“Why in the world would they try to hide that fact from the movie goer? Do they actually think they had to trick us into seeing this movie? And did they think we’d drop our belief under the sheer weight of their smug condescension?”
my, what an ego you have! why do you think that everyone involved in the movie had some uber-secret collusive anti-christian agenda? and why do you think that they have to explain everything about a movie before you see it, just in case you might be offended? oooooh, here comes that big ol’ boogie man, Atheism, to get you!
ugh… yeah, it’s all about you.
or maybe it’s just a movie expressing what the writers, directors, and actors think, believe, and feel and share it in an entertaining way. can you get over your victim complex already?

The opinion piece was more quotable than the movie review:
The principal mystery of Genesis, to us, is how to reconcile “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway” with “Invisible Touch.”
Yeah, true.
Gervais [...] should have insisted that the TV commercials show “The Invention of Lying” as exactly what it is: More “Life of Brian” than “Liar, Liar.” He could have called it “The Invention of God.”
Yes, the trailer comes across at first like “Liar, Liar” but I catch a switch near the end. (“Life of Brian” is among my all-time favorites, especially the songs.)
“The Case for God,” by Karen Armstrong
I saw this book reviewed in the NYT but haven’t read the book myself yet.
Ridicule and shame work on the proud … and we all have a little pride.

“you got to look on the bright side of life… ”
i still plan to see the movie, because my feelings aren’t bruised in the least by anything in it. and if it’s at all as good as “life of brian” well, it will be worth the money.

I have no hope of its being as good as “Life of Brian” … I mean, that’s a classic.

If you think the things that people believe in the movie are stupid, perhaps you should look at that rather than whine about your religion being “mocked”.

“The Roman soldiers and the Jews mocked Jesus when he was flogged and crucified…”
You couldn’t have said the crowd? Instead you had to indict all of us?
Thanks.

scott, i had no idea you were a roman soldier! have a great night.

I saw the movie an loved it. The movie does make the religious look stupid as well it should. There is no “man in the sky controlling everything.”

“To all those atheists who want to convince us using Gervais’ tactics, I say: ridiculing Christianity by treating us like we’re gullible dupes who would believe anything we’re told isn’t a way to demonstrate that Christianity is false.”
While that may be true, plenty of Christians demonstrate their gullibility by believing demonstrably false “facts”, concepts and ideas, and that certainly does nothing to show they are of a “true faith”. Those Christians ridicule their own religion by doing so, with no help from those who point it out after the fact.

“Our faith is reasonable and we know it even though atheists have convinced themselves it is not.”
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Heb.11.1
No such thing as reasonable faith. Hebrew 11:1 defines faith very well, its a belief in something for which you have no proof of, which doesn’t jive well with reasonable.
I have no problem with faith, but please don’t pretend you are being reasonable.

The film doesn’t just criticize the idiocy of Christianity; it criticizes the idiocy of all superstitious belief.
Sorry, Christians, it isn’t always all about you, much as you think your magical, invisible friend made the entire universe for special, important you. (Is it possible for anyone to be more egotistical than you?)

I can’t wait to see this movie, and I hope you will see it before judging it, Michele. Ricky Gervais is brilliant. I just read an interview in which he was very upfront about his atheism, and I don’t believe, from what I’ve read of this film, that it is anti-Christian, since he is creating a speculative alternative reality, ie. “What if Christianity and God were a myth?”
I can’t imagine why asking that question would do damage to anyone’s Christianity.
Gervais is a genuine wit, and he was wonderful in “Ghost Town” – sort of a short, stubby Cary Grant, IMO.

BTW, Movie Mom has an excellent review of “The Invention of Lying” (in which she addresses this issue) on her blog:
“Some audience members will be uncomfortable at the suggestion that God is portrayed as a lie but this underestimates the film. While Gervais is an acknowledged atheist, the movie does not have to be seen that way. The emptiness of the lives of the people in a world devoid of anything but the literal truth and the way they are enthralled with the concepts of faith and meaning argue just the opposite.”

I agree with Chris that mature faith isn’t thoroughly reasonable … and living deep faith can prompt us to do irrational things.
Recently Benedict quoted Anselm on this point: “Nor do I seek to understand that I may believe, but I believe so that I may understand.”
http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0904232.htm
michele may disagree.
If I remember right, Hebrews 11:1 is a tricky passage to translate and interpret. (NAB footnote) Oh, the notes in the ESV Study Bible are more affirming. Silly me.

The show Red Dwarf already did an episode sort of like this. Someone told the robot he would go to Robot heaven when he was deactivated as a reward for working for humans. Meanwhile the robot kept telling the humans how irrational their believe in heaven was.
Also I loved the irrational rant which seems to boil down to “you can’t disprove Christianity, but when you try you prove Christianity.”

As someone who has actually seen and , I’d like to point out that it is not at all anti-Christian or anti-faith. On the contrary. The movie makes it clear that the lives of the people who are limited to the concrete reality in front of them do not have the ability to lie but also do not have the capacity for imagination, abstraction, compassion, or faith. And therefore, their lives are empty. They have no reason for getting married except for optimal genetic matching. There is no love, no kindness, no joy, no sense of purpose. I think that is a pretty powerful argument in favor of faith. It is a joke in the movie that the characters are so starved for belief that they are desperate to hear the Gervais character’s ideas about God and heaven. It is a joke that some of the things he makes up bear some relationship to the form, if not the substance, of the beliefs of some religions (not just Christianity) and that when he is depressed and stays in bed without shaving or cutting his hair he resembles some traditional images of Jesus. But I think it is a mistake to interpret this as disrespectful in light of the film’s central point. And I think it is a mistake to interpret or judge a movie without actually seeing it.

There’s also this to consider, Michele:
“There lives more faith in honest doubt, believe me, than in half the creeds.”
Alfred Lord Tennyson

I was looking for some other content but found it and it was my pleasure reading this post.Size 14 shoes

The author says: “Our faith is reasonable”
You obviously don’t even understand what faith is. Faith is the belief in something in the absence of evidence, or even despite the evidence. Faith, by definition is unreasonable.

My favourite comment was the one which told me all about size 14 shoes. Brilliant – you should delete it as its (a really really really poor attempt at)link spam

Wow, reviewing and condemning a movie you haven’t even seen.
You utter, utter, utter moron.

What a stupid stupid woman.
Many films are created with the predilection that God (sometimes other Gods) exist, and no one says anything.
I especially like the fact you’ve even admitted to liking Ghost Town, when if you were being rational with your argument here, you would admit Atheists have the right to protest about Ghost Town, and any other film that assumes there is a God.
Because, in essence, that is all you are doing. And its pathetic.
No wonder people ridicule you.
Christians. The worlds’ biggest hypocrites.

