For quite a few years, the Oscars were successful in marketing themselves as the "real" awards. I think they started going downhill with the homosexual takeover of Hollywood, which reached the breakover point in 1969, when a pathetic movie, "Midnight Cowboy" won best picture. Since that time, their credibility has gone down a little every year. Personally, I haven't watched them since probably the early seventies.
Once upon a time, films had a moral voice. Even if they tackled a delicate subject, it was with a conservative value system. Now, anyone who's anti-gay, anti-abortion, etc. is portrayed as a no-good meanie. And all the protagonists are liberal or, at best, amoral. Most of the recent films I have seen have left me either detached or irritated.
In fairness to Hollywood, they may have ignored PASSION because, simply they felt it was not good enough stylistically to compete with the other films out there. (I didn't see the film, so I can't argue this.) However, it is true, as Mr. Limbaugh implied, that the folks in Hollywoodland have arrogantly ignored viewers' tastes for conservative values, an uplifting or life-affirming message. Hollywood is dreadfully -- and dangerously -- out of touch with reality.
Interesting comments. I remember watching an Oscar broadcast in college, say around 1986.