These questions have inspired theologians, philosophers, poets, and artists to create some of the world's greatest cultural treasures.

Sadly, they also have led more malicious minds - usually those convinced they had all the right answers - to conceive some of history's most horrific forms of oppression.

Oh My God?, a lavishly shot documentary which poses those questions to scores of average Joe and Jane Q. Publics around the globe and a few B-list celebrities, is anything but a treasure.

But it's not pernicious either.

It's simply banal.

Oh My God? is the brainchild of Brit Peter Rodger, a commercial photographer and adman-turned-filmmaker who has an undeniable talent for producing ravishing images. He shot the film over 21/2 years in 23 countries, including the United States, Tibet, Australia, Israel, Bali, Japan, the Vatican, and parts of Africa.

The film begins with promise. Following a gorgeous montage of landscapes, we are treated to controversial one-liners.

"To kill a homosexual is a good action in the sight of god," says a fundamentalist Muslim.

An American Christian says, "I'm convinced that calling God Allah is blasphemy."

Viewers expecting a stimulating theological smackdown will be disappointed. So will anyone expecting any intellectual stimulation.

As a piece of raw journalism, it is thorough: It would be hard to find a faith, creed, religion, major or minor, that is not somehow represented or referenced. But that is part of the problem: The film seems to be little more than a list of contradicting statements.

As pretty as it is to look at, and comprehensive as it is, God? remains a flaccid, directionless mishmash of views that are given little, if any, intellectual analysis.

Then there are the sagacious celebs: Hugh Jackman, David Copperfield, Ringo Starr, and a few lesser-known entertainment industry insiders add little to the conversation. Rodger has said he wanted to include celebs to "help navigate us through" the material. One wonders whether a qualified historian or theologian wouldn't have served better.

In a sense, Oh My God? is the ultimate TV ad: Slick, and exquisitely constructed, it sells religious diversity a la United Colors of Benetton.

Rodger's conclusion boils down to a few empty truisms: There are lots of different beliefs around the world. To take them too seriously leads to fundamentalism and that's bad.

But faith, mixed in with a good dose of multicultural toleration, is groovy.

As Ringo sums it up, "God is love."

Right on!

Oh My God? *½ (out of four stars)

Directed by Peter Rodger. With Bob Geldof, Hugh Jackman, Baz Luhrmann, David Copperfield, Ringo Starr.

Running time: 1 hour, 38 mins

Parent's guide: Not rated (mature themes, profanity, confused theology)

Playing at: Ritz at the Bourse