Is Hollywood afraid of the Church?

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I’m a major TV geek and I watch a lot of TV shows. If it involves themes of spirituality and religion all the better.

But I’ve noticed a weird trend in two TV shows I’ve been watching, where what’s clearly identifiable as the “Catholic Church” is represented without any actual “Catholic” markers.

In Modern Family one of the main characters is Catholic and it’s mentioned many times that she goes to Church often (in spite of being divorced and remarried). So when we finally see the BAPTISM of her second child, I was honestly surprised to see a supposedly Catholic priest without ANY vestments, wearing only a suit and clerical collar performing the baptism. I mean, I get if they didn’t want to show religion, but this was just strange.

Now, I just saw the final season of Crazy Ex Girlfriend, and this show has had a major supporting character who’s a very likeable, young Catholic priest. Previously they’ve shown stoles, genuflecting, sign of the cross, confession done realistically and a discernment of a call to the priesthood. But here we are four years later and the EXACT same thing as Modern Family happens. The priest is shown in Church (I forget what liturgy was supposedly taking place) and he’s wearing only a suit and a clerics collar.

What’s going on here? Is Hollywood progressively more afraid of showing religion? Or are the cultural elite truly that oblivious to what the Catholic Church is?
Have any of you guys noticed this trend, perhaps in other examples?
 
Considering what a botch job Hollywood does on movies and shows about lawyers, to the point where half the plot lines would get the lawyer jailed or disbarred, I’m not surprised if they do a botch job on Catholic shows too.
 
Tis_Bearself said:
I’m not surprised if they do a botch job on Catholic shows
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Surprised might be the wrong term. Perhaps more disappointed. Especially with Crazy Ex Girlfriend. It might be very left-wing liberal on one hand, but I also enjoy it for its nuance and insight into the human condition. 😳
 
Hollywood is currently mocking and will continue to mock God and Christianity.

The Jesus episode of Family Guy.
The Impastor.
The Young Pope.
 
Remember “House”? Yeah, his medical license woulda been revoked within the first 10 minutes of the premier episode, then he likely would have been prosecuted.

Oh. Afraid of the Church? Maybe 50-60 years ago. Nowadays they simply hate the Church.
 
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Outside of Mel Gibson, Jim Caviezel and a few others, I doubt most of them have a clue what a Mass looks like. (Yeah, I know, Gibson is sedevacantist or whatever but he still knows something about the Mass).
And I don’t know if they are afraid of the Church, but many of them sure better fear Judgment with the filth they churn out.
 
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I just don’t think they are aiming for any accuracy. I remember the episode you’re talking about, but I can’t remember the church looking Catholic as well. But since it was an infant baptism, I’m assuming she’s Catholic.

So yeah, I don’t think they bother to look up Catholic teaching or anything like that. I remember in Annabelle, a nun was carrying out confession! I don’t think they’re afraid at all. Just ignorant and they don’t care.

That being said, I like the fact that Catholicism isn’t mocked at in it.
 
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TheMortenBay said:
Or are the cultural elite truly that oblivious to what the Catholic Church is?
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TV shows are not written by “elites”, by any means. Most screenwriters get paid peanuts.

Same with the production assistants who make the decisions about costumes.

With very few exceptions, absolutely accurate portrayal of the sets. costumes. speech or actions is not a high priority. Close enough to entertain most viewers is good enough. Rarely do they have the time to do extensive research or hire consultants.

And this is far from limited to relgion. It’s the same with medicine, law, and even things like botany or geology. For example, few people would notice that the locations used are often nowhere near where they are supposed to be, unless you know that the plants and geological features are way out of place.

The writers and costume designers mean no harm. They are doing the best they can with the time and resources they have.

And they are not doing it out of antipathy for Catholicism. Many are Catholic themselves. Not every practicing Catholic can portray every church event or costume with absolute accuracy.

I think you are finding offense where none was intended.
 
Truth and accuracy doesn’t sell movie tickets. Hollywood botches absolutely everything. People who base any kind of knowledge on what they see in movies are making a big mistake. Science, religion, philosophy, history, everything takes a major hit when the cameras are rolling!
 
GordonP said:
With very few exceptions, absolutely accurate portrayal of the sets. costumes. speech or actions is not a high priority.
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I think the exceptions you mention are mostly period dramas and movies which is why I love them so much. Downton Abbey comes to mind for attention to detail.
 
Delphinus said:
Science, religion, philosophy, history, everything takes a major hit when the cameras are rolling!
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Things like music, too. A lot of films set in the past are jarring when you realize that, say, a song that is being played in a cafe wouldn’t be composed for another twenty years. I’m sure that people who are hip to period fashions would notice a lot of anachronisms and inaccuracies, as well.

Most jarring for me are when characters in historical films think and speak like we do in the 21st century.
 
Bushum said:
I think the exceptions you mention are mostly period dramas and movies which is why I love them so much. Downton Abbey comes to mind for attention to detail.
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Exactly the one I had in mind. And Barry Lyndon as far as films are concerned. But they had the cash, and the motivation, to do a LOT of research and hire good consultants. Most TV productions simply don’t.
 
puppson said:
Outside of Mel Gibson, Jim Caviezel and a few others, I doubt most of them have a clue what a Mass looks like. (Yeah, I know, Gibson is sedevacantist or whatever but he still knows something about the Mass).
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Oh, yes, you may be assured that if someone is a sedevacantist, they know a lot about the Mass. Quite a bit. Not defending the concept as applied to the present day, just giving credit where credit is due.

I don’t know for sure that Mel is a sedevacantist, but his father definitely is.
 
TheMortenBay said:
In Modern Family one of the main characters is Catholic and it’s mentioned many times that she goes to Church often (in spite of being divorced and remarried). So when we finally see the BAPTISM of her second child, I was honestly surprised to see a supposedly Catholic priest without ANY vestments, wearing only a suit and clerical collar performing the baptism. I mean, I get if they didn’t want to show religion, but this was just strange.
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We watch Modern Family once in a while (I really like Sophia Vergara–what a talent!).

Are you SURE the character is Catholic? Is it possible that she could be Episcopalian, or one of the other mainline denominations?

I may be wrong about the Episcopalians, but I don’t think there is a requirement that they be dressed in vestments for a baptism. (I didn’t think a priest in the Catholic Church was required to wear vestments for a baptism, since any Christian is allowed to perform a baptism during an emergency, and also, the Catholic Church recognizes as valid the baptisms of Protestants, many of whom are baptized by people wearing casual clothing and even jeans or other outdoor clothing.)

In recent decades, the Episcopal Church has become a haven for LGBTQ people, so that’s what makes me think that the Modern Family character might be attending that denomination out of love for her gay family members. .
 
Gibson claims he isn’t, last I heard. He’s just not in communion with Rome.
If Passion of the Christ 2 is nearly as good as Caviezel claims it will be, he and Gibson will have done a mighty work for the Lord. God bless them just for their devotion!
 
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They do not fear the Catholic church. They hate the Catholic church for what it stands for and because of that they either make mockery of it or portray it in a way they would like it to be. They also do their best to push the morality boundaries they know the Catholic church stands for.
 

Ephesians 6:10-13 Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)​

10 Finally, brethren, be strengthened in the Lord, and in the might of his power.

11 Put you on the armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the deceits of the devil.

12 For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood; but against principalities and power, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places.

13 Therefore take unto you the armour of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and to stand in all things perfect.
 
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How do you know any of this? The elites tell writers what to write. They also tell Literary Agents what they are looking for.
 
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