Ridiculously offensive

In the realm of religious faith, no one is safe from the comedic wrath of Bill Maher.

Well known for his politically charged comedy and for being fired from ABC’s “Politically Incorrect,” Maher has teamed up with “Borat” director Larry Charles to provide a humorous social commentary on religion.

Traveling around the world, Maher comments on and speaks with people of all religious backgrounds, including Christianity, Judaism, Scientology, Islam, Mormonism and some guy who smokes marijuana “religiously,” amongst others. Given Maher’s obvious predispositions, “commenting” should be replaced with “chastising” and “speaking” with “ridiculing.”

He leaves none untouched in his quest to prove that everyone’s beliefs are unsubstantiated and foolish. Infusing television and film clips to support his arguments, Maher and his inflated ego remain on the high ground of every interview.

Born to a Jewish mother and a Catholic father, Maher talks with his mother at one point about how his family chose to leave the Catholic Church at a young age. Since then the family didn’t know what they believed. It is that unknowing that is the impetus for the film.

Amongst all the devout believers he encounters, at least Maher stays true to his belief that he doesn’t know what to believe. An actor portraying Jesus at the Holy Land theme park in Orlando asks him, “What if you’re wrong?” To which he replies, “What if you’re wrong?”

Then next scene shows the actor enacting Christ’s crucifixion, which is curiously met by audience applause, one of the many ironies exposed the film. Another: a U.S. senator who laughingly claims that you don’t need to pass an IQ test to be a public official.

Whether Maher is right or wrong in his religious criticism is beside the point. Though surprisingly no one assaults him, one of his interviewees at a truck stop chapel walks out on him.

Regardless, the film attests that our freedom of speech is alive and well. Bill Maher may be an asshole, but the film’s saving grace is that he has a good sense of humor about it.