Jeremiah Cummings Accuses Religulous of Deception
Monday October 20, 2008
Those of you who have seen Religulous know that one of the most mocked characters is Rev. Jeremiah Cummings, who is depicted as a greedy huckster who ignores Christ's teaching about poverty, and enriches himself at the expense of his...
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B'net is almost singlehandedly promoting "Religulous" with articles like this one. If people really wanted the film to go away they would ignore it - this works for many of the other Hollywood releases. But by constantly commenting and critiquing Maher and Charles and the film, you are granting it the sort of cache they so richly want. I like the film simply because it does skewer some of the more outragous, inconsistent, and outright foolish notions of religion. So I guess I offer you my blessing and encouragment, you are providing more and better advertsining than Maher et. al. could ever hope to afford.
Maher is certainly a muckraker, and I can see why some of the people he interviewed felt they were trapped into looking foolish. But, if they didn't want the publicity, perhaps they shouldn't have agreed to be interviewed on camera. It's not a great film by any means, but I think Maher is performing an important public service by embarrassing the hucksters who say they are doing God's work. Cummings appears to fall into this category.
I have been a fan of Bill Maher for a long time. I admire his brilliance as a comedian and as a commentator on social/political issues. I also share some of his distaste for literalism re: the Bible and doctrine.
Problem: Though I haven't seen his film "Religilous" I have watched trailers and have been really disappointed by his approach to religion. I do intend to see the film, however, and try to give it a fair analysis. And, if the following comments are proven wrong, I'll apologize. But for now...
He seems to be posing as a seeker, perhaps even getting his way into gaining interviews with people who purport to be religious. But, alas, his main purpose seems to be to ridicule religion itself by concentrating on those who may misrepresent religion.
This may make for hilarity, but does not fairly explore what it is that religion has affected society. There are many religionists who (if Bill has an open mind) that might not convert him, but give him a more comprehensive picture of what the Bible and Faith might mean to a Christian.
I would hope-- naively, I suppose--that Bill would make a film that is fair and balanced. (It could be funny!) Otherwise, he seems like a fundamentalist, using only partial evidence to represent his whole point of view. Or maybe that's all a fun guy can do. But I can't see any integrity in muckraking for mere effect. Too much danger of being accused of high egotism.
Here we have Bill Maher and Larry Charles admit on CNN that they lied to get people into their movie. How can we believe anything they say. If Charles would not respond to Cummings saying that they inserted things into the movie that was not said in front of him on the set. Then who can say what else they did to make folks look the way they want them to look. And who is the real Charlatan if they (Charles and Maher) are making millions of dollars off of people who are in their movie and they are not paying the ones they lied to, to make their movie.
All I can say is I know the old Jeremiah Cummings. I went to school with him.
I watched the movie, actually several times. The interview to Cummings is my favorite part. There is absolutely no way that the producers could make tricks to change what really happened there.
I am truly grateful to Maher and his crew for telling the truth about this scam that is religion and god.
The only people I can see objecting to this movie are those who cannot back up their own religious beliefs. If you know what you believe and why you believe it is based on facts and not what someone else has told you, then why would you object to Bill Maher's questions about it? I grew up christian and so I understand how frightening it is to defend a point I don't fully understand myself. Now I realize that ignorance of the masses does not equal truth. Anyone who's been in a religon knows that the way these people hemmed and hawed around their answers and talked in circles is the way you're taught to deal with non-believers. There are certain standard texts you quote and certain answers you give but beyond that we're not taught to think about religion. I think Maher is right in exposing this fact with his film. I wouldn't say religion is "bad" like he does, but I do think we've gotten lazy in our religous worship. We don't question our own beliefs, put our facts on the table for closer examination and learn what it is exactly we believe and why. If we did I think we'd find that we all have a lot more in common than we thought.
I have the DVD playing as I am typing. Mahr is a good comedian. I understand that people were never told that he will interview them but I also understand that most religious people would not interview him as they are not happy about any interviewer that they know is smart and can get them tongue-tied.
