[ExI] What's wrong with Maher's Religulous?

[Damien Broderick]

At 03:54 PM 4/9/2009 -0700, Fred wrote:

>I interpreted all of what Maher was doing in the movie as part of the
>joke but if someone else wants to interpret differently I guess they
>can.  But to me that is missing part of the joke in the movie.

I just watched it at http://megavideo.com/?v=7viu43yz and it's a joke 
only in the blackest, grimmest way, a joke with a very serious 
uncompromising message embedded in it (which is presented too 
apocalyptically, maybe, but I agree with almost everything he says). 
The humor is all of the form, "Adults *said* that? They *did* that? 
Wtf??!!" So yes, he's emphasizing what's egregiously ridiculous and 
dangerous in "faith" rather than what's sweet and consoling and 
kindly, and some of his more bizarre spokescritters for faith are 
extremists not typical of the average churchgoer--but what I think he 
shows very effectively is how *entangled and complicit* the "nice" 
people are in the crazy, ludicrous, brain-stopping, dangerous bullshit.

Of course, given some of the crazy, dangerous bullshit we've seen on 
the ExI chat list recently, this human failing is not restricted to 
those deluded by religions. But I'd guess the proportion of loons is 
lower here. I hope.

Damien Broderick