ROTTEN TOMATOES: James Cameron's "Jesus" Doco Causes Controversy

James Cameron's "Jesus" Doco Causes Controversy

by Scott Weinberg | February 27, 2007

The James Cameron-produced documentary called "The Lost Tomb of Jesus" is causing a whole lot of stir among the religious community for trying to assert that, after death, Jesus left a corpse behind ... which lots of people disagree with -- obviously.

In the documentary, a bunch of small coffins are put forth as ones that once held the remains of Jesus. Some call it entertaining speculation; others call it blasphemous. The San Francisco Chronicle sums up the news in handy fashion: "Cameron, who won an Academy Award for directing "Titanic," said he was excited to be associated with the Jesus film, which was directed by Toronto filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici. "We don't have any physical record of Jesus' existence," he said. "So what this film ... shows is for the first time tangible, physical, archaeological and in some cases forensic evidence.""

Archeologists, teachers and religious leaders are taking exception with the film's claims ... which only helps bring more viewers in, now doesn't it? Plus there's a claim that Jesus had a son called Judah, and... So wait, James Cameron is now claiming to provide phyislcal evidence of Christ's existence? Now that's a documentary you save for sweeps week!

Check it out yourself this weekend -- it airs Sunday on the Discovery Channel.

Source: SF Chronicle

Additional reading: This is London, Reuters

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(1-20 of 32 posts) | Reply

Bigbrother writes:
on Feb 27 2007 08:19 AM

To quote South Park. "I think it's best if we just stay out of this one.", but on the other hand "I'll tells ya whash wrong with Jebus!!!!!...."

(Reply to this)

Zen Bullet writes:
on Feb 27 2007 08:46 AM

If the film is played like a publicity stunt, than its whole purpose will be mute, despite what may become some impressive earnings.

On the other hand, it'd be a shame not to treat its claims with the respect of unbiased inquiry. If they're dubious, then so be it. But if there resides some kernal(or more) of merit . . . then that should be taken into account. Truth has a knack for not always servicing our prophetic desires(religious or otherwise). Much of the religious community would do well to realize that, given it's history.

(Reply to this)

Merlin235 writes:
on Feb 27 2007 09:44 AM

In reply to this comment (#856896)
Interesting comment. There is a fine line between responsibly researching someone's new claim about something, and wasting one's time doing so. People who spend their life treating everyone's random claims "with the respenct of unbiased inquiry" are going to be wasting a lot of time. For instance, if I told you that we didn't fight WWII against Japan, but that it was a clever disguise for our real war with China, you'd be wasting your time researching that one. People seem to forget that we've been treating contrary claims of Christ's death, resurrection and life with "respect" for about 2,000 years now, without being able to change one thing about the traditional historical account. If you want to treat these latest claims as though they should actually be investigated, go for it. I'll wait for you on the other end, and we'll be in the exact same spot as we were before.

(Reply to this)

RocketPunch writes:
on Feb 27 2007 11:05 AM

If Jesus is so powerful, can he create a rock so heavy that even he cannot lift?

I pray to god everyday for a Wii, and they are all still out of stock....So there is no god.

(Reply to this)

Zen Bullet writes:
on Feb 27 2007 11:13 AM

Fortunately, claims without merit are usually understood as such rather quickly. Everything we theorize has a certain probability(or accuracy) attached to it. No idea or discovery is ever 100% true . . . but there still remains a "qualitative probability" that it is in the ballpark. When the probability of something is low, we usually scoff at it.

Much of religious belief(especially in monotheistic cultures) claims absolute clarity in vision and enlists "faith" as a means to support it. So when religious antagonists pop out of the woodwork to oppose a film(or technology, or a discovery) I'm less inclined to buy into their probability-absent arguments. However, not having seen this documentary, I have no idea of it's merits . . . which may in fact be minimal.

(Reply to this)

Merlin235 writes:
on Feb 27 2007 12:48 PM

In reply to this comment (#856898)
Of course He can. In fact, He already did. Jesus is God and man, and there are plenty of rocks around that He created that are too big for any man to lift.

(Reply to this)

Brad 3000 writes:
on Feb 27 2007 02:26 PM

In reply to this comment (#856899)
The thing about this documentary is that it is just covering ground that was gone over nearly 30 years ago when the tomb he is claiming belonged to Jesus was originally found. There was even a BBC documentary about this exact same find 11 years ago. My understanding - from what I've read elsewhere - is that there is all kinds of historical and archeological evidence against it being Jesus' family tomb, not just religious rhetoric.

(Reply to this)

kdrews21 writes:
on Feb 27 2007 03:38 PM

[b]You've read?[/b]
If it's not on television, it's not fact.