The part about Dr. or Not. The edit on the movie and the shooting is done very poorly. While he is walking toward Cummings his back is to us and we cannot see Cummings' mouth. It is very simple to believe that he did not say that he should be doctor. But when I read in the above article "Like when I said, 'the people like for their leaders to live well.' And Bill responds 'that's what pimps say about their women.' He never said that in front of me." I slowed down the DVD to frame rate and clearly his face gets a reaction as the word pimp is passing. Is it possible that Mahr is cut and pasted into this? Sure it is as the background is a curtain so easy to splice but the reaction is not that easy to edit in.
However, Cummings says, ""The scripture and the stuttering of the scripture was totally edited and manipulated because in reality I never quoted that scripture." That part you can see his mouth correctly moving and saying those words. That makes him a liar.
Cummings also says above "Somehow my voice was cloned and edited to make me look stupid." I seriously do not see anything that makes me to believe Mahr and his producers hired ILM or someone in those calibers to create a cloned 3D model of Cummings talking and so seamlessly inserting in a background as well as creating the words in his voice.
All that said no religion is able to call him deceiving in interviewing them. If they have such faith and strong believe then they should be able to clearly say it. As a few of them said very firmly that they just believe and one man said it firmly he is not staying to hear question.
Bill Mahr never promoted people to read the religious books or ask them if they have read it. It seems he is assuming people have read their books. Most people are only aware of the scripture as they are told. Most people have never read ALL of their religious books. I am not sure why puts the demographics of blacks in US at 12.2 because as of 2006 census it is 13.4%.
I would say that the movie is a bit too MTV style cut up clips into each other. Mahr and the producers should have seen it coming that when you cut up a person's interview then it creates doubts.
He also did laugh too much at people whom do not share his ideas. Clearly, he could have kept it less comedy and more showing the facts about religion, its connection to extraction of wealth from people, and its use for manipulation of people in the name of religion to kill others. Some of his questions were very not thought through. Asking someone why not kill himself or herself to get close to god looks like he has never heard that in that person’s belief suicide is forbidden. He got lucky the person was less intelligent and aware of his own religion to answer him.
"Books and DVD's by Dr. Jeremiah Cummings" That is a copy and paste from huckster Cummings web site! Anybody that gives this scam artist one cent has been ripped off! I dont know what happens when you die or what religon is correct(if any). I do know, it is people such as Pimp cummings that gives religon a bad name. If there is a hell, it should be reserved for snake oil salesmen like him!!!!
Never thought I would see so many people so deceived by a movie by atheists and Satanists
As for Cummings he is Racially Profiled and picked out as the only Black person interviewed to look stupid which we know he is not this person they made on screen.
Revelation says Satan would do miracles and lying wonders and so you see it in Religulous. Lying wonders.
I have been in TV production for over ten years and what I saw a total fabrication.
The footage that was used during the Jeremiah Cummings interview was to a church in which I have been a member for over twelve years. During Jeremiah Cummings' two visits, not once did he promote or elude to the type of message that he is accussed of promoting by Bill Maher.
I worked for Cummings almost two years. Things have finally caught up to him. He's a thief and isn't concerned with and how he takes advantage of people. I pray he comes around from this.
Worked for Cummings doing what Carl C ? The Cummings I know supports his wife and 5 children by preaching and teaching an effective word. You must be like Bill Maher if you agree with this film.
(Carl Carso Carl C. busted on drugs and fired from Cummings ministry in 2003. We found you Carl stop lying. Hope you got your life fixed by now.
The Lord Bless you
Carl Carson worked as a Camera man for Cummings and was busted with cocaine under the seat of his car. I was there also. He knows this film was edited and he might have worked on the film. He edits also.
Carl C,
An Honorary Doctorate for his book Reaching for the World(Revealing Jesus as the Messiah From the Koran is enough for him to be called Doctor if he wanted to. But he never told Maher to call him Dr. He never tells any one to call him doctor.
