Ann Rodgers, in her review of Bill Maher's new film, also brings out that old "millions killed by Stalin, Mao and Pol Pot in the name of atheism". It was Marxist-Leninist Communist ideology that killed millions, and the religion they were sacrificed to was Statism, not atheism; organized religion has never had a problem with the state when its holy men have controlled or influenced it.
His fears focus on scripture, but at no point does he interview an actual Bible scholar or theologian. Here Ms. Rodgers misses the point of this sort of film (it was directed by the same fellow who gave us Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan) it is obviously not meant to be a serious critical examination of the bible that requires interviewing scholars. Now, such a work would have its place, and perhaps someone should make that kind of film, but not Bill Maher (get serious yourself Ms. Rodgers!). As for theologians, I don't think much of them and neither should anyone else.
Dangerous distortions come from people who try to teach scripture without a background in history or ancient languages and literature. The guy who wrote "88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will Be in 1988" wasn't a theologian, he was a rocket scientist. Osama bin Laden isn't a theologian, he's a civil engineer. Bill Maher isn't a theologian, he's a comedian.
Of course, one wonders then how such a book could be God's message to mankind when you have to be a learned scholar and an expert in ancient languages to understand it properly. If anything proves it isn't from any god, that does.
I do like her last sentence, though. Yes, he is a comedian. She finally got it!
Roger Ebert's Review
- Mark Twain
Via Debunking the Christian Right
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