“God Bless Bitcoin” is a sincere – but mixed – plea for faith in cryptocurrencies

(REVIEWS) “God bless Bitcoin” is a good introduction to the basics of cryptocurrency and its intersection with religious values. However, since there are no dissenting voices, it is more likely to motivate true believers than convert skeptics.

It's no secret that people are worried about the American economy right now. High inflation rates and a recent panic on the stock markets, in which the Dow lost over 1,000 points to its lowest level in two years are further signs of this. This is an America that over 30 trillion US dollars in debt. In times like these, it is no surprise that people start looking for alternative currencies to protect themselves.

One of the most popular alternative forms of currency in recent times is “cryptocurrency” – and the most popular version of this is Bitcoin, a digital currency that lets you pay for anything you want without the need for middlemen like banks or a tax office printing paper money. This is a big hit with tech bros and financial entrepreneurs who claim it is the currency of the future and would free people from having their money controlled by governments or large financial institutions.

READ: How The Convert replaces one hackneyed cliche with another that's just as bad

This is a documentary that attempts to capture that enthusiasm among religious viewers. Through a series of interviews with religious leaders, experts, and celebrities such as Mark Cuban, Tony Hawk, and Robert T. Kiyosaki (“Rich Dad, Poor Dad”), as well as animations and commentary, it argues that cryptocurrency is the answer to many of the problems that concern religious people—and ethical people everywhere.

The film's argument is pretty standard free-market liberal fare. The film argues that our current monetary system is broken, and that we should adopt digital currencies—specifically Bitcoin—to fix it. The fundamental reason for this is that the money we use now is “fiat currency.” That is, it is money that the government declares to be our currency and has control over. This monopoly of control, the film argues, has two major problems. The first is that because the government controls the money, it can inflate it at any time—and it often does—making every dollar you earn worth less every year. The second is that, in the worst-case scenario, the government can abolish money in order to control you.

The film identifies the problems crypto enthusiasts see with our current forms of money and shows how cryptocurrencies – and Bitcoin in particular – solve those problems. Each point of the argument is covered step by step, with at least three levels of explanation. The various experts they interview explain it, then they have an infographic, and then their main explainer summarizes what they went through in the simplest way possible. At times I felt condescending, especially because of the sing-song voice some people use when explaining the concepts. At the same time, I can't blame them for wanting to play it safe.

With his advocacy of free-market entrepreneurship to a religious audience: “God Bless Bitcoin” is a very American documentary. Which, frankly, is part of the film's charm. It is widely observed that America is unusual in its connection between social and religious conservatives and economic conservatives. A recent study by Cambridge University Press of 99 countries found that in almost every country there is a negative correlation between social conservatism and economic conservatism. This is understandable. Freedom types resent any authority – religious or governmental – that tells them what to do. Religious conservatives, on the other hand, support submission to the higher authorities of God and community and have no problem using the government to enforce this.

In America, economic and religious conservatives are united in their opposition to the government Coercion and the belief that free markets create both the greatest freedom and the greatest good for people. And yet there is still sometimes great tension in these alliances. The film also does a good job of showing how members of different religious traditions see Bitcoin as a way to live out their faith.

Whether it is “Moksha” or “Yogakshima” in India representing material and spiritual well-being, Buddhism being a “decentralized religion” like Bitcoin in a decentralized economy, or Islam having a tradition where Muhammad says that people cannot set the price because “God sets the prices,” one common denominator is that most religions have the principle, “Do good with your wealth” – and that is the argument why they see the use of Bitcoin as an extension of their faith.

Some of the attempts to demonstrate the compatibility of faith and Bitcoin work better than others. The strongest examples are those that focus on values ​​that are a priority for people of faith, such as raising a family, being protected from big government programs, and not having the poor steal their wealth. Others, like the claim that the Bitcoin “blockchain” is like the “chain” of Jewish tradition, seem far-fetched.

The biggest weakness of this documentary is that it does not contain any dissenting voices. This is a problem with documentaries I have already talked about it. Of course, there is nothing wrong with a documentary taking a strong point of view, but those views are most convincing when you feel you have heard the other side. Most people realize that you are missing something when you have only heard one side. That is why the book of Proverbs (18:17) states: “In a legal dispute, the one who speaks first seems to be in the right until someone steps forward and cross-examines.”

Because people with critical thinking know they don't understand both sides of the story, they know they would need to research the other side to feel like they've learned something. But because they're busy, there's a high chance they won't do the extra research. So they just won't be convinced. What's left are those who lack critical thinking and just believe what they're told without skepticism. These aren't really the people you want as the main players in your movement.

The film also lapses into utopian thinking a little. One thing I've always appreciated about libertarians is their lack of idealized thinking. They understand that life is full of compromises and that nothing is free. You can't just print money. A free market is meant to make the world better, not perfect. People who promise a perfect world, like politicians, are probably trying to sell you something.

And yet, as the film progresses, it promises more and more. Crypto can never be cracked, by anyone… ever! Crypto will protect us from governments. Crypto will end war. Crypto will create freedom that will never be taken away from us. Due to the anthemic treatment of cryptocurrencies, this film definitely has the vibe of a televangelist-like prosperity gospel.

To be clear, I'm sure the people involved in this film are serious. In fact, I think they raise some really interesting points. But based on the presentation, I'm not convinced that the picture I'm being given of Bitcoin is accurate enough to act responsibly.

Cryptocurrencies are a really fascinating topic to talk about, and it's good to see it discussed in the context of faith. If only the audience had been trusted more to inform them rather than bombarding them with advertisements, even more value would have been added to the discussion.

The full movie “God Bless Bitcoin” is available watch for free at godblessbitcoin.com.