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MUMBAI: Looks like Catholics in India are more than a little
touchy when it comes to Jesus on film and television. Earlier
this year, they had opposed the movie The Da Vinci Code.
The film was eventually released with a note before and after
the film that it was a work of fiction.
Now the Mumbai-based Catholic Secular Forum (CSF) has forced
Discovery to cancel plans to air the documentary The Lost
Tomb Of Jesus. As has already been reported by Indiantelevision.com,
the programme claims to show that scientific analysis of limestone
ossuaries (bone boxes) and physical evidence found in a 2,000-year-old
tomb in Talpiot, Jerusalem, provide credible new information
that the tomb once may have held the remains of Jesus of Nazareth
and his family.
James Cameron served as executive producer on the show. It
has been directed by Simcha Jacobovici. The documentary, which
will have its global television premier tomorrow (4 March),
claims to present the latest evidence from experts in Aramaic
script, ancient DNA analysis, forensics, archaeology and statistics
In India, the CSF had written to Discovery in New Delhi requesting
it to refrain from broadcasting the feature. CSF argued that
the show trivialises the credibility of the Bible and the
Christian faith.
CSF secretary Joseph Dias was quoted in reports as stating
that the show hurt religious sentiments in a pluralistic society
and was an attempt to commercialise religion for selfish profit
and commercial gains or cheap publicity.
With references to Jesus as a human being with a family;
mentions of Judah as the secret offspring of Jesus through
Mary Magdalene; a portrayal of Mathew, one of the writers
of the Gospels, as a maternal relative of Jesus and a mention
of the burial of Jesus' siblings in the same tomb, the CSF
says the documentary attacks the basic tenets of Christianity.
While cancelling plans to telecast it in India, Discovery
"expressed regret that the channel had inadvertently
hurt religious sentiments of the Christian community".
the CSF had threatened an agitation on the day of telecast
and legal action if the channel went ahead with the telecast.
The CSF even sent a memorandum to Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh and other ministers, including information and broadcasting
minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi, demanding that the telecast
be scrapped.
CSF is also looking to prevent the release of the book and
DVD in the country.
Also Read:
Discovery
to unearth 'The Lost Tomb Of Jesus'
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