THE STORY OF GOD

THE STORY OF GOD is a national geographic TV documentary series hosted by Actor Morgan Freeman, who travels around the world to explore man’s relationship with God. In the first episode, Freeman investigates the topic of death and the afterlife, and how various religions and cultures view death and the afterlife in different ways. In it, he explores ancient Egypt, Aztec paganism, Christianity, and Hinduism in India.

In the second episode, the topic of the apocalypse and the end of the world is addressed, and in the third episode, Freeman asks the question, “Who is God”?

THE STORY OF GOD is an admirable journey for Morgan Freeman to undertake, however, Freeman and the producers behind it go about it wrong. Even the titles of the docu-series raises issues in that God isn’t the story, He’s the storyteller. Movieguide® sat down with Morgan Freeman and the producers in preparation for this series and specifically asked how they came to give it this title, they said it originally was going to be called The History of God, but didn’t want to make it seem something of the past.

While talking with them, they very much emphasized the desire to be completely neutral: to ask questions and pass no judgment. However, the problem with this approach to such a fundamental and crucial question is that the filmmakers are more concerned about the sociological impact of religion than actually discovering who God is. Such an approach inadvertently leads to pagan syncretism. This is evident in both the beginning and the end of the first episode of THE STORY OF GOD.

While the story of Christ receives a fair treatment and the Gospel is mentioned, it’s bookended by a segment trying to rationalize Aztec human sacrifice and a Hindu reincarnation belief system that’s led to modern day slaughters and human rights atrocities, something they failed to mention.

Anyone who knows their scripture knows that Jesus is the only way to God, as John 14:6 states, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Sadly, after interviewing Morgan Freeman, syncretism was shown to be all too apparent when this Movieguide® reviewer had to explain this verse to a minister who bought into a false universalistic ideology.

THE STORY OF GOD may hold some educational merit, but Freeman never manages to go beyond the surface of what his interviewees have to say. Extreme caution is advised for older children due to the program’s defense and depiction of false and dangerous religions.