Netflix’s fictional Messiah is controversial. It is inspired by religious beliefs, including Jewish, Islamic, and Christian prophecies. People read into it what they desire or fear the most from religion, I suppose, depending on the person and their religious background. I doubt if any two people respond to it in an identical way.
For some, Netflix’s Messiah is a modern-day imagining of the Anti-Christ or Second Coming of Christ. To others, it’s anti-Islamic, inflammatory hate mongering within a deceptive wrapper.
To me, it was a positive experience, although ambiguous and at times unsettling. What I liked most about Netflix’s Messiah was its provocative, unpredictable, and challenging nature. I like that it prompted conversations among people who otherwise do not discuss their religious beliefs – and who barely acknowledge them to themselves.
At a minimum, the show compels people to consider their faith. It compels people to consider the possibility of God and the challenges inherent in believing. It provides people with an opportunity to hope, but it also acknowledges their fears, skepticism, and the potential to weaponize religion or use it to perpetuate a hoax.
Season 1 of Messiah didn’t provide any answers, but it left me with a desire to reflect on my faith and consider the questions it raised. If for no other reason, that was enough for it to be worthwhile.
Photo Credit: Netflix
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