The Parson's Page
  • Home
  • Articles
  • Sermons
  • C David Hess
    • A Raging Moderate
  • About

Letting Go of God   

12/22/2009

 
Picture
One of the most religious experiences I had during the holiday season was watching the film, “Letting Go of God” on Showtime (watch  a 17 minute video clip). The film is a one woman show by Julia Sweeney in which she describes her long pilgrimage from being happily raised in a strong Catholic family to her becoming an atheist. Her sharing was always thoughtful, moving, and even funny. When she told her mother she could no longer believe in the existence of God, her mother asked, “Are you telling me that you are no longer going to church?” At another point her mother told her that it was okay for her to believe whatever she wanted, but asked if she had to tell everyone about it? 

The most striking moment in the film was when she addressed God near the show’s end: “It’s because I take you so seriously that I can’t bring myself to believe in you. It’s a sign of respect.” 

Ironically, the one thing that comes through in her monologue is how seriously she takes God. I know a lot of people who “believe” in God who don’t take Him nearly as seriously. They believe in the existence of God but never give any serious though to what that belief means or should mean in their lives.  

Lord Alfred Tennyson wrote: “There lives more faith in honest doubt, Believe me, than in half the creeds.” 

Ms. Sweeney also has a healthy sense of mystery. She confesses that she still wonders at the awesome question of why there is something and not nothing. This awe in the face of mystery is not far from God. This sense of mystery is something that far too often we Christians jettison. We give the impression we have everything figured out, that we don’t see “through a glass darkly” (I Corinthians 13:12) 

Maybe sometime we can look at this film together, so that we can be better able to share our own pilgrimages and give a reason for the hope that is in us. (I Peter 3:15)


 ©2009 C. David Hess


Comments are closed.

    Parsonally Speaking

    Categories

    All
    Current Events/Hot Issues
    Other Articles
    Personal Confessions
    The Bible & Christianity
    The Church
    The Darker Side
    The Lighter Side
    The Movies

    Archives

    September 2014
    October 2013
    January 2013
    November 2012
    February 2012
    December 2011
    April 2011
    December 2010
    June 2010
    April 2010
    December 2009
    April 2009
    March 2009
    February 2009
    January 2009
    December 2008
    November 2008
    September 2008
    June 2008
    March 2008
    February 2008
    November 2007
    October 2007
    September 2007
    May 2007
    March 2007
    January 2007
    December 2006
    September 2006
    June 2006
    May 2006
    March 2006
    February 2006
    January 2006
    December 2005
    September 2005
    April 2005
    March 2005
    November 2004
    June 2004
    May 2004
    April 2004
    March 2004
    December 2003
    October 2003
    September 2003
    May 2003
    March 2003
    January 2003
    September 2002
    August 2002
    April 2002
    October 2001
    September 2001
    July 2001
    March 2001
    December 2000
    November 2000
    September 2000
    August 2000
    May 2000
    March 2000
    January 2000
    November 1999
    April 1999
    March 1999
    December 1998
    September 1998
    August 1998
    May 1998
    April 1998
    March 1998
    February 1998
    January 1998
    December 1997
    August 1997
    June 1997
    May 1997
    April 1997
    January 1997
    December 1996
    November 1996
    October 1996
    September 1996
    August 1996
    July 1996
    June 1996
    May 1996
    April 1996
    March 1996
    February 1996
    January 1996
    December 1995
    November 1995
    August 1995
    April 1995
    January 1994
    February 1993
    January 1993


Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.