Wow, those crazy religious folks sure are funny, aren’t they? Professional shit-stirrer Bill Maher asks this age-old question in this docu-comedy in the Michael Moore vein, but exactly what point is he trying to make by asking this? I suppose part of the problem is that I’ve never found Maher all that funny, but I’m also not sure if it really behooves us at this point in time to point at religious people and laugh. At a time when suicide bombing has become a major issue in the Middle East and the evangelical lobby is exercising a great deal of clout on the national stage, making condescending jokes about religious people may not be the right way to go. In fact, I dare say it’s a tad counterproductive, as part of the lure of religion for the faithful is that it gives them a venue to celebrate their faith in their chosen way without fear of embarrassment or self-consciousness. Wouldn’t it be more useful for Maher to try to understand what draws them to God instead of simply being smug about his own lack of faith?