Introduction
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the manner in which religion is depicted in a film known as Apostle. The movie is based on the story of a charismatic Pentecostal preacher known as Sonny Dewey who was involved in an extramarital affair.
As a result, his wife (Farrah Fawcett) also got into a sexual relationship with a clergy in the church (Duvall, 1997). This led Sonny to attack and kill the clergy. In addition, he relocated to a new state where he changed his name and started a new church. Unfortunately, he was finally arrested and punished.
The Holy Spirit
The movie depicts the power of the Holy Spirit as an integral aspect of religion. This can be seen when Sonny prays for a young man and a girl who were involved in a serious road accident. The prayer led to the healing of the girl who managed to move her hand immediately (Duvall, 1997). This scene shows that the power of the Holy Spirit can be revealed through those who are serving the Lord faithfully. Specifically, the Holy Spirit can help an individual to perform a miracle.
The scene also conforms to the biblical teaching, which indicates that God is present wherever at least two people are gathered in His name. This shows that God moves in mysterious ways and is readily available to help those who seek His assistance through prayers.
Salvation
The film depicts religious faith as a powerful instrument that can save even the most evil sinner on earth. Despite being a preacher, Sonny was a wicked man who committed serious sins. He committed adultery and exploited his congregation to achieve his selfish interests (Duvall, 1997). He was also violent and untrustworthy. In this context, the film depicts religion as a form of fraud where faith blinds followers. As a result, they cannot recognize the hypocrisy, corruption, and immorality that their leaders encourage.
However, Sonny continued to serve the Lord and admitted that he had sinned. In addition, he sought for forgiveness from God and forgave his wife. Thus, God continued to bless him by enabling him to start a new church and save souls. This perspective is supported by the fact that King David also committed similar sins despite being a man of God. However, his sins were forgiven after repenting.
Temptation
The story of Sonny demonstrates that religious faith does not prevent temptation. However, it helps the believer to overcome the temptation and the challenges of life. Sonny can be seen as a sanguine Christian who always focused on positivity and trusted the Lord despite his mistakes.
Undoubtedly, he could have given up his faith after losing his wife and church if he did not trust God and believed in the message that he preached. However, he managed to re-dedicate himself to the Lord, thereby overcoming the temptation to abandon his faith.
Religious Practices
The movie shows that various religions have different beliefs and rituals. However, they all have the same goal of worshipping the Lord. For instance, the Catholic priest and Sonny had different ways of blessing the boats as they left for the sea (Duvall, 1997). In this case, the film depicts religion as an institution that is characterized by tensions concerning the way worshipping should be done.
For instance, Catholics believe in reaching God through mediators such as Mary. However, the worshippers in the film always communicated with God directly. These differences are the primary causes of conflicts between various religions in the contemporary world. Therefore, the film demonstrates that religion can only succeed if members of different churches or denominations accept their differences and focus on the common goal of serving God.
The Clergy and their Followers
The film depicts religious people as ordinary individuals rather than saints who have no weaknesses. Sonny lived like an ordinary man who was interested in wealth and success (Duvall, 1997). For instance, he had a magnificent car and a posh home. In addition, his wicked behaviors indicate that he was similar to those who did not believe in God. Therefore, the movie shows that religion alone is not enough to make a person righteous. An individual must consistently follow God’s will in order to be righteous.
Therefore, nonbelievers should not be quick to judge religious people whenever they fall to temptation. Moreover, the movie shows that religion cannot be used as an excuse to engage in crime. For instance, Sonny had to be punished for his crimes despite being a strong defender of the Gospel.
Conclusion
The film demonstrates that religion is a powerful institution through which individuals can receive salvation. In particular, the movie shows that anyone can be saved as long as he or she accepts the Lord. Moreover, the power of the Holy Spirit is strong enough to enable people to overcome life challenges. Nonetheless, religious people should still expect to be subjected to temptation. Thus, the ability to overcome temptation is the main factor that distinguishes religious and nonreligious people.
Reference
Duvall, R. (Executive Producer). (1997). The apostle [DVD]. West Hollywood, CA: Butchers Run Films.