'Cameron's Coffin' is 2007 Easter Attack(Anti-Christianity: The last safe bigotry!)

worldnetdaily.com ^ | February 28, 2007 | staff

[kellynla]

The Discovery Channel should cancel a scheduled airing of a film about a purported Jerusalem grave of Jesus Christ, and should apologize for presenting such "an unsubstantiated claim," according to family values organizations.

Robert Knight, director of the Media Research Center's Culture and Media Institute, told WND that the film, "The Lost Tomb of Jesus," is just the 2007 version of an annual attack on Christianity right around the time of Easter, the time at which the Christian church remembers Jesus' Resurrection.

"It always seems to happen just before Easter," he said. "It's as if there's a script going around, and everyone gets a turn at it – to call into doubt the central theme of Christianity, which is that Jesus is God Incarnate and rose from the dead."

(Story continues below)

A year ago, he said, it was the film, "Da Vinci Code," in which the claim is made that Jesus had a daughter. This year, under the pending "documentary" made by James Cameron, Jesus married Mary Magdalene, had son Judah, and they all died and were buried together in Jerusalem.

"The Discovery Channel bills itself as the 'number one non-fiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion people in over 170 countries.' But this bigoted documentary is pure fiction. Numerous leading scholars, including the Israeli archaeologist who first studied the site, have already rejected the notion that Jesus of Nazareth's bones were found in the Talpiot tomb," Knight said.

L. Brent Bozell III, the president of the MRC, said the program should be cancelled. If it isn't, he said, the Discovery Channel "will have to explain why it is intentionally misleading the public."

"They should be embarrassed by this plunge into sensational speculation masquerading as 'science.' To slander Christianity at the start of the Lenten season is unconscionable," he said.

Bozell noted it was five years ago when the channel launched its promotion of the "James Ossuary," alleged to be the bone box of James, Jesus' half-brother, a relic later proven to be a forgery.

"Now it's the 'tomb' of Jesus," Bozell said. "What they're really doing is attacking Christianity. The title of the documentary ought to be 'Discovery Channel Says Christianity Is a Fraud' – but they don't have the guts to say it."

Knight told WND that the danger is that people will believe what they see. "We saw this with the 'Da Vinci Code.' People bought into the alleged historical accuracy of claims, made even in a work of fiction, so when a documentary comes along, posing as objective critical analysis, that means more people will buy into the absurd and unproven premise that Jesus was just a man and that his earthly remains have been found."

He noted that the "leap" of logic the film forces viewers to make is beyond belief. "All they can tell us is that two of the caskets in the crypt held remains that were unrelated maternally, then they take the giant leap of logic that these two people were married and they were Jesus and Mary Magdalene."

By contrast, he said, the Bible is "the most well-documented piece of antiquity out there by far." He said there exist portions of the New Testament that date to within 100 years of the actual events.

"The Discovery Channel, out of respect for the one billion Christians worldwide, should yank this program. It's irresponsible. It's incendiary, and it's always aimed at Christianity," he said.

Jerry Johnson, president of Criswell College in Texas, said Cameron's claims are unscientific and heretical, and an apology is due.

"Cameron's claims are founded on the desire to make good TV instead of forensic DNA evidence," said Johnson. "Ironically, each Easter we see a story like this pop up in the media. … I'm asking Cameron to consider apologizing to the Christian community world-wide…"

"This program about Jesus' alleged tomb is little more than a cynical ratings ploy that deserves to be buried with all of the other fantastical claims that arise about the 'real' Jesus this time of year," said Jim Tonkowich, president of The Institute on Religion and Democracy. "The Discovery Channel's program is an absurd venture into irresponsible conjecture that appears to be designed to tear at the fabric of the faith and hope of billions worldwide.

"An ossuary labeled 'Jesus' is about as specific to Christ as a chunk of wood that is claimed to be a part of the Ark," he said.

Cameron, who previously directed "The Titanic," earlier held a New York news conference to display two stone coffins he alleged came from a Jerusalem crypt he alleges belonged to Jesus and his family.

Rev. Rob Schenck, the president of the National Clergy Council, and it's just another Hollywood attack on Christianity, and the production is no more than "a modern day circus sideshow."

Theories about the possibilities that Jesus survived the crucifixion abound. One current website alleges that Jesus lived, moved to India, and died and is buried there, while another claims he's buried in Japan.

But for anything like those website claims, or Cameron's story, to be true, the thousands of pieces of historical documentation of the Bible, and the verification by secular historians of biblical people and events, would have to be discredited.

