Woody Allen, the writer, director, and producer of movies that I love, apparently sees no difference between the worlds religions and fortune-tellers, according to the recent New York Times interview between reporter David Itzkoff and the famous, lifelong New Yorker and filmmaker.The exact quote:””To me,” Mr. Allen said, “there’s no real difference between a fortune teller or a fortune cookie and any of the organized religions. They’re all equally valid or invalid, really. And equally helpful.””Ack! Really, Mr. Allen? This negative, rather banal, reductive view of the sacred traditions around which so many of us structure our lives and beliefs is disappointing to say the least–though this is one of those times I wish I was watching a video of the interview to hear the cadence and tone of Allen’s comment, because maybe he’s just kidding? Regardless, the reason Allen is talking publicly about religious matters is because his new movie, ‘You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger’ deals directly with faith. Allen described its role in the film:”I was interested in the concept of faith in something. This sounds so bleak when I say it, but we need some delusions to keep us going. And the people who successfully delude themselves seem happier than the people who can’t. I’ve known people who have put their faith in religion and in fortune tellers. So it occurred to me that that was a good character for a movie: a woman who everything had failed for her, and all of a sudden, it turned out that a woman telling her fortune was helping her. The problem is, eventually, she’s in for a rude awakening.”In the interview Allen also reveals that no, he does not believe in God. All of his answers in the piece make me curious about what his take on faith will turn out to be in the new movie. Can’t wait–it actually looks really funny.