James Bond and Faith

Is James Bond religious? Does he have faith? Most people would say – don”t be ridiculous! Do you ever see 007 praying when attacked by sharks? Or studying his Bible? Do you ever catch him bothered by the ten commandments? You could argue that Bond takes particular delight in breaking commandments six and seven. Bond seems to be a supremely confident spy who lacks faith. Or are we missing something?

Bond isn’t religious in a traditional sense (faith in God) but he does have a worldview. He does have faith. The Bible tells us that people can trust in ‘gold’ (Job 31:24). They can trust in the ‘temple’ (Jeremiah 7:14). They can even put their faith in ‘military power’ (Psalm 20:7). The psalmist confesses that he does not trust in his bow (Psalm 44:6). In this sense Bond does have faith but his weaponry is far more sophisticated than the humble longbow. So what are worldviews?

Worldviews are best understood as the dreams, longings and ambitions that get people out of bed in the morning. For some people it is naked profit. For others it’s the destruction of Her Majesty’s enemies. Still others crave status and celebrity. Some Buddhists are desperate to avoid reincarnation. Worldviews are the ‘spectacles behind our eyes’ – we look at the world through them, not at them. Worldviews can be compared to secret agents. Often they are invisible and elusive.

Consider the billion pound challenge. How would you live your life if you suddenly got this huge wad? Would you spend the rest of your life consuming Aston Martins, Omega watches, Bollinger champagne, Beluga caviar and gorgeous women? Or would you dedicate your considerable resources to ending the slave trade? Your answer to this question tells us what you really believe. Your lifestyle reveals your worldview.

Every worldview tells a story. These stories function as maps that guide the way we live. They captivate our imaginations and our spending habits. Worldviews are communal and they are grounded in faith. What is faith? It is the way we answer five basic questions facing everyone:

Where am I? What is the nature of the world and universe we live in?
Who am I? What is the nature, task and purpose of human beings?
What’s wrong? What is the basic obstacle that keeps me/us from finding fulfilment? Or, how do I understand evil?
What’s the solution? How is it possible to overcome this hindrance to fulfilment? Or, how do I find salvation?
What happens to me after death? For example, will I just rot in the ground or will I be waiting for the resurrection of my body?

Pour yourself a martini (shaken, not stirred) and holster your Walther PPK. Let’s investigate how Commander James Bond would answer these five ‘faith’ questions.

Where am I?

I am living in a world full of gadgets,
helicopters,
booby-trapped briefcases,
beautiful women,
luxury and enemy spies.

Who am I?

I am Bond … James Bond.
I am a supremely confident MI6 agent.
I am 007 licensed to kill.
I have complete confidence
in my ability to achieve all my assignments.
All women find me extremely attractive.

What’s wrong?

Sometimes I lack complete control
over nature and other people.
Sometimes enemy agents
refuse to be killed instantly.
Sometimes I am attacked
by huge crocodiles and sharks.

What’s the solution?

I will trust in science and technology.
Q will help me here.
I have complete confidence
in my ability to conquer my enemies
and seduce all the attractive women.
They can’t resist me.

What will happen to me at death?

It’s almost impossible to kill me,
but after I die at home in bed,
I will rot and be eaten by worms.

Conclusion

James Bond is a great way of introducing faith to young people. There are 22 films out there (and counting) and young people love talking about 007 and his amazing adventures. Spend time with Bond. Get young people to understand Bond’s faith – his worldview. From this beginning there are skyscrapers to climb. Bullets to dodge. Bombs to explode. Questions to answer.

For more on worldviews go to http://www.markroques.com/bigfive.htm.