11/05/03
DEFAMATION OF
CHARACTER
By J. Parnell McCarter
Republicans
were able to stop CBS from airing its movie on Ronald Reagan and his
family. The head of CBS essentially acknowledged
that the movie contained unsubstantiated and imbalanced attacks. Yet,
where are the Republicans (or the Democrats) when it comes to cases of
defamation of God’s character? Leaders
stand silent when grossly false slanders are hurled at Jesus Christ. Why?
Because the government is secular humanistic, which means God is
accorded no legal rights, while man is.
God gives such societies up to judgment.
Of course, there are some who
suggest baseless defamation of character is acceptable, under the excuse of
artistic freedom. For instance, quite upset at the
decision by CBS, Barbra Streisand on her website complained:
“I am
deeply disappointed that CBS, the network that in 1964 gave me complete
artistic control in creating television specials, now caved in to right wing
Republican pressure to cancel the network broadcast of the movie The Reagans. (And
I say MOVIE - because this is NOT a documentary - it's a television drama.) The
movie will now be aired on Showtime, where the difference in viewership is in
the millions.”
Because of America’s love affair
with the theater, in just such a way it comes to believe lies. Movies are not subject to Biblical standards
like truth, so they propagate lies in order to entertain audiences. Defamation of character is accordingly routine
in movies, and those who will be watching this movie on Reagan on Showtime will
no doubt come away from it with distorted ideas of reality.