Zeitgeist: The Movie is a 2007 documentary film by Peter Joseph. It asserts a number of conspiracy theory-based ideas, including the Christ myth theory, alternative theories for the parties responsible for the September 11 attacks in 2001 and that bankers manipulate the international monetary system and the media in order to consolidate power.The film was released online on June 18, 2007, on zeitgeistmovie.com. While the film has been praised by some for being "compellingly edited", it has also been criticized for factual inaccuracies, and the quality of its arguments, with critics describing it as "agitprop" and "propaganda". A sequel, Zeitgeist: Addendum, focuses further on the monetary system and advocates a resource-based social system influenced by the ideas of Jacque Fresco and the Venus Project.Following Zeitgeist: Addendum, Peter Joseph created an organization called the Zeitgeist Movement to promote the ideas of Fresco's Venus Project.Joseph also produced an updated 2010 version of the original film in order to address dated material and improve its overall accuracy. A third film called Zeitgeist: Moving Forward was released theatrically on 15 January 2011 and online on 25 January 2011. Peter Joseph has stated that its topics are focused on human behavior, technology, and rationality.
Part I: The Greatest Story Ever Told
Part I questions religions as being god-given stories, arguing that the Christian religion specifically is mainly derived from other religions, astronomical assertions, astrological myths and traditions, which in turn were derived from or shared elements with others.
Part II: All the World's a Stage
Part II uses integral footage of several 9/11 conspiracy theory films to claim that the September 11 attacks were either orchestrated or allowed to happen by elements within the United States government in order to generate mass fear, initiate and justify the War on Terror, provide a pretext for the curtailment of civil liberties, and produce economic gain. e Zeitgeist Movement website clarified that Joseph was shifting his focus, not retracting his views.
Part III: Don't Mind the Men Behind the Curtain
Part III argues that three wars of the United States during the twentieth century were waged purely for economic gain by what the film refers to as "international bankers".