There are plenty of movies, books, television shows, etc. that imply that a god exists when it is clearly not the case, but atheists don’t get offended.
Would a Christian get offended wathching a Bollywood film that shows many Hindu gods? No, they wouldn’t, but mention the word atheism and they go mad.
Don’t be so hypocritical. I didn’t put a rant on my website about Bruce Almighty…

I think Ricky Gervais sums up this article perfectly on his blog:
“I particularly liked the bit when she said, “It’s a good thing I’m not gullible enough to go see a movie without reading a review first.”
I’m sure she’s not gullible enough to read a review and totally believe it wholeheartedly and then pass her own judgement based solely on hearsay without seeing the film first. That would be ridiculous. ”
Enough said.

In the realm of the Universe…we’ve just crawled out of the primordial soup…we have all sorts of theories about the Universe and reality itself…but no proof of the true answer….and yet we seem able to declare that no “intelligence” created all “this”…it just happend…it was just a coincidence….that seems a bit self indulgent doesn’t it???

So let me get this right; you haven’t actually seen the movie but you read somewhere that it is ‘anti-christian’, and therefore condemn it?
Idiot.
It’s a FANTASY movie set in a world where god doesn’t exist.
You have made an absolute fool of yourself by writing this article.
Journalism at it’s best!

I really think you ought to see it. Besides the terrific performances, the premise makes you think. When we left the theater at the end of the movie, everyone was smiling and talking and laughing… How often does that happen with a movie? Yes, the underlying premise is not usual for what is marketed as a romance-comedy — but I bet, if you see this, you’ll end up loving the characters as much as I did.

Hello everyone.
This film isn’t anti-christian, if anything it is anti-religion as a whole but Gervais did not make this film with the intention of offending those who have beliefs in a particular god or supreme being.
Atheists exist and are as welcome to freedom of speech as well as anyone else. Gervais is an atheist and has written a film based on his beliefs and how things can evolve based on creating fiction, it’s his belief and not a condemnation of others. (And of course, this film is fiction!)
There have been many interviews where he has talked about how he isn’t offended by religious elements in films despite being an atheist, mentioning that he loves films such as Its A Wonderful Life.
It seems that Christians seem to take anything that does not agree with religion (as a whole) very personally. I wonder if any of the other religions of the world will find it as offensive as you guys have, especially when you have not seen it.
Please don’t think that I’m trying to condemn you or belittle you, you’re welcome to your beliefs but I just felt as if I should chip in and advise you not to take it personally, but if you do, then thats fair enough, its your choice. Just like its your choice whether you see this film or not.
Just some thoughts, and as I said, I respect your beliefs but I do think the whole backlash against the film fails to hold up in my opinion and tend to just serve to create more publicity.
Take Care and all the best,
Chrisx

Even if anyone does believe this movie is anti-christian, so what if it is? It’s his right to believe what he wants, the same right that we have all been given. I understand when people may feel ‘duped’ because it isn’t made clear in any promotional material that he makes up ‘The man in the sky’ but why would you give away such a pivitol plot device that ultimatley plays a large factor in the theme of the movie? People may have felt ‘duped’ at the end of The 6th Sense or Usual Suspects, I’d be well annoyed if that had been given away!!
People will think that he’s using his status to ‘preach’ how there is no god, and may think that he’s abusing his power in a public position to do so.
I went to a Roman Cathlolic Primary and Secondary school, and people there used their public position to preach to me, exactly the same, except they were telling me that God does exist. I don’t see any articles anywhere saying children should have a choice in believing this, or wait until they’re older, surely they have the same rights as us to belive what they want, and us telling them there IS a God, is surely the same as those who say there ISN’T a God?
The thing I got from the film was, wouldn’t it be GREAT if we all DID believe there is a God, and it was a fact that we would leave a happy eternal life. I don’t see this as a God bashing film, more a film about hope rather than expectation.
I’m sure part of the thought process behind this release was to create discussion on these matters, so he’s definatly succeeded there.

I have one word to sum up this whole article, and that word is ‘RETARDED’ you haven’t seen a film yet you claim to despise it because you HEARD it was anti-Christian, good one!
Thats a bit stupid, kinda like hating someone based on what another person thinks about them. Hears what you can go do, see the film then make a judgement based on it. Have your own opinions you mindless sheep, baaaaaaaaah!
And so what if it is ridiculing Christianity (or any other faith) why should you care? If YOU believe in your God then surely other peoples views wouldn’t bother you, you’re still going to Heaven right?

It isn’t about being gullable. It’s about being conscripted into a movement that discourages critical thinking. You know as well as the rest of your ilk do – that outside your bubble, critical thinking will only lead you to reject your beliefs. Science is at the point where there is elegant, factual rendition of the origin of the universe – and not a soulless one either. I don’t judge you stupid, I judge you to be someone who dares not question her beliefs. At night, look up, once in a while, learn about what is occurring up there. Then try to tell yourself that earth is 6000 years old.

ha. now this is a bit ironic isnt it?
saying you’re not gullible for falling for whatever it is you claim Gervais is doing in this film, yet you GULLIBLY (oh yeah.) believe in one review, and start attacking the movie.
watch the movie. then opinionate on it, yes?
ah, and thanks for giving away what seemed the critical part of the movie for us who haven’t seen it yet.
thanks.thanks.thanks,

Your article is a perfect example of everything that is wrong with American Christians and I speak from experience having lived there for 14 years.
The audacity to review a film without even watching it and then write an article to dissuade people from seeing it. You are all like sheep unable to think for yourselves. Get a life.

I find it so encouraging to read responses such as those found here. It is nice to read others saying that this film is not anti-Christian or pro-athieism. It is pro-critical thought. Ironically, the writer has done exactly what the people in the film do – and what the film guards against – she has believed the words of the reviewer without ever seeing the film for herself and thereby having an educated and informed opinion based on the evidence of having seen the movie! Brilliant! Ricky Gervais may be an athiest, but he is decidedly humane and so very funny. This review uses statements like “smug condescension” and “being duped into seeing a movie that insults me”. There is nothing smug about this film (and at least I can say that having actually seen it). I believe in a higher being, and I’m not insulted in the least that Ricky Gervais does not. He’s not out killing people who don’t agree with him. He’s making thoughtful and funny films that highlight the issues he wants to explore and question. He’s not discriminating against people who believe in a God, he’s just pointing out some of the problematic aspects of believing in anything without evidence or questioning. Reviews are like gossip – they can be fun to read or hear, but you can’t rely on them over your own experience. You certainly should not write an article or commentary about a movie you have not even seen. That is just ridiculous! I think Ricky Gervais has been very honest about the true intent of this film. He intends to try to make us think about what we believe on faith without facts or personal experience (not to say faith is wrong, just that some people feel the need for something beyond faith). He intends to make people laugh while he makes his first point. From the response at the Toronto Film Festival, which I was lucky enough to witness, he was very successful. We laughed all the way through the movie, the believers and the non-believers laughing together in all our smug condescension!
RLM

ricky gervais is brilliant. hes funny and hes a good man. im catholic and i cant wait to see the movie. im 15. but dont tell me im not mature enough to be able to seriously respond to this. i think your gullible for falling for whatever review you read. I

I love Ricky Gervais.

