In today’s culture, many people are questioning and reexamining long-held beliefs and traditions. The documentary asks these questions as well. Is faith important? If God exists, is He even relevant today?
Despite some fringes denying the existence of Jesus entirely, most secular historians acknowledge the historical figure Jesus, who lived in what is now Israel. According to the film, the goal was not to further the debate over whether Jesus was God’s son, which has existed for thousands of years. Instead, it was meant to help people ask hard questions and examine their beliefs.
The tour visited well-known locations referenced in scripture, such as the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus walked on water, then onto the place where Jesus turned water into wine, according to the scriptures. These visits were intertwined with education on the scriptural and historical context along with an exploration of Jewish culture. The visits also allowed people to have their own experiences, such as renewing their marriage vows and being baptized in the Jordan River, the same river in which Jesus was baptized.
Some people claim that no wars have been carried out in the name of atheism. It’s true that the word “atheism” has not been written on tanks and flags that we know of. However, the film takes the time to examine this claim historically. Mao and Stalin were both atheists and responsible for the death of millions of people. Communist regimes don’t allow for God. In communist dictatorships, the be-all and end-all is the nation-state. Anything that challenges the government must be extinguished. History shows how this system has led to genocide and human rights abuses.
Therefore, the film exposes the lie that war and hate have eluded atheism. It argues that everyone has a god. Everyone believes in something, elevating it to a place of worship in their lives. This could be money, power, influence, or even one’s own accomplishments. For some, it is drugs, sex, themselves, or a higher power. The point is clear: No one is without faith in something.
The movie explores whether or not everyone is entitled to their own truth. Can people be good without religion? Can a person with no religious guidelines know right from wrong? It explains that one person’s idea of right could be another’s idea of evil. In this ideological box, one’s pursuit of good or evil cannot be any better or worse than another’s. Cancel culture is an example, as people attack and cancel others to show the world that they are morally superior and their version of the truth is correct. But as the film notes, the problem with cancel culture is that it never ends. Anyone can play the morality police and dictate who deserves honor or scorn. Those who get canceled are held as irredeemable. And those who do the canceling often find themselves on the chopping block in a matter of time.
The film makes the case that when faith is removed, it opens the door for other things to be worshiped. On an individual level, this could be anything that captures someone’s attention. From a societal standpoint, it tends to lead to socialism. Government fills the deity vacuum that is left behind when faith is put aside. Freedom, liberty, and more are exterminated, and what remains is only that which serves the nation-state.
However, America was founded on Judeo-Christian values. This ideology elevates freedom of thought, expression, and exchange, creating a wealth of ideas, along with spiritual health and financial success. “Irreligious Nation” states that this is what makes America beautiful. But now, people in our society protest and cancel those with whom they politically disagree. It shows how morality policing does not actually protect people. Instead, it silences them. The film references the group Antifa as an example. This group’s name stands for anti-fascist, yet it silences people’s speech and freedom, which is fascist. This oppressive behavior follows the footsteps of many nations that have ended in tyranny and defeat.
The film concludes that a loss of faith in God results in a loss of one’s moral compass. Religion determines how a person treats others. It explains that one’s religion pertains not only to life after death but also to how a society should function. Traits such as strength in struggles, love for others, hope and forgiveness rather than doom and despair, are all trademarks of Judeo-Christian culture. When God is pushed to the side, what remains? The documentary shows a society rife with chaos, confusion, fear, division, and justification of violence. When values are swayed by culture alone or those in power, anything can happen. It argues that in a society largely dictated by cancel culture, we cannot afford to cancel God.
