Well, what can I say?  There are more comments regarding the material in the documentary than a review on the contents itself.  Nonetheless, I believe you will find it beneficial.

Religulous by Bill Maher

"The worst scenes in Religulous are appalling for their methods; the best are appalling for their information." 

~Ben Kenigsberg of Time Out New York

     So I picked up the dvd awhile back for a bargain price at the closing of a Blockbuster Video in my neighborhood.  That was several months ago and ever since it's been sitting in my video library unviewed and barely touched, that is until a couple days ago. 

     See, I had mixed feeling about viewing it, and even when I purchased it.  I recalled seeing the trailer and I wasn't thrilled with the idea of more "looking down on others and throwing stones at them" that comes from not seeing where we all fall short apart from Jesus.  That is what I really find appalling and repulsive, and I really hate it if I detect it in myself.

     Did I really want to view it?  Had I sold a piece of my conscience and soul to the enemy of our souls?  These were some of the questions I wrestled with as I put off the viewing.

     As the Good Book says, "Who can boast apart from our Lord?  No one and if we are to boast of ourselves let us boast in our weaknesses so that the power of God can be made manifest." 

     Furthermore, believers in Christ are my spiritual family and just because Aunt Gertrude may have a hearing impediment, cousin Jake may have an unhealthy lust for booze and women, and I may suffer from a nervous tick, we are still family and are in this together.  It's not that we should excuse our harmful and destructive ways that effect others and society as a whole, and not that we shouldn't address these issues as necessary, but hopefully you get the picture.

     On the other hand, if the dvd wasn't all about making fun of religion and religious people, I was curious to see what the film had to say on the matter as it does interest me to know why others believe what they do, or don't believe for that matter, and I like to learn and grow as the Lord sees fit. 

     Well, a couple days ago I took the plunge and after viewing it decided to review it...and so here we are.

     Considering the film was made by a professed seeking unbeliever and one that uses wisecracks on his itinerary (not that wisecracks of themselves are bad), I didn't think it was too bad along those lines and it did hold some valuable information.  As Christians we know that the more we are given and entrusted with the more we are accountable to God and if God takes those things into consideration, so should we.  So, in regards to these things I would not expect the same approach from someone not in the faith as I would from someone in the faith.

     In the documentary Bill sets out exploring various religions and questioning select people why they believe what they do.  Some of the answers were lacking, some way out there, but a select were very good and had strong points.  Bill gets his shots in and although at times you get the impression he really is sincerely seeking, for me it appeared to be tainted with some ulterior motives and his own venue. 

     Are ulterior motives bad?  Depends.  If it is not coming from a place of loving God with all and foremost, and then loving our neighbors as ourselves then yes, that isn't good.  Nonetheless God turns all things around for the good of those who love Him and are called according to his purposes (Romans 8:28).  So, I have no doubt that God can use Bill, even mightily in his present condition, to reveal areas where we may fall short, and even are seriously in error.  He's done it throughout history and as our loving Father, He still does.  Not that it is always about something gone wrong with us personally, sometimes it just comes from being a follower of Jesus and the enemy hating that.  

     Some of the disturbing include a man who professes to be Jesus, another man whose religious venue contains smoking weed as a means of inspiration, Bill's crude remarks, people who seem to be trying too hard to prove their point, and the various clips that periodically cut between the various interviews to show where the answers provided have taken a disturbing and destructive turn.  With reference to the clips I would add that they can be eye-opening and helpful too, but just because humanity may not have gotten it all right (and I don't profess to know and understand all the finer points of what God is doing), doesn't mean that there wasn't truth being relayed in some of the answers provided by those being interviewed, and good that has also come out of it, even if in part.  The one-sided negative view presented there didn't sit well with me.  

     Even so, who can deny that there haven't been some awful mistakes made in the name of God?  One need only look at the account of the Apostle Paul while he was still Saul the Pharisee to see that.  Let's just not forget that there have also been some awful mistakes made apart from God.  Ultimately, our problems are a human condition problem, not just a certain sect within humanity, although as we have stated earlier, those equipped and entrusted with more will be accountable for more therefore the Lord will begin to straighten things out with his own household.

     Considering Bill is also making a case for intellect and knowledge I would like to say that intellectual knowledge of itself isn't bad, but neither is it the ultimate answer.  Our lives were just never to be lived apart from our Heavenly Father and our answer is to be found at One with Him and his Heart (Spirit) through Jesus Christ who is our Door.  If we look back at history we can see that although intellect and knowledge had some valuable things to add to the mix, it also fell short and even went terribly wrong at times because ultimately it comes down to our foundation and what it is built on.  A house built on sand may enjoy a season of success, but God is intent that all that can be shaken will be shaken so that what is eternal will remain. 

     An objective view of knowledge can be quite enlightening and helpful.  We do ourselves and society a disservice by not realizing that, but once it is in the hands of men apart from Jesus, and men partaking of the knowledge of good and evil, whether they profess to be in the faith or not, it will take on distortions and perversions that will leave behind a mess in its quake.  That said, with the Lord and his Word we can still find the valuables under the debris, then wash away the dirt that covers it. 

     We believers and followers of Jesus state that the Way, the Truth, and the Life is Jesus Christ as appointed by our Heavenly Father.  I won't deny that I have experienced moments of doubt in life regarding my faith, but ultimately my belief comes from a deeper place inside of me given to me by my Creator Himself, and it continues to grow and flourish in my personal relationship with Him.  Yes, one can have a personal relationship with the living God that is very real.  I have found that although knowledge can be of benefit, and the reasonings that can come with it, it doesn't benefit me to change my beliefs on these things of myself, or where I may find doubt, but to take it to the Lord who will bring in his revealing Light.  As He does our faulty beliefs will be uprooted and right beliefs will be implanted in its place.  

