MY BULLETIN BOARD
This seemed like a touchy subject and concept for Disney. But, as it turns out the evangelist is not portrayed as some sort of phony, and the film works.  I am optimistic about the film. The bottom line in the film is that money and commercialism are not the most important things in life.

One of the most exciting forms of worship is found in the African-American tradition. Every once in a while I go to a "Missionary Baptist" or a "Church of God in Christ" church and enjoy a great gospel service featuring great hand clapping music, joyous dancing, and mesmerizing preaching. It is great stuff! And good for the soul, too. Eddy Murphey is no stranger to this kind of black church experience. The movie brings this enthusiastic style out.

It is out of this wonderful tradition that Rhythm and Blues, Rock and Roll, and even Rap music were born. It was the inspiration for movies such as "Sister Act." It was out of this tradition that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. came and his incredible style of speaking that captivated a nation. Politicians and white preachers would do well to learn from this style. It is seen in "Bullworth."  I am sure that if Jesus had been born into our culture it would be his style too.

HOLY MAN ABOUT GAINING WORLD BUT LOSING SOUL
Subject: holy dude.
Date: Sat, 25 Dec 1999
From: Dave and Cathy

Just got done watching this one...It made me think of a Bible verse: "what good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? (Matthew 16:26)" When Ricky lied and manipulated to get what he wanted, where he thought true fulfillment lied (in that NEXT big promotion. Funny thing, when we think we have ultimate fulfillment, we come to find out that it has once again slipped our grasp, and lies in the NEXT thing. I think it would have been the same with Ricky. If he would have kept on going in the same direction, the enthrallment of the big office would soon die away and he would be catapulted into searching again, seeking significance in a bigger and more elaborate thing...folks, only God is big enough to fill our souls completely and give us significance. But...I digress), did you notice how lousy he was? He knew it wasn't right; that moral law that God instills in our conscience was pricking his heart, and guilt was strangling his soul. It did him no good to gain all the world had to offer; he forfeited his soul for it. Yes, there is more to life than the physical world, there is something more out there. The movie did point this out, but it failed to go the distance, and if we stop in our search where G stopped, then we will miss out. G's way was, I am sad to say, another one of countless poor attempts of man to reach fulfillment on his own. "Just take a deep breath, embrace life, go on the journey, and love" or whatever he said. Yeah right, life don't work that way. The only true fulfillment lies in the Living water Christ gives. Whoever drinks of the cup of religion will always thirst, but whoever takes one drink from a relationship from me will never thirst again (to roughly paraphrase Christ's words). Yeah, the principles in this film have some value, like the value of each and every human being, loving not hating, and not putting significance in material things, but the all-religions life-force trip just don't cut it. "I'd rather be dipped in bubonic plague,--God is not a secret to be kept" as the Newsboys put it.

REALLY SAID SOMETHING
July 3, 1999. Anonymous- I was pleasantly surprised by Holy Man. When I saw an Eddie murphy movie rated PG, I was shocked. This was a movie that really said something to society but society balks at goodness and love to opt for violence, sex and vulgarity, and then they look our society and say I don't know why our kids are doing the things they are... THINK ABOUT IT!!! While parents are choosing to allow their kids to watch anything they choose, our future is being desensitised to violence, sex and vulgarity. Then a film like this comes along and gives a great message and it is so over their heads they see it as foolish (what does the Bible say?) People living in darkness cannot receive things of the light. This was a film I enjoyed with my children and we could actually discuss it afterwards (instead of discust). Parents, stand up and be parents and let your children know what good and right is all about. These children and young adults need more messages like this movie gave. It's a grave mistake to allow freedom to watch anything they want to avoid their tantrums. Mine know better and I refuse to allow society to raise my kids. They are a precious gift from GOD and we have to cultivate them as precious gems -our future depends on it!

MURPHY SHOWS HIS FEELINGS ON RELIGION
June 11, 1999. After reading the comments above I decided to share my own. It took quite a while for me to form an opinion about Eddie Murphy's role but once I did my ideas held steady through out the film. Eddie seemed to be using this film as a soap box for his own religious feelings. The movie itself was awful. This includes the majority of Eddie's acting. His scenes seemed to be just one ad lib monologue after the next. While he was dressed in Buddhist garb and spoke of the Dahli Lama, the rest of his actions did not seem to be Buddhist specific. I could be wrong, but I have never heard of a Buddhist pilgrimage; and the majority of what he thought came from Jesus' teachings and from the book of Revelation. If anyone has info. on Eddie's religious preferences please share them. He sure seemed to be preaching from his mind and heart rather than acting from a strict script. –Joseph Schuetze

A TEACHING FILM
As a fan of Eddie Murphy, I recall one time reading somewhere of him mentioning a holy man out of India. He knows about what he was acting. He also knows what's behind the culture.   That's what I saw in him. And thank goodness for showing how one of these people can influence an entire nation. Not to say that I'm against these poeple. It's a teaching movie. I hope most people got the message. At least the one I think it was.

NOT AN ATTACK
I don't think it attacks the evangelist profile. I truly thinks there are bad apple in every kind of trade. I can appreciate a little humor, I think it's a great movie. Ronnie Gibbs rgibbs@dixie-net.com

RADICAL OPTIMIST
Here are my comments.I thought "The Holy Man" was a superb movie. If people would try to learn from G's lessons, we would be living in a better environment. I am not a man of religion,but have sold all of my material things and put the money to good benefits.If today's society would stop concentrating on "getting, getting, getting" and start giving to those who really need it, we could strive for not a Utopia, but a better world, if nothing else. I commend "The Holy Man" for at least trying to instill good ideas and a positive outlook. Call me a radical optimist, but I believe we need more movies like this.

ONE OF THE WORST
Oct. 19,1998. I honestly thought that "Holy Man" was one of the worst films of the year. I enjoy a good satire when it comes along and I thought the movie set up two really great targets for satire - new age guru religion and home shopping. Being Disney, they skirted around the religious satire entirely and left the home shopping satire to silly cameos that featured Betty White from "The Golden Girls" having an orgasm. This was supposed to be funny? I felt the film was extremely manipulative. It wanted you to care about the characters even though they were cardboard - I didn't like that at all. As for Eddie Murphy, he looked like he would rather perform elective surgery on himself with a fork than be in this movie. That's just my opinion.
-Nick Rogers