1979: The Great LIFE OF BRIAN DEBATE | Friday Night Saturday Morning | BBC Archive

[@Doctor180185]

My favourite story about the film is when it premiered in America, there were apparently so many different religions present that Eric Idle apparently said - ‘well at least we’ve brought them all together for the first time in 2000 years’

[@iandawe948]

👍🤣

[@A-small-amount-of-peas]

I'm so pleased this occurred after the BBC used to have to wipe their tapes to save money as it's an incredibly important moment in history to be documented in terms of freedom of speech for future generations to look back on

[@Tomalak]

The incredible sanctimony of the Bishop and Muggeridge is something to behold.

[@ishmael2586]

I think the bigger observation is how middle class, privately educated boomers did everything they could to attack English heritage. Python are now old and wealthy, and we're forced to live in the free, multicultural ruins they helped to create.

[@pauls7803]

Yes, Muggeridge tries to give Christianity the credit for works of art etc made during a period where you could be executed for not believing in Christ. Who else was there to make these works of art? Incredible.

[@TonyEnglandUK]

Imagine if you had an allergy to pomposity, you'd be on your back before Muggeridge reached the end of a sentence.

[@dancingdan1994]

It was just hilarious

[@johnrider5701]

It's amazing that these kind of religious hypocrites get offended by a film yet they turned a blind eye to the sexual abuse of children by so - called men of God.

[@noahbrock349]

Not them specifically though.

[@johnrider5701]

@noahbrock349 No them specifically but there were many who did back then and it still goes on today in the protestant and Catholic churches have both protected men who abuse children...

[@dynamohums]

Speaking of hypocrites, Mervyn Stockwood was famously outed as a closet gay just prior to his death. He voted a number of times while holding a senior position in the CoE to endorse anti-gay discrimination within the Church.

[@delegate598]

Who knows?!!

[@TheVicar]

More than one different event can occur at the same time

[@paulfuller493]

Python boys have the last laugh. It will forever be a classic.

[@petesmitt]

This was a classic generation gap; the old boys born before WW1 could only see sacrilege..

[@TonyEnglandUK]

I'm convinced Muggeridge thought the Pythons were mocking Jesus but they were simply saying _"What if people followed the wrong Messiah?"_ and making fun of that. And there was literally a Messiah fever in the area at Jesus' time, many many were claiming to be the Messiah, not just Jesus.

[@robertmcelwaine7024]

It'll definitely be long remembered after those two jokers who are now dead, in the cold cold ground.

[@Subcomandante73]

It is nice to see some TV from an age when people actually sat around and could debate rather than just spout some soundbites.

[@petermcmillan3446]

Kicking back at those drunken bullies was about as angry as Michael Palin ever got. You can see the frustration and anger clearly about 43 minutes in. He's fuming.

[@richardjames3356]

I've never seen Michael Palin angry before.

[@johnd8538]

A zealot and a communist attacking two free minded (yet slightly naive in some ways) men.

[@noahbrock349]

​@@johnd8538Communists? They were strong opponents of communism.

[@TonyEnglandUK]

@@johnd8538 Who are the "zealot" and the "communist", lol. That sounds almost Pythonesque in its description.

[@whatamalike]

I operate on the principal "who in that lineup is most likely to have fiddled a kid?" And I believe palin and cheese are certainly right at the bottom of the pile

[@davidadams3408]

I love how Muggeridge keeps calling it 3rd rate and a film that will be soon forgotten when, in reality, it's now repeatedly voted Britain's favourite film and rightly so.

[@TonyEnglandUK]

And the Bishop and Muggeridge were defending a religion with a talking donkey in it.

[@iandawe948]

​@@TonyEnglandUK Not forgetting a talking snake, a man living in a whale and a 700 year old man building an ark

[@TonyEnglandUK]

@@iandawe948 and a talking bush and the instruction to slaughter entire towns full of innocent people if just one of those people worships a different god.

[@jasonglidden1966]

"I'm Brian and so is my wife!"

