Could Morgan Freeman’s new series change how you think about Islam and Christianity?
He’s played the role of God on the big screen, been called the “voice of God,” and now Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman is taking a closer look at the divine in a new six-part television series on National Geographic, “The Story of God with Morgan Freeman.”
As the host and executive producer, Freeman travels around the world to explore different cultures and religions, seeking answers to some of life’s tough questions: Who is God? How did we all get here? Is there life after death? Yahoo News and Finance Anchor Bianna Golodryga sat down with Freeman and his producing partner, Lori McCreary, to discuss the new series.
“We were drawn to this project some years ago. Lori and I were in Istanbul. We were visiting the Hagia Sophia,” Freeman said. “It originally was a church and a mosque, and on the walls were these Christian-based frescoes. So Lori said, ‘When this was a mosque, did you cover these Christian frescoes over?’ and our guide said, ‘No, no, Jesus is a part of Islamic religious tradition.’ And that’s an interesting crossover. So it was that amount of information that we had no idea [about] that sort of” grew.
“The Story of God” delves into the five big religions: Judaism, Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism. As Freeman and McCreary explored each religion and culture, there were certain elements that fascinated them. “The Vatican has the Pontifical Academy of Science, where science and religion live together without contradicting each other,” McCreary said. “And the monsignor told us that the Big Bang and the story of creation don’t contradict each other in the world of Catholicism.”
As part of the series, Freeman interviews a former radicalized Islamist who says that there is a difference between Islamism and the religion of Islam. “He learned that the path that he was on was not related to Islam as Muslim,” Freeman said. “The term ‘I am Muslim’ is a very heavy term for a Muslim. I am Muslim, I am a peaceful person.”
Freeman also commented on the state of religion and politics in the United States, addressing Donald Trump’s proposed ban on Muslims. “It’s easy to get out and say that now. You are going to have people who follow because the world is now is suffused with fear. You don’t know where you can go and be safe anymore, particularly if there is a crowd. It’s easy to stir up emotions by saying stuff like that,” Freeman said.
“This is America — you always think we’re on God’s side,” Freeman continued. “And then when you learn we’re not, it’s a letdown. But we can’t say things like that and call ourselves Christians or good.”
Regardless of their religion, many people around the world have the same questions about creation, evil, and life after death, and that is what this series seeks to explain. McCreary said, “I think the more that we can connect that level — what we have in common — the better our planet will be.”
