Within the movie “Kingdom of Heaven” there are multiple types of characters represented throughout the movie.
One of the first we are introduced to is a priest. There are three prominent characters that are priests in the movie. All represent the religion of Catholicism at that time period. It was a business. Gathering money, building churches, and acting like you are better than the common people.
The first priest is conniving, manipulative, and a thief. He is a perfect example of the corruption that was running rampant within the priest of the Catholic Church during the period the story is based within. It is not representative of true Christianity though, but in a way that is what they would like you to think.
There are many movies and shows around that people can and do watch, but there are few designed to actually make you think and when they do people usually do not think. “Kingdom of Heaven” is not a movie for shallow people. You have to look. You have to think, then you have to do it all over again. Simply, this is a movie you do not watch once, and it is also best to watch the director’s cut as well.
Religion is shown for what it is. A business, and within the business are those that wish to manipulate it to their benefit. The lead character’s brother is one of these. As you watch it you will see that there are two religions represented. One Christian and one Muslim and a prime example of its presence is when those that follow the religion and not the faith make the statement “Fill in the blank wills it.”
What is something that needs to be understood is that the Bible was not the most published book of all times in 1184. In fact the first printed Bible did not happen until 1450. The Bible was kept away from the commoners and many nobles as well. Humans learned the truth of the Bible through a few priest that truly understood the teachings of Christ and so tried to pass this true knowledge on. In this movie that was done by a warrior monk.
For the most part though religion was made by and for humans. It is still that way today. It is done when humans manipulate the words within the Bible for their own benefit. It is done when humans say you can pray for wealth and it shall be given unto you if you give them money first. This is a lie. For those that follow the Christian faith are promised their reward after their time in this temporary life we live at this time.
Then we have the Bishop of Jerusalem. Who at one point says to become a Muslim and then to repent later. It is here that the lead character states “You have taught me much about religion.” This was an important message within the movie that clearly states do not follow religion, instead follow faith.
Then we have the statement: “The pope has said: It is not a sin to kill an infidel, but the path to heaven” This is the most poignant example of a human changing the words of God for their own glorification. It was this type of mentality that caused the Crusades. It is something that was not needed to be done. It was done to make the Catholic Church, the central government of the time, rich and thus those in charge of it rich.
As you watch movies like this, it is time to think. It is time to understand. If you do not desire knowledge then you are destine to be the pawns of other humans. You are destine to allow wars, the destruction of nations and people. You are destine to look like those citizens that lived in Germany during World War II, which resulted in nearly 13 million innocent deaths.