[@tessaroo222]

40 odds years after the film was made, I often “ dredge it up” to watch. It’s a bit of a Good Friday favourite 😂

[@LisavonAustralis]

He's not the Messiah. He's a very naughty boy! Now, piss off! I still watch it several times a year. In fact, I'm going to put it on rn! 😂😂😁👌🏻

[@sealark1719]

As a 14 year old when Life of Brian was released, and having long since turned against the Christian beliefs being rammed down my throat at school, this film was like Rock 'n Roll. The one that empowered me to stand up and say "I'm not accepting this any more." I was subsequently thrown out of school but, thus far, have eluded hellfire & damnation

[@JJONNYREPP]

1979: The Great LIFE OF BRIAN DEBATE | Friday Night Saturday Morning | BBC Archive 14.11.24 2206pm i recall the trailer being shown Saturday mornings on iTV... it showed the clip of the space ship inadvertently saving Brian before crashing into the bazaar... i never could work out what the damn film was trying to convey... not being old enough to see the film at the local ABC cinema, but certainly mature enough to appreciate the story, i was left to reach my teens wherein i could hire the video from local video hire store. it's an amusing film. as is holy grail. not so much the now for something completely different enterprise... not so much the meaning of life - they're pretty much Oxbridge revue type presentations... as was policeman's ball series. religion passed me by at an early age. i have no overt hatred of it but no overt desire to wallow in it.

[@adamquirke6024]

How was it being rammed down your throat? And did this film cause you to loose your faith?

[@theradgegadgie6352]

Life Of Brian wasn't against God or religion, it was against religious bullies and dogmatic idiots.

[@adamquirke6024]

@ here here. I don’t mean I’m one of them I just mean I agree with you

[@adamquirke6024]

@@sealark1719 what were you excluded from school for?

[@hedgehog1965uk]

For anyone who loves this video, and hasn't already seen it, I would really recommend the parody film "Holy Flying Circus". It is brilliantly done and portrays this whole affair including this TV discussion. I have seen it more times than I can count, having bought it on DVD, iTunes and Amazon Prime Video.

[@Dim4323]

Simply they ignored the begining of the movie. John clease: oh I see, you ignored the begining were they mistake brian has jesus.

[@mjowsey]

@@Dim4323 Mugerage and the bishop famously missed the first ten minutes of the film

[@VisionaryofMirage]

There really is no arrogance as condescending as religious arrogance...

[@LookToWindward]

Yep. I have strong opinions but I must concede that there is a chance that I am mistaken in them. And indeed I have changed many of my opinions throughout my life. But a religious person thinks they are in possession of Absolute Truth and that there is a 0% chance that they are wrong.

[@williamboyd9690]

Scientific arrogance.

[@ellywhitcombe5007]

Brilliant comments from Cleese and Palin

[@fburton8]

The skeleton character in the old Scotch VHS tape adverts ("Re-record, not fade away") always reminded me of Malcolm Muggeridge.

[@robinvanags912]

With me, it was Bill Deedes ('Dear Bill').

[@fburton-k9p]

@@robinvanags912 Yeah, that definitely works too!

[@80sandretrogubbins25]

Norman Tebbitt more like.

[@gwheregwhizz]

Menzies Campbell

[@JJONNYREPP]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/l6S4qn5sf7ynb7cfeature=shared

[@MichaelChurchill1982]

I'm reading through these comments 10 hours after this was uploaded and in amazed that nobody has mentioned 'Not The 9 O'clock News'

[@hopebgood]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/l6S4qn5sf7ynb7c

[@SuperHammaren]

Mocking life of John Cleese!!! I am furious :))

[@hedgehog1965uk]

The General Synod's Life of Christ. A parody of our Lord John Cleese.

[@Mishima505]

"Whenever two people are gathered together they shall perfom the Parrot Sketch"

[@davidboon7219]

Brilliant Film that stood test of time ! So is a Great Ledgend of a Movie 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@richardjames3356]

"Faith is a low grade form of imagination. Indeed, one where someone else has done all the imagining for you." - Jonathan Meades

[@orangewarm1]

Faith is at the heart of life. You cant do anything without faith. Religious faith is exactly the same thing as regular faith.

