The religious right's church of perpetual persecution believes that Hollywood liberals, who are corrupting the culture of Christian America, are anti-Christian. As the media mouthpiece for persecuted Christians who hate Hollywood, Fox News loves to point out that Hollywood (and Jon Stewart) hates Christians. The newest thing to have godly Christian panties in a bunch is the "blacklisting" of a Christian film whose best Original Song nomination was nixed because the song's composer violated Oscar rules. But on Fox & Friends such complexities do not apply to Christians who, according to the gang on the curvy couch, are targets of liberal Hollywood's religious bigotry. It's time to pity party!
This morning's persecuted Christian segment was part of Fox's patented "fight for faith" series. Elisabeth Hasselbeck reported that the Oscars are "under fire" about their decision to rescind the Oscar for the song from a "faith based movie." Some of the treacly score was played while video, from "Alone But Not Alone" was played. Hasslebeck reported, in a questioning tone, that the Academy said that the decision was "based on integrity" - and we know that the Academy has no integrity, right? - after the composer sent out e-mails to 70 Academy members asking them to listen to the nominated song. She nailed the propaganda message: "Many are questioning if the decision was really because of the Christian message in the song."
She tossed to Roger Ailes attorney, litigator for the Catholic archdiocese of NY, Catholic Knight of Malta, and Fox News legal beagle Peter Johnson Jr. who explained it all for us. He asserted that this "does pose the question of is part of the fight for faith." To tug at our heartstrings, Johnson noted that the singer is a quadriplegic. The chyron reinforced the Christian agitprop: "Faith Under Fire, Some Calling Academy's Decision Biased." Hasselbeck read a statement, from the Academy, which explained that the actions of the composer called into question whether the "process was fair and equitable." (Just like Fox?) More on the decision here.
Hasselbeck continued to whine about the unfairness about the decision. After noting that the mailing of the song could be seen as "undue pressure," he added "a lot of other people say otherwise." He read a statement from Academy Award winning producer, Gerald Molen, which was critical of the decision. He followed this with a statement, from the singer, in which she said that this isn't surprising because Hollywood shuns Jesus. While most reality based folks probably aren't aware of this latest outrage against Christians, Johnson asserted that "a lot" of people are questioning why this "inspirational" song, from a movie with a faith based message, would be "picked on."
As he continued to whine, Hasselbeck continued to say "sure." She added that "in clamping down on this Christian message, they also clamp down on a woman's message behind the song and the video that we saw who has her own physical challenges." Johson whined that the song has "become scandalized in a way that doesn't seem appropriate especially when so much time and money has been spent on Hollywood time and money to promote Academy Award nominations and considerations." His conclusion tied up the propaganda message in a pretty bow: "It appears to some, Mr. Molen and others, to be a double standard affecting Hollywood because of what this movie is about."
The Daily Beast has a good summary of the situation. Despite Fox's message that Hollywood hates Christians, the article notes that the nomination "was a coup for the right-wing evangelical filmmakers who have been quietly building an alternative industry to produce movies colored by deeply ideological views about American history and politics." The movie is based on an evangelical book about immigrants to America during the French and Indian wars. It "shows the settler protagonists clashing with Native American antagonists—beautiful, blonde Europeans brutalized by angry, dark savages." Sounds like Fox News central casting and the message that they send. No wonder that they love it!
So what if a Muslim complained (liberals call any opposing position whining) or raised a concern like this?
LOL I doubt you’d say a word!
Nah you’d come to their rescue and squeal “UNFAIR OINK OINK” , worried they’d come after your head.
Pathetic that today’s liberals only attack those who won’t fight back.
Cowards alone and all.
Muslims hang gays BTW.
This cafeteria Catholic should be happy that a christian song was nominated in the first place.
A good number of Christian films are horrible. The acting and storylines are horrendous. Most of them are direct to video because of lack of interest of the mainstream audience.
Hannocchio the Thespian ( a new for him for his acting ability to portray a christian on television) recently did a faith-based film. Strange, he does not seem to want to promote his little film. Based on what we’ve seen, we don’t blame him.
Maybe we should do a film about pedophile priests in the Catholic church. Let’s see of Petey will give us a good review.
Given the blatant violation of Academy rules, it wouldn’t have matter if the singer was Amy Grant or Michael W Smith or Hillsong or any other big name in the Christian/gospel music genre.
What was really atrocious (and apparently ignored by FoxNoise) is that three songs from the African-American film “Black Nativity” (a film which ALSO has a reasonably inspirational—ie, “Christian”—them) lost their chances for a nomination because of Broughton’s chicanery (all three songs were performed by Jennifer Hudson, either in full or as a collaboration).
I also don’t believe that Jesus would approve of “bending the rules,” especially for what amounts to personal gain. (On the other hand, the song really had no chance of winning. The winner will either be “Let It Go,” rewarding the Disney studios again, or “Ordinary Love,” rewarding U2.)
I don’t generally listen to words at all, but I do listen to melody lines and the production. IMHO, the production is very nice, the melody (early on) is a bit too reminiscent of ‘Amazing Grace’ but Ms. Jada does do an admirable job of singing it.
Is it deserving of an academy award? As musical piece, I only have to go back as far as the dreck that was “You Light Up My Life” (and Debby Boone) before I can find anything really comparable, and that song won just about every award available. I would vote ‘no’ on this one, and I will if it gets a Grammy nomination, but primarily because there are better songs to choose from. However, as I said….that’s just my opinion.
I think that these faux ‘christians’ need to realize that just praising jay-sus doesn’t necessarily guarantee entitlement to anything. They’re gonna have to pull themselves up by those bootstraps we hear so much about and earn the accolades they think they deserve.
