There's some of that conflict in "Contact". When I was a believer I thought it was good. Now I'm of the opinion that it presents a rather maudlin spirituality. Though it's still a good movie.
Can anyone explain how we get from this charming fantasy to the pernicious "Munchausen by proxy" syndrome, where a parent deliberately poisons their child so as to stay in the position of having to care for them? I don't see the connection, offhand.