It isn’t anti-christian, it is just a world where there is NO god, of ANY KIND. So please don’t feel so picked on -.- Secondly, it is free speech, not atheist ‘tactics’. I’m sure if you decided to accept that you felt the film’s world of having no God in it was wrong in your mind, you could then enjoy the film.
Anyway, this will be the same as Life of Brian. Massive Controversy but remembered as a classic years after.

You make the Paris Hilton look like Einstein…
It’s people like you (and the complete idiocy of the Bible) that make me proud to be an atheist.

That’s ricky-diculous.

In what way is this a film review if you haven’t even seen the film?
p.s Congratulations on having been to see ‘The Golden Compass’, well done.

Haha, what a riduculous argument; “Our faith is reasonable and we know it even though atheists have convinced themselves it is not.”
Point one, your faith is in no way ‘reasonable’. To reason with something you need to understand the logic behind it, and one the the Bible has nothing of, is logic. So don’t spread that little lie around too much (unless you put it in book form in which case many people may agree).
Secondly, i LOVE how you state that atheists are the ones that have been convinced. That is completely untrue, we have been convinced of nothing. It is the christians who have been convinced. Before you were a christian, you most likely had no reason to believe in any god and therefore were not convinced that any existed. Atheists KNOW there is no god and therefore need no convincing as there is no dispute and no evidence against it.
In terms of the movie sadly letting you down because it depicts a world without god. Firstly can i ask, did the trailer for The Golden Compass state that there was no god in the trailer? And also, you live in a world without god. Get used to it.

Jeez, you christians are very easily threatened, which (understandably) doesn’t say much for the strength of your beliefs.
And as Shaun said – the film’s not anti-christian, it’s anti-theism. There are hundreds of other religions, so don’t try to claim god as your own and dismiss all other religions; that’s exceedingly smug.

I haven’t read such an uninformed diatribe for ages. The film, in no way, has a go at Christianity. It is basically a ‘what if?’ film. Which, as in all the best films, leaves you thinking.
BTW – it is a comedy! Not a documentary.
To denounce a film, based on someone elses review is incredibly
ignorant.
“Anti-Christian”??? “Gervais’ tactics”??? – You haven’t seen it!
Take the chip of your shoulder and go see the film.
Its funny.
Certainly got more jokes in it than your favorite work of fiction.

“Do they actually think they had to trick us into seeing this movie?”
No, I think they thought you might be open-minded enough to go and see a comedy movie that portrays a belief system different to your own dogma. They gave you too much credit, it seems.

“And Paul warned us that the intellectuals of the world consider us foolish”
Paul was right.

“It’s a good thing I’m not gullible enough to go see a movie without reading a review first.”
???? But apparently you are gullible/ignorant/arrogant enough to condemn a movie without actually seeing it first!

Thanks for the heads up! I wouldn’t bother watching The Lord of the Rings either, that promotes a belief system based on jewellery.
And I’d leave Star Wars alone as well.

If lies did not exist it would be necessary to invent them.

I mean him…..No them!

Come on Jesus! Stop this movie from being shown!

I think this film could be bigger than the Beatles!

i can’t believe god let this one through. :/

lol, you gullable cow, couldnt see the video as im not from the US
* phew * but reading your garbage surrounding the video was enough to make me laugh. Not just about your anger over nothing, but at christianity. haha-ahahaha-aha
Athiests all the way

Its a plot twist, you know a plot, in a fictional piece of work such as a film or book. Although I read the bible there are no plot twists or character development I was most disappointed (I will write a review soon). Thats why he dosent discuss it in interviews, not to dupe poeple into seeing an ‘anti Christian’ film. More to preserve the story development (key word ‘story’).
‘When we’re mocked it just proves the truthfulness of this passage.’
This however is a fantastic example of circular logic.

It’s nice to be able to vent about something, but I think you should check your sources properly Michele.

God gave you a tumor but didn’t screen this pro Athiest propaganda?
I would commend Ricky Gervais for being controversial but I don’t think he was even trying to do that, provoking and insulting christians seems to be very easy these days.
Is it defending Christianity or is it just an overwhelming insecurity?
Just for the record, I am not an atheist and do believe that there is something after death.

Sorry, this article reads like you haven’t actually SEEN the film yourself.
“It’s a good thing I’m not gullible enough to go see a movie without reading a review first”

How silly you make yourself look; dismissing a movie, you haven’t seen, based on someone elses review, then extrapolating your own interpretation based on… what?
Ignorance.

Why should Gervais not make a film based on his own beliefs?
Should all films expound the premise that our Christian God exists?
Of course not.
There is a big difference between blasphemy and atheism. This film does not insult or make any derogatory comments about God at all. It is a fictional world without any notion of God.
See it.

I don’t really care the Bible and the Jesus stuff but you should love Karl Pilkington more than anything.

your an idiot
Ricky Gervais is genius

I’m sorry, this is the most ridiculous article i have seen, you’re saying “It’s a good thing I’m not gullible enough to go see a movie without reading a review first.” yet you’re gullible enough to believe the review you’ve read (not to mention you believe in a fictitious man because you’ve read about him in an old book) and pass this ridiculously attention seeking judgment without seeing the film yourself, not that seeing it would change your opinion anyway because all you like to do is to complain about how everything is so ‘anti-christian’ just so you can get some attention.
Wow, you must be bored of reading that thick old book you read if you’re doing this for attention.
Let me tell you, a prestigious man like Ricky Gervais would not be wasting his time trying to convince you you’re foolish because that would be like “standing on street corners proselytizing, telling people they’re idiots”.
oh but wait….
that’s what you’re doing

You seem to have slightly missed the point…the point wasn’t to ‘trick Christians into seeing it’ by not disclosing the entire plot in adverts and trailers! Would atheists be taking the ridiculous offence you are if they went to see a film that ended in a firmly pro-God message? No! Think about the generalisations you are making and about what you’re saying!
You’re one of those Christians who is determined to be discriminated by atheists – and in doing so you discriminate against atheists so much more! I’m not an atheist, but the point still stands.
An absolutely ridiculously presented opinion of a film you haven’t even been to see.

hi, jesus here. Just watched the film with pappa and he enjoyed it immensely. Although at one point he started to doubt his own exixstence, so he told me to email you guys and to let you believers know he’s keeping a space for you up here (above the earth but just below space) anyway you’ll see the gates. Im still amazed we haven’t been spotted yet hehe.

Writing a review without ever seeing the movies?? great job moron.
Religion is a cloud that covers the clear view of reality
or as Mao said it: religion is poison

“And Paul warned us that the intellectuals of the world consider us foolish”
An intellectual is a person with a high capacity for reasoning and understanding objectively. So, what you seem to be implying is that you don’t value the use of your intellect — and admit that you probably are foolish.

i think you should at least watch the film before you try to slag it off you ho.

