Eat Pray Love

I read an interesting blog post over the weekend from Justin Taylor. In it, he interacts with a review by Ross Douthat of the movie Eat Pray Love.

Many will recognize this movie starring Julia Roberts from the previews. Perhaps even more are familiar with it thanks to Oprah Winfrey's endorsement and enthusiastic support of the book.

Let me say this right off the bat: I have not seen the movie. I have not read the book. I haven't even read the original review.

Apparently though Douthat makes the statement that the main theme of the movie is, as stated by its main character, “God dwells with me, as me.” In response to this, Douthat offers this quote from G.K. Chesteron:

Of all horrible religions the most horrible is the worship of the god within. . . . That Jones shall worship the god within him turns out ultimately to mean that Jones shall worship Jones. Let Jones worship the sun or moon, anything rather than the Inner Light; let Jones worship cats or crocodiles, if he can find any in his street, but not the god within.

I'm curious to see if anyone else out there who has read the book or seen the movie has any thoughts to add to this discussion.