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In response to
"Scansafe blocks it. Can someone summarize the summary? -- nm"
by
Inigo
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Here's the whole thing c/p:
Posted by
MDH (aka MDH)
Mar 31 '14, 06:57
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College freshman Josh Wheaton (Shane Harper) signs up for a philosophy class taught by Professor Rattison (Kevin Sorbo). An RA sees a gold cross around his neck, warning him he should probably change classes. At the same time, we meet other characters - Amy (Trisha LaFache) is a liberal blogger that writes for her own site, The New Left. Her car was broken into and her GPS was stolen. Mina (Cory Oliver) is getting wine at the grocery store and then visits her mother, who suffers from dementia. She barely recognizes her own daughter. Ayisha (Hadeel Sittu) is a Muslim girl who keeps up appearances for her father, Misrab (Marco Khan). After he drops her off at school, she removes her hijab.
Amy finds Willie and Korie Robertson (of "Duck Dynasty" fame) going to the worship center. She confronts them with an impromptu interview, pressing Willie with questions about the devices he and his family are famous for that are used to inhumanely kill ducks, as well as the fact that they pray in each episode of their show. Willie tells her that they are nothing without their faith, and he invites Amy to join them, but she walks away.
In the philosophy class, Professor Rattison starts by listing the names of famous philosophers (Freud, Chomsky, Nietzche, Rand, etc.) and asking what they all have in common. It is that they were all atheists, and Rattison makes his own atheism clear. He instructs his students to write on a piece of paper "God is dead" along with their signature. Josh refuses to do so, being a devout Christian. Rattison challenges him to prove God's existence in front of the whole class, and if he is wrong, Josh will lose a big chunk of his grade. Josh tells his girlfriend Cara about this, but she doesn't want him to try to argue with anybody over the matter, saying his hopes to get into law school could be ruined by this. Josh later goes to seek guidance from Pastor Dave (David A.R. White), who tells him to look at some Bible verses to find a meaning to his dilemma.
Amy ignores calls from her doctor and instead tries to focus on her blog and make plans with her hotshot boyfriend Mark (Dean Cain). When she finally does go to the doctor, he tells her she has cancer. She is in utter disbelief and tells Mark about it over dinner. He breaks up with her instead of supporting her since he is up for a promotion at work and finds that more important.
Ayisha is told by her father that nobody else on campus shares her views on God. At home, she listens to sermons by Franklin Graham. Her brother finds out and she urges him not to let her parents know.
Josh starts off his arguments in class by addressing the big bang theory and the notion that the universe doesn't simply exist because it has to, as certain philosophers or scientists have stated. In his words, it exists because that is the will of God, and to answer the question of who created God, Josh answers that God did not need to be created. Rattison fires back with a quote from a philosopher that essentially states that there is no necessity for God. After class, Rattison threatens to ruin Josh's potential law school career if he tries to make him look like a fool in front of his students. Josh later admits to Cara that he went through with the argument, against her wishes, and they break up.
Pastor Dave picks up his missionary friend Jude from the airport to take him to an amusement park, but his car won't start. They call for a rental car, but that one doesn't work either. Jude suggests they pray to get their old car starting up again. Dave turns it on and it runs properly
During the next debate, Josh continues with the creation of the universe and defense of his beliefs when Rattison brings Stephen Hawking, an atheist, into the discussion. Josh shuts him down when he gives a quote from Hawking that states "Philosophy is dead". After the students leave, Josh asks Rattison why he doesn't believe in God. He tells him he opened his eyes to the world after begging God to save his mother from cancer when he was 12, but after she died, he gave up on his faith.
Mina speaks on the phone with Mark, who turns out to be her brother. He tells her he broke it off with Amy and that he is too busy to go visit their mother. After they hang up, Mina's boyfriend comes in: Professor Rattison. Turns out she was a former student of his, and despite their conflicting beliefs (she is also Christian), they have stuck together. They host a dinner party later with other atheist professors. Rattison seems to undermine and disrespect Mina, making her leave. She later breaks up with him in front of his colleagues.
Misrab finds out that Ayisha is following the Christian faith, and he forcefully, but regretfully, throws her out. She goes to the church where Dave looks after her.
?
In the final debate, Josh addresses the concept of evil being a result of free will, and not because of something God has done. By the end, he finally presses Rattison into admitting why he hates God. Rattison yells at him that God took everything from him, and he only has hate for him. Josh hits back with, "How can you hate someone if they don't exist?" This inspires every single student in the class to stand up and declare "God is not dead." Later, Josh is approached by his classmate Martin (Paul Kwo), who had been following Josh's mission and had issues with his father's own denial of God. Martin was impressed with Josh in class and has decided to follow God. Josh invites him to hang out.
Mark visits his mother and asks why someone as nice as her should suffer while someone as mean as him should have such a fulfilled life.
Rattison reads a note from his mother that she left him before her passing. She wrote to him that even though she was sad to know that she would not live to see him grow, she knew it was part of God's plan and she hoped he would follow it.
Josh takes Martin to see the Christian rock group Newsboys in concert at a stadium. Also attending are Ayisha and Mina. Amy goes to interview the group and ask them how they can believe God and Jesus are as real as they are. The band members tell her that they believe because it gives them hope. She tells them she is dying, and they sit down to pray with her and give her the faith she wants to have.
Dave and Jude are stuck in traffic right before the stadium where the concert is held. Rattison walks by as it starts raining and he is struck by a car. The pastor and missionary run out of the car to tend to him and call an ambulance. Jude says that Rattison's ribs are crushed and that his lungs are quickly filling up with blood. Dave asks Rattison if he wishes to be saved. Rattison admits he is scared, but Dave assures him that in a few minutes, he will know more about God than anybody else. Rattison repents and accepts Jesus right before dying.
The Newsboys take the stage and play their songs. In the middle of the show, the band plays a video from Willie Robertson, who addresses the debates going on at the university (they never directly mention Josh, but they know of him), influencing everybody in attendance to text everyone they know saying "God's not dead." The band then plays their song "God's Not Dead" as everybody sends the message. Ayisha sees Josh and asks him if he's the one they're talking about. He says yes. The loved ones of the characters (Martin's dad, Mark, and even Rattison) receive the text messages.
The film closes with a text to inspire viewers to join the movement and sends the same message to their loved ones. The text also says the film was inspired by true debates in universities across the nation.
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