Jan 05, 2007 betty rollin reports on atheistic authors richard dawkins and sam harris, and other outspoken atheists, including julia sweeney and her offbroadway performance, letting go of god. On september 10th, the morning of my seventh birthday, i came downstairs to the kitchen where my mother was washing the dishes and my father was reading the paper. I feel productive and able to accomplish things at the moment. Julia, i just watched your letting go of god special on showtime. Somehow, against all common sense, julia is making something funny that has. I wont go into too many details, but just to let you know, its a longer version of the monologue. Julia sweeney s third autobiographical monologue, letting go of god takes the audience through her catholic upbringing and how personal events in her life and that of her family led her to a disbelief in a personal universal deity.
When two young mormon missionaries knock on her door one day, it touches off a quest to completely rethink her own beliefs. Julia sweeneys third autobiographical monologue, letting go of god takes the audience through her catholic upbringing and how personal events in her life and that of her family led her to a disbelief in a personal universal deity. Letting go of god an excerpt if you like this, and i know you will, you can get the full soundtrack on apples itunes search for julia sweeney. A simple question about god snowballs into an epic soul searching session after a pair of mormon missionaries knock on julia sweeney s door and get much more than they ever bargained for. Julia sweeney completes her solo legit trilogy, following god said ha and in the family way, with this intermittently humorous but ultimately ponderous travelogue of her spiritual journey to. What she learns there leads her to new questions, and in search for answers she explores meditation, buddhism and new age gurus, then describes what. Julia sweeneys most popular book is letting go of god. What amazed me, and why i suppose i liked it so much, was that it could have been me speaking.
She presents them around the theme of what she has learned since she started performing her show. She d always felt god s love, she tells us, but the query prompts her to explore for the first time, rationally, what she knows about god. What julia sweeney has learned since performing her. Julia sweeney is best known for her four hit seasons on saturday night live and her most popular character while on the show. Letting go of god got into the seattle film festival. Letting go of god by julia sweeney i was reading through a thread on movies which chronicle a persons journey through losing faith without ending in a negative light and came across a recommendation for julia sweeney s letting go of god. I was reading through a thread on movies which chronicle a persons journey through losing faith without ending in a negative light and came across a recommendation for julia sweeneys letting go of god. An interview with julia sweeney julia sweeney is an american actress, comedienne, and author who frequently discusses her journey from catholicism to atheism. In her searing and bracingly funny solo show letting go of god, julia sweeney traces her bumpy journey away from religious faith in an accessible, nofrills format that suggests the kind of. She also talks about her experiences as a secular parent. Julia sweeney in the second half of the show, she talks about her own cancer cervical cancer that was diagnosed six months after her brother got sick. Julia sweeneys third autobiographical monologue, letting go of god takes the audience through her catholic upbringing and how personal events in her life and that of her family. I was raised catholic as well, and loved the church for the same reasons julia did.
Julia sweeney letting go of god 2008 is an atheist documentary, comedy movie starring julia sweeney. Oct 26, 2006 a few days ago i went with some friends to see julia sweeneys onewoman play, letting go of god. She gave a ted talk sharing how she explained the birds and the bees to her eightyearold daughter, mulan, which ignited an incredible. Julia sweeney is an american actress, comedian and author best known for her saturday night live career and autobiographical solo shows julia sweeney i.
In julia sweeney s monologue letting go of god, her particular crisis of faith is prompted, paradoxically, by two mormon missionaries, who bring her up short with the question do you know that god loves you. Sweeney talks with us about the difference performing her show before atheist audiences and audiences of mixed religious beliefs. When two young mormon missionaries knock on julia sweeneys door one day, it touches off a quest to completely rethink her own beliefs, in this excerpt from sweeneys solo show letting go of god. Pat, as well as her critically acclaimed onepersonshows, god said ha.
Betty rollin reports on atheistic authors richard dawkins and sam harris, and other outspoken atheists, including julia sweeney and her offbroadway performance, letting go of god. Anyone who thinks that julia sweeney is just the comedian who played pat on saturday night live, doesnt know julia sweeney. She has also served as a consulting producer on sex and the city and desperate housewives. Learn more about the freedom from religion foundation at. While sweeney is an atheist, this monologue is not intended to destroy religion, it is her personal journey to understanding, which ultimately led her to reject the idea of there being a god. If youve never heard julia sweeneys letting go of god, you can catch the first hilarious minutes on. Julia sweeney has books on goodreads with 9915 ratings. A simple question about god snowballs into an epic soul searching session after a pair of mormon missionaries knock on julia sweeneys door and get much more than they ever bargained for. Since her time on saturday night live, where she created the infamous androgynous character pat, julia sweeney has gone on to establish herself as a witty, captivating performer of onewoman shows, like god said ha. Letting go of god by julia sweeney the venus project. Letting go of god poses the religious questions almost all of us have had, but with the delightful humor and observations of ms. What she learns there leads her to new questions, and in search for answers she explores meditation, buddhism and new age gurus, then describes what she learned from the. Letting go of god is a humorous monologue by julia sweeney chronicling her search for god.
