Dog/Filmmaker Bites Man/Christianity!

By now you've read about how the noted histor—er, film director James Cameron has finally freed Catholics from their Sunday obligation, having uncovered the tomb, remains, and DNA of Jesus Christ. Amy Welborn has covered it nicely, summarizing her disgust in this way:

Because, you know - using DNA tests to determine if remains belong to Jesus, Mary or Mary Magdalene is...totally doable. And of course, Jesus (Yeshua, Joshua...etc..etc..) or Mary (actually Miriam...) weren't common names in the 1st century. Or, as my husband pointed out last night, "It's not like Judah wasn't the name of the whole, you know..people..."

It's nonsense, but you know what...Easter is coming!!!

Examining the story from the perspective of "How eager is the MSM to scarf down this sort of nonsense," Daniel Pulliam of GetReligion.org writes:

The ridiculousness surrounding the hype machine of James Cameron’s Discovery Channel “The Lost Tomb of Christ” documentary has hit Anna Nicole Smith levels of media behavior.

An allegation that Jesus Christ’s body has been found is an interesting story. The fact that some big name movie maker is behind it adds to the spice and makes it a very legitimate story. But the silliness of the headlines, the hypothetical evidence, poor background information (likely fed by the James Cameron PR machine) and the hype factor all add up to give people who take religious issues seriously just another reason to ignore the media. And that’s too bad.

The BBC gushes. Newsweek swoons. Others fall into line. And so forth.

A couple of thoughts. As my pastor noted, this is a typical Lenten season controversy, fabricated by someone selling a book, movie, or related product, assisted eagerly by the MSM, and then, once exhausted, tossed into the trash bins of Heavily-Hyped, Anti-Christian Pseudo-History a few weeks or months later. Expect more of the same, intensified and amplified, leading up to Easter. The question is not, "Will the MSM discover the REAL Jesus?" but "How many 'real Jesus' will the MSM 'discover'?" My guess is at least six, if not more. None, of course, will bear much resemblance to the Jesus of history, Scripture, and Tradition.

The problem, of course, is that many people will be either taken in by the nonsense, or will have their prejudices reinforced by a story with more holes than a typical Hollywood thriller. Cameron's "documentary" plays upon the same fascinations and conspiratorial impulses as did The Da Vinci Code, and there's no doubt in my mind that the novel, accepted by many readers as having correctly outlined the basic Christian cover-up, has helped set the table for this sort of "serious" attack on the basic beliefs of Christianity. The key element was the conviction, or at least suspicion, that "organized Christianity" (the Catholic Church, assisted by "right-wing fundamentalists") is mostly or all about hiding the truth, controlling weakminded fools, and wielding power over oppressed minorities (women, specifically). The irony is that "news stories" such as this one do show, in fact, that there is plenty of manipulation, control, and deception taking place. But it's not coming from the Church.

Comments

[Chris Burgwald]

How can Mary be buried in Jerusalem? I thought she made off for France before any of the kiddos were born? Who am I to believe: Dan or Jim?

[padraighh]

Or as (I think it was Chesterton) some wag said
regarding attacks on the church 'any stick will do'

[John Michael Keba]

Mary M no doubt had frequent sailer miles.

I didn't see the "conference," but I did see the Today Show interview of Cameron and his partner. Cameron said that they knew that Miriamene e Mara was Mary Magdalene because of Miriamne in the 4th century "Acts of Philip." Was this claim made in the news conference?

If so, did anyone bother to point out that "ante hoc ergo propter hoc" is an embarrasing argument to make?

[Patricia Gonzalez]

This story was the lead on our local newscast last night, and included interviews with some Catholics leaving Mass. I almost gagged on my coffee when a woman came out with this: "Well, you know, it doesn't matter about the bones, I mean it's His spirit, isn't it, and that's what's important, the body goes, but the spirit stays." Imagine! I mean, have these people even bothered to think through what Resurrection really means???? Obviously, there would be nothing in this tomb, because, like, you know, HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD!!! All this reminds of what (I think) H.L. Mencken said: "No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the ... public." Also, the immortal words of P.T. Barnum: "There's a sucker born every minute." Sad to think that some people will take this B.S. seriously...

[Tom]

Also sprach Cameron.

[Dim Bulb]

Mister Burgwald,

In Chesterton's day any stick would do. In our day it appears and schtik will do.

[Fabio P.Barbieri]

I wish I could believe that the effect of this sort of miserable trash dies out when the hype does. I just had to deal very severely with someone online who had been taught that there were "forbidden gospels" in which Jesus married Mary Magdalene.

He had been taught this. By his religious studies teacher.

[Joseph D'Hippolito]

You know, this is what happens when the Bible and the revelation it presents isn't taught effectively in Catholic churches (or in the Church as a whole).

Sorry, guys, but that's the truth.

[Fabio P.Barbieri]

Dear, dear, D'Hippolito again. Whatever happens is the fault of the Catholic Church. So when Karl Marx invented a far more successful attack on the Church, it was because the Church did not teach well enough? Robert Ingersoll? Benito Mussolini? Nietzsche? Muhammad? Nathan Bedford Forrest and the early Ku Klux Klan? I mention only a few enemies of Catholicism and Christianity. Please, instead of blaming the Church some time - look in the mirror.

[Joseph D'Hippolito]

Mr. Barbieri, the "this" to which I referred in my post has nothing to do with Cameron's "claims." It has everything to do with the response by this one Catholic listed in one of the previous posts:

"Well, you know, it doesn't matter about the bones, I mean it's His spirit, isn't it, and that's what's important, the body goes, but the spirit stays."

I apologize for the confusion.

Obviously, it's not the Church's fault if malevolent people attack it. However, it most certainly is the Church's fault if it cannot or does not teach the fundamental doctrines of the faith in an effective manner to its own adherents so they can be innoculated from nonsense.

Assuming that every single priest or bishop teaches those doctrines effectively, Mr. Barbieri, means living in Sleeping Beauty's Castle in Fantasyland. The level of scriptural ignorance among Catholics is astounding.

Sorry, dude, but that's the truth.

[Brian John Schuettler]

Obviously, it's not the Church's fault if malevolent people attack it. However, it most certainly is the Church's fault if it cannot or does not teach the fundamental doctrines of the faith in an effective manner to its own adherents so they can be innoculated from nonsense.

A very good point and one that needs to be addressed...the elephant in the room.

[Teófilo]

Jim, Dan, Simcha, et al. are wrong. The true tomb of Christ is in Kashmir! This has been known since the 1970's! Come on, people, let's get on with the program! (LOL)

[Cristina A. Montes]

"Jim, Dan, Simcha, et al. are wrong. The true tomb of Christ is in Kashmir! This has been known since the 1970's! Come on, people, let's get on with the program! (LOL)"

I thought it was in Japan? :P

[Joseph D'Hippolito]

Brian John, many thanks for reinforcing the point.