MovieChat Forums > The Way (2010) Discussion > Doing El Camino...as an atheist.

Doing El Camino...as an atheist.

posted 14 years ago by bolachasmaria
51 replies | jump to latest

First of all, what an excellent movie. Might as well be my favorite for 2011.
As an European backpacker myself, I should say this movie succeeded in capturing how it's done quite well. Quite well indeed as I started thinking doing El Camino de Santiago.

And here's the thing, I don't believe in religions of any kind and usually I find it really hard to tolerate those who have their beliefs (I know, I know...Altho I'm getting better here as in the past I would ignore those people and immediately judge them as stupid. I'm not that person anymore), so this makes me wonder how contradictory would my journey be. Yes, I know Tom (Martin Sheen) wasn't religious either, but he had his reason to do El Camino.

I enjoyed so much all the natural and rural environment, that's the main reason why I want to do El Camino.

A part of me wants me to do it but the other part 'keeps saying' "Don't do it, it's a religious thing".

Update: It's been three years and I still haven't made it.

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] ehmalheur 11 years ago

I'm just getting to watch this movie now, a few years after my 2 month trip to Spain. I had wanted to do the pilgrimage ever since I first heard about it as a teenager. Finally, in my 30s, I had the opportunity to do it.

The majority of the people I met along the way were hiking for non-religious reasons, so it is certainly accepted. I found more agnostics/spiritualists than flat out atheists, though.

I quit after a few days and my atheism definitely played a part. The route is not a nature trail and my interest in northern Spanish villages is limited. If I'd had some sort of spiritual reason to be walking the route, it might have made more sense to continue. As it was, I found myself wondering why I was walking alongside not very scenic roads from one place I wasn't interested in to another, when I could be doing something else.

I kept asking myself 'What is the point of doing a Catholic pilgrimage when you are not Catholic?' In the end, I changed the terms of my pilgrimage and chose a route that was more interesting to me personally. That's just me, though -- obviously plenty of people really enjoy their atheist Caminos :)

[–] lubin-freddy 8 years ago

I'm an atheist, and did much of the Camino.

What can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence.

[–] tyrexden 8 years ago

i'm not religious in the slightest, but i think religion can be a beautiful thing. Its a guiding principal on living a life while being a good person, and questioning the deeper meaning to the events around you.

It always bothers me when people make fun of religious people. like 'why'? What is so silly about someone having a framework to balance their life with?

Christianity is an idea that has gestated and evolved for 2000 years. Just on that merit alone, i think one should find beauty in it.... As fellow members of the human race, we should appreciate an idea that is still going strong 2000 years later. Its a belief-system that hundreds of millions of people have used, and thus serves as a great example of something the human race has derived to.