Religulous
For preview only. Get it on Amazon.com  #ad.

Religulous

2008, Religion  -   308 Comments
8.50
12345678910
Ratings: 8.50/10 from 109 users.

ReligulousEarly on in Religulous, Bill Maher throws up a bar chart illustrating the number of people in America who are non-religious. That number is 16%, more than blacks, more than Jews, more than numerous other minority groups who seem to have no problem making themselves heard and getting Congress to do their bidding. Maher wonders aloud why non-religious people are so underground, and why they aren’t having an impact on the national discussion. His film is aimed squarely at that 16% of the country, and almost no one else. His goal, and he clearly has one, is to give those people the motivation they need to come out of the closet and do something… before it’s too late.

Religulous begins with Bill Maher, standing alone in Israel at a place called Meggido; a worthless pile of rubble where many of the planet’s religions believe the end of the world will begin. From there, Maher pushes us into an intense, honest, and brutally funny discussion of blind belief, presenting the possibility that maybe we should all consider doubt instead. We follow him around the world, as he travels from place to place talking to religious people of different faiths on different continents. The surprising thing here is that even though Maher definitely has an agenda, his movie never skews into the realm of propaganda.

It’s not propaganda, because Maher isn’t running out and finding weirdos to use in smear tactics against the devout. Typically anyone trying to make a case against God goes right to the pedophile priests and the suicide bombers, but Maher makes it a point to focus on normal, reasonably sane religious people. He’s not stacking the deck in his favor, because he doesn’t need to. He talks to truckers in a roadside chapel, he chats with random, middle-class tourists at a Christian-themed amusement park.

He talks to religious shop owners, small town preachers, televangelists, Jews for Jesus, fundamentalist U.S. Senators, Vatican priests, religious scientists, secular Muslims, gay Muslims, people in America, Utah (come on, we all know it’s not really America), Europe, and even in Jerusalem. Though those fumbling for an excuse to discredit him may claim otherwise, these aren’t extremists or lunatics. These are for the most part sane, rational, even intelligent people who believe something which Maher believes is insane.

More great documentaries

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

308 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Steven
Steven
6 years ago

I'm an agnostic atheist. I have read the Bible and studied religion academically because I find it fascinating. I don't believe for a minute that you need the Bible to tell you how to be a good person.

I don't proselytize about atheism and I find it distasteful when religious people proselytize to me.

I believe that everyone has a right to believe whatever they want. I don't know if there is a god or gods because no hard, irrefutable evidence has been provided to me, even though I have researched it, interviewed religious people from many faiths and studied it academically.

Maybe one day a god will give me irrefutable proof but until then I will choose to believe in the cold, hard facts in front of me.

Good luck with whatever you decide to believe in, whether it's atheism, or one of the many gods that are documented.

MobileTechy
MobileTechy
8 years ago

documenting the horrors of the religious psychopaths .. thanx!

LO
LO
10 years ago

Couldn't agree with Bill Maher more!

sajid
sajid
10 years ago

Complete waste of my 1hr40mins. I found this doc highly judgemental and biased. For starters he didn't ask the right questions from any of the people/scholars. Instead I found him targeting innocent people, mocking them and their faith. Throughout the film I found him calling other judgemental, as a matter of fact he had judgemental remarks/images/clips showing up on the screen constantly judging others and their faiths, demonstrating his arrogance and shallowness. He interviewed a Rabbi who was showing his support for Palestine and Bill completely portrayed him as a sold-out to Iranians. Does Bill know how many Muslims are killed in Palestine on daily basis by Zionists and their agenda to wipe Palestine of the world's map? He said muslim are highly defensive to outsider...what???.. Next, he targets gay muslims guys and that stupid muslim rapper.....?? in pursuit of finding out Islam....That was jokes mate. Moreover, he touched upon topics that are very misunderstood by the masses i.e. killing of Infidels and islam taking over the world? Bill, where does it says in Quran that Muslims should go round killing others and subsiquently take over the world? I bet he has never even opened Quran, never mind reading it. I guess it takes devotion to find out the depths of any subject or religion, which Bill completely lacks.

L G
L G
10 years ago

I just watched this whole video and found it amazing.It was worth every minute of the time spent!! It only confirms my own beliefs on the topic through 15 years-plus of research on religion, Christianity in particular, and my own experiences. It pointed out some things I didn't even consider.

