Religulous: "Religion + Ridiculous"

My wife and I finally broke down and watched the movie (one among many) that is causing an outcry from so many religious groups - Bill Maher's 2008 documentary Religulous. As I watched the movie I found myself both crying and laughing, disgusted and intrigued, ashamed and enthralled, appalled and captivated.

For those that haven't seen the film, Maher's quotes include...

"Religion must die in order for man to live."
" Religion is detrimental to the progress of humanity."
Religious people make a "virtue out of not thinking."
Religious leaders are "intellectual slaveholders."

Not exactly a flattering portrayal! Throughout the film Maher's cynical and sarcastic interactions with some of the most fanatical people I have ever seen reveal both a distasteful mockery of religion and a surprisingly accurate critique of much of Christianity. He talks in depth about his own journey - growing up with one Catholic parent and one Jewish parent - and in doing so offers a very insightful glimpse into a perspective shared by more and more people in the United States. He describes his early church experience as "vast stretches of boredom punctuated by moments of sheer terror."

His film asks penetrating questions like "Why is faith a good thing?" He stands in front of St Peter's Square in Rome and asks if the power and wealth represented by the Vatican was really what Jesus intended? He confronts a wealthy televangelist with the stark contrast between his life and that of Jesus. He identifies the dissonance between Christianity and Nationalism - the bedfellows of God & Country. He questions the "arrogant certitude" of religious people.

When he finished his monsoon of attacks on religion, I was heartbroken at the representation that Jesus has in this world. It almost seemed that Bill was enthralled with a Jesus who stood for the poor, challenged the powerful and wealthy, and offered a new way of living but Bill wasn't seeing it lived out. He observed the stupidity and irrelevance that characterizes so much of Christianity today and asks how this is good news for the rest of the world. As I waded through the sarcasm and mockery, I found a prophet - a voice asking followers of Jesus "Are you really good news to the poor, the oppressed, the hungry, and the entire world?" "Or do you live in a land focused only on the hereafter and unwilling to engage in honest discussion about tough issues like evolution, homosexuality, wealth, and justice?"

Maher is advocating that the answer to bad religion and bad theology is no religion or theology at all! Get rid of them! I disagree. The solution to bad theology is good theology, not jettisoning all theology. The solution to a screwed-up religion is to replace it with a healthy one - to recapture the essence of Jesus of Nazareth and proclaim his kingdom. Hopefully this call will be heeded by those who claim Jesus as Lord.