[@marks6928]

@@orangewarm1 "You can't do anything without faith". Speak for yourself. I have absolutely no faith whatsoever and I do plenty. "Religious faith is exactly the same thing as regular faith", that's because religious faith IS "regular faith". There is no such thing as "regular faith", all faith is inherently religious. If you don't understand that you don't understand what faith is. Faith is not at the heart of all life. Life on earth existed for billions of years before there was a concept of faith. Dinosaurs didn't have faith. Animals in the precambrian explosion didn't have faith. Trilobites in the Paleozoic era didn't have faith. Please stop talking nonsense.

[@adamquirke6024]

@@marks6928 you have faith in something then if you are doing plenty.

[@MAC-qt9ko]

I was 15 when Life of Brian came out. At the time I could not understand what was wrong with adults who thought it had anything to do with Jesus and I still cannot understand that interpretation. The title is "Life of BRIAN"! To this day I believe that anyone who saw or sees this movie as having anything to do with ridiculing Jesus has completely missed the point, and certainly not bothered to pay attention to the title. The film did not shake my faith, and it gave me a great deal of admiration for the humor found in every day life on which the film is built. People fighting at the back during the Sermon on the Mount - believable and funny. Women disguising themselves as men to take part in a stoning - ridiculous and funny. John Cleese has it right when he says "Decide for yourself".

[@amtlpaul]

I like to dredge this film up every now and then for a good laugh. The Bishop and Muggeridge make a point of missing the point of the film.

[@haydoncooper3744]

What John and Michael are saying is so relevant today.

[@Bondek1996]

The Hulk really was Palin. You don't ever make Palin angry.

[@RGBSF]

Christopher Hitchens would've had a field day ripping to shreds Malcolm Muggeridge's pathetic arguments. 😅

[@hilaryepstein6013]

I hope that the amount of good free publicity this discussion must have given to the film outweighed the obvious anger and frustration being felt by John and Michael.

[@SuperHammaren]

John liked it Palin hated it and was really angry.

[@Liofa73]

For the old guys it’s “their way or the highway” - totally closed minded old bigots.

[@rwburdett]

Superb encapsulation of differing ideas. Great to watch. I attend church and like the film.

[@ellywhitcombe5007]

Muggeidge and the bishop a are so pompous in this discussion. Good on you, Pythons!

[@jeremiahd5332]

The thing that struck home for me is the way in which the Bishop and Muggeridge resorted to insults and aspersions, both about the film and the Python team, whilst the Python team maintained their level of politeness and decorum throughout the interview. And the Bishops thirty pieces of silver comment at the end showed him in his true light.

[@peterwallis4288]

Well, it's because the whole film kind of is an insult, then the Pythons act innocent. I still like them though, but having become a Christian, I now see it from a different perspective and see why these religious folk were upset by it. They pretend it's not based on Jesus, but a parallel "messiah". I know there were other figures that people followed. But come on, at the end of the film he's crucified. It's obvious they're poking fun at Jesus. Having said all that, I'm not too upset by it. But I feel a bit odd about it, and I can completely see their point.

[@portcullis5622]

​@@peterwallis4288Can you not see that they were not poking fun at Jesus? It was actually aimed at the acolytes (of all faiths) who blindly follow ancient books and hide behind them as excuses for intolerances as they judge and condemn others, while turning a blind eye to atrocities carried out by people who follow the same Faith as themselves. The finest joke I have heard that sums up the dogma religions (and the way they are divisive) was told by Canadian comedian Emo Phillips. It is on KZbin (probably called 'Golden Gate Bridge'). It is about how he saved a man from jumping to his death by talking him down from edge of the bridge. They then got talking about religion. It turned out they were both Christians and appeared to have a lot in common. That was until they worked backwards, tracing the routes of their beliefs and their branch of Christianity, until eventually, they found a slight difference. Emo ends the joke with: "I said die heretic and I pushed him off the bridge".

[@MichaelWillby]

​@@peterwallis4288everyone who was anyone got crucified back then .

[@peterwallis4288]

@@MichaelWillby it may be so. However, with the image of a man who was mistaken as the messiah being crucified, I think it's an obvious jab at the real Christ. I think there are just acting innocent saying it's not.