Get a life. What a stupid waste of my time. I could have been reading the book “The Bible” instead of reading a review to a film that you didnt see.

Good news, bad news.
The good news is that you have a lot of readers of your blog!
The bad news is that they thought it was a bad post.

What stunning ignorance.
Your article reads like someone with a huge chip on their shoulder.
Don’t criticise something you have no knowledge of. It makes you sound quite pathetic.
See the film then write a review.

What do the Jews have to do with all of this?

“…treating us like we’re gullible dupes who would believe anything we’re told isn’t a way to demonstrate that Christianity is false. ”
…
Since Christians, Muslims and Jews despise- and sometimes hate-those who don’t believe, it’s only fair that reasonable people make fun of you. The real religious debate is between agnostics and atheists. If there is a god, he certainly won’t bother if you eat pork, or seafood, or meat on a Friday. All these stupid rules only apply in religious fools’ gullible heads.
If you believe in god, free yourself from the priests who only want live without having to work. I have a secret for you: it’s a scam. Look at the Vatican, it’s made of f**king gold and marble! Why not selling it and give the money to the poor? Wouldn’t that Jesus dude do it? The pope should be happy with a hut if he was intellectually honest, wouldn’t he?
Of course intellectual honesty and religious organizations just don’t go together!

Good to hear believers are still happy with putting their fingers in their ears and going LALALALALALALALALICAN’THEARYOU to any opposing views.
I saw the supposedly “Christian propaganda” movie “The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe” despite being an atheist.
It’s too bad it was a bad movie, and not because of any Christian bias it may have had.
The Invention of Lying is a good movie. You should see it and stop being afraid of people who think differently from you. Who knows, you may learn something you don’t already know.

I’m sure she’s not gullible enough to read a review and totally believe it wholeheartedly and then pass her own judgement based solely on hearsay without seeing the film first. That would be ridiculous.
That would be like me believing that the Earth was made in six days just because it was written in one book with no evidence to back it up. That would be blody mental wouldn’t it? RG

“Why in the world would they try to hide that fact from the movie goer? Do they actually think they had to trick us into seeing this movie?”
Bet you were furious when it turned out Bruce Willis was a ghost. Why didn’t they tell you that from the start?!
Making any reference to there not being a God would have given away a fairly major twist in the film. I watched it fully expecting it to be a show about how lies can spiral of control and, while it does indeed touch on that, I very much enjoyed the unexpected addition of Gervais’ character essentially inventing God.
For what it’s worth, I do believe in God (though I’m not a practising Christian) but I was still able to enjoy the film, which I watched with a Christian friend who managed to get through it unoffended – because he, unlike you, is aware it wasn’t a documentary. It was a comedy and a very good one at that.

Far out some christians have a real inferiority complex. Defending 2000 years of unwaivering faith against a movie that presumes god might not exist in a world with no lies? Can’t you just be happy that you know you are going to heaven and not take the fact not everyone agrees with you so seriously

Quite frankly you should watch a film yourself before getting offended by it. I watched it and I personally don’t see how it could offend any religion – it’s not just Christianity that doesn’t exist, it’s ALL religions… oh but Christianity is the only true one is it?
The film is set in a reality where the lie has not been invented. As an Atheist, Ricky believes that there is no God – therefore religion is technically classed as a lie so it makes sense that he would choose for the world to be free of religion. That’s his belief and he’s entitled to it.

It would seem this article is merely a review of a review, a third hand recollection of events. You have taken awesome faith in someone else’s writing… Sound familiar?
Does Ricky Gervais come knocking on your door every weekend shoving flyers and magazines in your face promoting Atheism?
Does he yell on the city street corner trying to ‘spread the word’?
No. He as made a film, with comedy being the main intention. You have the choice to pay money and see it or not.
If your beliefs are so strict, it prevents you from enjoying a movie, I feel sorry for you. Surely if there was a god, he/she would want you to enjoy life.
In Gervais we trust.

“Our faith is reasonable and we know it even though atheists have convinced themselves it is not.”
Oh really? A dead guy rising is “reasonable”? Talking snakes, donkeys, water to wine, walking on water, zombie walking around Jerusalem, infant killing sprees, staffs into snakes are “reasonable”?
Oh, but that Islam! Such a silly belief system what with ol’ Mo splitting the moon in two! As if!
Too funny…

Are you scared when people question your faith cos you know deep deep down in your soul … you know deep deep down that the bible is rubbish and there is no way it could be true … a talking snake (as if). It is just a 2000 year old book that peddled easy answers to people that couldn’t come up with the correct answers … but now we have lots of answers your beliefs seem somewhat ridiculous.
Praise Darwin!
One day the atheists will have all the scientific answers to all your remaining questions and religion will hopefully become obsolete and you will then be one of us … and we will forgive you.

@ John
You find donkeys hard to believe in? That’s taking the skepticism a little too far I think

Gervais is not trying to “dupe” you into anything, he is simply making a film based on his own beliefs. This does not make a film “propaganda” just because he happens to disagree with you. Would you call a film with a Christian theme propaganda? Of course not, and nor would I. I very much doubt his reason for making this film was to target Christians.

I tell you which movie was a tad one-sided; that one Robert Powell was in… he was the beardy fella who told stories and stuff, loved his bread and vino of a weekend and wore a pair of Birkenstocks.
To be fair the trailer did give it away but as an atheist a skinny bloke with some twigs in his head didn’t rock my belief, or in fact even move me to comment on the movie, and as strong as your faith is you shouldn’t be worried at all.
It’s a movie made for entertainment. You should enjoy it; you’ve been going mental for that 2000 year old piece of fiction for ages! You should try something new… this dude’s got shoes and everything.
And he happens to be a funny f**ker.

Blessed are ye, Michelle. For you have been noticed by the King of Kings of Comedy Himself and He deigned to mention you on His most holiest of blogs. Even if He thought you an idiot, it is an honour most of us could not hope to receive in our short time on the internet.
Rejoice! Prepare ye the way of “The Office” season 3!

Blessed are ye, Michelle. For you have been noticed by the King of Kings of Comedy Himself and He deigned to mention you on His most holiest of blogs. Even if He thought you an idiot, it is an honour most of us could not hope to receive in our short time on the internet.
Rejoice! Prepare ye the way of “The Office” season 3!

“Our faith is reasonable ”
Woman please. hahaha. Give me one reason for that.
You invented your believes for one reason and one reason only. Áfraid of death and the inevitable nothingness that follows. You people can’t handle that so you made up your God and your heaven. It’s nothing less than retarded. Nothing less.