Julia sweeney was a cast member on saturday night live from 198994, and is best known for the mysteriously androgynous character, its pat. Jun 03, 2005 julia sweeney, a catholic, tells the story of how her faith began to crack after reading a most alarming book. Letting go of god, an elegantly written and beautifully performed monologue about her loss of faith, made me laugh a lot and think even more. When two young mormon missionaries knock on performer julia sweeneys door one day, it touches off a quest to completely rethink her. Publishers summaryjulia sweeney says she was a happy catholi. But i also see what is beautiful, what is wonderful.
In her searing and bracingly funny solo show letting go of god, julia sweeney traces her bumpy journey away from religious faith in an. She was a cast member on saturday night live from 1990 to 1994. In it, she discusses her catholic upbringing, early. Julia sweeney letting go of god 2008 directed by julia. Feb 09, 2009 if youve never heard julia sweeneys letting go of god, you can catch the first hilarious minutes on. The other project is my next book, my beautiful lossoffaith story. A few days ago i went with some friends to see julia sweeneys onewoman play, letting go of god. Julia sweeney on letting go of god 27 translations dotsub. I feel i now look at the world not as a child, but as an adult. Jun 08, 2012 julia sweeney talks about why we should all stand up against catholic bishops who want to control our health care decisions.
Rent letting go of god 2007 starring julia sweeney on dvd and bluray. Jan 30, 2008 julia sweeney, the former saturday night live actress who now performs her onewoman show letting go of god, addressed the crowd at the freedom from religion foundation convention in october. Somehow, against all common sense, julia is making something funny that has no business being funny. Oct 25, 2006 photo by cal crary julia sweeneys onewoman show, letting go of god is currently playing at the ars nova theater in new york city until oct. Oct 24, 2006 in her searing and bracingly funny solo show letting go of god, julia sweeney traces her bumpy journey away from religious faith in an accessible, nofrills format that suggests the kind of. This is the book that goes along with letting go of god.
Julia sweeney letting go of god 2008 official trailer. Julia eventually turned some of these vignettes into a onewoman show called god said, ha. I, too went to church and bible school as a child, but as i grew into adulthood, i began to question the existence of god. Julia anne sweeney born october 10, 1959 is an american actress, comedian and author. I am finally writing this book, something ive threatened to do for so long. I was raised catholic and for the most part, i was a happy believer and felt great affinity and allegiance to my catholic culture. When two young mormon missionaries knocked on performer julia sweeneys door one day, it put sweeney on a quest to completely rethink. This being new york city, it was a full house, despite the obviously controversial subject matter. When two young mormon missionaries knock on her door one day, it touches.
It took me years, but letting go of religion has been the most profound wake up of my life. She begins in the catholic church, the religion her family raised her in, and takes a bible study class. I just watched julia sweeney s letting go of god last night on showtime and was absolutely mesmerized by it. In it, she discusses her catholic upbringing, early religious ideology, and the life events and internal search that led her to believe that the universe can function on its own without a deity to preside over it, and to her becoming an atheist. An excerpt of this show, letting go of god is the single most popular story weve ever put on our show in over ten years on the air. I listened to this on audio book, which is really the best way because so much of the content is dependent on ms. What julia sweeney has learned since performing her atheist. Im not sure of any more details, but this will be the public world premier. Finding my religion julia sweeney talks about how she. Which is why julia sweeneys brave, hilarious, ultimately moving new solo show letting go of god is a galeforce breath of fresh air, into the mostly politic dialogue about religion in our time which liberals of every faith have largely ceded to firedup fundamentalists.
When i first started doing the show, i thought it was this underground, alternative comedy, and i saw myself as a rebel. Rent letting go of god 2007 on dvd and bluray netflix. Julia sweeney, the former saturday night live actress who now performs her onewoman show letting go of god, addressed the crowd at the freedom from religion foundation convention in october her remarks are hilarious. Julia sweeney on letting go of god 27 translations. Photo by cal crary julia sweeneys onewoman show, letting go of god is currently playing at the ars nova theater in new york city until oct. Letting go of god will have you laughing at parts and crying at others, and above all, will get you to question your belief structure, whatever it is. The other project is my next book, my beautiful loss of faith story. Far from being an angry atheistic screed, it is an uplifting journey of the heart.
Until she was, julia believed her birthday was on september 10th. Joan churchill, nancy schreiber, julia sweeney, tony cammarata, maria burton, julia sweeney. It should be common knowledge that nobody becomes a great comic without a very incisive intellect. Julia sweeney, a catholic, tells the story of how her faith began to crack after reading a most alarming book. Keeper in the film stuart little and voiced brittany in father of the pride. This being new york city, it was a full house, despite the. Oct 27, 2006 last night i saw julia sweeney s letting go of god at the sanders theatre. When two young mormon missionaries knock on julia sweeney s door one day, it touches off a quest to completely rethink her own beliefs, in this excerpt from sweeney s solo show letting go of god. When two young mormon missionaries knock on performer julia sweeney s door one day, it touches off a quest to completely rethink her.
Sweeneys third autobiographical monologue is titled letting go of god. Julia sweeneys brave, hilarious, moving new show letting go of god is a galeforce breath of fresh of fresh air into the mostly politic dialogue about religion in our time. Julia sweeney is a great comic, and this is her very funny, very poignant story of how her belief in god gave way to her persistent need to exercise her intellect, curiosity and intuition. Last night i saw julia sweeneys letting go of god at the sanders theatre. It was the hardest one to get right, and its a difficult topic.