[@willhughes5976]

@@peterwallis4288 You've missed the point entirely about the film, it's about the life of Brian, not Jesus. Crucifixion was a common and brutal practice that the Romans carried out. The obvious jab is in fact at the writers and followers of Jesus' life. Just take a moment to think of what the reality would have been for a man like Jesus. He wouldn't have been the only one in that world claiming to be the son of God, but we know him today because at least some people at the time believed his claims and some even witnessed miracles he may have carried out and they eventually wrote these things down. The Python's are raising the point that it's okay to be sceptical of the words in the Bible because we can't be certain how accurate they are considering some of the things weren't written down for at least 30 years after the events happened. That's an entire lifetime of a man living 2000 years ago. Some of the things that are attributed to Jesus may never have happened to him at all, but instead happened to the likes of Brian and somehow 30 years down the line it becomes a story about Jesus. It's also possible everything written in the Bible about Jesus is true. The Python's are telling you to take in everything and make that judgement yourself.

[@flatoutflatbroke]

40:48 Is Michael Palin being about as angry as you'll ever see him!

[@CricketEngland]

Yes he is

[@RolandoRatas]

That Bishop of Southwark is not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy.

[@Daracdor]

Pfffft you beat me to it !

[@jonathangriffin1120]

Very topical when you think of Welby and Smyth........

[@bonnetdedouche437]

The baby-eating Bishop of Bath and Wells?

[@RolandoRatas]

@@jonathangriffin1120 not really there was one just outside my window which overlooks a church, caught doing something right there that is not a million miles away from what Smyth was doing and all that happened is that he was very briefly moved to another parish to tend to another flock in a different church. No real consequences. I stay well clear of that lot.

[@MichaelWillby]

​@@RolandoRatasall religions have been hiding dark secrets since they were thought of .

[@wez4517]

Well i’m sorry but I couldn’t take anything Malcom Muggeridge said seriously from 18:21 onwards. It’s blatantly obvious he was just bitterly jealous of the success the Python guys had because he had seemingly failed in writing comedy himself. He admitted it himself “trying to make the British public laugh, which is practically impossible!” That single statement alone highlights his prejudices as he obviously felt he didn’t get enough respect in that field. Who knows... perhaps he was just really crap at writing jokes?! You take that on board and then it becomes clear why he was so vitriolic about the film!

[@rufoscar3]

The Bishop guy actually seemed more offended that John Cleese criticized his old Private School religious education than anything else. Blessed are the "chaps like us" and all that.

[@markjohnston9321]

Cleese was on point with thinking for oneself about Jesus. In doing so, the individual may find something worth interest

[@BillyParker-j1m]

The film remains a classic. And it was not mocking religion either. It was merely mocking the way that different religious groups have historically interacted with one another. An important distinction, and one that permits many people to enjoy the film regardless of their own personal faith.

[@gilesholtby1702]

As disagreeable and sometimes rude as this debate was, it was still much more polite and intellectual than the same debate would be today.

[@r4zi3lgintoro65]

Interview that has its own movie

[@zhara9741]

1:30 John is so right.. Trevor is a hilarious name. I use it as a placeholder name all of the time. The best is when ppl hit on me, I tell them my name is Trevor.

[@MichaelWillby]

Hi Trev !

[@gyakuto7775]

An ‘inconsequential’ film became a beloved classic and due to many scandals, Christianity is dying.

[@nicksushkevich]

"for that reason it will have absolutely no influence in the long run" hahah

[@MortenEng]

In Norway, the film "Life of Brian" was stopped in 1980 by Statens Filmkontroll (the State Film Control, current Norwegian Media Authority) on the grounds of the blasphemy clause.

[@itseperkele181]

And then it was advertised in sweden as "a film so funny norway banned it"

[@MortenEng]

@@itseperkele181 - Yeah! Weird thing ever happened to a film in the Nordic countries.

[@GhastlyCretin]

It was also banned in Ireland. It was made 6 years before I was born but my parents loved Python and I remember them telling me they had to get a bootleg audio version on record before they ever actually saw it properly.

[@joshuataylor3550]

​@@itseperkele181 hahaha that's fantastic

[@bob23301]

Ironic that all these years later this is now a official Monty Pythin sketch with 2 python grotesque charactors, and Palin and Cleese.

[@CricketEngland]

The greatest pointless TV debate in history and probably the first and only time Michael Palin gets angry Python 1 - 0 The Church of England

[@davidboon7219]

Muggeridge & Bish Pompous Gits 😡

[@mattcorby]

It's such a good job none of those type of people are represented in the upper government. Oh wait.