His lips never move in the film if you watch closley thats why they also block out with a fake Bill Maher. That's not Maher standing in front of Cummings. Hollywood is going to Hell
What's amazing is that despite all the contrary evidence, people are still defending hucksters like Cummings & Swaggart. In the film, Cummings clearly makes a fool of himself - and you can't ignore the expensive suits, the expensive shoes, the selling of DVDs, the fact that his website uses the title "Dr" etc. etc. How gullible are people?
If you watch Meher's film you'll see a wide range of Christians - some are crooks. However, some are genuine, smart, "Christ-like" people - why can't you follow them rather than crooks like Cummings?
John Doe you must be Bill Maher. Believe what you must. It is obvious to us you don't know or believe there is a God. If so you would know the truth and this film is not based on truth Its hightly edited Fool
I'm sure that no part of the Bible has ever been edited in any way throughout history, which would of course explain why the Apocrypha is not included in the current canon. Of course this show was edited in some ways, it's a movie that was made to appeal to a certain group of people. Almost everything has been produced or changed to appeal to different groups of people, why do you think there are so many different versions of the Bible? The purpose of the movie is to question, just like the Matrix and others like the sort. You should always be asking questions, especially if you're willing to serve something. You aren't god's slave.
Enough is Enough
April 9, 2009 4:39 PM
John Doe you must be Bill Maher. Believe what you must. It is obvious to us you don't know or believe there is a God. If so you would know the truth and this film is not based on truth Its hightly edited Fool
~*~*~*~~*~
the funniest and most stupid thing i have read in a long long time!
"You should always be asking questions, especially if you're willing to serve something. You aren't god's slave."
Couldn't have said it better. The "Dr." is a huckster, however mild. Cummings is so transparent. Just another hope dope dealer. Yawn.
To be fair, Bill Maher could have really laid into the theists but opted for yuk-yuks. Religulous was sort of like Skepticism Lite and I still applaud Maher for having made it but I'd rather see something like a film version of Christopher Hitchens' God Is Not Great. ;-)
Target the black man as Hollywood normally do ansd make him the pimp. He is not the pimp Bill Maher is the pimp
Where Cummings is accused of asking to be called Dr. was most likely edited / planted / inserted. I base this on the way the footage is assembled (you cannot see Cummings face at the instant he is accused of saying call me Dr.), and Larry Charles doesn't seem to refute this. Maybe Charles and Maher thought it was okay because of the Dr.s website. But what do you critics think about how Bill Maher handled the Scientology thing in London? "Get an e-Meter", "Audit yourself"....and what about the footage where Cummings says that guy should turn his passion for suicide over a failed romantic relationship toward God, and then a speeding van/truck is shown exploding presumably by some suicidal religious fanatic. That was appropriate. What about the wacky Mormons? I don't much like Maher's politics and his hatred of the political right, but he and Larry Charles did a good flick here.
It's not as easy to match tone and ambient sound to 'insert' the doctor quote as you might think. A cursory listen might fool most people but it doesn't take much to expose a fake. I've watched and listened to that bit several times and it's completly smooth. It's unfortunate that Maher was in front of the camera at the time, but I can't see them spending the time and effort when Cummings gave them as much other ammunition as he did. He clearly takes Maher's point about Jesus preaching against the rich and begins to turn it around...'the bible does not preach against being poor.' This man speaks in front of hundreds of people, but we're supposed to believe he just got confused?
According to this ABC article he had the opportunity to set the record straight on Real Time but he chose to pursue things finacially. (his words)http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/evangelist-jeremiah-cummings-blames-bill-mahers-religulous-misfortunes/Story?id=8653902&page=1
He also claims that Maher never said the pimp quote while he was there but they're both clearly in the same shot when that happens. Like most things, Maher takes things too far, but the bottom line is that every religious storyline sounds insane...whether it's Joseph Smith, L. Ron Hubbard, the Raelians or the Gospels.
the picture was falsely edited and done with wicked intentions
Why argue with a bunch of racist devils anyway? The boy was set up. I heard him in person. Most of the critics are not Christians anyway. Just a bunch of mean devils
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