VOA标准英语2011--Religious Woman Navigates Crisis of Fait

Religious Woman Navigates Crisis of Faith in 'Higher Ground'

Actress Vera Farmiga, nominated for an Oscar in 2010 for her role in "Up In The Air," tries her hand at directing in a new drama about a religious woman questioning her faith. Alan Silverman has this look at Higher Ground.
"All right, now with everyone's eyes closed …no one looking around …raise your hand if you've made a decision today."
Bible school is a powerful influence on young Corinne. From the moment the Midwestern farm girl declares herself "saved," her Christian¹ faith guides her in her decisions on marriage and family with her high school sweetheart. But events lead Corinne to question that faith.
CORINNE: "What do you see when you look at me? Mother of your children? A virtuous² woman? Handmaiden of the Lord?"
ETHAN: "We are waging a battle here for your soul. We want you in heaven."
Vera Farmiga stars as the adult Corinne and makes her directing debut³ with Higher Ground. She acknowledges that the story can trigger strong reactions.
"It's tricky⁴ subject matter about doubt, the notion of doubt in faith. It is something that everyone, no matter what your religion or spiritual tenets or philosophy about life is, contends with at some point in their life," Farmiga says.
"Lord help me because I can't feel you. I feel nothing. Draw near to me Lord. Come on, where are you, huh? Where are you?"
"The subject matter is tough for any of us," the actress-director admits. "If you were to direct it, you would have to have a certain measure of introspection and take inventory⁵ of what your 'spiritual goods' are and say 'what is my concept of God? What is my concept of holiness or of a successful soul? How do I find a way to relate to every single character, whether I like them or not?' It's a real lesson in openness and receptivity."
Farmiga says a major challenge was to convince the cast - including herself - not to criticize the characters or their choices.
"People come with their own memories, perceptions, afflictions and their own experiences. Often, I found that the actors wanted to lash⁶ out at these characters and make them unrelatable and caricatured," she says.
Co-star Joshua Leonard admits he started out by judging his character, Corinne's husband Ethan. Leonard says that changed after Farmiga arranged for him to spend time with fundamentalist Christians⁷.
"When I started going to churches and watching things, when those people are singing and raising their hands and 'feeling the Spirit,' they are not judging anything," he notes. "They are in a place of complete and absolute receptivity. Part of what I think opened my heart up through the process of doing this film was (learning) that maybe I make it too damned hard on myself to let go."
Still, Vera Farmiga insists Higher Ground is about a woman's search for love and honesty - with her faith as one part of the journey.
"It is not a religious film. It is a film with the backdrop of faith, and I find that non-believers and believers alike can draw something very powerful from it," Farmiga says.
Higher Ground is inspired by the 2002 memoir⁸ This Dark World by Carolyn S. Briggs. She also co-wrote the screenplay.

1 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

2 virtuous   

adj.有品德的，善良的，贞洁的，有效力的

参考例句：

• She was such a virtuous woman that everybody respected her.她是个有道德的女性，人人都尊敬她。
• My uncle is always proud of having a virtuous wife.叔叔一直为娶到一位贤德的妻子而骄傲。

3 debut   

n.首次演出，初次露面

参考例句：

• That same year he made his Broadway debut, playing a suave radio journalist.在那同一年里，他初次在百老汇登台，扮演一个温文而雅的电台记者。
• The actress made her debut in the new comedy.这位演员在那出新喜剧中首次登台演出。

4 tricky   

adj.狡猾的，奸诈的；(工作等)棘手的，微妙的

参考例句：

• I'm in a rather tricky position.Can you help me out?我的处境很棘手，你能帮我吗？
• He avoided this tricky question and talked in generalities.他回避了这个非常微妙的问题，只做了个笼统的表述。

5 inventory   

n.详细目录，存货清单

参考例句：

• Some stores inventory their stock once a week.有些商店每周清点存货一次。
• We will need to call on our supplier to get more inventory.我们必须请供应商送来更多存货。

6 lash   

v.系牢；鞭打；猛烈抨击；n.鞭打；眼睫毛

参考例句：

• He received a lash of her hand on his cheek.他突然被她打了一记耳光。
• With a lash of its tail the tiger leaped at her.老虎把尾巴一甩朝她扑过来。

7 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

8 memoir   

n.[pl.]回忆录，自传；记事录

参考例句：

• He has just published a memoir in honour of his captain.他刚刚出了一本传记来纪念他的队长。
• In her memoir,the actress wrote about the bittersweet memories of her first love.在那个女演员的自传中，她写到了自己苦乐掺半的初恋。