The God Who Wasn't There
So I finally got around to watching Brian Flemming's much-talked-about documentary The God Who Wasn't There, and I must say, I was really impressed with it. Flemming has this real uncanny knack for montage, as well as a devastating sense of humor. Most surprising to me, however, was the final scene in which he denies the Holy Spirit in his old chapel--it was so simple and almost impulsive, yet it worked so incredibly well as the dramatic zenith of the film.
As far as content goes, I was also really pleased. All of the interviewees were top notch, as was Flemming as an interviewer. I mean he was obviously at odds with the Christians being interviewed, but I liked how he gave them all equal credit at the end. My favorites were Richard Carrier and...shit...that Jesus Seminar dude that was an atheistic Christian whose name I can't remember right off. Sam Harris was really good too, though I still have a hard time getting past his alarmism.
All in all, I was thoroughly satisfied with the film. 9/10, 2 thumbs up, &c.
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Atheistic Christian? Isn't that like Army Intelligence?
Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin
http://hambydammit.wordpress.com/
Books about atheism
Ha ha, yeah. But that's what the dude said, no kidding. Flemming was like, "So is it possible for one to be both an atheist and a Christian?' And the dude was like, "Yeah, that's me!" He was into Episcopalianism because of their understanding of the Christ story as a myth.
I've only seen TGWWT in bits and pieces, so I've obviously missed this guy. I guess I get the idea... kind of... if you take Christianity as a life philosophy rather than a literal story... but shit... I can't for my life think of what the philosophy would be when you take out the concept of original sin... which... if it didn't happen, why are we being punished for it...
Meh.
The whole thing makes no sense. That must be a strange person.
Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin
http://hambydammit.wordpress.com/
Books about atheism
Yeah, he was obviously pretty eccentric. But he completely denied the divinity of Jesus, while at the same time being stoked on the Episcopal church.