Over the past year we've brought you MOVIES & MORALS every Friday which listed the reviews by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops and where the top ten grossing films finished. In retrospect we have to ask "why?" because it seems all we were accomplishing was contributing to the Hollywood mentality of promoting the films, even the bad ones. Therefore, we will no longer list the top ten each Friday, but we will provide the link to the NCCB page where you can read the reviews if you want. We had also begun a VIDEOS & VIRTUES feature on Tuesdays to list the bishops' review of the latest video release. Again, all it was doing was promoting rentals of these films. While these are commendable because Catholics do not live in a vacuum and there is both the secular and sacred side of all of us, we felt there has to be more to provide the reader regarding entertainment for Catholics. After all, as Variety writer Timothy Gray wrote, "Nowdays, showbiz is the religion of the masses." What does that tell us about society?

    Therefore, we are delighted and pleased to introduce Michael Vincent Boyer as a new addition to our staff of regular contributing columnists to the DailyCATHOLIC. A cradle Catholic from northern Ohio and long a resident of Dixie, Michael brings to the table a tremendous insight as to Hollywood's true agenda for he is one of the insiders who has worked closely with the Hollywood establishment for over twenty years, most recently as Director of the Alabama Film Commission. He has seen the decline of the moral standard through the Hollywood industry's insidious, subliminal and not so subliminal methods. Sadly, so many have been caught in the vice and we do mean "vice!" Thus we present Michael's column which will continue to be called MOVIES & MORALS as well as VIDEOS & VIRTUES and TELEVISION & TEMPERANCE. If you have a better title for his columns, please let us know because his articles will reflect Catholic teaching and the fine mesh of the sacred with the secular. We've been toying with HOLY WOULD HELP HOLLYWOOD! but aren't totally sold on that one yet. We're open to suggestions. Let us know what you think by emailing the webmaster.

    This week we're running his column each day to acquaint the reader with his style and content and next week he will fall into the regular rotation of Tuesday and Friday. After Lent we hope to be bringing you a daily feature on what Catholics should watch for or watch out for on TV for each day, but since so many should be giving up TV during Lent (except, of course, for Mother Angelica's EWTN - if you can get it!) we will not introduce it until the Easter Season.

    We have added his columns to balance Dr. Frank Joseph's excellent Pro-Life Prescriptions column LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL! brought to you every Wednesday for the leading exponent of the culture of death is Hollywood. In this election year it is important to know the facts and which politicians are in bed with the Hollywood establishment and vice-versa. In fact, beginning tomorrow we will bring you an article he wrote for his excellent print monthly publication Goodbye Hollywood that is much needed to combat the sleaze that's out there. The article in question, condensed into his columns, is the inside scoop on the Hollywood-Washington D.C. connection and how the Democrats have allowed Hollywood to buy them off. Beginning with the biggest ego and culprit of them all - the president of this country Bill Clinton right down to local politicians, the Hollywood movers and shakers have bribed their way to prolonging the cesspool that respected comedian, writer, actor and philosopher Steve Allen, currently honorary chairman of the Parents Television Council, says has contributed to the decline: "It is generally agreed on both the political right and left - that our whole culture and society is sliding down a moral sewer." The source of that sewer is Hollywood and the biggest flushers are in cahoots with the politicians.

    This is very evident in California where a Proposition is on the ballot to prohibit same-sex marriages. It's called Proposition 22 and Hollywood-backed money is trying to defeat it by calling it a "Catch 22" proposition; however, it's anything but that. Rather, it's the only way California can save its own soul by preserving the sanctity of marriage on the law books. It is no secret that as California goes, so goes the world. Blame it on Hollywood, blame it on the fact that the cultural-commercial status of the golden bear state has more influence than four-fifths of all the nations of the world combined. Over the next few weeks it's going to be a bitter battle as the gay agenda and the left wage an all-out assault on decency and the sanctity of the union between man and woman as God intended. There is a growing tolerance in Hollywood that is seeping through the sewers affecting all of America. The ballot proposition will be the litmus test between so-called tolerance and acceptance. The liberals argue that "we're not hurting anybody" but they don't realize they definitely are for the decline of moral consciousness is contributing to the modern Sodom and Gomorrah mentality in California as well as the rest of the USA. Liberal judges have not helped, overturning rulings because of intimidation and lobbying by the radical left. Presently 52 percent are in favor of Proposition 22 as opposed to 39 percent who want to defeat the measure and provide a free license for homosexuality everywhere in California. The organizers for Prop 22 have been smart in targeting the large Hispanic population in California, counting on their Catholic culture to oppose the gay agenda. Hopefully every California Catholic's conscience will be tweaked and they, too, will go to the ballot box on March 7th and resoundingly pass this measure that sends a statement that God gave us these laws and no state is going to take them away!