Amos Kloner, the first archaeologist to examine the site, said the conclusions cannot be supported by the evidence – but it's a way to make money on television. He would have nothing to do with supporting the movie's assertions. "It's nonsense," he said.

Schenck said the whole publicity stunt may backfire on Cameron, and encourage people to dig deeper into the reasons they believe the way they do. "In the end ... the truth will be told," he said.

[arderkrag]

And as for 'all bigotry is wrong" - wronger words have not been spoken. Not all bigotry, and not always. Everything has its purpose, and is good for something. This necessarily includes bigotry. Therefore there must be uses and situations when bigotry is good, right and proper, and thus not wrong.

Wow. Let's put the brakes on right there, shall we?

According to Merriam-Webster:
Main Entry: big·ot·ry
Pronunciation: 'bi-g&-trE
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural -ries
1 : the state of mind of a bigot
2 : acts or beliefs characteristic of a bigot

Looking up bigot:
Main Entry: big·ot
Pronunciation: 'bi-g&t
Function: noun
Etymology: French, hypocrite, bigot
: a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices; especially : one who regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance

Sounds like a liberal iniative to me.

[melsec]

Why are Christians so upset about this? If you are solid in your faith, who cares what people like cameron do for publicity? The truth is that not everyone is instantly strong in their faith when they become a Christian. Neither are children or aged people. The real question is why do people find it necessary to attack Christianity in this way? What threatens people so much that they feel they have to try and undermine Christianity at it's core? Personally I am convinced in the claims of the Bible and of Christ - this sort of stuff would be funny if it did not affect those people who are young or not strong in their faith. Mel

[BigCinBigD]

"Theories about the possibilities that Jesus survived the crucifixion abound. One current website alleges that Jesus lived, moved to India, and died and is buried there, while another claims he's buried in Japan."

Jesus did survive. But he didn't go too Japan or India. He went too his father in Heaven as I'm sure he'll point out to poor James when the time comes.

[incredulous joe]

I get to hear about all the great stuff on EWTN, and I see it when we stay with my in-laws. It's a small trade off, for sure.

The other thing that my wife and I get to see when we are around the "evil eye" is how debauched it has become and how that reflects on and in our culture, and it's more than just the inappropriate sexuality and high octane violence. I don't know that you pick up on this unless you are away from the medium, but I was startled to hear cursing ("b*tch" and "assh*le") in an ordinary prime time sitcom that I was exposed to 5 or 6 years ago. I caught some reruns of "Friends", which was on at 8 or 9 o'clock, and they were fighting over a condom and making jokes about pre-mature ejaculation. Television is a very "mean" medium, which seems to make sport of humiliating others; "Girls Gone Wild", any number of dating programs or reality shows.

I have never seen an episode of Ally McBeal, Survivor or American Idol and I wouldn't have a clue about "Sponge Bob Square Pants" if they didn't put him on toys and tee shirts. My 5 and 8 year olds are culturally illiterate in some areas and it's ALL the right ones. They love to watch DVDs of Mayberry, The Beverly Hill Billies, and Mr. Ed makes them laugh like you wouldn't believe. They don't even know that they are missing anything. Essentially, they're not.

[incredulous joe]

"Wonder when they bother to start looking for Mohammed's moldy corpse and discussing it during Ramadan."

Just before they get into a witness protection program.

[GSlob]

maybe you should re-read the phrase "not all bigotry, and not always" and then ponder on it a bit more, in conjunction with the subsequent phrases. It has absolutely nothing to do with liberalism.

[Arthur McGowan]

We don't live in a society where it is illegal to blaspheme against someone else's religion. That's because our society is vestigially Christian. There are societies where blasphemy is punished. Those are called Muslim societies.

I am glad that Cameron can put on his ridiculous, anti-Christian program without getting shot and/or beheaded, and without provoking mobs to go out and burn synagogues and mosques.

[SunkenCiv]

thanks go to GoLightly and xcamel for compiling the list (thus far) of such topics, and to whomever started the handy keyword:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=jesustomb

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1789769/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1789966/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1790456/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1790579/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1790608/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1790818/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1790884/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1790953/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1791244/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1791251/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1791284/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1791352/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1791365/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1791383/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1791513/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1791544/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1791583/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1791588/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1791610/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1791891/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1792121/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1792190/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1792305/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1792583/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1793097/posts

[SunkenCiv]

Just adding this to the GGG catalog, not sending a general distribution.

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. Thanks.

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