[@MichaelWillby]

​@@mattcorbythey're now being replaced by slims , they're even worse marrying 9 year old.

[@Feoktist.Ivanovich]

Didn't Palin and Cleese notice that Caiaphasand Pilate were sitting opposite them?

[@johntate5722]

Sadly malcolm and mervyn just dont get it

[@smadaf]

Apart from the fact that the story from the Pythons is that the Stockwood and Muggeridge were quite dishonest in this appearance, having praised the film immensely back stage before going on camera to disparage it, what is most ridiculous about this discussion is how obtuse the 'religious' side chooses to seem: in addition to the Brian character, the film _has a Jesus character,_ who is _not_ lampooned as Brian is. They expect us to believe that they somehow didn't notice that the Jesus character, being played by someone other than Graham Chapman, is not the same as the Brian character, and that therefore the fun made of Brian must be about something other than the Jesus character.

[@marks6928]

Men of the cloth lying and purposefully misrepresenting something to further their own agenda? It’s unheard of. But seriously, you’re right. Brian is explicitly not Jesus, but they ignore that fact and feign offence. Why do they act so offended and shaken? It’s because they know their whole way of life is built on a shaky foundation where if people question things too deeply, it could fall apart. They are self serving, clearly protecting their cushy positions. There is talk that they missed the first 10 minutes of the film, which I feel should disqualify them from being able to talk about it. But they are more interested in furthering their worldview and being pompous than fairness. Thankfully, history has been kinder to the pythons than the church, and while Cleese and Palin are remembered as legends, these men are largely forgotten relics of a thankfully bygone age.

[@JJONNYREPP]

1979: The Great LIFE OF BRIAN DEBATE | Friday Night Saturday Morning | BBC Archive 2149pm 14.11.24 refer to those in the media taking a different tack form their counterparts to create some semblance of conversation/discord... the dialectic, is it not? all an act. so there you go. you dont get down to brass tacks, in that sense... but it might generate debate in your own homesteads... where, it is said, the lust for free thought is given free reign. kzbin.info/www/bejne/l6S4qn5sf7ynb7cfeature=shared

[@troygaspard6732]

In the end, the church lost out. Now the remaining Pythons are fetted as gods of comedy.

[@phillipcarter8045]

Blessed are the cheese makers . 🧀🧀 .

[@peterharvey1762]

I can’t take the Bishop seriously and he’s acting like a python sketch clergy man

[@SpiritmanProductions]

That bishop accusing them of sweeping generalisations, yet he makes them himself! What a noob.

[@marks6928]

To him it’s not hypocritical. As a man of the cloth he is able to patronise and belittle with impunity. Such is his right as a morally superior man, or so he sees it.

[@SpiritmanProductions]

@@marks6928 Dreadful what brainwashing can do to a man.

[@fredo1070]

Famously Malcolm Muggeridge and Mervyn Stockwood missed the first ten minutes of the film when they went to see it.

[@MillwallOlly]

"No more Thpenther Twaceys"

[@TheSuperDerp]

It's fascinating... Fifty years ago the Life of Brian was banned for being blasphemous... Now turn on the telly and see how long it takes before you see something unforgivable...

[@ihathtelekinesis]

When two or three are gathered together in one place, then they shall perform the Parrot Sketch.

[@SNORKYMEDIA]

Your god is pretty weak if it is threatened by a comedy film....

[@adamquirke6024]

He isn't. I'm a Christian and watch TLOB. I think it was because it was in the 70's and the only high level people they could get to critique the film are these 2 elderly guys.

[@Satscape]

One of my favourite films, simply because it questions things. When I question them on Facebook, I manage to anger Jews and Christians in one post. Sorry Jews and Christians, I know not what I do. Remember when the BBC used to make good shows like this? Maybe they could do that again, someday soon? When you watch way more content on KZbin than you do on regular TV, you have to ask yourself how can someone with a near zero budget create better quality entertainment than a corporation with potentially millions. ❤&✌

[@daveberry2177]

this is great, proper English humor

[@80sandretrogubbins25]

Two-thirds of Monty Python? Sort your description out.

[@eddjordan2399]

there where 5 of them.

