The God Who Wasn't There

This film questions the historicity of Jesus of Nazareth as found in the Christian Bible. Writer director Brian Flemming, a former fundamentalist Christian, leads the viewer through the life of Jesus, attempting throughout to apply them coherently to an actual time-line. He discusses the lack of historical evidence and gaps in the history related to Jesus and the years following his life. The film ends with the director talking to the head of the Christian-based school of his youth.

Yes, I'm an atheist, but no, I don't think this movie is worth viewing.

The historical discussion in the beginning is mildly interesting, although not detailed enough to be compelling. As the director talked to the head of his school, I wondered why I should care what he or this person think. Flemming's attitude throughout the film, and especially during his talk with the principal, put into question for the average viewer anything else he has said.

This movie (more like a documentary) was very well put together, entertaining and very informative, and like with any documentary, the information contained should be researched and verified. Brian Flemming makes it easy to do. The content is not derogatory to Christians (although, they may disagree) and the information included should be known to them (although, their churches would disagree). The movie makes some very good points about the most basic of peoples beliefs and will lead to a heavy debate (unless you watch it alone). I have shared this movie with quite a few people already, most give great reviews, the only negative so far...it's not long enough. While I enjoyed the bonus interviews, I found the background sounds a bit distracting.

While I am agnostic and this film was preaching to my personal choir, I had some issues with it. Chiefly, I had the strong sense that Flemming was working out his personal issues, particularly in the last 15 minutes of the film, taking out his resentment against the fundamentalist school he attended as a child. I was surprised the superintendent sat and debated with him as long as he did; as we all know, fundies are not much for having their beliefs questioned. And I think Flemming did indeed mislead the guy about why he wanted to do the interview. I don't blame him for getting up and leaving the interview (which of course was exactly what he wanted the guy to do), and I have to commend the supe for sticking with it as long as he did.

Yes I am a bit surprised to hear myself sticking up for a fundamentalist, particularly one who makes his living brainwashing children. But, I'm also into reality and that's the reality of this film.

One thing I did enjoy about this film was all the clips from the various Jesus movies of the past. Good god what horrific acting in those old films! It was like watching MST3K.

This was a bit clumsy of a film. Film-making is an arduous process, so I think Brian Flemming must have some really serious issues with his former beliefs to go to the trouble of making a film about it, in order to make himself feel better. I hope it worked and I hope he makes a better film next time.

Meanwhile, if you're into Biblical skepticism, a far better investment of your time would be to read Bart Ehrman's "Misquoting Jesus". This film was more of a diatribe and unlikely to be taken seriously by anyone not already a skeptic of Christianity. Ehrman's book is a serious, scholarly work well worth reading, particularly if you find yourself in the situation of debating family or friends about the Christian mythos.

The God Who Wasn't There is a highly entertaining documentary that makes a compelling argument against the historical Jesus. In an equally fascinating and entwined thread, Flemming also explores the psyche of the modern Christian. The piece has a refreshingly irreverent, witty, and independent tone similar in spirit to some of the works of Michael Moore and Morgan Spurlock. And, like those works, can unfortunately sometimes cross into a "preaching to the converted" (rather, in this case, literally "unconverted") tone. Nevertheless, if you are an atheist or an agnostic this is an absolute must-see movie and it will seem far too short. If you are a theist, in particular Christian, prepare to have your core beliefs challenged.

Like many alternative documentaries, this one starts strong, with little known facts and strong evidence for its main thesis.

However, it lets itself down when it degrades into polemic and blatant subjective reporting. This is not to say it is not entertaining and informative. Just a bit disappointing.

If the purpose was to convert (or is that upgrade) any Christians to some other view, it probably lost most of its potential audience when reporting became attacking.

Let me be clear, I am not a Christian. Growing up I was fed the same dogma as the narrator of this docu. I outgrew it, as all Christians eventually will - at least according to my understanding of the world and the views of people such as Ken Wilber, Jane Loevinger and the theories of spiral dynamics.

Unfortunately unknown to himself, the narrator is the unwitting victim of the same vices he accuses the Christians of - Rightness. He is sure he is right. As are his enemies, the Christians.

His attack is a textbook example of the rationalist attacking conformists. Perhaps in time he will move up to the level of pluralist and allow others to have their own views, while holding his own. He will realize that the conformists are as necessary to civilization as any of the other memes.

Enough said. Entertaining, but could have been better without the not so subtly hid personal agenda and sarcasm.