    Speaking of God and politics, it brings us to one of the most liberal of the politicians, the other half of Bill Clinton - his wife Hillary Rodham Clinton who is carpetbagging for senator of New York. Folks, it's going to be a hot and heavy, bitter, take-no-hostages campaign between the chameleon from Arkansas and the current mayor of New York City Rudolph Giuliani, who, though he is Catholic, has been paralyzed by the pro-aborts and caved to their demands. Talk about a cesspool for the voters to choose from! Nevertheless, the first volley has been launched with Giuliani questioning Hillary's disregard for religious reasoning and morality. In typical Clinton fashion she has struck back, coiling and striking with hypocritical venom that she has been "misunderstood" and has no animosity toward the religious right. Say again? That's right. This is the woman who has labeled religious tradition an enemy, the woman who has said she wouldn't appoint a pro-life judge and praises those liberal justices who prohibit the Ten Commandments from being displayed in schools and government offices. This is the woman who has been the icon of NOW and Planned Parenthood, who has mocked the Roman Catholic Church by receiving Holy Communion during a much publicized trip with her husband and daughter Chelsea to South Africa, who has adopted the "religion of the day" mantra setting aside time for Ramadan and Hannukah, but dismissing Good Friday as "superstitious." Many have asked what denomination she is and our answer is the only denomination she cares about come in tens, twenties and hundred dollar bills in her pursuit of power in trying to escape the shadows and sexcapades of her husband.

    No matter how you look at it, Hillary Clinton, Al Gore, Hollywood culture of death advocates and the liberal pro-gay agenda are all bad for this country and bad for the moral conscience and soul of America and we intend to illustrate these facts this election year in hopes of tweaking consciences in ridding our land of the godless agendas. It begins March 7th in California. Already thirty states have adopted laws similar to Proposition 22 in trying to preserve the dignity of the union between man and woman. Proposition 22 confirms a cultural cornerstone. Now it's time for California to follow suit. Al Gore and the Hollywood establishment will be campaigning feverishly against it and that should wake every California Catholic up to the fact that, despite their political affiliation, this is our opportunity to pass it and send Gore and his ilk a strong message for returning morality to California. Just think, the outcome will be the litmus test that could be the beginning of the end for the pro-aborts.

    Thanks to the excellent contributing columnists of the DailyCATHOLIC like Pat Ludwa, Sister Mary Lucy Astuto, Dr. Frank Joseph and now Michael Vincent Boyer, we will keep you abreast of what is best for Catholics everywhere in following the teachings and traditions of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. The Church was persecuted during the height of the Roman Empire and survived; Caesar and his empire crumbled. Now another empire is ready to collapse and only those loyal to God, who heed His words and intercede, as Abraham did in pleading for the Lord to spare Sodom and Gomorrah, can prevent the total implosion of America. Remember what happened to Caesar's empire? It crumbled from within. It equates with Jesus' words in Matthew 22: 21, "Render, therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." We'll render to California's "Caesar" the taxes due, but when it comes to regulating morals, that we can only render to God! What it all comes down to is, that with the dominating influence of Hollywood, liberal politicians and judges, modernists in the Church, and a growing dependence on government to solve our problems, we need to turn back to God, elect those upholding the sanctity of life, only patronize programs and films that uphold those values, and limit Caesar before it's too late!

Michael Cain, editor

For previous editorials this year, go to PAST CATHOLIC PewPOINTS           

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