Monty Python vs. Religion

[MrE2Me]

I recently rewatched the triad of great Python films (Holy Grail, Meaning Of Life, Life Of Brian) for the first time since I really started actively thinking a lot about the problem of religion, and was struck by how spot-on (and hilarious) their observations and criticisms were.  Some of the most directly critical stuff actually appears in the beginning of TMOL, in the "Birth" & "Growth and Learning" segments.  First they deal with Catholic and Protestant families discussing the effects their religion has on their sex life, among other things ("Every Sperm Is Sacred" being their greatest musical number ever, IMO).  But one of my personal favorite moments is when the school kids are at prayer, and they're all made to basically kiss God's ass in unison:

Chaplain: Let us praise God. O Lord...
Congregation: O Lord...
Chaplain: ...Ooh, You are so big...
Congregation: ...ooh, You are so big...
Chaplain: ...So absolutely huge.
Congregation: ...So absolutely huge.
Chaplain: Gosh, we're all really impressed down here, I can tell You.
Congregation: Gosh, we're all really impressed down here, I can tell You.
Chaplain: Forgive us, O Lord, for this, our dreadful toadying, and...
Congregation: And barefaced flattery.
Chaplain: But You are so strong and, well, just so super.
Congregation: Fantastic.
Humphrey: Amen.
Congregation: Amen.

Followed by the equally pathetic "hymn":

Oh Lord, please don't burn us/Don't grill or toast your flock/Don't put us on the barbecue/Or simmer us in stock/Don't braise or bake or boil us/Or stir-fry us in a wok/Oh please don't lightly poach us/Or baste us with hot fat/Don't fricassee or roast us/Or boil us in a vat/And please don't stick thy servants, Lord/In a Rotiss-o-mat.

Having sat through countless hours of such rubbish myself, these skits are extremely cathartic for me.

Of course, the entirety of LOB is one big assault on blind faith and zealotry, and is possibly the most daring satire to date, especially in regards to religion.

Brian: I'm not the Messiah! Will you please listen? I am not the Messiah, do you understand? Honestly!
Girl: Only the true Messiah denies His divinity.
Brian: What? Well, what sort of chance does that give me? All right! I am the Messiah!
Followers: He is! He is the Messiah!
Brian: Now, fuck off!
[silence]
Arthur: How shall we fuck off, O Lord?
--------------------
Brian: Please, please, please listen! I've got one or two things to say.
The Crowd: Tell us! Tell us both of them!
Brian: Look, you've got it all wrong! You don't NEED to follow ME, You don't NEED to follow ANYBODY! You've got to think for yourselves! You're ALL individuals!
The Crowd: Yes! We're all individuals!
Brian: You're all different!
The Crowd: Yes, we ARE all different!

It's a damn shame the group isn't around to take on the current situation.  

Forgive the seemingly pointless thread, but I thought there might be some other fans of MP here, and would love to have people post some of their favorite moments and quotes from their films/shows/albums.

[Tom62]

I loved the way the movie started as well

Angels' Choir: [Sort of a Chant to the Star of Bethlehem]
Brian: Uhuhlk!
Gaspar: Hrmhrm!
Mother falling off stool: [Crash]
Mother: Uhooh! Who are you?
Gaspar: We are three wise men.
Mother: What?
Melchior: We are three wise men.
Mother: Well, what are you doing creeping under a couch at two o'clock in the morning? That doesn't sound very wise to me.
Balthasar: We are astrologists.
Melchior: We have come from the East.
Mother: Is this some kind of joke?
Gaspar: We wish to praise the infant.
Melchior: We must pay a homage to him.
Mother: Homage? You're all drunk! It's disgusting! Out! Come on, out!
Gaspar: No...
Mother: Barge in here with tales about all the ancient fortune-tellers. Come on, out!
Gaspar: No, no, we must see him!
Mother: Go and praise someone else's brat! Go on!
Melchior: We...we were led by a star!
Mother: Led by a bottle more like! Go on, out!
Melchior: Well, well, we must see him, we have brought presents!
Mother: Out!
Gaspar: Gold, frankincense, myrrh!
Mother: Well, why didn't you say? He's over there. Sorry the place is a...bit of a mess. Well, what is myrrh anyway?
Balthasar: It is a valuable balm.
Mother: A balm?! What are you giving him a balm for? It might bite him!
Balthasar: What?
Mother: That's a dangerous animal! Quick, throw it in the trough!
Melchior: No, it isn't!
Mother: Yes, it is! It's great big uhug...
Gaspar: No, no, no, it is an ointment.
Mother: Oh, well, there is an animal called a balm, or did I dream it? So you're astrologists, are you? Well, what is he then?
Gaspar: Hm?
Mother: What star-sign is he?
Gaspar: Ehm...capricorn.
Mother: Ah, capricorn, eh? What are they like?
Gaspar: Oh, well, he's the son of God, ah, Messiah.
Melchior: King of the Jews!
Mother: And that's capricorn, is it?
Gaspar: Ehm, no, no, no, that's just him!
Mother: Oh, that's good to say, otherwise there'd be a lot of them. Snhff.
Melchior: By what name are you calling him?
Mother: Uhm, Brian.

[SteveS]

Sweet subject - I love Monty Python.  I sort of picture the entire "Life of Brian" movie as blowing a big raspberry at Christian mythology.  Plus, it helps that it's damn funny.

I especially enjoy the song they're singing at the end when they're all hanging from the crosses - the lyrics are great.  Here's some of my favorites:

"For life is quite absurd
And death's the final word
You must always face the curtain with a bow.
Forget about your sin - give the audience a grin
Enjoy it - it's your last chance anyhow.

    So always look on the bright side of death
    Just before you draw your terminal breath

Life's a piece of shit
When you look at it
Life's a laugh and death's a joke, it's true.
You'll see it's all a show
Keep 'em laughing as you go
Just remember that the last laugh is on you."

I get a kick out of the sentiment.  Also good, near the end, he's sort of talking in between the chorus lines:

" (I mean - what have you got to lose?)
(You know, you come from nothing - you're going back to nothing.
What have you lost? Nothing!)"

Good stuff.  Now I'm feeling a strong desire to watch the movie again.  I know, I'll watch it as an Easter special!!!

[Sophia]

I love Monty Python and have since my dad first introduced them to me as a kid. I recently got the anniversary edition of Holy Grail on DVD and sat down to watch it with my husband, who'd never seen it. I am sad to say it was lost on him. The only bit he seemed to enjoy was the rabbit...I have watched Meaing of Life countless times now and I have seen Life of Brian once, but I really need to get my own copy of that one, too. There's also a book out I am wanting to get .. I can't fully remember the name of the title.. wait I'll look it up- ah! Here it is- "Monty Python and Philosophy: Nudge Nudge, Think Think!" they have it at Amazon .