Cliff and I are watching (and I say that very loosely) "The Last Templar" starring Scott Foley, Victor Garber & Mira Sorvino. It's a little bit DaVinci Code mixed with a pinch of Indiana Jones and a good helping of "made for TV movie" cheesiness. According to this 'movie' the Templar treasure is a secret gospel written by Jesus that will ::ominous tones:: DESTROY THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE CHURCH!!! Really? Another one?
I'm long past the point where I'm even remotely threatened by stuff like this. I'm able to suspend disbelief and enjoy the story, even accept the critique that this genre of film seeks to offer. The church does need to be needled, pushed and forced to come to grips with it's past, it's sins, it's terrible crimes. That I accept. But I wonder how long this genre is going stay relevant. This style of storytelling (Religion is the opiate of the masses!! Dispense with myths and free your mind!!) is birthed out of the enlightenment and was fortified by modernity and has a valid voice. But with the passing of modernity and our cultural forays into the post-modern world, I think the audience for this type of story is dwindling. We're no longer so sure that science can answer every question. We're no longer sure that objective analysis is a cure-all for all situations. We're beginning to reclaim the need for mystery, myth, and spirit. We're rediscovering that the ancient stories resonate deeper than we thought possible. We're not so interested in the destruction of our faith traditions as we are in deconstructing them.
This was a fun tv show. You should watch it. But you should also think about what you watch.
I'm long past the point where I'm even remotely threatened by stuff like this. I'm able to suspend disbelief and enjoy the story, even accept the critique that this genre of film seeks to offer. The church does need to be needled, pushed and forced to come to grips with it's past, it's sins, it's terrible crimes. That I accept. But I wonder how long this genre is going stay relevant. This style of storytelling (Religion is the opiate of the masses!! Dispense with myths and free your mind!!) is birthed out of the enlightenment and was fortified by modernity and has a valid voice. But with the passing of modernity and our cultural forays into the post-modern world, I think the audience for this type of story is dwindling. We're no longer so sure that science can answer every question. We're no longer sure that objective analysis is a cure-all for all situations. We're beginning to reclaim the need for mystery, myth, and spirit. We're rediscovering that the ancient stories resonate deeper than we thought possible. We're not so interested in the destruction of our faith traditions as we are in deconstructing them.
This was a fun tv show. You should watch it. But you should also think about what you watch.
1 comment:
I was not watching anything 'loosely' I was completely engrossed in the brilliance of made for TV movies starting Scott Foley.
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