(Reply to this)

ninjaandy writes:
on Feb 27 2007 04:08 PM

In reply to this comment (#856899)
Relativism is just a rogue's way of escaping the possibility that something may be 100% true. One can take whatever perspective one wants on the issue of truth, but that doesn't make their perspective valid, logical, or . . . you know, truthful.

Also, Mr. Weinberg's article is less than forthcoming about how many archaeologists are opposing this "find". It's an awful lot.

(Reply to this)

GreenBastard writes:
on Feb 27 2007 06:12 PM

Jusus christ not another Jusus Christ movie!
Instead of spending money on a multi-million dollar documentry lets all build some kind of cannon or space-ship and launch his corpse and all his fundamental (not much fun plenty of mental) followers into orbit!
God bless my ass!

(Reply to this)

highdough writes:
on Feb 27 2007 10:19 PM

I find it incredibly ironic that `biblical scholars' immediately debunk this as without merit and not believable. These are the same people that believe that their God impregnated a woman and carried his/her child who performed a bunch of miracles, died for the sins of humanity and then rose from the dead. You were saying what is and what is not believeable...

(Reply to this)

Bigbrother writes:
on Feb 28 2007 04:59 AM

In reply to this comment (#856904)
Ahhhhhh, Atheism, the worship of one's own smug sense of self-importance :)

(Reply to this)

highdough writes:
on Feb 28 2007 10:40 AM

In reply to this comment (#856906)
I never said I was atheist. I was just pointing out the irony of Christian biblical scholars talking about what is and what is not believable. You don't have to be atheist in order to see that.

(Reply to this)

Bigbrother writes:
on Feb 28 2007 02:21 PM

In reply to this comment (#856907)
I apologise for the assumption, Atheists are generally the only group who haven't realized how fragile their own glass house is enough to critisize other peoples belief systems and I would remind you the "irony" is only your opinion. Live and let live says I and we will all live in a much happier world. Unless they're Catholic, then kill'em all :) Only kidding of course.

(Reply to this)

Ultimale069 writes:
on Feb 28 2007 08:40 PM

I love when a religious movie comes to rottentomatoes because it always brings out intense religious debate. All religions a bunch of fairy tales anyway. Now way to determine if its real, and coming up with theories that are pretty much moot in the grand scheme of things. But thats only the "realistic" part of me speaking. I believe in god, but only because i want to believe in him, like i want to believe in mermaids. I really liked the Little Mermaid as a kid.

Anyhoo, all this debate, if you believe, believe, if not, don't believe it I guess. Its like talking about if there is life elsewhere in the universe, some people believe, and others say their nuts. At least alien conspiracy theory is interesting.

(Reply to this)

GreenBastard writes:
on Mar 01 2007 03:45 AM

If you like Alien's why not get into scientology or become a mormon?
Oh I forgot it's just rubbish. I mean, come on, who'd believe in Alien's. Parting sea's and self combusting bushes are much more realistic.
Thats it! I urge every God loving, firearm owning, Bush voting white-trash American to get off your asses and shoot Tom Cruise!

(Reply to this)

Ultimale069 writes:
on Mar 01 2007 07:54 AM

Don't tell them to do that! They just might, look at who the bible belt follow as ministers, it takes no leap of faith to think they won't listen to you. And I am still waiting on a Jerry Maguire 2.

(Reply to this)

Bigbrother writes:
on Mar 01 2007 10:13 AM

In reply to this comment (#856911)
And where are you from again? You really shouldn't try to lump the 80 million people who live in the "bible belt" into one group. Most people from the south and midwest couldn't give to craps about any of the religious talking heads who come on and try to speak for them on TV. Your claims are equally as ridiculous as the opposite belief that all people in hollywood look to Scientology or Kabbala for religious guidance or the belief that Jesse Jackson or even Barak Obama speak for everyone black. Everyone has their own voice, don't buy into the media hype. Don't let your beliefs be dictated by the color state Fox News or CNN tell you people come from.

(Reply to this)

GreenBastard writes:
on Mar 01 2007 02:29 PM

It's hard not to when you guys voted Bush in AGAIN!
So it's quite obvious that you are mostly CNN, Fox watching, Bible thumping, gun weilding maniacs!
I urge all normal people to move to Canada or Sweden.
And I'm in Australia, and yes our primeminister is good buddys with Bush. And yes I can see your religious maniacs seeping into our country aswell. Now whenever you turn your radio onto scan you always hear some Doosh with a nice old southern US accent thumping the bible over here to $$$.
Please keep your Foxtell, CNN, and evangelical's locked up in your own country.

And in conclusion, NO we don't need more movies, documentries to spur these nut bags on!

(Reply to this)

GreenBastard writes:
on Mar 01 2007 02:30 PM

Jerry Maguire blows bring on Top Gun 2!

(Reply to this)

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