If you are trying to justify how wrong any of this is, you are doing just what the video states you will do when you cannot face facts. I justified for years and years while a Christian, against my own thinking and doubts. I did the same when I left the church I was in trying to find the right one....the "true" one. There are none.

In over 41,000 different denominations of Christianity, how do you find the right "one"? And that is just in Christianity! In those Christian faiths all claiming to be right, they also condemn all the other ones to death if they do not join their church! Add to that the other religions of the world saying they are all right and all others deserve death!!

I have never, ever, been happier to have left religion behind after 50 years of it. the last 15 have been so much better, happier and content. I am now more "Christian" in Christ-like qualities than I ever was and more so than the vast majority of Christians out there!!!

Roy Nusser
Roy Nusser
11 years ago

Have you ever noticed how scientists always say, "We're uncertain...", and that religous people always have the answers, but it's the scientists who are seen as arrogant. Hmmm...

Steven Hamilton
Steven Hamilton
11 years ago

All have sinned and? greatly offended the Holy God of the bible.? The just punishment is death then Hell. That's not God's will. He loved you so much that He became a man in the person of Jesus Christ and suffered and died on the cross paying for the law you broke in His life's blood. Now He can legally dismiss your case. You must repent turn from your sin and trust alone in the finished work of Jesus Christ for your eternal salvation.

NormaJFHarrison
NormaJFHarrison
11 years ago

can I contact the maker of the on-line version to ask to be sent it personally - because I can't access it here , on-line because of copyright controls - the profit factor. Some of the corp-s that contributed to making it have stopped it being seen - in MY country (the country I live in) ...
countries just being those boundaried lands telling the oligarchs who their slaves are - where their slaves live, and where their ownership of pieces of Earth by which to make profit are.

Htes A Nilley
Htes A Nilley
11 years ago

OWNED THAT SENATOR. :D

I need the see the whole thing now.
Just sad that you said you're "somewhat Libertarian" and bash a little on Paul while saluting him and then vote Obama. -_- HOW.DOES.THAT.WORK.?????!!

Fred Wahlstrom
Fred Wahlstrom
11 years ago

What I know for a fact, is truth, or reality.(which is very little). The truth is I don't know if the bible is the truth or god's word, if I teach it to children or present it to a confused person as the truth that makes me evil or insane or lacking in integrity. I agree with Sabrina, we can all discover this truth which I see as self-evident. What your looking for , your looking with.

Bissland
Bissland
11 years ago

I watched an interview with Maher who said this is not a documentary; he said it is comedy, but of course w/comedy one can point out foibles. I haven't been able to watch the video yet, and am especially interested in the last part which I'm told moves from Christianity to Islam.

MobileTechy
MobileTechy
11 years ago

this is so true .. finally someone has documented the horrors of the religious m*rons .. thank you

DHARMENDER KUMAR
DHARMENDER KUMAR
11 years ago

I saw this documentary in the history channel. many people took video of everything. it was sad.

ANyways, so do you think New york is safe from now on OR can someone somehow destroy one of those tall buidings again without anyone catching them in time

Aakash Arora
Aakash Arora
11 years ago

I Loved this Documentary .... from start till the end.... the facts and question we awesome .... and the answers given by theists :P were horrible
I really can't believe in this modern world people still do everything in their life according to what there religion sayssss :O

David
David
11 years ago

Bill Maher is a hateful attention-grabber. I doubt he even means what he says, he's just doing it for ratings. If religion gives hope and some solace to people in their life, good for them. How does he know the truth? Has he been around for 16 billion years?
"The universe is not only stranger than we imagine, it is stranger than we CAN imagine"...Issac Asimov. So this schmuck knows the answers? Rabbinicle scholars have wrestled with these questions for thousands of years. He's only a year younger than I am, for Christ's sake! And he started out as a COMEDIAN. I cannot believe that any thinking person would give any relevance to this guy or to anything he says. How many angels can dance on the head of a pin? In what book of the Bible did Moses have an argument with God and win? What is the difference between good intentions and sin? It would have been different if he knew his subject matter, but he was obviously fed his questions by his staff, who, not believing in God, didn't even know the proper questions to ask. This was just silly and proves nothing. I'd like to see him debate Rabbi Yona Weiss.

