There was so much hoo-hah prior to the films release, that I became ever determined to see it as soon as it hit town!
The church leaders were up in arms about it, Mary Whitehouse became almost apoplectic, it was almost the end of civilisation as we knew it!
Well, we duly toddled off to see it. A whole bunch of us, all ex-JW's, mostly members of the "Portsmouth Dirty Dozen" as the local dubs called us back then. We'd all been out for around 7 years back then in '79, so we felt we could watch it and remain unperturbed at the supposed blasphemy that we were about to experience.
Thing was, many of us were appalled. We put on a brave face and laughed a little too loudly to show our indifference, but many of us were quite discomfitted at this apparent slight to the Son of God. I confess to not liking it back then and being relieved when the movie was over and we could all leave the cinema and go back to the pub and normality. Some great apostates we turned out to be!
Eventually, some years later, Life Of Brian was shown on TV. I just happened to switch on when the little old man in the movie was about to be stoned to death for saying "Jehovah". Well, I started to laugh. And I kept on laughing too. This time I could see the parody and the sarcasm for what it was. I chortled as the Judeans cried "Follow the shoe!" and laughed even more as it changed to "Follow the gourd!"
I loved the crack suicide squad who ran up to the Romans and then stabbed themselves in the chest - that showed 'em! In particular I enjoyed the speech impedimented Caesar and the lisping Biggus Dickus who were attended to by centurion John Cleese.
Since then I've watched the movie over and over again. I've found it ideal material to watch on a rainy day. Even my youngest son has taken to informing me that Incontinentia's last name is Buttocks..
I guess you've really let dubdom go, when you can enjoy The Life Of Brian.
Englishman.