If Yahweh (the
Demiurge to Gnostics) really does exist, then somebody’s going straight to hell
for this little documentary gem—and you know what?—it would probably be worth
it.
Most of the core ideas presented in this film
have been explored in literary fashion by others—and have been reviewed & otherwise memorialized on Parallel
Perspectives—but this cinematographic presentation represents the icing on
a very heretical cake.
The
film opens with an animated depiction of the sun revolving around the earth.
Producer/Narrator Brian Flemming’s voice tells us that Christianity once
believed that this was the way the universe functioned. Next Flemming says, “If
Christianity could be wrong about this, could it also be wrong in other areas
of life?” The opening transitions to
what are my favorite scenes, consisting of motion pictures of archival silent
& 1950 Bible Stories.
Then
the scene changes again to a message board image with dozens of pictures of
Jesus covering it. Then, one be one, a picture is replaced by an actual person
being interviewed regarding their Christian faith. The people represent many
races, many different walks of life. They look like anybody you might meet
walking down a pleasant street or living next door—and this is what makes their
delusional thinking really chilling. They are like pod people.
The
film continues to intersperse archival & humorous scenes with interviews of
believers & non-believers. One segment that I really related to was on the
subject of “The Rapture.” For those who have been spared knowing what that is,
it refers to the “End of Times” when “real” Christians (i.e. Fundamentalists)
will be “assumptioned” or fly bodily up into heaven like The Virgin Mary. Then
while they (the “Saved”) watch from their lofty location with Jehovah et al.,
everybody left on earth will be tortured & cast into hell by the
Anti-Christ right before their eyes. The blueprint for this universal massacre is found in “Revelations.” I say I
related to this because our site
features a historical materialist interpretation of the Armageddon motif
by Friedrich Engles: 666 and Historic Materialism. In it, the earliest of Marxists expresses his
astonishment at the sheer delight the author of Revelations takes in
anticipating the approaching suffering of all non-believers.
Moving
along, there is an interview with a Fundamentalist (I call them the Religious
Mafia) who started a website called “The Rapture Letters.” No kidding. It
provides a program for fellow believers who want to leave a message for their
unbelieving relatives & friends who get left out of the fast lane to
Jehovah. It’s like saying,
“Nani-nani-nah-nah, we made it & you didn’t—TOLD YOU SO!” It’s
ludicrous—but don’t forget, these Fundamentalists occupy positions of authority
on all levels of society. I saw an interview on TV with a real life police
detective who had absolutely no compunction saying that all “the bad guys” he fights
on the street are, in fact, demons! And he meant that literally.
He’s
not the only religiously challenged cop out there in "The Force," I’m
sure
See
also,
REVIEW:
THE NEANDERTHAL LEGACY
When
Christians in the movie are asked how they can reconcile ideas in the Bible
that don’t fit in with the image of the loving Father in Heaven, their
invariable response is 1. Outright denial or ignorance of the issues involved,
or 2. “It’s all part of God’s Will.”
This
is like the Salem Witchcraft trials (and, no, I don’t believe there were any
"real" witches.) When asked for proof of a defendants guilt, the
accusers offered “spectral evidence,” things that could range from nightmares
to an upset stomach. Nothing we would call today “material evidence.”
Another
section I liked in the film is how the idea that Jesus may never have existed
is presented. In line with this, there is a funny archival clip depicting the
Apostle Saul’s conversion to Paul, and becoming the great propagandist for the
successful Romanized version of Christianity. I found it really interesting
when the narrator stated that Paul never demonstrated any knowledge of the
Gospels of Mathew, Mark, Luke & John.
See
also,
THE NEW TESTAMENT CODE Robert
Eisenman
Interviews
with folklorists in the film show just what a cut-and-paste creation
Christianity is—and the numerous points of identity connecting Jesus with a
host of more ancient Pagan hero/resurrection figures.
See
also,
REVIEW:
SECRET BOOKS OF THE EGYPTIAN GNOSTICS
THE GOD WHO WASN’T THERE includes a fairly
extensive clip from Mel Gibson’s THE PASSION OF CHRIST. The idea was to show
just how meticulous Gibson was in showing graphic, bloody violence. This was
important because the motif of blood sacrifice is absolutely central to the
confessional/Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam.) The film also
made a point first documented by Eisenman, that is, the depiction of the Sanhedrin (Jewish Council
that condemned Jesus) as the embodiment
of pure evil. Interestingly, both Eisenman & GOD, etc producer Brian
Flemming indicate how ridiculous it was to state, as the Bible does, that the
Sanhedrin would have become involved in
such a complex case during Passover. Eisenman goes further & says that they
couldn’t unanimously agree about anything. Anyone with a background in city
government can appreciate the humor. [Above left, The Sanhedrin, from an 1883 encyclopedia]
I’m
not going to comment any further on Gibson’s abomination because, like a violent
rape, it makes me sick to think about.
See
also,
SEX, DRUGS, VIOLENCE & THE
BIBLE
The
film draws a valid analogy between the evolution of the Christian “Party Line”
and how a hoax story on the internet morphs into a story considered as
fact. Don’t forget, they can justify
anything because “God wills it.” Book Burning. Murder. Pogroms. Homophobia.
Discrimination. Segregation. Genocide…the Religious Mafia has its pudgy little
fingers into everything that doesn’t fit in their single dimensional, distorted
worldview.
There’s
only 2 problems I had with the film.
1.
The advance promo material overstates its “dazzling motion graphics.” They’re
OK, but there are plenty of “ancient history” type productions—including
several brilliant programs dealing with the Gnostics & Knights Templar (see
review below.) Again, the producer’s enthusiasm aside, the ideas presented in
the film are not particularly new, they’ve been bouncing around in the public
domain for quite some time now.
2.
The core dramatic/animated segment ended too soon. I would easily have
watched another 30 minutes or so—but then it’s good to leave the audience
asking for more—and I sincerely hope we see more of related subject matter in
future DVDs.
Oh, I almost forgot. While researching for my article DOES SPIRITUALITY
REALLY EXIST?, I came to the conclusion that Exodus never
happened. If that is true, then it knocks out the foundations for all 3
Abrahamic/Confessional religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. This also
makes moot the point whether Jesus really existed or not.
Review: JEFarrow
www.gnostics.com