I haven't seen this movie in a while, yet i remember distinctly Keaton's character goes to a therapist or some Asian doctor that does something to him and tells him he removed some of the poison and whatnot. Also Keaton asks God to let him live long enough to see his child be born. Now there is no definitive method to actually acquire the true and correct answer, but some feedback would be most appreciated.
I hold close to my faith, but I've long since left the entire religion hooplah. Anyway, I do think it was a higher power. But that just shows how emotional I am.
shareI think faith in God is most important, but I wouldnt say no to Medical treatments. I dont understand why people think it is a black and white kind of thing. There is nothing Anti-God about Medicine. God made this world and nature. He also made humans and our intelligence and Medical ingenuity. In nature lies cures and medicinal treatment for us to use to cure our ailes. I dont think he ever meant for us to rely SOLEY on medicine just like he didnt mean for us to rely SOLEY on God. For instance, if you pray for a new job....does that mean you should not look for a job and God will provide one? I think that is foolish and rediculous. Look for a job and God will provide an opportunity/open doors for you to find the new job you are seeking. Personally, I had childhood cancer. I sought out all and any Medical treatment that was available WHILE praying and asking God for healing. Simple.
shareI think they have to kind of go hand and hand. I mean, I wouldn't jump out of an airplane cause I thought God would save me. Pray as the medical stuff is going on as well.
My 2 cents
At first the Bob Jones character only seeks help through a traditional doctor; however the cancer continues to spread. Either his wife, or one of their friends, ends up suggesting the acupuncture therapist. The therapist performs acupuncture several times, which seems to help, but also asks him to release the anger he feels for his family. He ends up living about a year after his child is born, beating the odds the doctors had given him. The movie doesn't really say which of the 2 methods was more beneficial, but it's obvious that he lives a much happier life once he releases the anger and forgives his father.
shareNot God in the sense of a organized religion or what is thought to be most popular. Rather God in a more philosophical light. Reincarnation is a big thought in this movie however again, it seems as though this film is moving away from the traditional most popular thoughts. The sauna scene also highlites this notion of philosophy over everyday common-held beliefs.
shareHere is a man who grew up in the Greek Orthodox faith but has lost all faith: faith in God/religion, faith in his family, faith in modern medicine/science, and in some ways, faith in himself and his abilities to overcome life's obstacles (where you were born and the circumstances behind it). By grasping at straws (the Asian faith healer) he finds the means to find his way back before he dies. He doesn't ask for a miracle to beat the cancer just the means to live long enough to see his child before he dies. In the process he finds his faith again and just possibly his salvation. His faith in family is restored, his faith in God is restored, and his faith in himself is restored. His home movies are his penance and the birth of his son is analogous to the birth of a savior. His legacy is passing all the goodness in himself to his child; goodness that he wasn't sure existed because behind all his success was the doubts about what he left behind and why.
A curious footnote is the score by John Barry. Listen to the score and then listen to a song by Kitaro called "The Bottom of the Sky" (track 14 from his album Cirque Ingenieux). The similarities are wondeful.
PS I was raised Baptist, married a Pentacostal, coverted to Catholocism, and now follow Buddhism so I know that finding one's faith can be a convoluted, difficult, yet fulfilling road. I'm just thankful that it hasn't taken a terminal illness to reconcile my past to my future. I loved the movie and I loved M. Keaton in the title role. This one always make me cry and there's nothing sadder than watching a fat man weep. ;-)
[deleted]
He went to a Chinese Healer who never put any needles in him.
shareActually, I believe the Asian gentleman was performing Reiki, which is a healing technique in Eastern Medicine. Reiki is a Japanese word, and roughly translates in English to "Universal Life Force". Some Reiki practioners may disagree with this, but I have always felt that the universal life force flows from and comes back to whomever you believe God to be. I have always believed our ability to channel any sort of healing--whether through Western or Eastern medicine--was our gift from God and a way to participate in the process of life. So I have always felt that God and medicine have always gone hand in hand.
In the movie, Keaton holds on to anger and resentment so much that ultimately his body can no longer handle it and it poisons in him...in the form of cancer. The Asian doctor helps him to heal--apparently his disease has progressed past the point of healing his body, but at least his soul can be healed as he releases the anger and finally finds peace and acceptance in his life.
At least that is the way I see it. Hope the feedback helps. Thanks for letting me share! :)
ps I am actually watching it right now...haven't seen this movie since it came out in '93...that is what inspired me to come to this thread!
I haven't seen this movie in a while, yet i remember distinctly Keaton's character goes to a therapist or some Asian doctor that does something to him and tells him he removed some of the poison and whatnot. Also Keaton asks God to let him live long enough to see his child be born. Now there is no definitive method to actually acquire the true and correct answer, but some feedback would be most appreciated.
This is the easiest question in history. Let's say your hand gets cut off in an accident, would you stand there and pray or would you get a surgeon? Let's say a bullet gets fired into your chest, would you pray or go to a hospital? Let's say your wife is about to give birth and the baby is coming out backwards, would you sit there passively and pray, or would you get a doctor? Next time something bad (medically) happens, you can sit there and think (pretending it's actually helping) or you can find medical help. I'll take science every time.
shareThis famous little parable answers your question very well:
A man was trapped in his house during a flood. He began praying to God to rescue him. He had a vision in his head of God’s hand reaching down from heaven and lifting him to safety. The water started to rise in his house. His neighbor urged him to leave and offered him a ride to safety. The man yelled back, “I am waiting for God to save me.” The neighbor drove off in his pick-up truck.
The man continued to pray and hold on to his vision. As the water began rising in his house, he had to climb up to the roof. A boat came by with some people heading for safe ground. They yelled at the man to grab a rope they were ready to throw and take him to safety. He told them that he was waiting for God to save him. They shook their heads and moved on.
The man continued to pray, believing with all his heart that he would be saved by God. The flood waters continued to rise. A helicopter flew by and a voice came over a loudspeaker offering to lower a ladder and take him off the roof. The man waved the helicopter away, shouting back that he was waiting for God to save him. The helicopter left. The flooding water came over the roof and caught him up and swept him away. He drowned.
When he reached heaven and asked, “God, why did you not save me? I believed in you with all my heart. Why did you let me drown?” God replied, “I sent you a pick-up truck, a boat and a helicopter and you refused all of them. What else could I possibly do for you?”