That movie was RELIGULOUS!!!!

So i went to see Religulous last night. Contrary to what the above poster makes you believe, it is not about monkeys... i was so disappointed. Just jokes... I knew there were no monkeys involved.

But the movie is definitely worth watching, regardless of your faith background. Be warned that Bill Maher seems to be very critical and hurt by religions. There seems to be a particularly toxic venom when he addresses people who are obviously caught off guard. I am not religious at all and I was laughing throughout this movie, however there were times that I felt really bad for the people he was talking to. He definitely has an agenda and will stop at nothing to get it through. But thats what you're paying for... you want him to poke fun and show the most outrageous religious nuts out there.

This movie will definitely challenge what you think and cause you to doubt any preconceived religious/systematic ideals you hold on to.

On a personal note... if you have been following this blog you know that I am a believer in Jesus. Contrary to what the movie would make you think, I have tons of doubts. I cannot guarantee anybody anything about the afterlife. Am I 100% of what is going to happen to me when this is said and done. Nope. Not close. If I could, you would see a very different person. However I am willing to risk a lot and lay down my life for it. A lot of what he said about religions and the people who follow them are unfortunately true. I would be glad to agree with him and do something about it.

Religious folk feel a great need to be right and the documentary brings up a good point that one can't answer some of these questions... but they try anyways. And the answers always seem so stupid and weak. Because thats what they are... they don't make sense because the natural can't fully explain the supernatural. So what happens? A formula for arguing is followed as if they are telemarketers. And when all else fails, attack the person with the questions: "What if you're wrong? What if there is a God and you won't get to be with Him?" Thats it... when all else fails... scare 'em.

Anyhow... i have doubts. I won't be spoonfed pat answers. I am glad that there are movies like this that make me squirm and push me to think a little harder and not take for granted my beliefs.

Bill Maher is still a little bit of a prick though.



In completely unrelated news, this movie below looks like a winner if you are into 3D animation stuff. I think there will be a really good message involved especially in light of the fears that we have and how we are almost programmed into them.

what i believe...

I have been putting this off for a long time because I really don't know what to say. I was thinking about doing research and coming up with something really intelligent, well-planned, and thought out. But that's really not my style. I am a think about it a little bit, procrastinate a lot, and then just get something out there because I have been putting it off for way too long. So here goes...

The things I read, the things I do, the jobs I have had, and the things I say have caused quite a few people to ask, "Are you religious or something?" How they get that I am not entirely sure. I use profanity freely, I shock people, and do some crazy and downright stupid things. I guess I do them with passion... so that passes. I don't like the term religious because I hope and feel that I am not religious. At all. Not in the least bit. The only thing I do religiously is check my facebook to see if people still like me. However I do have a great degree of faith.

I have faith that things will work out in the end, no matter how badly they are going now (which sometimes feeds into my laziness). I believe that there is a God out there and that He (or she, I think that God is gender-neutral but I have so conditioned to write He, I just can't break the habit... see Pavlov's dogs... woof woof!) cares for me a great deal, cares for you a great deal, cares for this planet and all thats on it a great deal, and cares an even greater deal for how we all interact together. I love this God. He is funny. I think His favorite style of humour is irony. Not always so funny for me, but normally I am able to laugh at it in hindsight. (I wish my hindsight could be my foresight... that would help things quite a bit) I see God as Jesus and most of the stories that are told about Him, I can go along with.

Some of the stories I don't necessarily disagree with, but I think we focus on the wrong things and make mountains out of mustard seeds, spiritually speaking. Man (woman too, but chances are due to how the world worked back then we can hold men more accountable) has gone and screwed up things completely. They were faced with situations, events, and ideas that were so impossible to explain they had no choice but to try and explain them. Why did they do that? I am not sure but we still do it today. We want to take care of these kinds of things. We need to solve the mysteries out there so that they don't scare us. We want them put into boxes (or systems as my friend Tim says) so we can put them on the shelf in the storage closet where it will never haunt us again. So we try and explain the things we can't possibly comprehend and so we do a piss-poor job of it and make things worse by hurting the people and the planet that get abused by the system put into place.

So without going into a huge song and dance about how religion is a system to explain spirituality and God and that it often fails horribly because of its intent, I will quickly close about the things I hold as important. I believe that because we are not the end all and be all of the universe we need to act like it. There is a God out there and the most important thing is to love Him and seek to know more about Him because your life will change for the better. It doesn't mean you will be happier or things will be easier. But things will be better. We need to love those who don't get love because they need it most. (its hard... i struggle at it... alot) This means the people who cut you off in traffic, the person at work you can't stand, or that unpopular loner at work/school. That if you are reading this you are most likely incredibly fortunate and well off by world standards and we have a responsibility to help those outside of our immeadiate circle. This includes people of whatever race, color, language, background, and religion. (and preferably while we do these things that we are not profiting for ourselves and enhancing our position). I believe that we need a little more discomfort in our lives in order to remind us of our position. There are all kinds of other things up in my head but I think the last one I will throw in is to be inspired by things and allow these things to push you into action and inspire others. So whether you like to sing, dance, paint, write, meditate, preach, give, run, work, or whatever... just do it. Fairly simple and not that deep but I actively seek out inspiration and it always makes me feel better and I have known it to help others.

PS... these pictures I find something inspiring about each of them even though they have a typically religious theme. Peace...

the end of religion? Good!

light.cross, originally uploaded by impactmatt.

Just a quick story... mainly cause it was interesting and at the same time I need to update this thing because all three of you are dying for the latest update! My loyal fans... yeah I'm funny.

So... I was in the cafeteria warming up my microwavable Kraft Dinner... i am so embarrassed that was my lunch... and I bump into one of my coworkers and we are just chatting away and he notices the book I am reading. I have mentioned it before, "The End of Religion... He reads the title and gives a little "hmmmmm..." and follows through with a "We definitely need more of that!"

Now the book is actually very spiritual and emphasizes how man has tried to put God and his supernatural awesomeness in an ugly little box called religion. My friend is coming at from a totally different angle and is just really upset at what religion (also known as Christianity, Jesus, God in his eyes) has treated him.

I agree with both sides of the story. I don't even need to know his story but it is not a very big stretch that religion has hurt him and left a sour taste in his mouth to boot. The back cover of the book sums up our feelings: "Sick of religion? So was Jesus." Let me take it further and say... So is Jesus.

Lick my glass!

Waterwall, originally uploaded by impactmatt.

Ok... so I just posted something to my blog today, but I just read something that struck me in a big way. You know when you hear something and it just resonates within you like a pitch fork? You can feel it penetrating deep into your soul and then you find yourself just moving along with it...? Thats now.

I just started reading "The End of Religion," by Bruxy Cavey and I got as far as page 39. He is discussing how the whole concept of religion has huge flaws and it is so counterproductive to real spirituality and a discovering of who God is. He asks you to picture a thirsty person holding a glass of water. Now picture that same person licking the glass in order to quench that thirst. Not too bright. Bruxy's claim is that glass is religion. Those who are religious focus so much on the glass that they are forgetting what is inside!

It was just such a clear picture of how futile it all is. We focus on how the water is delivered. What is holding that water that we thrist for so desperately? How is it presented to us? When we should just be looking to quench a thirst that makes us lick cracked lips. Dive in! Bathe in it! Soak it in! Cup your hands together and pull that foutain to your mouth...

So thirsty right now....