[@80sandretrogubbins25]

@@eddjordan2399 Nope, 6.

[@mikewest1542]

Michael Palin Eric Idle John Cleese Terry Jones Graham Chapman and Terry Gilliam That’s 6 😉

[@michaelcullen5308]

​@@mikewest1542 and Timmy the Dog.

[@hedgehog1965uk]

Why does the video description say "two-thirds of Monty Python"? This would suggest that there were only three of them, when there were actually SIX. Surely it should say "two members" or "one third".

[@pauls7803]

Cleese and Palin were way too respectful of Jesus (and Mother Theresa) here. They made no attempt to push back against the ridiculous claims of Muggeridge and the Bishop and were quite glowing in their praise of Jesus in places.

[@PaulMappud]

Have to remember this was nearly half a century ago, a lot more folk believed like the Bish and Mug, the film is obviously a piss-take but they had to keep to the humour/laughter script, Mug got one thing right, the death of Western "Christian" society, there will be one more bigger battle to fight before the human race can move on form worshiping supernatural deities, won't be in my lifetime sadly...

[@pauls7803]

@@PaulMappud Yes, all true. Palin at the start was ridiculously starry eyed about Jesus though. There was no need for him to act like this. I think there might be humour/ satire around a character that tells folk not to bury their father but to give away all their possessions and follow them around sheepishly. There are many other examples obviously.

[@adamquirke6024]

Doing that wouldn't have gained anything for favour towards the film.

[@adamquirke6024]

@@pauls7803 Maybe Palin was being truthful?

[@petesmitt]

Tim Rice in all his sartorial splendour..

[@brianquigley1940]

Cleese was right... the Archbishop is a complete caricature! 😂

[@theradgegadgie6352]

I think Cleese and especially Palin should've been, in retrospect a lot more cheerful following this. It was obvious to anyone that Stockwood and Muggeridge came off REALLY badly.

[@TheVicar]

You saw it as a competition? I think you've misinterpreted the stance they made in the interview

[@theradgegadgie6352]

@TheVicar That's nice.

[@Multienderguy37]

The discourse in my country is so much worse than this, even today, but strangely, films lampooning the majority religion, far more explicitly than Life of Brian, and far more critical of the subject matter have been critical and commercial successes. I cannot imagine “civil” discourse like this however, at least, not on religion. To be clear, certain religious elements did push back against these elements, perhaps more violently than what would be standard fare in the UK, but public reception was positive, in a similar manner to Life of Brian.

[@davelikesthings]

well, that was a lot of pseudo-intellectual waffle from the Bishop and Muggeridge. Colour me unsurprised.

[@jackfrear3537]

This is the closest to angry I've ever seen Michael Palin

[@jamesbomd3503]

Yes folks It was a Beatles movie

[@gwheregwhizz]

To quote Dave Allen "Thank God I'm an atheist".

[@jasonayres]

My dad took us to see this with the family back in the day. As a Christian, with both atheist and religious relatives, I listened to all of the discussions and arguments over the film, which was a big deal when it was released. Actually, I think that it might not have been so successful at the box office, if some of the cinemas weren't picketed, or had protest groups in front of them, which in turn, attracted the media attention, which in turn, drew the crowds. It is only since the invention of the internet that I've now seen a few interviews with John Cleese, and it came as a surprise, after all these years, that he said in all of them that he wasn't trying to mock Christ, for the various reasons he explains. However, if it was trying to prompt people to 'think for themselves' (and, my goodness, back in the day, there were many people airing their thoughts on this movie), and have a tongue in cheek commentary on how people view religion, it is worth noting (as they do) that the biggest financial backer of the movie was George Harrison, someone who followed the Hare Krisna movement. Purely speculation, of course, but I wonder how he would have liked people 'nit picking' his religious beliefs. Having seen the movie, at a stretch I can see how some people might laugh at parts of the movie, but I myself found the crucifixion scene, in particular, troubling, tactless. It was interesting to learn here that John Cleese himself found the final edit of the scene discomforting. I'm certainly not in a hurry to ever see the movie again, but these interviews do shed some light on the movie, and the attitudes of the day, which was a big thing in my youth.

