The Adjustment Bureau

If you haven't seen Matt Damon's new movie, "The Adjustment Bureau," and were planning to, I advise you to stop reading. The trailer doesn't quite give you the gist, but it raises pointed questions about religion and specifically, about the idea of free will, using the (thin) veil of a Chairman who writes everyone's master plan and has a bureau of agents who ensure we all stick to the script.
Some things are chance, but most are "adjustments."

I appreciate any movie that references religion. We can debate whether this movie is in favor of it or not, but here are two main statement sI felt it said:

1. God is not a loving diety that you develop a relationship with, but a cold and detached being that forces you to do what he says: In the movie, Matt Damon was told he couldn't be with Emily Blunt's character, but no one would tell him why. Since they had no reason, his attitude was screw you, I'm going to do what I want. It reminds you of how people say everything happens for a reason...but can't tell you what that reason is. We never see the Chairman, and technically, Matt wasn't supposed to know he existed. Yet he was supposed to accept the will of this puppet master.

I think that sends the wrong message. Religion is about building a trusting relationship with a loving Father. You seek the center of His heart because it contains what's best for you.

2. If you want something bad enough, you can outsmart your fate and seize your own destiny: In the movie, Matt chases what he wants and is willing to sacrifice everything to avoid the "plan." He gets a little help from an insider that has him thinking he can get the upper hand, and in the end, he's told the Chairman was so impressed that he rewrote the plan.

Herein lies the free will debate, but I don't believe you bend God to your will. You submit to His and either find it was better than what you thought you wanted, or find that He honors your obedience by granting your desires. Think about Abraham. He prayed for a son in his old age and finally got one. Then God said to sacrifice him. Abraham didn't run, hesitate or try to deceive God. Just as he was about to follow God until the end, he saw the ram in the bush - he submitted, and his son was spared.

I'm sure there are many other conclusions we could draw from the film. What are your thoughts?