Not in God's Name

Filmmaker Paula Fouce undertook this documentary after finding herself trapped in a riot between Hindu and Moslem mobs in India. Hoping to understand how religious belief could lead to—and be used to justify—such violence, Fouce begins Not in God's Name with news reports of the 2008 terrorist attack in Mumbai, coupled with archival footage of historical atrocities from the region, including the assassinations of Mohandas Gandhi and Indira Gandhi (the latter coming after Indira's order to storm the Sikh Golden Temple). But the bulk of the film follows Fouce's visits to religious centers of various faiths—including Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Jainism, Judaism, and Christianity—and her subsequent interviews with leaders who argue that tolerance is an integral part of their beliefs. The most notable interviewee here is the Dalai Lama, who emphasizes that furthering the spiritual well-being of mankind is not only a basic tenet of Buddhism but also a purpose common to all religions. While Fouce's cinematic essay confirms the melancholy truth of the statement she quotes from Pascal—i.e., that men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when it's done from religious conviction—the film also shows that people of good will from many traditions maintain that tolerance of different beliefs is a necessary element of any true religion. DVD extras include additional segments on subjects such as Zoroastrianism and Islamic madrasas. Recommended. [Note: this is also being sold on home video for $19.99 by Paradise Filmworks at www.paradisefilmworks.com.] Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)