Probably the only potentially blasphemous moment in Monty Python’s Life of Brian occurs at the very beginning of the movie when we get our only view of Christ as he delivers his Sermon on the Mount. It is as close as the movie gets to actual religion because, almost immediately, the film’s relationship to scripture recedes as the camera pulls back to the rear of the crowd where we join those on the periphery of history who can’t quite hear what’s being said. When Terry Jones squawks “speak up!”, we should realise this isn’t a film attacking religion but the misinterpretation of religion, as in the misheard beatitude “Blessed are the cheesemakers!” with the questionable theological commentary “obviously, this is not meant to be taken literally. It refers to any manufacturers of dairy products…”
In the coming days and weeks, we will probably grow well acquainted with something that should be called the “cheesemaker defence”, as Donald Trump’s legal team sets out to explain why the former president never directed rioters to storm the Capitol Building. They might even have a point. A video emerged this past week from the Just Security website (“Fight For Trump” Just Security – Incitement at US Capitol on Vimeo) that resembled a Python sketch. Trump is seen lecturing to the crowd before we cut to those watching from afar.
