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As it returns for a second season, "The Story of God" just doesn't do that.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/kateohare\/2017\/01\/story-god-morgan-freeman-christ\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Kate O'Hare's Pax Culturati\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2017-01-16T17:52:08+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2017-02-07T00:35:20+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/524\/2017\/01\/The-Story-of-God-Morgan-Freeman-banner.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"330\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Kate O'Hare\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@KateOHareWrites\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Kate O'Hare\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/kateohare\/2017\/01\/story-god-morgan-freeman-christ\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/kateohare\/2017\/01\/story-god-morgan-freeman-christ\/\",\"name\":\"'The Story of God' Returns -- But Doesn't Tell the Whole Story of Christ\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/kateohare\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2017-01-16T17:52:08+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2017-02-07T00:35:20+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/kateohare\/#\/schema\/person\/1660bc64bfc9f67a4a8592d17e59213b\"},\"description\":\"When comparing religious beliefs, it's necessary to tell the whole truth. 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{"id":3604,"date":"2017-01-16T09:52:08","date_gmt":"2017-01-16T17:52:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/kateohare\/?p=3604"},"modified":"2017-02-06T16:35:20","modified_gmt":"2017-02-07T00:35:20","slug":"story-god-morgan-freeman-christ","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/kateohare\/2017\/01\/story-god-morgan-freeman-christ\/","title":{"rendered":"‘The Story of God’ Returns — But Doesn’t Tell the Whole Story of Christ"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

$\"The-Story-of-God-Morgan-Freeman-banner\"$ <\/a>When comparing religious beliefs, it\u2019s necessary to tell the whole truth. As it returns tonight, Monday, Jan. 16, National Geographic Channel\u2019s \u201cThe Story of God\u201d <\/a>just doesn\u2019t do that.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Chosen One,\u201d the opening episode of season two of the popular series, takes host and producer Morgan Freeman on his familiar trip around the world to examine a variety of belief systems. He talks to an American boy believed to be the reincarnation of a Buddhist<\/a> holy man, a Christian missionary who suffered torture and imprisonment in North Korea, and a Native American leader and religious figure.<\/p>\n

He also discusses Sikh, Hindu and Muslim beliefs. In particular, he slides from a discussion of the sacrifice of Christ straight into a conversation about the grandson of Mohammed, Husayn ibn Ali, revered by Shi\u2019ite Muslims.<\/p>\n

In general, Freeman in \u201cThe Story of God\u201d remains visibly partial to Buddhist and Native American beliefs, and always leans toward a positive portrayal of Islam, following the familiar \u201creligion of peace\u201d trope.<\/p>\n

But one fact remains unstated throughout the entire program.<\/p>\n

Jesus didn\u2019t claim to be a Chosen One of God. He claimed to BE God.<\/p>\n

Mohammed didn\u2019t claim that (nor did his grandson), nor do any Hindu or Buddhist figures (not even Buddha), nor did Abraham nor Moses, nor do Native American leaders.<\/p>\n

To go through an entire hour about people who claim to be vitally connected to God and not state the central claim of Christian belief \u2014 that Christ was the Son of God, consubstantial with the Father \u2014 not only diminishes Christianity, but it\u2019s fundamentally dishonest.<\/p>\n

Freeman does manage to slide in a slap at Catholic popes and the selling of indulgences, but he leaves out the very core of the Faith.<\/p>\n

The show\u2019s an attractive travelogue, and Freeman talks to interesting, sincere people, but if you\u2019re not going to tell the truth about one faith, then you\u2019ve lost credibility to talk authoritatively about\u00a0the subject in general.<\/p>\n

Image:\u00a0Courtesy National Geographic Channel<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t miss a thing: head over to my other home at\u00a0Family Theater Productions<\/a>; also like the\u00a0 Patheos Catholic<\/a>\u00a0FB page to see what my colleagues have to say.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"