     And although I won't claim it is with every unbeliever, I have found that some insist that reality is found in physical facts and using the scientific method.  They want believers to view things from that perspective claiming it is wrong not to do so, but they themselves are not open to the possibility of there being a reality beyond what is seen.  I don't believe the answer lies in denying what is seen and the evidence that comes from that for that can provide additional, beneficial information.  Why deny the physical evidence?  Although we may see it differently for we are looking beyond what is seen, just like Jesus knew Lazarus was really just asleep even though in the physical realm he was considered dead. 

     Believers shouldn't deny the evidence before them for it

can help with insufficient or faulty belief systems, but they are to see beyond them.  On the other side of the issue, if unbelievers are not open to seeing beyond what is physically tangible, then it is a stumbling block for them for they are confining God to their own ideals.

     Christians are to live by faith and faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.  It isn't something made up, it is very real and tangible and is a gift from God.  Oh sure, we can have belief without God.  When we are kids we believed in Santa Clause, but any belief that is founded more in man's ideals and efforts instead of God will eventually be unveiled to the individual, and that includes his belief in God.

     And this is where we often fall short, instead of understanding that it is only our Heavenly Father through Jesus that opens the spiritual eyes of the blind and ears of the deaf, and our job is to turn to Him for sight and hearing at the deepest level so that we may obtain salvation and grow in Him, we go about looking to accomplish this on our own (Matthew 16:13-27).  What results is an overall faulty belief system that may meet with some success for a season, but will eventually fail as it is proven by God to be built on the wrong foundation, or at the least a foundation built on sand.

     Pride is ultimately a stumbling block for all of us and is ultimately rooted in trusting in our own ways, agendas, judgements, and power over Jesus Christ.  Not that I claim to be exempt of pride myself all the time, yet as I viewed the dvd Bill at times had some crude comments to make that to me seemed to reveal a pride factor that is a stumbling block for him...although it seemed to be an issue for some others too.

     I don't want to end without sharing what I saw as the best answer in the documentary, one of which I feel the Lord has also shared with me too.  During a portion where Bill was questioning a Muslim woman she kept trying to answer him yet he repeatedly cut her off with another question regarding a portion of the Muslim faith that he saw as negative.  She eventually told him something to the effect of, "You cannot understand a portion of itself without understanding it within the larger picture."  I thought it was a shame that more time wasn't given to that and the woman as her interview was cut off at that point for as I said, this is a point the Lord has stressed to me and I've spoken of it before, several times.  I also have also found it to be a major problem in and out of religion, and I saw it to be a big factor with him too.

     Everything is just a branch and a branch of itself has no life of its own.  A branch will take on the life that it finds itself rooted in and if we are to understand branches as they were meant to be, all things created through and for Jesus, the Word of God in the flesh, we will need to be found in Jesus by trusting in Him and relying on Him; in Jesus who is our Root and Tree of Life (Colossians 1:15-20, John 1, John 15, Romans 11).

     Now for Bill, and all of us for that matter, I would like to say that if one is truly seeking to know the Truth, try looking at these things from an objective view instead of one tainted by personal beliefs apart from God, judgements of our own, and our own personal agendas, and ask God to reveal Himself and his Truth to us, then trust that in his time and way He will.  Just because He doesn't do so right away doesn't mean He hasn't heard our honest and sincere cries that spring from our hearts.  God is ultimately working things to serve his good purposes which is also good for us.  It can take time for Him to deal with the hard ground of our hearts, and to rid us of our ulterior motives not rooted in Him, but if we are sincerely seeking in his time and way He will reveal Himself to us. 

     The truth is more than knowledge.  The truth is a Being, God the Son, Jesus Christ.

     I would imagine at this point some would say, "Hey Jo, don't be a hypocrite.  You are being biased in your beliefs too."  If our biases are rooted in the Truth as God would reveal it, then it is a good thing.  The key is not to take the Holy Spirit's role in our personal lives and the lives of others.  We are to speak the truth as revealed to us by God and in his love, then allow Him to reveal to each as He sees fit.  I understand that others take a different position and can also claim it to be revelation from God, but just because there are different things being advocated as the truth, doesn't mean that the Truth does not exist.  In the close of this age we will all see what is the genuine Truth, and God will be proved right in what He says.  Our part is to be true to what He Himself has given us, and to love as He loves.

     In closing, although Religulous, Bill, and some others may have fallen short, and even crude at times as portrayed in the documentary (and not claiming I don't either at times), I also saw some good points that are beneficial, warrant looking into as we feel so led, and worthy of prayerful consideration.  I also don't doubt Bill also had his good intentions and there can be good that comes of it for God can use it and Bill as he is, even powerfully to serve his greater purposes.  Bill may have also had a love for humanity at heart, but He lacked the most important, loving God foremost and with all.  Although I ask, what's worse, one that has no belief in God but finds some love for humanity, or one that claims to have found God but has actually found something else that gives him little love for anyone but himself?  I don't know the answer to that one for although the latter may cause more harm to humanity, he personally may be in a better state to eventually see his depraved condition and sincerely seek to know God, and wonderful things for humanity can come of it. 

     Either way, they each are in need of Jesus even if they don't know it just yet.

     So, as with all things, if you view the documentary take what is beneficial, don't partake of the foul, and seek the Lord for his Truth, then allow Him to prepare you for just that in his time and way.  I will say that although it took me months to finally get to the documentary, I'm glad I did.