Jon Ronson - The Lizards and the Jews

First up, one of my favorite documentaries, Jon Ronson's look at David Icke's Canadian book tour which does not go according to plan...

Broadcaster and journalist Jon Ronson encounters one of Britain’s most infamous media figures as he continues his search to uncover the truth behind who – or what – is really controlling the world. Tonight Ronson joins David Icke on a lecture tour that takes the ex-sports broadcaster headlong into controversy as his extraordinary views dismay his detractors and inspire his audiences, providing a fascinating insight into extremists – and how the public responds to them.

David Icke was once the most ridiculed man in Britain after declaring on The Terry Wogan Show that he was the Son of God. But he has now resurrected his career and is an internationally successful conspiracy investigator who lectures to packed houses world-wide. His latest theory is that the ruling elite are genetically descended from a race of 12-foot blood-drinking, shape-shifting lizards. But when Icke says lizards does he just actually mean lizards, as he steadfastly maintains? Or does he, as a powerful coalition of prominent Jewish groups claim, mean Jews?

Yes, the monarch of Australia is actually a reptilian humanoid from Alpha Draconis that drinks the blood of babies to change forms! While it is sad that in this modern age thousands of people would mistake ancient myth for reality, this doco shows far more than the ramblings of a crazy prophet. When following him you can almost begin to understand how self validating his belief system has become. Like many faith driven people, he is articulate and charismatic despite of his irrational views. This is a guy you can feel some empathy for.

On the flip side, there are the other conspiracy theorists of this documentary, the Anti-Defamation League. Believing 'lizards' to equal 'Jews' in Icke's philosophy they start a campaign to vilify him and disrupt his book tour as much as possible, even to the extent of physical confrontation.

This leads to the question. Just who is more insane, the man preaching ludicrous conspiracies to the gullible, or the people that feel they have an ethical right to stop him by any means necessary? This is a question I find myself asking a lot in regards to my Atheism. It is a very delicate divide between thinking something to be harmless or harmful, and what kind of action, if any, is appropriate to get your own point of view across. Whenever I find myself about to get confrontational in my beliefs, I think of this documentary.

One other thing that is interesting is Jon joining the ADF for the planning and attempt to disrupt Icke's book signing. It seems so wrong to me, for him to participate in a 'conspiracy' against the conspiracy theorist that is the main focus of the documentary. What do you think, viewers?