Eric Saxon - Decalogue (Thou shall have no Gods before me)

This film portrays the commandment that one shall have no other gods before the true God. The story takes place in Poland and the main characters are a father and his son, Pavel. Pavel's father is a professor who relies on science and technology to guide his life. Early in the movie, Pavel asks his father about death. His father gives a scientific answer about how blood stops flowing to the brain and the body shuts down. Pavel's father goes on to say that humans do not have souls, and he does not really know what happens after death. Pavel's father seems to have viewed the computer as a godly figure, answering any questions he may have. Later, to find out whether it was safe for Pavel to ice skate on the lake, he and his father put a formula into the computer. The computer concludes that the ice will not break under Pavel's weight. As it so happens, the ice does indeed break and Pavel dies. Many might think that Pavel's death was God punishing his father for viewing the computer as a godly existence. However, the Christian God is supposed to be loving. How could a loving God take the life of an innocent boy just because of his father's actions? This also is not consistent with the loving God that Pavel's aunt described to him. Many symbols led the viewer to believe that Pavel's father was traveling down the wrong path. When Pavel's father gives a scientific answer, his milk turns sour. Later, Pavel's father's ink container breaks, causing ink to black out all of his rational papers. I felt mixed emotions about the film. If God is supposed to be loving and caring, then why would he kill Pavel just because of his father's actions? In fact, this film may have caused people to turn away from God. Who would want to follow a God who takes the lives of innocent children? All in all, there could be many interpretations to this film's meaning. Myself, I believe that the director portrayed God as vengeful and cruel, not loving and caring as many like to believe.