The Story of God with Morgan Freeman premiered last Sunday on National Geographic, and is set to air all 5 episodes in Spanish on Nat Geo Mundo, and globally on National Geographic Channels in 171 countries, and translated or dubbed to 45 languages.
As the executive producer, Morgan Freeman doesn’t narrate someone else’s story, but he takes a journey every viewer gets to witness. As he asks very profound questions, he travels to the epicenters of each religion, belief, or school of thought, and learns from experts, priests, archaeologists, rabbis, and other religious authorities what their religion’s take on the question is.
Take for example last Sunday’s question, what happens after we die? He explores resurrection in the Christian faith and from the Jewish perspective, reincarnation from the Hindu, and even explores science and its takes on how to cheat death.
What’s interesting isn’t just the journey he’s on, which is quite amazing. To break the limitations on one faith and go around to find each religion’s view on the question makes the journey personable, it makes it vulnerable, even real. We’ve all asked those questions and for many of us one answer has sufficed. For others the question is more important than the faith itself, so the quest for the answer becomes almost like a personal religion. Here you have none. It is an almost child-like curiosity to find common ground and open up to conversation about these questions between people of all walks of life.
I’m also impacted by the scenery, the places he visits. These are very important historical places. They are of great significance, way beyond their religious implications. I for one know that many of them are on my bucket list of places to visit. Others I didn’t even know existed! I mean the history lessons! I’m about to bust out with a notebook and pen, and just take notes. Don’t be surprised if you feel the same!
Here’s the thing, as a Christian I realize that as open-minded as I believe to be, there’s still so much to learn. We cannot be afraid of what’s outside of our bubble. In the end is not what you’re exposed to but what you allow to have an effect on you that really matters. This show isn’t going to change my faith. My faith comes from what God has done for me! PERSONALLY. There’s no point in believing in any god if that god cannot personally impact your life, for good. If he cannot change you, he’s of no value, to me.
I’m fascinated by these shows because of all the information I get to consume. I’d rather be watching this than all the different Real Housewives (which I’m addicted to, pray for me), and all the other reality TV shows out there (except my pastors Rich Wilkerson Jr. and Dawn Cheré, Rich in Faith on Oxygen, that I’ll keep watching over and over). But they don’t get to change my faith nor make me question my God. He’s real to me today and every day, because of what happens when I have a relationship with Him.
So don’t be afraid. Watch it and educate yourself on what others believe. I think there’s something so loving about going the extra mile to understand others in order to have intelligent and gentle conversations. If we cared about what the other believes, maybe we could have a real positive impact in this world. We know we need it and BAD.
This is a 5-episode series, each centered on specific themes: Afterlife, End of Days, Creation, Who is God?, Evil, and Miracles. These are the questions Morgan Freeman travels with and tries to find the answer to in different beliefs.
The Story of God with Morgan Freeman is produced by Revelations Entertainment for National Geographic Channel. For Revelations Entertainment, Morgan Freeman, Lori McCreary and James Younger are executive producers.