My brother and I watched Monty Python's "Life of Brian" tonight. I'd seen "The Holy Grail" at school and some of "The Meaning of Life" on TV. There were a few funny moments in "The Holy Grail", but what I did see of "The Meaning of Life" I found rather stupid, so I didn't really have high hopes for "Life of Brian". I was really only convinced to see it because I knew George Harrison was in it, although for only a second.
But I'm happy to say, I was pleasantly surprised. It was quite good. And George was actually in it for about ten seconds, which honestly surprised me. And I recognized him right away! For anyone who wants to know, he's in the scene where all the people are at Brian's house and he's yelling at them through the window, and then he leaves and there's another crowd of people. George is in the red outfit on the far right of the screen.
Anyway, there were a lot of funny parts, nothing really hilarious, but still quite good overall. There were probably about ninety… ninety f… ninety fff…. ninety six funny parts. Ha ha ha, ohh ho ho ho. But really, some pretty funny stuff there. I was looking at the IMDB quote page so I could put some of the better ones here, but there are just too many, and that is a really really good thing. I especially liked the Haggler and the "Mr. Cheeky" characters.
[a line of prisoners files past a jailer]
Coordinator: Crucifixion?
Prisoner: Yes.
Coordinator: Good. Out of the door, line on the left, one cross each.
[next prisoner]
Coordinator: Crucifixion?
Mr. Cheeky: Er, no, freedom actually.
Coordinator: What?
Mr. Cheeky: Yeah, they said I hadn't done anything and I could go and live on an island somewhere.
Coordinator: Oh, I say, that's very nice. Well, off you go then.
Mr. Cheeky: No, I'm just pulling your leg, it's crucifixion really.
"Life of Brian"
Now, the reason that these jokes are funny is that it's intelligent humor! How wonderful is that?
I was quite surprised to find out that I understood most of what was going on in the "Romani ite domum" scene, despite not knowing the language. Present indicative? Whoa, I've heard of that! "But, 'Romans, go home' is an order. So you must use…?" IMPERATIVE! Wow. Go French class! I guess school is a little bit useful.
Also (do I even need to say this anymore?), I found myself at the IMDB boards for "Life of Brian", and I realized something. A lot of Atheists are really stupid. We're just as bad as the rest of them.
A lot of Atheists are assholes. That's not to say that religious people aren't assholes too, because some of them are. But some Atheists are as well, and that may not be immediately evident to other Atheists. I think that we like to think that we're better than Theists. But really, we're not. We like to think, as they like to think, that we are right. And maybe we are, maybe we're not. So what?
Let them believe what they want to believe. Let us believe what we want to believe. Who cares if they're wrong, or if we're wrong, or if everybody's wrong, or if nobody's wrong!
Give people their space. Religious people knocking on your door, billboards telling you to repent, people on the street preaching… it's unnecessary. You're invading my personal space, and I don't like it. How would you like it if I went up to you, street preacher, and yelled in your face "God isn't real! HA HA HA HA HA!"? You wouldn't like it, exactly! And while I personally would not do that, I am sure there are some Atheists out there who would and probably have.
We're no better than the rest of them.
You know, it's kind of like going up to a little kid and saying "Santa Claus isn't real, loser, grow up". You wouldn't do that! It's cruel and unneccessary. Let them believe what they want to believe. I'm not saying that God is like Santa Claus because they both "don't exist", but just using him as a sort of comparison. From an Atheist point of view it should make sense, so if it doesn't, then just ignore that. I'm not trying to insult anybody.
We need to stop trying to shove our opinions and beliefs onto other people. We both do it, but there's no sense in it! People are just plain stubborn. We're not going to reject the values we have based our entire lives on just because some person says we're wrong; proof, "proof", or no proof aside.
Now, that's not to say that debate and discussion is bad. Agnostics basically believe that God (or whatever) may be real, and he may not be, and we have no way of knowing. And we don't! However, I tend to think Agnostics are just wussies because they don't want to choose sides. But I mean, I was an Agnostic, and that is why I personally was an Agnostic; I wanted to be diplomatic, you know? So yes, generalizations are bad, yes yes, I know. Sorry Agnostics.
But I think, being completely obsessed with religion is bad, but being completely against religion is bad too. Which is why being Agnostic is nice, but also, like I said, kind of wussy.
So that's why I'm an Atheist who respects other people's beliefs. And really, religiously, this, I think is one of the best things you can be. That is to say that the other "best thing" you can possibly be is a Theist who respects other people's beliefs.
On a kind of related note, the hippies were always on about "peace and understanding". Usually though, it's just shortened to "peace", I suppose because it's bit more catchy and only one syllable. But really, if you get peace, it doesn't necessarily mean that you get understanding. So, I think that if you get understanding, you also get peace. Lovely, innit?