[@daweshorizon]

Yeah, but Harrison was a scouser. They take the piss out of anything and everything! Even each other in a very sectarian City! Love and peace.

[@MarcoSpeaksNadsat]

Well, I thought the Bishop was quite funny. Muggeridge on the other hand........🙄

[@gillygillyyt55]

If these two lived in the time of computers, I wonder what IT experts (and the police) would have found on the harddrive.

[@orangewarm1]

Probably scripts for monty python.

[@orangewarm1]

They are still alive.

[@iandawe948]

Such a shame, that mr smug muggeridge isnt here today. To see how the 10th rate film rates in the modern day

[@markjohnston9321]

I think Jesus would have roared with righteous laughter at this film with everyone sitting in the theatre upon its showing

[@StuartBusby]

This really is now an historically important piece of film ! Muggeridge and the Bishop are shown to be completely ridiculous, condescending and patronising. Two men brainwashed by a book, absolutely convinced about the existence of christ without a shred of evidence ! I've read Mr Tickle to my kids, but that doesn't mean Mr Tickle is real ? The pair of them COMPLETELY missed the point of the film, and refused to budge one inch on the fact. Christians ????? Rude and confrontational is what they are, and Cleese and Palin do incredibly well not to get VERY angry with how their being spoken too! With every passing year, more and more people come to realise that the Bible is probably a load of nonsense. And if Muggeridge was out of touch in 1979, his opinions are even more ludicrous now. I don't wish to undermine anyone that does believe in Christ because that would make me no better than Muggeridge and the Bishop.

[@jagolago-bob]

Neither of them believed in God, as witnessed by their behaviour in normal life, let alone on that programme.

[@lectorintellegat]

As opposed to being brainwashed by normie boomer pop culture?

[@davidberesford814]

I think you may have missed the point. There is plenty of evidence for Christ's existence - do some research on the subject. Muggerdige and the bishop have a deep personal faith and love for Jesus - although they were disrespectful to Cleese and Palin about the film, they felt the film was disrespectful to their own faith.

[@jagolago-bob]

@@davidberesford814 It was well known that the Bishop had a deep love of alcohol and something else not so fitting with Christianity. Muggeridge was a womaniser, heavy drinker, and quite unpleasant for years. To suggest they believed in God would be an insult to people who really believe. Shame on you.

[@aw-resistance9968]

Enjoying your gaytheist utopia?

[@PaulMappud]

The bish is camper than Christmas... ... ... The old ham.

[@theeniwetoksymphonyorchest7580]

And so well refreshed……

[@morchangstudios]

I’m waiting for the Life of Ahmed

[@TheVicar]

Set yourself about making it then

[@TheFlyingScotsmanTV]

As an anti-thiest I actually agree with Muggeridge - it does ridicule the stupidity of religion and Christianity in particular - that's why it's one of my favourite films 🙂

[@youchwb6005]

The problem I have with Christianity is that the bible has been written, and re-written to a point that I don't know what to believe.

[@lectorintellegat]

@@youchwb6005no, it wasn’t. The main manuscripts show no evidence of it being ‘re-written’. There are variants as there with any other ancient text (chiefly grammatical etc), but there is no ‘smoking gun’ evidence of systematic re-writing.

[@lectorintellegat]

Man alive. Cringe. You’d pillory Christians for getting their worldview from a book, but look at you getting yours from a Monty python film. (Which isn’t even that funny btw. It’s overrated.)

[@davelikesthings]

@@lectorintellegat ugh.. here comes another pseudo-intellectual using pathetic debate fallacies. You know full well people don't 'get their world view' from this film. Get a proper job.

[@CricketEngland]

What a load of bollocks

[@robertstitches9517]

Palin and Cleese on top form here Was this before or after season 2 of Fawlty Towers

[@scottishwildcat]

After. The last episode aired the previous month.

[@smadaf]

20:57 What does he say? I haven't deciphered it: "the point is social work is very ____ people".

[@HansSensei]

estimable?

[@smadaf]

​@@HansSensei, I think you're right! Thank you.

[@smadaf]

​@@HansSensei, one would think, then, that he said "social workers are very estimable people", but it really does sound to me more like "social work is very estimable people". Maybe he changed his thought slightly in the middle of the sentence.

