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Movie Review: Leap of Faith
By Julie | September 30, 2007
A few months ago I stumbled onto http://www.infidels.org/. It is a site dedicated to atheism, with the goal of taking out Christianity. I discovered the site as I was just beginning to understand the plans atheists have against Christians. I was shocked by their content, and hatred. I was shocked by their hatred for God.
I ended up browsing their “movies” section. I read, in curiosity, the movies an atheist would love enough to recommend them to other atheist. Some of the movies listed I had seen, some I had never heard of. Then I came across a listing of the movie Leap of Faith, starring Steve Martin. I was stunned, a movie that I see as pro-faith and God, made it on the list of an atheist.
Here is a plot synopsis for Leap of Faith
Jonas is a fraudulent faith healer, who uses all the tricks in the book to con the people attending his shows. Jonas and his team of helpers, including Jane who is in need of some romance, travel the country stopping at big towns and cities to put on their show. When one of the trucks breaks down in a small town, Jonas is quick to accept the challenge of making money in this town. His other goal is to seduce Marva, a waitress in the town, but she’s a hard nut to crack, as is Will, the local sheriff who’s determined to expose Jonas as a fraud.
This is what Infidels.org had to say about the movie, and why they feel it defends their point, that there is absolutely, without a doubt, no God:
While not a great movie, Leap of Faith shows many of the tricks crooked evangelists use, as exposed by James “the Amazing” Randi. Steve Martin is Jones Nightingale, the charlatan minister, and Debra Winger plays his “partner in crime.”
I do agree with them on one point, Leap of Faith is not a great movie. I do think it’s a good movie, but it’s not great. The show does expose many tricks crooked evangelicals use to con people out of their money, in the name of God. But to me, this movie was about God, and for all the things Jesus stood for. Steve Martin plays Jonas, a despicable character who claims to be a preacher. He host revivals, stages many miracles, then packs up and heads to the next town to con the next community of people. He has absolutely no intention of worshiping God, or glorifying God, or even calling for a real miracle. These parts of the movie really are eye opening to the way a con man could manipulate people in God’s name.
But something amazing happens during this movie, when Jonas’s bus breaks down he’s forced to host his revival in a small town he never planned to visit. This community is poor, and full of people who have a real heart for God. Faith is not a manipulation in their hearts, but something they live by. The community needs rain for their crops, and the town flocks to the revival, demanding to know, when will it rain? Jonas spends a couple nights trying, pretending to perform miracles in the name of God, while trying not to look like a fraud to people who want to expose him. The last night a boy with a real ailment comes to the stage, a real miracle is performed. But, since Jonas knows he has never performed a real healing it freaks him out. He flees town, as the rain begins to fall.
Leap of faith, to me, is a movie that proves God answers prayers, even if he has to go through, or around a fraud to do it. But he takes care of his people who show real faith. And, that God is at work even in those who don’t believe in him, even if they still continue to run away scared.
They say if two people have an opinion, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. So, grab some popcorn, turn down the lights, and watch Leap of Faith. Then tell me what infidels.org got right, and how you agree with me.
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