Fellow Atheists, what do you think of Bill Maher's "Religulous" closing statement?

Bill Maher, as a TV personality, gets on my nerves a bit; but I could have just about written that statement, myself...

I liked a lot of the points (obviously - see avatar), but the main thing I disagree with is "religion must die"...it's religion that needs to grow up - to find it's center in what is spiritual about life and living and to quit making it about superstition and sycophancy to their holy texts written centuries ago for different people.

My favorite part about the scene you quote from was the juxtaposing of the "endtimes" passages from both Christianity and Islam - do these guys see that they are saying the exact same thing, but validating their own religious ascendancy to get there? I doubt very many religious people will sit through the film that far though - which is the real shame about the film.

That's a long closing statement! haha

I did watch (and have) the movie though, so I remember it.

I find it ironic that he claims to be agnostic, and not atheist, but his closing statement was a bit harsh for me.... and I'm an atheist.

Not as in, it was bad, just that I thought it rang more of militant atheism than agnosticism. I think he is an atheist in disguise.

But, hey, I have the movie... so I obviously agree with it.

I think it's a well written statement. I particularly agree with the last paragraph about the dangers of religious moderates. That's a sentiment that is not expressed nearly enough. Sam Harris' "Letter to a Christian Nation" is essentially a [small] book about that one idea.

I think his points are valid. I'm not sure about how he delivers them though. It comes across as a bit forceful. He's talking about preachers telling us what to believe, but he's kind of doing the same. He doesn't really present atheism as an alternative option that is available, but rather as something that we HAVE to be. It's a bit hysterical.

I always think about the trucker's church. I thought the big guy was going to loose it, the preacher man had a cool head though. My fav was the priest outside the Vatican though. If everyone was like him I would never say a word against religion.

That closing statement does sum up why we should fear religion though.

I think he's absolutely right.

I believe he's looking at religion in terms of very fundamentalist organizations, but those are the very organizations that will go to the very ends of the earth and die to bring the rest of us to our end.

I think it is time to wake up. I fully concur with what Bill is saying here.

I actually agree with it, even though he comes off as condescending. Truth is the last thing we need is someone convinced that they are hearing from a God, in control of nuclear weapons, it would be a self fulfilling prophesy.

I had fun with that movie was surprised at that closing monologue. It hit home because although religion doesn't necessarily need to die, it does need to grow up.

It made me think. I liked that movie.

I like Bill Mahr. Hated that movie.

Penn & Teller did a much better take on religion on their show Bullsh*t.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RV46fsmx6E