Life Of Brian.

[Atheist]

Any christians here find that film funny or thought-provoking?

[vascop]

I'm not a Christian and I find it one of the funniest and one of the best films of all time.

[Baldric]

Very very funny.

[Atheist]

Me too, but Muggeridge and the then Archbishop of Canterbury took a different view. I mean, what's wrong with saying "Think for yourselves!" And then his mum made it quite clear that it wasn't an attack on Jesus when she said, "He's not the Messiah, he's a very naughty boy!"

[Stephen_G]

(The then) Bishop of Southwark, to be pedantic.

I'm a (Very) lapsed Catholic and I think it's hilarious.

[Atheist]

Stephen; thanks for the correction.

[Atheist]

Perhaps christians don't have such an advanced sense of humour. I think I would genuinely laugh if someone parodied Dawkins in a funny way. Perhaps I wouldn't!

[Atheist]

Anyway, goodnght and god bless.

[Peter Pedant]

// Me too, but Muggeridge and the then Archbishop of Canterbury took a different view.//

editors then and now ask if it will sell newspapers

muggeridge ( also editor of Punch) was reliably controversial - but not TOO much !
cd be relied on NOT to say Frack on television fr'instance

He bathed in the Ganges and wondered to the camera - ah education - the bane of the British in India!

( as tho the British shouldnt have - as the educated indians then kicked them out)

My mother - British Raj just about had a convulsion

[but now of course Empire is evil so education raileways and impartial justice go by the board]
but hey ho it was controversial in the sixties

[Peter Pedant]

// (The then) Bishop of Southwark, to be pedantic.
I'm a (Very) lapsed Catholic and I think it's hilarious.//

and to continue the pedantry - the Bishop of SOuthward is anglican and the relevant bishop ( who was not a tele addict) would be Bishop of Westminster ( I think )

when the roman catholic dioceses were reestablished in the mid C 19 they were purposely based on other cities - . Exeter protestant and portsmouth roman NOT be chance

the Ecclesiastical Titles Act was still passed 1871 by a panicked parliament as it ws feared that the roman bishops wd then mount claims on ancient lands

satyrised by Trollope in the ecclesiastical novels when Septimus Quiver ( Donald Pleasance) travels down to London to ask the attorney general Sir Omicron Pie for other advice. Pie is delayed in the commons by the 278 amendments to the Bill which wd allow sage-femmes of a parish to search convents and religious houses for girls held against their will ......

that is enough satire - ed

[jourdain2]

I'm a Christian - and I find it very funny and so does Mr J2 (an even older Christian). I wouldn't let my younger grandchildren watch it, but I would let my older, very sensible, granddaughter (14) watch it with me. It's a spoof, that's all, and doesn't affect my religious beliefs at all. In fact, if I remember rightly, there is a scene where Jesus is preaching in the far distance, the Sermon on the Mount, and it gets mixed up in a 'Chinese Whispers' sort of train - thereby pointing out that there was this chap who was preaching at that time.

I often sing snatches from 'Always look on the bright side' and I am most certainly not alone. Sorry to disappoint anyone who thinks Christians are humourless weirdos. :(

[Stephen_G]

// and to continue the pedantry - the Bishop of SOuthward is anglican and the relevant bishop ( who was not a tele addict) would be Bishop of Westminster ( I think ) //

I so do hate being a pedantic *******. Peter Pedant, this would have been the then Bishop of Southwark,

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mervyn_Stockwood

Watch the start of the video until 1:40. Unless my hearing is failing me.....

[woofgang]

I believe in god but am not C of E. I think the film is of its time. It doesn't bother or offend me and never has but I never found it more than mildly amusing...mind you I was never a huge Monty Python fan....except for the Philosopher's Song.

[Mozz71]

I never understood why it was found offensive in the first place. It's not as if Brian IS Christ, he's just mistaken for him. It's one of the greatest comedy films of all time.

[Mozz71]

//except for the Philosopher's Song.//

It's great, but The Medical Love Song trumps it! :-)

[woofgang]

yeah.......no.

[naomi24]

When I was Christian I thought it blasphemous ... but pre-conceived ideas tend to cloud judgement and skew rational opinions. Now I've recovered my brain and see it for what it really is I think it quite brilliant.

[Ken4155]

I watched the film in the Garrison cinema in Hohne, W Germany in the mid 70s. When we got outside the cinema, there was a group of religious leaders of all flavours handing out leaflets inviting one and all to the largest of the Garrison churches on Sunday morning to discuss the blasphemy contained in the film! Not even the offer of tea and biscuits could entice me and my friends to attend the discussion. I thought it one of the funniest films I had ever seen - though I am, admittedly, a complete Python nut.

[barry1010]

I am a Christian and found it funny.