jimmy moreno
jimmy moreno
12 years ago

we need more people like bill maher

adnorman
adnorman
12 years ago

After watching Maher in this moving last night, I was struck at how cowardly he approached this film. First, he lies about the purpose of the documentary when interviewing individuals. Second, he is well prepped with his initial questions and follow-up questions which relate to theological issues that most people don't think about nor talk about on a daily basis - to be fair, these people should have been given some prep time to help formulate their answers to such deep questions. Lastly, he uses editing to make sure only the most ignorant and fringe individuals are shown while proceding to use the examples in his blanketing views of various religions. This approach is like a professional debator disguising himself as a child in a junior high debate along with making sure the questions are all ones he has had a chance to choose and study for. Maher, if you really want to understand something as what you claim to be doing, why don't you be a man and ask questions to people who have a chance to prepare themselves in the same way you did and to be a part of a non-edited dialogue? Why don't you take on people that likely have the same amount of dedication as you do to their faith such as apologists?

suyog
suyog
12 years ago

Humans are what they are now because of the insatiable desire to find answers to whatever is happening around them. so for the scientifically not so developed humans religion was the answer, though the answer was not perfect in today's scientific era but still was an answer, so they hung on to it.
the first scientists were all called evil and against god but we have with time accepted science and more so the comfort it gave us. but now is the time logically to ask the right questions as the fundamentals of the thing called religion which made us civilized and cultured is itself going against that logic and causing the unnecessary pain as a society.
its time to think, with the capabilities of our brain that has made us the numero uno species on this planet and not wast all that our civilized societies have achieved.
biologically we are animals but the power to think and more importantly to think with logic is what makes us human beings....

Dan Artz
Dan Artz
12 years ago

Lol at the guy calling atheism a "religion" hahahahah. Publics education wrks fo meeeeee!

dopefire14
dopefire14
12 years ago

Let Me Just Say that I'm a Grown Man and Never Once Have I Understood Christianity or any other Religion Mainly Because I Have Enough Common Sense to Know How Un-Holy it is to Burn Innocent People Alive for Not Believing What You Think They Should. Til This Day I Am Criticized and Judged by My Parents For Not Wanting to Be Christian!.. Til This Day They
are Still Hypocrites For Instead of Embracing Me and Accepting Me as the Person I Am Knowing That I'm a Good Hearted Human Being Without Having the Same Faith as Them is Unacceptable to Them. Point is I Don't Believe in Religion of any Sort, I Don't Need Church to Have True Faith in Myself. I am Naturally a Drug Free Happy Hard Working Citizen that only Wants the best for My Children. That's It...Bill Maher Thank You!!.. Hopefully People of all Religions Will Wake Up and Realize God is In You So Stop Investing & Bringing Your Problems to Church Just Handle Them and let the God in You Work Through YOU!

Kennedy Nichole
Kennedy Nichole
12 years ago

gotta love bill maher

Kennedy Nichole
Kennedy Nichole
12 years ago

y is it backwards =(

nate_171
nate_171
12 years ago

science = atom bomb and M.A.D ... fact

Ryan
Ryan
12 years ago

Religion = War Fact

jo jam
jo jam
12 years ago

"Petros Petrosyan"

You have no idea what you are talking about, so please save yourself the embarrassment and shut up

Sierra Maria Baker Parrott
Sierra Maria Baker Parrott
12 years ago

lol "here I am!"

Petros Petrosyan
Petros Petrosyan
12 years ago

Atheism is just another religion, trying to persuade others that its right and others are wrong. Claiming that those who dont accept it are blind to the truth. Science is measurements and data, it cant bring people together or instill a system of morality or ethics. Let people believe in what they want, who are u to say religion is wrong, its never hurt you, so stop crying like little bitches. Atheists dont want to answer to anyone, dont want to hear about punishment, dont want to be held accountable for their actions, and reject authority; sounds like children to me.

Mike Cicero
Mike Cicero
12 years ago

im glad to see that someone finally just says "i dont know." I don't know why we tend to feel like we need to know all the answers. Frankly anyone who claims to know anything for absolute certainty is lying to themselves.

artgenta
artgenta
12 years ago

definitely worth a look, it's time rational people start questioning irrational behaviors

DrZielberg
DrZielberg
12 years ago

Believing in Santa Claus or fairies or in some of the religious stories cited in this documentary may be comparable to the belief in economic growth and financial gain. Given a large slice of luck, when/if humans find themselves centuries in the future, we will be sharing EVERYTHING.