Man, you really are overreacting.
As someone has already pointed out, this isn’t preaching. It’s simply exploring themes that appeal to the creators, which clearly aren’t ones you agree with. That doesn’t mean he has to print in big letters on all the promotional material that ‘it may not be compatible with zealots’.
If your beliefs aren’t strong enough that seeing someone disagree with you riles you so, then it’s your problem not theirs.
If I can watch It’s a Wonderful Life, or any other number of films which explore a world in which there is a God, why can’t you cope with one in which they make it clear there isn’t?
You don’t see how that’s hypocritical?
Gervais is smart enough to know he’s not going to change opinions with a film, but he can explore a world he wants to as much as he wants. The overreaction of the religious people who see it, claiming it’s some sort of anti-dogmatic treatise just shows how much they lack a sense of humour, or sense of proportion.
I could go on, but it’s not worth it. If Gervias gets into trouble for writing a movie on the subject of belief and religion, then this is going to get me burned at a stake or something…

What is with this xtian persecution complex? Why is any disagreement with their philosophy an “attack” or something?
http://larianlequella.com/images/help.jpg
If your ideas are rediculous and full of circular logic, why are we not allowed to call you on it? Are your ideas so sacrosant that they are not allowed to be questioned? Is telling someone that the Earth ISN’T flat somehow intolerance?
You really need to get over yourself!

“Hebrew 11:1 defines faith very well, its a belief in something for which you have no proof of, ”
Sorry, but your paraphrasing is off:
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Clearly this statement is much stronger than the one you offer. Faith is assurance and conviction. Two things I have in abundance

“my, what an ego you have! why do you think that everyone involved in the movie had some uber-secret collusive anti-christian agenda? and why do you think that they have to explain everything about a movie before you see it, just in case you might be offended? oooooh, here comes that big ol’ boogie man, Atheism, to get you! ugh… yeah, it’s all about you. or maybe it’s just a movie expressing what the writers, directors, and actors think, believe, and feel and share it in an entertaining way. can you get over your victim complex already?”
Um…didn’t I state in the post that I have no problem watching atheist movies. You comment is really off the mark. All I’m saying is that if they wanted to make a movie ridiculing Christians, why not be honest about it.

“The movie does make the religious look stupid as well it should. There is no “man in the sky controlling everything.”"
Too bad assertions aren’t provable facts, eh?

“I can’t imagine why asking that question would do damage to anyone’s Christianity.”
It’s not that it would do damage to my Christianity, it’s much stronger than that. If it could make it through my cancer, I doubt a movie could do too much
The problem for me is that I really have a hard time with propaganda masquerading as art. It’s one of the reason I stopped watching Law and Order. I don’t like it when the artist tries to preach to the audience. It’s one of the reasons I don’t read Christian literature.

Great movie. Had not heard they crack jokes about an invisible man in the sky. I was not the only one laughing out loud.
And sorry hon, the film is no more propaganda than that book of fables you hold so dear.

“The film doesn’t just criticize the idiocy of Christianity; it criticizes the idiocy of all superstitious belief. Sorry, Christians, it isn’t always all about you, much as you think your magical, invisible friend made the entire universe for special, important you. (Is it possible for anyone to be more egotistical than you?)”
Yeah, right. And he dresses like Jesus because….
Mansions in the sky, hmmmm…where have I heard that one before?
And the Ten Commandments…
And btw, the atheist reviewer stated it was aimed at Christians (as did other reviews I’ve read). So you’ll have to excuse me but it looks like the preponderance of the evidence points to that conclusion.

“What a stupid stupid woman. Many films are created with the predilection that God (sometimes other Gods) exist,”
Just so you know, no rational discussion can occur that starts this way.

“Would a Christian get offended wathching a Bollywood film that shows many Hindu gods?”
You got that out of my post? That I would have problems watching a movie about Hindu gods? Did you miss the part where I said I had no problem watching atheist movies?

you are annoyed at a film you haven’t seen yet?
yeah cos that makes perfect sense

“I think Ricky Gervais sums up this article perfectly on his blog: “I particularly liked the bit when she said, “It’s a good thing I’m not gullible enough to go see a movie without reading a review first.” I’m sure she’s not gullible enough to read a review and totally believe it wholeheartedly and then pass her own judgement based solely on hearsay without seeing the film first. That would be ridiculous. ” Enough said. ”
But we do it all the time, don’t we? Sometimes we go to see a movie that the reviewers hated and we wish we hadn’t. Wouldn’t be hypocritical of you to have done that and now condemn me for doing the same?

This movie was not anti-Christian propoganda at all. What a ridiculous position to take when you haven’t seen the film.
Its a concept film set in a fantasy world, where the ‘Lie’ (but indeed, any type of fiction) does not exist. i.e no stories, no jokes, the only movies are documentaries. So NO religion of ANY kind exists as there is no faith in something that cannot be proved.
Let’s be clear – Gervais does not make any claims that religion is a lie. In this world, anything which is not a demonstrable matter of fact, just goes over their heads.
Its an interesting concept and the genesis (ha ha, my joke) of the humour; Imagine how powerful you would be and what japes you could get up to if everyone took as fact, what you said. For the protagonist these start as fib, white lies then get out of control until…. well, go see it.
But it doesn’t set out to be anti-Christian at all.

“So let me get this right; you haven’t actually seen the movie but you read somewhere that it is ‘anti-christian’, and therefore condemn it? Idiot. It’s a FANTASY movie set in a world where god doesn’t exist. You have made an absolute fool of yourself by writing this article. Journalism at it’s best!”
Um…did you even read what I wrote? I said that I thought they should be more honest about what the movie was about in the advertising. I’m not interested in propaganda.
Journalism? Are you insane? Please! I’m a blogger not a journalist.

Michelle,
What do you mean, “they should should be more honest about what the movie was about”?
How would that work in this case? What would you suggest?
Contains characters smoking.
Contains violence.
Contains a fictional world where religion does not exist.

I am amazed at the seething bitterness i am reading in some of these comments. Michele has her opinion and you have yours. There is no need to call her an idiot or a moron and whatever else you people are calling her. This is a blog, not the newspaper where they are supposed to have impartial stories. I was thinking about going to see the invention of lying, but why waste 10 bucks on a movie that will needlessly make fun of any religion (not just Christianity)and hides it behind a romance. I don’t condemn anyone for going to see it, but it’s just not for me. That is my opinion and you can’t call me an idiot for having it, because let’s face it that is a sad comeback. If you really want to convert me to your way of thinking, why not have a more persuasive argument, you might find it works better.

Ally, the bulk of this commentary is regarding Michele’s position that the movie is anti-Christian propaganda and the producers have some anti-Christian agenda (“Gervais’ tactics”) when she hasn’t seen the film.
It doesn’t.
You make the same uninformed point: “a movie that will needlessly make fun of any religion”.
(Is it OK to needfully make fun of religion?)
Ironically, believing what someone says, totally, without question, IS EXACTLY what the film is about.
See the film.

