You might call it “An Atheist’s Guide to Theism.” Whatever you call it, National Geographic will add a big pinch of the secular to its new docu-series "The Story of God."
Oscar-nominated actor and atheist Morgan Freeman will host and executive produce the six episode series, which will feature the star embarking on an “epic adventure and profoundly personal journey into the eternal mysteries of the divine.”
The show, produced by Revelations Entertainment, follows Freeman as he travels the world experiencing religious practices from many cultures. Freeman will also volunteer as a test subject in scientific labs to explore the relationship between neuroscience, cosmology, and religion.
The Story of God with Morgan Freeman will premiere Sunday, April 3 at 9pm Eastern Time on the National Geographic Channel, and will be shown globally in 171 countries and 45 languages.
“National Geographic’s unprecedented inside access will allow us to explore the global mystery behind God and religion,” said co-producer Lori McCreary. She hopes it will “spur meaningful conversations about God and faith, by believers and nonbelievers alike.”
Courteney Monroe, CEO, National Geographic Channels said she sees the series “blending science, history, anthropology and personal experience” to give rise to “meaningful and awe-inspiring story of religion and spirituality, across disciplines and faiths.”
In line with the all-inclusive nature of the new show, the episodes will “include Freeman’s own opinions on the matter,” Variety reported.
Freeman, who played God in the 2003 film Bruce Almighty, has made no secret of his definite albeit confusing atheistic tendencies.
“After God, I think I should play Satan,” he told The Daily Beast. “I think that God and the Devil are one … The highest power is the human mind. That’s where God came from, and my belief in God is my belief in myself.”
“Nature will survive … We’ve become a parasite on this planet,” Freeman remarked.
The trailer for the series shows Freeman exploring churches around the world and talking to people of different faiths.
In the preview Freeman asks the right questions such as, “What happens when we die?” And “Why does evil exist?”
He adds, however, “I want to know how science is changing religion,” without asking whether it is.
“It is my quest to understand human faith and to discover how our beliefs connect us all in one epic story, the story of God,” Freeman concludes.
Perhaps the show will have value, but Nat Geo’s past treatment of the intersection of faith and science isn’t encouraging.
Although Freeman may very well be searching for the truth about God, he seems to equate all religions and only be interested in how they intertwine and affect people. This does not do justice to the story of God.