[@HansSensei]

@@smadaf Probably was that, otherwise I can't find a word that gives sense to the sentence :P

[@marks6928]

Do you know why these religious folks were so angry at the film? They knew their whole way of life, their whole racket, was built on sand, and they were worried people may find out. Only someone who feels threatened acts like that. These old men are forgotten, save for the footage of this debate, and Monty Python will always be legends.

[@orangewarm1]

Na, is more about cognitive dissonance. When you threaten someone's belief system, you threaten their identity and mental stability.

[@marks6928]

​@@orangewarm1 That is part of it, certainly. But there is a whole system set up by the church to perpetuate itself and its hold on knowledge, for example the saint Thomas More, who tortured people for daring to own a bible in english. Cognitive Dissonance is a large part of it, I have no doubt, but I think these people are also attempting to protect their positions and their professions.

[@adamquirke6024]

not really, I think that plenty of church goers have watched TLOB without it compromising their faith at all. The whole setting of the film is that Brian was MISTAKEN for Jesus, not being Jesus himself.

[@Daracdor]

" I am affected by a baaald patch ! "

[@ChilliPlantOwner]

I’m glad Britain seems to have mostly done away with sanctimonious pompous privileged old toffs. Like Brian says, ‘People should decide for themselves’.

[@delegate598]

What diocese is he? It’s tattooed on the back of his neck.

[@M_Bamboozled]

Battle of the posh boys.

[@lewis7515]

However much passive-aggression and dismissive rudeness slips in, in this case, it's a beautiful thing to hear an intellectual contest of ideology being allowed room to proceed - people are making 2 minute speeches, here. Unthinkable, today.

[@somerandomguy2073]

It's just changed mediums. Stop expecting it on TV and start listening to podcasts. These kinds of debates are ten a penny these days. You just don't actively seek them out.

[@lewis7515]

@somerandomguy2073 Yes: I was talking, specifically, about TV - I would have thought that was self-evident, you irritant.

[@leespiderpod]

What Have the Romans Ever Done for Us?

[@relwalretep]

Aqueducts

[@planetpjr]

I've seen Brian countless times, and now I will see it countless more. 10th rate am I 😉

[@philipford6183]

Cleese and Palin simply had to reiterate that - demonstrably, and throughout the film - it is not a movie about Jesus Christ. Instead, they took offence and attempted to rebut. Level One error.

[@hs964]

Time moves on, as even Cleese at this stage only spoke about "he" when talking about people's take away from the film. 50% of the population not even considered. Each generation progresses. And the nastiness of the Bishop covered by smiling shows the arrogance and superiority . He needs to be closed minded or dismissive as otherwise his life's work and career are based on fantasy. This is how Churches hide the evil done to children.

[@sdc8547]

I remember one of these pompous, pious 'experts' actually admitting that he'd never actually seen the film! 🤦

[@4eyesinthecorner399]

Ah yes, what an honourable and compassionate man to make a joke at the expense of women merely for a couple of laughs from the audience during a serious debate about religion and free speech when it should go against many of the principal values of this religion he so adamantly defends... (14:23)

[@WoollyWanderers]

27:04 "If you had made that point about Mohammed there would have been an absolute hulabaloo in this country...all the anti racialist people would have risen up in their might". 45 years later....

[@paulmcgrath3248]

He s a deal tak

[@ProgressIsTheOnlyEvolution]

Two of those guys are really funny, the other two not so much.

[@quantumeseboy]

Our civilization begun with pre-Christian Greece and Rome. Christianity rather brought the dark ages for a while and turned Greece into provincial, backward olive farm.

[@CheeseMonger60]

45:10 oh boy he couldn’t have been more wrong

[@Tony_7791]

Sexual abuse anyone? What was that? the Church!? noooo..

[@eddjordan2399]

shows how out of touch the church is.

[@SNORKYMEDIA]

The church is very touchy from what I see😂

[@noahbrock349]

That's necessary in a world of sin.

[@MarlboroughBlenheim1]

The religious guy simply can’t see anything other than from his indoctrinated dogmatic emotional personal belief. If ever there was an example of religion’s major limitations, he was it. Cannot be self critical, cannot accept criticism, cannot abide any dissent. It’s man’s need for control and power in the present. And it shows.