“Our faith is reasonable and we know it even though atheists have convinced themselves it is not.”
Words of wisdom. Which is more reasonable: that there is an intelligent designer who made everything or it just happened. That we were created or that we evolved from a microbe over millions or billions of years. How can you look at the human body, at the universe, at anything and think to yourself that it all happened by chance. It is very reasonable to look around yourself at nature and think that there has to be a creator.
@ Morris “You invented your believes for one reason and one reason only. Áfraid of death and the inevitable nothingness that follows. You people can’t handle that so you made up your God and your heaven. It’s nothing less than retarded. Nothing less.”
How is your believe of “inevitable nothingness” any more reasonable than my belief that there is a heaven. Can you prove it? I can’t prove there is a Heaven (excepting the Bible)but I prefer to believe there is.

Michele, go see the movie.
Its true there is no religion…..to start!
but if anything, it shows the peace, harmony and contentment that religion does bring to the world when Gervais’ character invents it.
(I don’t think I’m giving anything away. Most bloggers here have seen it already, or won’t see it anyway because they think its anti-religion).

“Which is more reasonable: that there is an intelligent designer who made everything or it just happened.”
ally, following your line of thinking, who/what designed the “intelligent designer” or did its existence just happen? try and wrap your head around that one.

“You comment is really off the mark. All I’m saying is that if they wanted to make a movie ridiculing Christians, why not be honest about it.”
no, actually, my comment is right on target. why should they have to disclose everything that is in the movie? one certainly wouldn’t know that “The Chronicles of Narnia” was a christian allegory based just upon its title and its trailers? i don’t remember your outrage over that one.
i know that you have a double standard when it comes to politics. now i see that it applies here, too.

Michellle,
First I would like to say I think it is so horrible that your gods gave you cancer I hope those atheist scientists, doctors and surgeons will be able to use man made technology to remove the tumor on your ovaries. If it is successful (as I’m sure every decent human hopes it to be) then please do not be duped by their tactics of truth and empirical data to be swayed from your present point of view. Intentional ignorance and irrationality are always the keys to happiness right?
Ill quote one of my favorite passages of your bible now it is Exodus 20:17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” That is often said to be the tenth commandment in which it does not say don’t be a slave owner that is wrong, just coveting others slaves is wrong. Coveting – clearly a huge deal in Judeo-Christian philosophy, slave owner – well that is just fine. In the same way that I’m sure you don’t agree with slavery it may be time that you realized you’ve outgrown and matured past the childlike promise of heaven/candy hell/time out threats of religion and grew up the way you no longer do good deeds or are a nice person for the offer of candy like you did when you became an adult. Just a thought. I truly hope the best for your health both physical and mental, just get better!

digby, the donkey that John is likely talking about is Balaam’s talking donkey. Which frankly I find hard to believe in too.
Ally Bennet, the skeptics general approach is that claims are assumed false until proved otherwise. Basically the burden of proof is on the claimant.

Why on Earth is there so much hype about how anti-christian this film is? It isn’t. It isn’t. It isn’t. It isn’t. It bugs me so much, that an atheist can’t make this film, which is all it is, a film, nothing more; and somehow not get panned for doing so. It’s hypocritical, to suggest that one can preach it’s beliefs, and another can’t. Aside from that point, I don’t for one minute believe that Mr Gervais is trying to make any such point, or preach his beliefs, he’s WRITING A STORY!!!! How can writing a story cause any offence. The world that the film is set in bares zero resemblance to our own, other than that there are human beings in a world where our surroundings are mirrored, but there is one crucial trait that is rife in our world amongst humans that is absent from the film’s. Our world is filled with lies, some of which are hurtful, some of which are kind. Surely the film represents the importance of protecting people’s feelings just as much as it does anything else. It’s absolutely ludicrous to suggest that this film is in anyway anti-christian, it’s a ‘what if’ scenario, not a documentary. Get a grip, and stop worrying about the world being out to get you, as an atheist, I genuinely couldn’t care less about what religions are doing, although that doesn’t mean that I have no respect for them, if people require that faith then I have no problem with them having it, it’s not a sign of weakness, it’s just different to what I need. Also, it doesn’t upset me in the slightest that every religion in the world tries to tell me that I’m wrong in not believing, in the same way that it shouldn’t bother you when the shoe is on the other foot. This film does not attempt to try to tell anyone that faith was created at the same point as lying. Please, just try and understand that point and accept the fact that it’s a harmless story.

You havnt even seen it, this article is based on what you heard?
MORON

“I am amazed at the seething bitterness i am reading in some of these comments. Michele has her opinion and you have yours. There is no need to call her an idiot or a moron and whatever else you people are calling her. This is a blog, not the newspaper where they are supposed to have impartial stories. I was thinking about going to see the invention of lying, but why waste 10 bucks on a movie that will needlessly make fun of any religion (not just Christianity)and hides it behind a romance. I don’t condemn anyone for going to see it, but it’s just not for me. That is my opinion and you can’t call me an idiot for having it, because let’s face it that is a sad comeback. If you really want to convert me to your way of thinking, why not have a more persuasive argument, you might find it works better.”
Wow Ally, I really must take you up on your challenge. The website http://www.beliefnet.com is owned by News Corp. Why would a company founded in the News paper industry and who now plays a major role in world news reportage (97% American Homes) want to own a website like this? If you or anyone of the people reading this post/comment has seen the O’Rielly Factor on the Fox Network (News Corp) then surely you will know that this corporation isn’t at all interested in intelligent debate, facts or opposing opinions. It is only interested in promoting the far right Christian ideals and Politics that have been so badly offended by Mr Gervais’ film in the original post.
The post is reactionary and based upon hearsay not on the empirical evidence of actually watching the film for herself. Yet even though these facts have been blatantly pointed out to the poster she still seems adamant that because this is her opinion it is valid and you think that because she is entitled to her opinion it shouldn’t be criticized no matter how moronic it may be.
So I do call you an idiot! And it is not a sad comeback, it’s just that the empirical evedence of your stupidity is demonstrated in your post. You too state that you have not seen the film and yet abide by the hearsay that it is somehow being touted as a Romance Flick and that it is offensive to religion.
It’s a thought provoking comedy with a dramatic sub text; set in an alternative universe.
It may give rise to the question of the existence of God or gods or the origins of the major religions but saying that such a question is offensive is the philosophical equivalent to putting your hands over your eyes and believing that no one can see you!
“There is no need to call her an idiot or a moron and whatever else you people are calling her”
This part of your post suggests that you haven’t even read all of the comments. Again reaction over reasoning.
Maybe people are bitter. Maybe we’ve had enough of the huge influence narrow minded, superstitious reactionary, scared, ignorant people have on the future of our species and to a greater extent life on earth.
By the way I don’t want to convert you to my way of thinking. That is a process that religions seem to have been using for millennia and certainly not by intellectual debate I might add, more pathological mass violence and bloodshed.
Instead I will rely on natural selection to rid this planet of the stupid. More than likely though because the stupid can still reproduce, (something that nature made easy and somewhat pleasurable for us to do, as it is after all our modus operandi) there will come a time in human evolution where there will be two species of human being. Can you see where i’m going with this?
Probably not!

