Hi Everyone,
I’m a former member of this forum. I stopped posting here when I began to become disillusioned with Catholocism and Christianity in general. I decided to come back for a visit to see what was being said about the new movie Religulous, and after reading some of the threads about it, I thought I would offer up my perspective of the movie.
I attended Church with my family since I was small, and up until fairly recently I went to a Bible study once a week. But gradually as I grew up I began to look at the world through a more critical eye. I was always very naive and quick to accept what was told to me, but I now know to question things and research things. I don’t want to be a sheep that’s shepherded through life.
So with my new outlook on life, I began to question everything, so naturally I began to question my religious beliefs and my faith. I began to see that the circles I was in were full of judgment and shame, and I began to realize that I didn’t believe what I said I believed anymore.
However it’s not easy to drop religion out of your life. I have dropped it out of my heart, and I’m much happier for it, but since a lot of my friends and family have these beliefs, I have felt like I need to hide the fact that I’m now Atheist from them. People make you feel ashamed.
So the reason I named this thread “Thanks to Bill Maher” is that he has created a movie that is telling people like me that it’s okay not to believe.
If you have not seen the movie, it is about Maher’s personal rejection of religion. The theme of the movie is to show people that it is responsible to have doubt and to question things. One of my favourite quotes from the movie is the lady that says “I don’t know anything about politics, but I’ll vote for George Bush because of his faith”…well look where that’s gotten us.
Maher questions the doctrine and the beliefs of all religions. This is something that’s a major faux-pas pretty much anywhere you go, but it’s really sad that people should be made to feel like they can’t question these things.
This movie has given me confidence in myself so that I can come out of the closet as an ex-Catholic, and I don’t see anything wrong with it…not to mention it was very funny and entertaining!
I hope that came out cohesively…but I welcome questions. Thanks for reading