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Nation’s Most Popular Atheist Continues Assault on God
New Rules / Dustin Rowles

Trade News | September 17, 2008 | Comments (27)

billmaher.jpgDespite the fact that he’s sexist beyond the pale (Fact: He was once booed off the stage at Smith College), I dig the hell out of Bill Maher. Dude talks politics better than anyone, and the “New Rules” rants at the end of his shows are like Keith Olbermann’s special comments without the smugness.

Anyway, even though his documentary, Religulous, comes out in two weeks (and test-screened in Canada over the summer), I haven’t seen a single advert. I suspect the topic — the “ridiculous notion” that God exists — isn’t particularly TV-friendly, so the doc may get very little exposure before its release date. So, here’s Pajiba, doing its part. Here’s the trailer:









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Comments

This looks like something that might come from Michael Moore without the obnoxiousness that gets on some people's nerves(not mine btw).

Bill has the approachability and "aw-shucks" *thing* needed to pull this off.

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at September 17, 2008 11:36 AM

I'm not terribly religious myself, agnostic at best, so while I don't mind his parade of hate for religion I don't see why he can't do it intellectually. He has to be so snarky and douchy? I can't stand Maher for anything. He is, for lack of a better word, a fuck.

Posted by: Luscious at September 17, 2008 11:36 AM

"I don't mind his parade of hate for religion..."

----------------------------------


Hate? Really? You took that from this trailer? And a parade no less.

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at September 17, 2008 11:38 AM

I'm looking forward to Religulous. I saw Maher on
Larry King a few weeks ago talking about making the film and the people they encountered along the way. The best part was when he described his conversation with "Jesus" at The Holy Land theme park in Orlando.

Posted by: Kolby at September 17, 2008 11:49 AM

The senator that Maher interviews is Mark Pryor of Arkansas. His father was also a member of the Senate and was equally dense.

Posted by: Arkansan at September 17, 2008 12:02 PM

Maher is plenty smug for me, thanks.

Posted by: sansho1 at September 17, 2008 12:06 PM

His father was also a member of the Senate and was equally dense.

And governor before that, if I'm not mistaken. Steve Pryor. Nice guy -- he spoke at our school once and shook hands with every student -- but thick as a brick. He was much less reactionary and hateful than the modern breed, though, a Dole-type Republican.

Posted by: socalledonlycousins at September 17, 2008 12:08 PM

You took the words right out of my mouth, Luscious. Plus, if the people he interviews in the trailer are any indication, he's finding the wackadoos and dum-dums to make his point, and that's just fighting dirty.

Posted by: Lannie at September 17, 2008 12:13 PM

Okay here we go, just like "conservatives" ANY criticism or mention of their absurdities brings forth the wailing and cries of persecution and intolerance.

I swear ....the hypocrisy is laughable. Religious types (and I had the great misfortune of having to endure catholicism and pentecostalism...don't know if I just made that word up)absolutely thrive on pointing out others' faults and sins, yet despise being criticized themselves. Guess they just skip the part of the bible where it talks of humility. Newsflash, using the bible to beat others over the head doesn't make you a christian.It makes you an asshole and deserving of mockery.

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at September 17, 2008 12:25 PM

he's finding the wackadoos and dum-dums to make his point, and that's just fighting dirty.

Given the number of nutjobs out there, I'd say it's plain inevitable. And fighting dirty? Given how the crazies have the highest profile, it's only fair game to take a high-profile fight to them. Anyone care to guess how this film will affect McPalin and their righteously indignant supporters?

And Slim? Couldn't have put it better myself!

Posted by: lordhelmet at September 17, 2008 12:29 PM

Correction to Socalled:

Mark Pryor's father is David Pryor. He is Democrat as is his son.

Incidentally, the other member of the Senate, Blanche Lincoln,is not a whole lot brighter. However, she is is an intellectual giant compared to Miss Mooseburger.

Posted by: Arkansan at September 17, 2008 12:33 PM

he's finding the wackadoos and dum-dums to make his point, and that's just fighting dirty.

I was thinking about this, and thinking that any other movie about religion vs. reason... doesn't exist. Or need to exist. There isn't a clash between the moderate viewpoints, becuase each is willing to let the other live and let live.

So without the fringe views that are trying to push their views on everyone else, there's nothing to even discuss.

Maher is hella smug, though.

Posted by: twig at September 17, 2008 1:11 PM

I know what I want for my birthday: a free ticket to Religulous. And by free, I mean someone I know pays for it, but doesn't see it with me. It's the gift that keeps on giving: private time with new media that I can use to generate revenue through writing. Brilliant.

Plus, since it's probably going to come across as offensive, it will be the most hits one of my reviews has received since Jesus Camp.

Too bad I'm spreading the last of the Happy Robert Day good will to thin by demanding passage and fare to and from one day of the Dodge Poetry Festival to cover an awful experiential learning component for a class I shouldn't have to take anyway. That, and I really played hard for the Super Duper Special Edition Nightmare Before Christmas Box Set, arguing how much fun I'd have decorating the life-size Jack for every holiday, from Easter to Talk Like a Pirate Day.

Posted by: Robert at September 17, 2008 1:27 PM

Dude talks politics better than anyone, and the "New Rules" rants at the end of his shows are like Keith Olbermann's special comments without the smugness.