You had Chinese food the night before major surgery?
It dosn’t take an expert to know no food 24hrs before a major op.
What an awful and ridiculous line to open a pathetic review with.
Playing on the heart strings to validate your misguided selfish views.
Very transparent.Christian?

You haven’t even seen the film; you’re basing this an absolutely nothing but a review, you moron.
Who cares if the film is anti-anything; in this day and age, just accept it, shut up moaning and form your own opinion based on evidence presented with your own eyes and not based on those of others. The fact that you’re a woman doesn’t surprise me one bit. They honestly should not have a say in entertainment nor media.
And also, Gervais’ ‘tactics’ to promote Atheism are just fine, but he doesn’t use them in this film. His beliefs have nothing to do with the promotion of the film, so that’s also bollocks.
Also, in relation to his ‘tactics’, anyone with common sense should know that Christianity is bullshit, in it’s entirety, and where something is/isn’t illogical, which about 99% of it is, as it defies science, logic and the laws of the universe, then it was just stolen from pagan religions anyway.
Cunt.

Wow. Holy F. You were doing so well until you wrote:
“The fact that you’re a woman doesn’t surprise me one bit. They honestly should not have a say in entertainment nor media.”
And by commenting on this I hope to make a valid point pertinent to this entire thread and hopefully demonstrate a modicum of balance.
We may hold some similar beliefs and opinions about the original post but as far as your opinions expressed above go I feel it is my moral duty to call you on those as being as ignorant if not more so than the original post.
This isn’t a witch hunt, this thread has become a discussion about using reason and logic to form a valid and solid opinion. Ok Michele has maybe not thought before she typed, so to speak. But she also refuses to accept that perhaps she has made an error of judgment in her reasoning at all, which is really what interests me about this conversation.
However your patriarchal view of the (I would suppose the world but I will just say the media, as that is all you mention in your post) confuses me as you seem to be totally anti-Christian which in it’s origins from the old testament is where so much patriarchy has been derived in our recent history. In the biblical sense it is God who is the patriarch but Genisis soon makes it clear that Men are more superior to women. It was also Eve who lost us paridise in the first place remember??. Even the way the 10 commandments are worded suggests, at worse, that women are a possession. So this portrayal of women is just as old if not older than the portrayal of Jesus. Do you believe women should be allowed to vote?
By the same definition you are labeling women as inferior or somehow deficient in comparison to men and seem scared by them having an opinion that differs or even questions yours. Just as the Christian Right seem to react to Atheists.
The fact that she is a woman doesn’t surprise me either, 70% of the people who visit and/or post on this site as of 2005 were women. So it is statistically more likely if those figures are still similar today.
Your closing needs no comment.

I am a Christian. I saw the movie. I did not feel tricked, insulted or mocked.
It takes a certain gullibility to write a movie review about a film you haven’t even seen, and to assume that you understand the filmmakers’ intent is even more ridiculous.

Micheles comments are sadly ignorant, blinkered and somewhat arrogant.
I consider myself a Christian. I believe in God. I don’t frequent Church.
I wasn’t at all insulted or manipulated by this movie. And why should I be? It doesn’t set out to do that. Its a comedy.
Should I avoid next years remake of ‘Clash of the Titans’ because it exists in a world of Greek Gods; where my God does not exist?

“Our faith is reasonable”.
This is not true.
As science increases our knowledge of the natural world, the universe, evolution etc with reasoning, experimentation, observation and empirical evidence; pushing back the boundaries of our ignorance, those with faith continue to cling to their beliefs. That is the nature of faith. It is nothing to do with reasoning.

“… ridiculing Christianity by treating us like we’re gullible dupes who would believe anything we’re told isn’t a way to demonstrate that Christianity is false.”
Why don’t you watch the movie first instead of ‘believing everything you’re told’ in some review you read, AND THEN review the movie and, shock horror, think about it for yourself?
Unfortunately articles like yours are quite typical of a segment of Christianity’s reaction to The Invention of Lying. Without seeing it for yourself, you pass judgment on it and act high and mighty. You’re not doing Christians, who already are subjected to ridicule because of over-the-top reactions to things like this, any favours with articles like this one.

Why is it that people who write these things NEVER watch the movie first!? Thank you for your opinion on something you haven’t seen. My grandpa was an Anglican Pastor in Hong Kong, and now we live in states all over the U.S. Many people in my large, extended family are very religious. And many of us live in very religious parts of the country, like Pennsylvania, near the Maryland border.
The crowd that we saw it with, which you can bet [at the roulette table-which is a reference to the movie, but you haven't seen it, though, so never mind], was very conservative and very likely an audience with many Christians present. Again, this is a very religious and conservative area – it’s the vast majority of the local population.
Most of us voted for Rick Santorum. Okay?
Yet, the people in the audience laughed out loud throughout the movie. This was a crowd of made up of all ages, mostly in their 30s and 40s, as I observed that particular evening.
So why did they laugh? THEY ACTUALLY WATCHED THE MOVIE!
My Grandfather, the Pastor in my family, loved the movie. He had to stifle his laughter over the sign that said: “A Quiet Place to Think About the Man in the Sky.” Personally, I thank the filmmakers because they lifted his mood, which only worked because – HE ACTUALLY SAW THE MOVIE.
I have absolutely nothing against people who are religious. In fact, I love many of them because they are members of my family.
I know I shouldn’t let myself get bothered by someone who didn’t even see this movie, but this seems to happen ALL the time. It seems that certain people don’t even care to understand the things they condemn, whether it be a film they haven’t even seen or something relevant to human health (and I’m referring to science – NOT the political healthcare debate)…
I have to stop myself, now, from drifting into a whole series of digressions. Have fun looking forward to the “End of the World.” Also, you might want to study the concept of “humor.” And you might want to actually WATCH the movie before you go on a self-righteous tirade.
This is not worth it. You’re not gonna look at yourself in the mirror, I realize. But I’ve typed it anyway, so I might as well submit this.

This review actually stunned me and by the life of me I couldn’t stop laughing. You really have no idea about anything do you? You are obviously a paranoid person whose way over protective about something you believe in that is not neccesarily true. I laughed so much when you mentioned The Golden Compass because although you said it didn’t bother you, you are saying it as if the intention of these great films was just to ridicule you Christians, they were excellent films with no hidden messages about your religion or any religion, they are tales of parralell worlds. And gervais didn’t somehow trick you into seing the film, he or any normal sane person didn’t know that paranoid people like you existed. And by the way, you haven’t even seen this great film so don’t go writing reviews full of faeces when you haven’t even got any experience to review, I think you’ll find that this has nothing to do with Christianity it’s just you reviewing something you haven’t even seen.

In my opinion. Karl Pilkington’s review of the movie still wins the stupid prize!
Here it is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqt8rWDGIfo
There is more humility in quietly admitting to yourself that you just don’t know than shouting from the rooftops that you just believe!

