Not in God’s Name: In Search of Tolerance with the Dalai Lama 2009
Distributed by Paradise Filmworks, 4045 S. Buffalo Dr., Las Vegas, NV 89147; 702-449-4453
Produced by Paula Fouce
Directed by Paula Fouce
DVD , color, 57 min.
College - General Adult
Religious Studies
Date Entered: 07/13/2012
Reviewed by Alexander Rolfe, Technical Services Librarian, George Fox University, Newberg, ORThis interesting film considers religious violence among religions preaching peace, compassion, and some degree of non-violence. Fouce, a westerner impressed by the spirituality permeating India, was led to ask “why the killing?” after witnessing Hindu violence against Sikhs.
The strength of the film is its fair presentation of Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Jain, Buddhist, Zoroastrian, Jewish and Sikh religious traditions and sometimes violent interactions over the past 50 years. The weakness is that it veers away from the guiding question to spend a large portion of the time preaching. The Dalai Lama and others assert that the violence needs to end because all religions have their place as valid paths to the divine. Would that it were so easy. It’s not clear for whom this message is meant—certainly the adherents of most of the religions in question would see little reason to accept Fouce’s demand to surrender all exclusive truth claims. They will likely go on believing the words of their God(s) instead. This film is both honest and awesomely naïve; it demonstrates the vast difference between having a fondness for spirituality and actually believing in a particular religion. The time spent indulging the urge to preach a corrective message to all religions could have been better spent digging deeper into Fouce’s question; it’s too bad the why? was pre-empted by thou shalt not.
Nonetheless, the video is well produced and would serve as a good jumping-off point for discussion. The 34 minutes of extras (short segments on the various religions) adds considerable value and would also work well in a classroom.
Recommended