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From: padraig@utastro.UUCP (Padraig Houlahan)
Newsgroups: net.religion,net.flame
Subject: Re: Re 'Cheeses'/ Life of Brian
Message-ID: <1078@utastro.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 9-Mar-85 16:13:48 EST
Article-I.D.: utastro.1078
Posted: Sat Mar  9 16:13:48 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 11-Mar-85 04:38:14 EST
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> 
> I also saw the movie Life of Brian and here are a few comments about it.
> (I am a great fan of Monty Python, by the way.)
> 
> Much of their religious 'humor' (not all!) is stupid silly and falls flat
> on anyone with a small amount of knowledge of the religious beliefs involved.
> Rather like a whine than wit.  I think really good religious humor has to be
> about the beliefs REALLY held or understood.  Life of Brian, seen from this
> perspective was hardly about the life of Christ at all. Humor of all types
> often takes what one believes about reality and pushes it to a silly conclusion
> or fractures the 'map' of reality in such a way to create a tension that is
> released in laughter.  But to parody what NO ONE believes misses the point
> of humor.  That by way of general comment on Monty Python's religious humor as
> I saw it in Life of Brian and The Meaning of Life as well.
> 
> I believe I saw death in Life of Brian!!!  By that I mean we were trundled
> down the path leading to the conclusion that Christianity is silly and those
> who believe it perhaps even sillier (although perhaps it could be said they
> were making a parody of Christians who don't really understand their faith)
> and then - with the mob on the crosses (Brian included) singing "Life is
> Shitty" - they skillfully stick the knife in the audience!!!!!  Kill you as
> you sit there laughing!  They HAVE no answer to the larger questions of life
> to present (at least in the picture), only gallows (in this case literally)
> humor!!!  It was chilling to behold!  Some people in the audience seemed to
> get it as I observed them.  Many missed it.  It reminded me of the paintings
> of the Pope in a glass box screaming a silent screem.  Forget the painter.
> 
> But there were some great one liners in both movies.  
> 
> Comments anyone??
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Ken Arndt

I disagree. Traits that almost all religions share are the ability to
explain away previous obscurantic behaviour, and the tendency to reinterpret
and change their positions on issues when their obscurantism becomes
evident. This was well illustrated at the scene concerning the
sermon on the mount when someone in the audience asked "what did he say?",
and was told that Brian had said "Blessed are the cheesemakers".
But fortunately there was someone around to interpret this gem of wisdom
correctly. The "real" interpretation was "Blessed are those engaged in the
dairy industry..." 

Examples of issues that western religions have reversed themselves on, or are 
currently reconsidering their proclaimed viewpoint are: witchcraft, 
homosexuality, purgatory, the role of women in the church, scripture,
nuclear weapons and so-called "Just-wars", contraception etc. to name
but a few. This is not to say that all religions are doing each of
these, but the point is that these will be justified in the name
of growth, or maturity, or evolution in religious thought; 
adhered to with the same vigor as the previously held beliefs,
and proclaimed as the true and final interpretation - until revised
for convenience later.

This point was excellently made in the above mentioned scene.