James Colwell
James Colwell
12 years ago

Bill Maher very funny, I found pretty interesting.

noonebusiness
noonebusiness
12 years ago

grow up, he says. Unfortunately, this won't be for centuries. Centuries, folks. There's going to be allot of hurt before there is healing. Science is the only way out. It's the only method that constantly seeks to prove itself wrong. There's no religions doing that. We're on the way. It's just going to take some time.

Shinobi Bombay
Shinobi Bombay
12 years ago

I love this flick I dont call myself an atheist but what the heck

Nephalim1
Nephalim1
12 years ago

Just learn astrology and everything will make sense about who we are... from star dust to star dust.

Robert C. Passovoy
Robert C. Passovoy
12 years ago

The worst part about these comments, is that people post here and think that is enough. Stop posting on a comment board, and do something about it.

Regan Bender
Regan Bender
12 years ago

My problem with religion is most of them (the religious people), only abide by the laws or rules they want too. Sex out of wedlock, fine. Abortion, no. Steal from a individual, wrong. Steal from the government, fine. Its all optional to suit their selfish desires.

Christopher Allen
Christopher Allen
12 years ago

Jesus of the amusement park was pretty good!

Steffi
Steffi
12 years ago

Our Philosophy teacher gave this to as our midterm assignment to write a four page paper about! I absolutely loved this documentation and will most likely buy it on DVD (if available). Many of you guys made more good points on religion. The power behind religion is scary and if it really ever comes to the end of our time on earth, it might even be because of it.

Caleb Lee Barrett
Caleb Lee Barrett
12 years ago

Bill is right in so many ways, almost everyone in religion doesn't even completely understand what they believe in. All they know is what has been told to them, they don't think for themselves or ask the big questions as I have searched for answers for years in many churches. The best answers I've ever gotten were either insanely complex and often contradicted other answers that they have given me, or they give an answer that basically sums up to, "I have no clue." For as much hate as Bill gets, you can't deny that he is right about so much at the very least surrounding the culture of religion, although I myself have come to the belief that our founding fathers have in that religion is a plague that would best be purged.

aryo gurmilang
aryo gurmilang
12 years ago

well, doubt is humble then...

rick
rick
12 years ago

From the review listed above: "These for the most part are sane, rational intelligent people who believe something that Maher thinks is insane."

NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

These people interviewed in the movie are reality deniers.

Melissa De Groote
Melissa De Groote
12 years ago

When I was in high school I learned that the virgin mother was a wrong translation, it actually meant the one without sin ... I'm not a believer and found this an amazing documentary (okay, sometimes I was shocked about the ignorance of a lot of people)

Janne Börje Niemi
Janne Börje Niemi
12 years ago

If one man has an imaginary friend you call him crazy. If? more than one person has the same imaginary friend its called religion.
Great documentary.

AUWR
AUWR
12 years ago

Great documentary. Bill Maher should do more of these.

jonathan jackward
jonathan jackward
12 years ago

religion is whack google this .....unified field of consciousness

Hidde_Bastiaansen
Hidde_Bastiaansen
12 years ago

Loved it! Really shows the dumb side of religion.

I get the people here who think he doesn't give religion a fair chance by interviewing normal people (although he did interview a few experts too). But at the same time, religion doesn't give any outsider a fair chance, they even claim to posses the one and only Truth!

Furthermore, these people are the normal people who make up the vast majority of religious movements. Asking only experts wouldn't be fair as well, because they are a minority. If you want to know what religion is about, you have to ask people on the streets.

Christa Kelly
Christa Kelly
12 years ago

Personally religion is a dangerous thing. Its in the name of god that we blow people up? What in the world? I hate people for forcing me to conform to their rules and beliefs when I have thoughts. I don't smoke, drink, do drugs, or other behavior that is unsavory. So why should I burn in hell, because I choose to live my life, when some child rapist gets into heaven just because he excepted god into his life.

BelugaJones
BelugaJones
12 years ago

This is a common misconception about atheists. Many atheists, especially ones who used to be religious are now atheists precisely because they searched for answers and did research about their religion.

BA_1221
BA_1221
12 years ago

So How would an Atheist go about finding out about religion? Because That seems like what he is trying to do. He is searching for answers. Rather than get any he is shown the door. Besides he wasn't always atheist, he was raised in the Church. Jewish dad, Catholic mom. I think he had some experience with religion. And third, who the hell needs to be given authority to speak their mind on something? And just who do you suggest he go to to get this Bullshit authority?

jubbs_sher
jubbs_sher
13 years ago

Maybe we all are god, if we choose.