Let There Be Light
The Plot
A few days ago I saw a movie that I strongly recommend. Opening in a limited number of US theaters, it still ranked 11th in earnings, with an 84% approval rating.
“Let There Be Light,” stars Kevin Sorbo (TV’S Hercules) and his wife Sam. Sorbo plays Sol Harkins, a famous atheist and Sam plays his former wife. He’s a classic Richard Dawkins type character, who mocks Christianity and all the faithful who try to challenge him.
Early in the movie Sol gives a dramatic soliloquy in a “debate.” One instantly knows that he’s an antagonistic atheist. While his “sermon” lacks substance, it hits multiple clichés that strike a chord with his audience and provokes an emotional applause.
Of course, Sol is both a popular professor and world famous author of a best-selling book entitled, “Aborting God.” He has all the trappings of wealth and is surrounded by worshippers, who seem ready to hang on his every word. Yet as the movie progresses, it’s obvious that he’s unhappy.
The Pain
In fact, despite his acclaim, Sol is lonely. He drinks heavily to ease the obvious pain he’s experiencing as a result of his son’s death. One night after a reception, Sol had too much to drink and crashes his car. A near death experience challenges Sol about faith, the world, man’s purpose and his dead son. Through the witness and love of his wife and her pastor Vinny, (a former mafia hit man played by Michael Franzese, who’s actually a former mafia member), Sol finds faith and purpose.
While the story is fictional, the problems are quite real. Pain, substance abuse, death, the quest for success, divorce and the search for truth are all part of life. In fact, the death of a child puts enormous stress on a marriage, and this movie clearly conveys that.
The Antidote
The movie also gives us the antidote, which simply is faith. Therein lies the hope of this story and for most of life’s problems. It tells us that faith can cure alcoholism, ease worldly failure and pain, put marriages back together and give us purpose.
Well, what kind of faith? First, it’s not blind faith. I’m reminded of a great book entitled, “God: The Evidence”, by former atheist and professor, Patrick Glynn. He writes that new discoveries in medicine, cosmology and psychology all add up “to a powerful, indeed, all-but-incontestable, case for…the existence of soul, afterlife and God.” And in this day and age of bickering and cynicism, I find this idea refreshing.
Second, I’m talking about faith in God, which leads to faith in both the mission and the people around you. With real faith, no matter how dire the circumstances, you can always find a way out, which leads me to yet another association.
The Association
As fundraising consultants, we work with many non-profit organizations and churches. I find that those driven by faith tend to do better than those that are not. While all problems don’t immediately disappear, the faith of leaders really makes a difference in the organization’s success. Faith helps us understand our individual purpose, but it also helps us better understand and serve the organizational purpose, which leads to organizational harmony.
Regardless of the kind of organization, I can always tell if it lacks faith. There is typically limited focus on the central purpose and more free agency, infighting and organizational chaos. Without faith, people tend to work for a paycheck and not a purpose.
Now, if you want to restore order, stop the infighting, boost fundraising and move the organization forward with hope and optimism about the future, as John Hyatt said in his song, “Have a Little Faith.”