Seriously watch the Karl Pilkington Review of this film online.

oooh chimpanzee that MONKEY NEWS
ricky gervais is my messiah. can i write a book about his wisdom and greatness and then in a few thousand years we all worship gervaisianity??
p.s he will continue to be popular because hes simply a funny man.
p.p.s long live karly pilkingtodds

Karl’s boiler – still not mended
Steve’s mince pies
Myopic.
Rickey’s reservation
Running less rendered
Miller’s Tropic
Thunder
Generation A – Out Now!!!

Who are THEY? Filmmakers? Press people? Atheists? I don’t think anyone was trying to fool you.

I love Ricky Gervais – his sense of humor is unique, comedic timing perfect, and his jokes are cleverly delivered. Also, from all DVD extras I’ve watched, he seems like a really awesome person to spend time with. I’ve obviously known he was an athiest – and a ‘devout’ one – whereas I am not. But even with knowing this, yes, I kind of do feel ‘tricked’. The movie was still really funny. It’s just that the previews made it seem to be very light-hearted but, instead, it turned out to be ‘all you base your life on is a lie’-hearted. Because the previews never mentioned or alluded to anything of the religion stuff, it feels like it was intentionally left out so that ‘christians’ wouldn’t stop from paying to watch it. I don’t blame ‘them’ (whoever was responsible for the way the movie was promoted) for doing that, money is money, but I don’t think I’m off-base for feeling slightly ‘trick’ed, either. With that said, had I known what the movie was about – I would have still paid to watched it because Ricky Gervais is the most entertaining person I can think of and it’s not like I’m going to be ‘accidentally indoctrinated’ by watching. The stubborn side of me, wishes I wouldn’t have seen it though because I think it was dishonest way to promote a movie. It’s like if I directed a porn movie, advertised it as one, had a slightly raunchy scene and used the rest of the movie to promote breast cancer awareness…. kind of.

Karl Pilkington has a head like a FUCKING ORANGE!

Gervais is GOD

Noone was trying to fool you into seeing this film. The part where the central character creates religion is what’s known as a “plot twist” and is something which film-makers generally try to keep out of the trailers. Otherwise, it tends to spoil the surprise.

You clearly know NOTHING. Ricky’s films are clearly too smart and analytical for people who still cling to empty, exclusionary dogmas. The mere fact that you believe so unquestioningly and attack those who do question Christianity proves your utter foolishness. You never examine the fact that the fairytales you cling to might not be the be-all and end-all of existence.
And PS – Jesus WAS a Jew. And so was Paul. So try to keep that pesky anti-Semitic tone turned down a notch.

Ironically the film is quite spiritual in that it is set in a world without God (that is the conceit of the film) and someone discovers that religion is something worth having because it gives us hope and meaning and a point. ie that even in a world without God it is necessary to invent Him.
If you want to form a real opinion why not see it first instead of making people think that Christians just go around judging everyone based on something they over heard someone else say. (if you really are a Christian)

RICKY GERVAIS HAS TEN TIMES THE INTELLECT AND TALENT THAN YOU!! HOW CAN YOU REVIEW A FILM YOU HAVNT BOTHERED TO SEE YOU PRESUMPTIOUS IDIOT!!! GET OFF YOUR HIGH HORSE AND GET A GRIP WOMAN!!!
KARL PILKINGTON HAS A HEAD LIKE A
F U C K I N G O R A N G E!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
…monkey news

You gave an opinion about something you didn’t see, hear, or touch, taste or smell. Yours was a refelection of someone else’s opinion, carried forward and told here. If my Faith in God and the Bible was based on that kind of tripe, I wouldn’t know the truth and have the blood of Jesus running through my veins.

You’re very much entitled to your opinions and beliefs. But, unfortunately, you have shot yourself in the foot here. You have sat and written a blog entry discussing your disgust about The Invention Of Lying, a movie you admit to not having seen. Yes, the trailers don’t tell you everything, because that ruins the movie and plus, if it were all in the trailer, why would anyone bother to go to the movie at all?
I would never morally judge a religious movie because I wasn’t religious. I would never assume or attack the intentions of those people who believe other than me. Why do you think that YOU have that right? You believe in god, well, didn’t he give everyone free will to think and believe what we will? This movie may not be for you, but please don’t automatically see it as an attack on you because it doesn’t align with you and your beliefs. I think former commenter Dan Cupid made a very good point about in a world without God, he needed to be created anyway. This is a movie written by atheists, yes (and I don’t like how you write about atheists as if they are diseased but it’s okay, you will still live on this earth with them) and it explores the concept of even if you don’t believe in faith and religion, and even if it isn’t true, we need it to be happy and move forward. So no, it isn’t a God-Bashing film. Are there pointed jokes at God? Yup, there sure are. It’s written by Ricky Gervais who makes light of everything, because that’s what he does. He is a comedian. Heck, he spends most of the time taking the piss out of himself. His jibes are evenly spread across many topics.
I would recommend that before you judge something, you form your own opinion. And also, learn to respect the views of others. No one is asking you to agree, but what makes this world so great is all of our differences. I truly hope, for your sake, that you relax and stop finding atheists to crucify in your blogs. (Yeah, ok, low blow but kind of deserved are your rant)
Over and out. By your friendly local atheist.

I guess Christians are either the biggest group of idiots ever, or there is validity to our claim about Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul said it best:
1 Corinthians 15:12 – 19
12But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.
Christians are beaten, killed, blown up, cut in two, raped, and tortured on a daily basis in most countries around the world. If there is nothing rational about our faith, then we really are the biggest fools on earth because we willing suffer such agony in hopes that even one person might come to see and believe that Jesus Christ is the Glorious Lord and Savior He claimed to be.
We are a group of people who have become convinced that Jesus’s claims about Himself are true. God’s one and only begotten Son sent to bear the sins and punishment of all of those who have and will ever put their trust in Him.
So call me stupid, ignorant, retarded and whatever insulting names you can come up with because I am unashamed to proclaim Jesus Christ as the ONLY way a human being will ever be made right with God.

And how about adding some more pictures? I’m not trying to offend anyone, content is really nice. But according to the scientists visitors acquire information much more efficient if they see certain useful pictures.
Joahn Drawledge

Really nice blog to spend some time on reading it in my opinion. A small question, why haven’t you you place this post to social bookmarks? That will bring big traffic to this article.

Truly great story u have here. It would be great to read something more about that topic. Thank you for posting that information.
Evie WASHINGTON

I particularly liked the bit when she said, “It’s a good thing I’m not gullible enough to go see a movie without reading a review first.”
I’m sure she’s not gullible enough to read a review and totally believe it wholeheartedly and then pass her own judgement based solely on hearsay without seeing the film first. That would be ridiculous.
That would be like me believing that the Earth was made in six days just because it was written in one book with no evidence to back it up. That would be fckng mental wouldn’t it?