in a god by faith.
Israel's dream, destroy the world to confirm there chosen status.
Allah akbar or whatever it is they say to feel good.