by Robert KlabundeThe classic children's film, The Wizard of Oz, is not a simple story about a girl who travels over the rainbow, but also an allegorical endorsement of atheism. Dorothy Gale is a young girl who was raised in a Christian background and begins to doubt the existence of God. Throughout her journey through Oz, Dorothy learns to trust her own abilities rather than rely on God to save her. By the end, Dorothy is a self-reliant individual, and is ready to go back home to face the problems that she ran from.At the start of the film, Dorothy lives in Kansas with her Aunt Em and her Uncle Henry. Dorothy's home in Kansas, and her aunt and uncle represent her Christian upbringing. Aunt Em says, "For twenty-three years, I've been dying to tell you what I thought of you! And now - well, being a Christian woman, I can't say it!" Dorothy was raised by her Christian aunt and uncle, with their Christian ideals. Up until the beginning of the film, Dorothy has never had any reason to question her religious upbringing.Dorothy's dog Toto serves as a catalyst for Dorothy's doubts about religion. After biting Miss Gulch, Toto is going to be destroyed. Dorothy looks to Aunt Em and Uncle Henry to protect Toto. The aunt and uncle are authority figures to Dorothy, and have always been religious leaders to her. Their failure to save Toto from Miss Gulch represents God's failure to save Toto. Toto is on his way to be destroyed, and for the first time Dorothy is feeling that perhaps there is no God. Even when Toto escapes and comes home, Dorothy recognizes that it wasn't a miracle, and that Toto is still in danger. She says to him, "Toto, darling! Oh, I got you back! You came back! Oh, I'm so glad! Toto! Oh, they'll be coming back for you in a minute. We've got to get away! We've got to run away - quick!" Dorothy realizes that if Toto is going to be saved, it's up to her.When Dorothy realizes that God isn't going to save Toto, she begins to question her religious upbringing. As questions about the existence of God race through Dorothy's head, the audience sees a physical representation of Dorothy's mental whirlwind. The tornado tears through Kansas just as the possibility of a non-existent god tears through Dorothy's mind.When the tornado ends, Dorothy finds herself in new land, Oz. "Toto - I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore." The first part of Oz that Dorothy sees is a happy place. Here, it's bright, colorful and cheerful, and the natives are friendly. It's the type of place thatDorothy has always dreamed of, "Somewhere, over the rainbow, way up high, There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby." This part of Oz is Dorothy's vision of Heaven. This is the part of her that still believes in God trying to show her that God exists.The western witch tries to force Dorothy back to Christianity throughout the film.One of the friendly people thatGlinda gives Dorothy the ruby slippers to keep them safe from the Wicked Witch of the West. The slippers represent power over the masses. The Wicked Witch craves to have these slippers just as the many religions crave power. Neither Glinda nor Dorothy knows how to use the slipper's power, nor do they want to. They merely wish to protect the slippers from falling into evil hands. Glinda tells Dorothy, "Keep tight inside of them - their magic must be very powerful, or she wouldn't want them so badly!"The path that Glinda sends Dorothy down is the Yellow Brick Road.Along the way, Dorothy meets three companions, the first of which is the Scarecrow.Dorothy's second companion is the Tin Man.Dorothy's final companion is the cowardly lion.Dorothy's three companions feel that they need to visit the wizard to gain these things that they already have.When they meet Oz, the God figure in the story, he sends them on a mission to capture the witch's broomstick. He doesn't expect them to come back. God has sent them to be destroyed by the western religions.At this point in the story there is still a small part of Dorothy that believes in God.. Dorothy finally kills the witch by throwing water on her. This could show that the ideals of western religion don't hold water.After accomplishing the wizard's seemingly impossible task, Dorothy returns to the Emerald City to have him grant her wish, and those of her companions.Shortly after this realization that God is a fraud, Glinda returns and explains her purpose in sending Dorothy on this quest which she knew to be false.The ending, when Dorothy returns to Kansas, serves two purposes. The first is to show that atheists are not immoral people. Dorothy no longer believes in God, but she still loves her family and friends, and is happy to see them. But the situation with Toto remains unresolved. Dorothy is certainly going to try to prevent Toto's destruction, but she may fail.