Doubt
"In the pursuit of wrongdoing, one steps away from God"
I don't know why but I've been looking at quotes from the movie Doubt (2008 film) recently. It's a wonderful, thought-provoking film that is centred on what Doubt is all about, and that the "nature of doubt, like faith, it can be a unifying force." It is set in set in 1964 at a Catholic church in the Bronx, New York and you know how I'm a sucker for films that have references to the Catholic Church, being a Catholic myself. There is just so much to observe and discuss about, and wonder if there is one should have any doubt when it comes to religion. Also, it stars Meryl Streep so you know that this is going to be one powerful movie.
I should really find the show and watch it again, but for now, I leave you with one of the sermons that Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman) gives during the movie:
A woman was gossiping with her friend about a man whom they hardly knew - I know none of you have ever done this. That night, she had a dream: a great hand appeared over her and pointed down on her. She was immediately seized with an overwhelming sense of guilt. The next day she went to confession. She got the old parish priest, Father O' Rourke, and she told him the whole thing. 'Is gossiping a sin?' she asked the old man. 'Was that God All Mighty's hand pointing down at me? Should I ask for your absolution? Father, have I done something wrong?' 'Yes,' Father O' Rourke answered her. 'Yes, you ignorant, badly-brought-up female. You have blamed false witness on your neighbor. You played fast and loose with his reputation, and you should be heartily ashamed.' So, the woman said she was sorry, and asked for forgiveness. 'Not so fast,' says O' Rourke. 'I want you to go home, take a pillow upon your roof, cut it open with a knife, and return here to me.' So, the woman went home: took a pillow off her bed, a knife from the drawer, went up the fire escape to her roof, and stabbed the pillow. Then she went back to the old parish priest as instructed. 'Did you gut the pillow with a knife?' he says. 'Yes, Father.' 'And what were the results?' 'Feathers,' she said. 'Feathers?' he repeated. 'Feathers; everywhere, Father.' 'Now I want you to go back and gather up every last feather that flew out onto the wind,' 'Well,' she said, 'it can't be done. I don't know where they went. The wind took them all over.' 'And that,' said Father O' Rourke, 'is gossip!'
