Better DVD out there than "The God Who Wasn't There (2005)"?

by Xander 6 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  Xander

  
  A well-advertised DVD covering the argument that Jesus did not exist.

  Linkage

  Now, I've certainly done a lot of on- and off- line research on the topic, and 99% of this is repetition to me. Amusingly presented here and there, but...that's about it. Overall presentation, though, is pretty damn poor.

  He doesn't really provide any facts to back up his statements, does take things out of context, mis-attributes quotes, basically picks off people in passing to ask questions of faith, etc.

  What I'm looking for is not so much an attack on individual faith, crimes of Christianity, etc - but more criticism of the historical nature (or lack thereof) of Jesus....in a movie format*. Better than this one.

  (*Wife is a happy atheist, but with no means to argue her beliefs. She does not really care enough about the topic to do any reading on it, and just casually dismisses Christians as a bunch of nutters, now. Which...annoys me. I find little fault with the position, but I'm bothered by her embracing one set of beliefs with no understanding of it just as easily as she had embraced JW teachings with no real understanding of them.)
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  MegaDude

  He doesn't really provide any facts to back up his statements, does take things out of context, mis-attributes quotes, basically picks off people in passing to ask questions of faith, etc.

  I concur with your comments about the film. However, the ending was so powerful I have to say I was really moved by watching it. The maker of the film had been emotionally tortured for years by the belief he had possibly committed the unforgiveable sin against the Holy Spirit and might burn in hell for an eternity. To see him at the end of the film stand in the very church where he was indoctrinated and renounce that belief was powerful.
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  Xander

  I concur with your comments about the film. However, the ending was so powerful I have to say I was really moved by watching it. The maker of the film had been emotionally tortured for years by the belief he had possibly committed the unforgiveable sin against the Holy Spirit and might burn in hell for an eternity. To see him at the end of the film stand in the very church where he was indoctrinated and renounce that belief was powerful.

  Perhaps, but ultimately meaningless.

  I am not interested in seeing a movie about someone personally confronting their "demons", I can read any of a dozen message boards (including this) for more powerful examples of that. What I'm looking for is a workable presentation of evidence, backed up by facts, that presents this case in a movie format.
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  yaddayadda

  I think you'll struggle to find what you're after, simply because there is no 'evidence, backed up by facts' that supports atheism. Atheism is just intellectual bravado, in the same way that fervent religiosity is ardent faith. The only happy medium is open-minded scepticism.
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  peacefulpete

  The best layman's presentation of arguments against an historical Christ are in book form and unlikely to be turned into a movie although there were some advertisments about a movie called The Beast that claimed to do just that. It may yet come out, but I'm afraid to make it exciting its inevitably going to dramatize and sensationalize.

  Mind you this has nothing to do with the question of Atheism vs. Theism. You appear to be confusing the two things.
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  Xander

  The best layman's presentation of arguments against an historical Christ are in book form and unlikely to be turned into a movie although there were some advertisments about a movie called The Beast that claimed to do just that. It may yet come out, but I'm afraid to make it exciting its inevitably going to dramatize and sensationalize.
  
  Mind you this has nothing to do with the question of Atheism vs. Theism. You appear to be confusing the two things.

  Eh...not really, just stated the first thing to set the stage for the discussion, then went into the problem. I obviously follow that they are not the same, but I am hardly trying to "prove" that god doesn't exist - an absurdity if there ever was one. Indeed, being critical of any or other religions is not my goal at all - specifically, coming from a background of Christianity, I merely want to have something my wife can watch to provide some semblance of proof to some of her beliefs.

  She'd essentially left the JWs entirely on emotional reasons - she felt they didn't show the 'brotherly love' Christians were supposed to be known for (a theory she tested in half a dozen congregations), and her opinion of other Christians is even worse. And while an emotional reason is fine, I suppose....I'd sure prefer she had more to work from.

  She'd come to the conclusion, basically, that since JWs were not the 'one true religion', and everyone else was 'worse', there must be no religion. This is not a method of drawing a conclusion that would stand up to any argument...which concerns me.
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  peacefulpete

  In my experience many people do instinctively what it took me years of research to conclude. There's nothing wrong with your wife's concluding that something was amiss based upon her emotional abuse. Might you be concerned she will return to the vomit if she lacks an intellectual justification? Not likely unless she has neglected establishing an emotional support system outside the church and yet senses a loss.