Seasonal Persecution by Propaganda?
UPDATE 7 April 2007: The AP catches on (link may break).
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Why is it that cable and Hollywood always save the attacks (or "doubts" or "questions") on Christianity for the runups to Easter/Pascha and Nativity/Christmas, most Christians' holiest times of the year? Most recently The DaVinci Code and now this 'Hidden Tomb of Jesus'? I'm not against good journalism and competent scholarship - I consider myself both - but these are said to be conspicuous by their absence, in previews of the new effort by the "documentary filmmaker" best known for that hard-hitting "documentary," Titanic. You may remember I didn't make a big deal about DaVinci at the time: call me a skeptic of skepticism! But I'm seeing a pattern here. Benefit of the doubt, programmers and distributors look at times of the year when 'interest' is thought to be higher among potential customers. But their natural 'customers' are the devout! So pragmatically, what's the goal here, mere 'entertainment'?? It looks weird. Ethically, they should shy away from Christianity-related 'iconoclasm' around Christmas and Easter, sacrifice a few bucks for people's good will.
Also potentially suspiciously, according to the handful of articles I've read from mainstream sources and even the particular cable channel's own website (and I'm not knocking myself out over this, it's not worth it, I have other things to do!), there are a notable number of Jewish people, and/or people with Hebrew-language names, involved with this project. Now, Ted Koppel is a reputable mainstream journalist and interview host (from back when the latter were still expected to at least appear relatively impartial); for many years he's been a "good and faithful servant" of The Man (to wit, Henry Kissinger). But since the audience knows Ted's Jewish, and I don't know his personal religious proclivities, he should seek to dispel the appearance of potential bias from the outset, since Judaism explicitly and vehemently denies the Resurrection of the Lord. This raises the question of who could really be objective on the topic? a really "open" Secular Jew like Marjorie Corbman's parents? a really "spiritually"-advanced, self-denying Zen Buddhist monk/journalist (if there could be such a thing)? a West Coast lifelong atheist with no preconceptions or prejudices, ie, not the "militant" kind (I believe I once worked for one)?
But look at it another way: What if David Duke hosted a "documentary" questioning Kristallnacht...on Kristallnacht?!! What if Pat Robertson hosted a "documentary" denying the Hegira...on the eve of the Hajj?!! Not to mention polytheistic (or even just polytheistic-seeming) Hinduism, on one or more of its many feasts! There would be uproar - and rightly so! The kids would call such timing and staffing "tacky." Others, maybe Leninist, Stalinist (even though it's not governmental!*)...or demonic.
(*-And speaking of history, let's remember that most of the Roman persecutions were not instigated by Emperors, but by more-localized authorities, mobs, pagan temple communities, pagan business leaders, and synagogues.)
If it's just coincidence, and perfectly good faith (no pun intended)...reschedule it, maybe for August sweeps or the September new season, or early next February's sweeps.
Speaking Orthodoxly, I hear them claiming to speak to "the experts." Experts on whether the Lord is alive? How about (most respectfully) these guys?!! or even these guys pictured??? I'm not holding my breath.
Of course, "skeptically" speaking, if there was anything truly credible behind this production, you couldn't have held the secret until the recent promotional news conference in New York!!! Instead, it's said to be nothing more than slick, sensationalistic iconoclasm. I hope to be fast asleep!
---------------------------------------------
Why is it that cable and Hollywood always save the attacks (or "doubts" or "questions") on Christianity for the runups to Easter/Pascha and Nativity/Christmas, most Christians' holiest times of the year? Most recently The DaVinci Code and now this 'Hidden Tomb of Jesus'? I'm not against good journalism and competent scholarship - I consider myself both - but these are said to be conspicuous by their absence, in previews of the new effort by the "documentary filmmaker" best known for that hard-hitting "documentary," Titanic. You may remember I didn't make a big deal about DaVinci at the time: call me a skeptic of skepticism! But I'm seeing a pattern here. Benefit of the doubt, programmers and distributors look at times of the year when 'interest' is thought to be higher among potential customers. But their natural 'customers' are the devout! So pragmatically, what's the goal here, mere 'entertainment'?? It looks weird. Ethically, they should shy away from Christianity-related 'iconoclasm' around Christmas and Easter, sacrifice a few bucks for people's good will.
Also potentially suspiciously, according to the handful of articles I've read from mainstream sources and even the particular cable channel's own website (and I'm not knocking myself out over this, it's not worth it, I have other things to do!), there are a notable number of Jewish people, and/or people with Hebrew-language names, involved with this project. Now, Ted Koppel is a reputable mainstream journalist and interview host (from back when the latter were still expected to at least appear relatively impartial); for many years he's been a "good and faithful servant" of The Man (to wit, Henry Kissinger). But since the audience knows Ted's Jewish, and I don't know his personal religious proclivities, he should seek to dispel the appearance of potential bias from the outset, since Judaism explicitly and vehemently denies the Resurrection of the Lord. This raises the question of who could really be objective on the topic? a really "open" Secular Jew like Marjorie Corbman's parents? a really "spiritually"-advanced, self-denying Zen Buddhist monk/journalist (if there could be such a thing)? a West Coast lifelong atheist with no preconceptions or prejudices, ie, not the "militant" kind (I believe I once worked for one)?
But look at it another way: What if David Duke hosted a "documentary" questioning Kristallnacht...on Kristallnacht?!! What if Pat Robertson hosted a "documentary" denying the Hegira...on the eve of the Hajj?!! Not to mention polytheistic (or even just polytheistic-seeming) Hinduism, on one or more of its many feasts! There would be uproar - and rightly so! The kids would call such timing and staffing "tacky." Others, maybe Leninist, Stalinist (even though it's not governmental!*)...or demonic.
(*-And speaking of history, let's remember that most of the Roman persecutions were not instigated by Emperors, but by more-localized authorities, mobs, pagan temple communities, pagan business leaders, and synagogues.)
If it's just coincidence, and perfectly good faith (no pun intended)...reschedule it, maybe for August sweeps or the September new season, or early next February's sweeps.
Speaking Orthodoxly, I hear them claiming to speak to "the experts." Experts on whether the Lord is alive? How about (most respectfully) these guys?!! or even these guys pictured??? I'm not holding my breath.
Of course, "skeptically" speaking, if there was anything truly credible behind this production, you couldn't have held the secret until the recent promotional news conference in New York!!! Instead, it's said to be nothing more than slick, sensationalistic iconoclasm. I hope to be fast asleep!
posted by me at 3:58 PM
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