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US Bishops' Organization Gives Glowing Review of Homosexual-Sex Propaganda Film

By Hilary White

WASHINGTON, December 15, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The Catholic Church identifies homosexuality as a serious moral and psychological disorder of unknown origin, one that is serious enough to make a man who suffers from it ineligible for priestly ordination.

Nonetheless, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has issued a glowing movie review of the homosexual propaganda film, Brokeback Mountain, a story of two rugged cowboys who engage in homosexual liaisons and adultery.

The film's theme is a favorite of homosexual folklore: two lonesome cowboys, removed from the repressions of artificial social mores by their work in the great rugged outdoors. Freed from the constraints of female society, their passions erupt in what is depicted as some deep, natural, repressed well. The sex is depicted off screen in a way described by the author of the short story upon which the film is based as a manly act, "quick, rough, laughing and snorting."

The unnamed USCCB reviewer, in keeping with the now-standard tone of acceptance required of Catholic "progressives," walked a hair-thin line between Catholic teaching and wholehearted approval of the homosexual lifestyle. "The Catholic Church," the reviewer writes, "makes a distinction between homosexual orientation and activity, Ennis and Jack's continuing physical relationship is morally problematic."

He goes on to praise the film saying, "While the actions taken by Ennis and Jack cannot be endorsed, the universal themes of love and loss ring true."

A Christian activist who has worked to debunk the propaganda of the homosexual movement was more forthright. Referring to the film's seven Golden Globe nominations including best picture and best director, Stephen Bennett, a former homosexual said, "What a sad day in America when a movie that glorifies homosexuality, adultery, dangerous and deadly unprotected anal sex and deception is up for Best Picture of the Year."

Bennett is a radio talk show host who, with his wife, works to expose the work being done by homosexual activists to undermine the family. He called the film and the awards nominations, "an all time moral low our culture has sunk to."

"When a movie based on a short story, containing graphic, explicit, dangerous homosexual anal sex by two men is elevated to Best Picture of the Year, America better wake up," Bennett said.

The Catholic reviewer seems to have missed the moral depravity angle. The review, which is featured on the USCCB's official website, is written in much the same glowing terms as those of New York Times' reviewer who called it a "moving and majestic" depiction of thwarted love. The USCCB's reviewer enthused about the film's depiction of "love and loss," calling it "a serious contemplation of loneliness and connection."

The film offends not only Christian moral sensibilities, however, but those of anyone who believes in the sanctity of marriage. The two characters separate and marry, have children and make themselves and their wives miserable by the life of "denial" so denigrated by homosexual activists.

Years later they meet again and revisit their passions, this time betraying their wives. The final sop to the homosexual mythology comes when one of the men suggests they leave their wives and set up house together. The other refuses not out of respect for his wife or for love of their children, but because of a traumatic childhood memory of a man beaten to death with tire irons for living with another man.

"Looked at from the point of view of the need for love which everyone feels but few people can articulate, the plight of these guys is easy to understand while their way of dealing with it is likely to surprise and shock an audience," the USCCB review says.

Bennett, in line with Catholic teaching that says the "gay lifestyle" can never be condoned, said, "With HIV and AIDS on the rise, and homosexual men dropping dead because of this dangerous, potentially deadly behavior, you better believe, I'll be sounding the alarm on this movie."

"I've buried too many friends who died from AIDS to keep quiet on this one," said Bennett.

The bishops' organization gave the film a rating of "L," warning of its "tacit approval of same-sex relationships, adultery, two brief sex scenes without nudity, partial and shadowy brief nudity elsewhere, other implied sexual situations." The "L" rating is two notches above the most censorious available in the bishops' system -  "O" for morally offensive.

The USCCB's official review is not signed but another, almost identical piece by Harry Forbes appeared on the USCCB related Catholic News Service website. LifeSiteNews.com contacted the USCCB and was informed that Forbes is the head of the USCCB Office for Film and Broadcasting.

Read the USCCB review:
http://www.usccb.org/movies/b/brokebackmountain.shtml

Read Forbes' CNS review:
http://www.catholicnews.com/data/movies/05mv682.htm

Read Stephen Bennett's full comments: (warning some graphic sexual language)
http://www.earnedmedia.org/sbm1214.htm

See also Focus on the Family commnents
Reviewers Call 'Brokeback Mountain' Twisted
Gay love story carries a high "ick" factor.
http://www.family.org/cforum/news/a0038874.cfm

MovieGuide Review:
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
Twisted, Laughable, Frustrating, Plotless, and Often Boring
http://www.movieguide.org/index.php?s=reviews&id=7031&PHPSESSID=892d356a...

The Mercury News article:
Gay-rights activists elated by 'Brokeback'
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/states/california/northern...

Contact the USCCB Office for Film and Broadcasting:
Harry Forbes
(212) 644-1880

Contact individual bishops
http://www.usccb.org/bishops.htm

Current USCCB Officers:
President - Bishop William S. Skylstad
Vice President - Cardinal Francis George, OMI
Treasurer - Archbishop James P. Keleher
Secretary - Archbishop Michael J. Sheehan

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