Without God

In the early 1970s, John Lennon wrote the lyrics "Imagine there's no heaven…no hell below us…and no religion too. Imagine all the people, living life in peace." Imagine. But is it possible to be a good person if you don't believe in God? Noted author and oncologist Dr. Robert Buckman says "yes" in Without God.

For years, it was proclaimed that "God is Dead", that religious faith was in decline worldwide. And yet, in North America, over 90 per cent of the population still believes in God; and in the U.S., the traditional separation of Church and State is being challenged. Dr. Robert Buckman is part of the 10 per cent who claim no religious affiliation. Renowned for his work with cancer patients and as a writer and broadcaster, Buckman is also President of the Humanist Association of Canada. He's written several books on living and dying a secular life, all with his trademark wit and highlighting his own brushes with death.

In Without God, Buckman takes the viewer on a journey to explore the roots of spiritual belief and to challenge the need to believe in God. He meets people who are comfortable with life without religion, who believe it's possible to have moral values without faith in God. The film also examines the scientific basis for belief, including the work of Laurentian University neurologist Dr. Michael Persinger, who suggests that a predisposition to spirituality might be hard-wired right into our brains.

Buckman's views are also challenged by some religious leaders in the film. As long as people have existed, we have constructed beliefs to help us understand a world that often seems terrifying and arbitrary. Faith lends comfort in times of trouble, binds communities together, and helps us mark important passages such as birth and marriage. But after horrific events such as Sept. 11 or the Tsunami disaster, some people will still ask "Where is God?"

Without God is directed by Pat O'Brien, who co-produced with Gillian Lowrey. It is produced by Force Four Entertainment with Penguin Films in association with Vision TV and CBC Newsworld.