I can't agree with the "without the smugness" part. Bill Maher is nothing if not cocky and smug - and he recites the rules with his trademark smirk. That said, I love him.

Posted by: Cindy at September 17, 2008 1:51 PM

Mark Pryor's father is David Pryor. He is Democrat as is his son.

Gack.

Posted by: socalledonlycousins at September 17, 2008 2:05 PM

What's the commotion? An Atheists "assault on God"? If you're religious, you should be least upset, after all, how in the world is a mere human to assault an omnipotent, all-knowing and all-mighty deity?

Posted by: Arthur Dent at September 17, 2008 2:43 PM

I don't know if I'm looking forward to the angry posts this will generate in pajiba-land, or scared of it.
Needless to say, when this movie drops there will be some heated (understatment) discussions, for sure here on these very boards.

Posted by: CoolWhip11 at September 17, 2008 3:26 PM

As a sinner, and a friend of sinners, and a Christian, I would laugh at all the things the trailer of Maher's film laughs at. Pajiba crazy people.

The question -- which Maher is going to ask in a diversity of ways in his film -- is "how can I know if a religion is the 'right' one?" Maher's answer is that you can't because it's all just yammering -- none of it makes sense.

I think this guy is going to talk about that after Maher's film comes out.

Posted by: hater from siloam springs at September 17, 2008 4:34 PM

Confession: I keep coming back just to laugh at the header pic. Priceless.

Posted by: Kolby at September 17, 2008 7:51 PM

Looks kinda funny, but...seriously. There's no reasoning with religious whackjobs. Any logical argument proving them wrong can be circumvented with "God did that, because he has a Plan". Which means that this is just an exercise in gathering together all the anti-religious among us and reassuring them, "It's alright, you're actually pretty justified when you dismiss these people as lunatics". It's all just so...futile.

Posted by: Shay at September 17, 2008 8:53 PM

Kolby, I've been meaning to bump into you and ask if you would like half of my Pajiba t-shirt? You were a contributor to my Eloquent win - seems like you should share the reward.

Posted by: Cindy at September 17, 2008 9:09 PM

Snow Crash made me deeply afraid of anyone who speaks in tongues. How did that shit become a trend? I get that humanity got pulled out of the microwave with the middle still frozen, but are we so tasteless and retarded that we'll make toddler noises because the man in a suit on TV does it?

Posted by: Lucas at September 17, 2008 11:05 PM

Religious zealots can be ignored and left alone. The problem is psycho evangelicals who really want the rapture right now are putting pressure on our federal government.

Posted by: Devo at September 18, 2008 2:53 AM

Stuff like this always annoys the crap out of me.

I was raised Christian, but I don't practice it because I don't put a lot of stock into other people making up the rules for me. I'd classify myself more as agnostic. I'd prefer to go on common sense and humility, and trust that I'm doing the right thing.

But then you get the zealots. I've never really met in my entire life a single person who tried to push their religious beliefs on me, but I get people who try to push their lack of religious beliefs on me all the time. No tact, no respect for others, just constant derision for the entire concept of something that legitimately does improve many peoples lives. If it never affects you personally, why do you hate what someone chooses to believe so fiercely? Why do you want to become the fundamentalist nutjob you attack so fiercely, just with a different belief?

I'll avoid the crap out of this movie and Maher, who is too much of an asshole for me to tolerate.

Posted by: spideychris at September 18, 2008 9:48 AM

My experience has been the opposite of yours, spideychris--I have religious people trying to force their views on me constantly, yet I've never encountered a single atheist who's tried to do the same. Oh, I'm sure they're out there. But as an atheist myself, I find it incredibly offensive to be told that I'm going to hell for not following some bullshit made-up rules, or that my lack of belief is "pathetic" or "sad." I don't go around telling the religious that their talking to an invisible man who supposedly has total control over the entire world is insane, or that there's as much proof of the existence of Santa as there is of God. I respect their own beliefs and try to live a decent life, and if that's not good enough for their God, and he doesn't want me because I didn't spend enough time chanting from a book in a special house every week, then God is an asshole anyway and I want nothing to do with him.

What ultimately turned me off of religion was how many people use it to justify intolerance, cruelty and acts of hate, to make themselves feel superior by judging others, to avoid using their brains at all costs by following the rules someone else made up.

My best friend is Christian. Other than giving me a Bible, she has never forced her views on me. She volunteers and uses her belief to better her community. If Maher interviews a few of those people, he might have an interesting movie. But if he only talks to the nutjobs that, as many people have posted above, cannot be reasoned with or provide intelligent, coherent arguments, then the movie is just a couple of hours of Maher being an ass and making fun of people.

Posted by: DeadBessie at September 18, 2008 10:55 AM

I really wish the release date on this was different. It's the last thing we need this close to the election. All it will do is provide the histrionic right a giant "issue" to pimp out to a simpering media, furthering this manufactured bullshit culture-war mentality that is a convenient distraction from any truly relevant policy discussion.

godDAM I hate everyone.

Posted by: firedmyass at September 18, 2008 11:44 AM

Come on people,
just the fact that you deny the existence of God, means you admit to the existence of God.....
Didn't I just blow your peon minds....
and Bill,,,,you swarmy fuck,
save your schtick for your non-existent audience.

Posted by: phish at September 21, 2008 7:39 PM