James Cameron Finds Jesus (literally)...

...at least that's his claim. Later today the famed director of "Titanic" will hold a press conference to claim that he and his documentary film crew found the actual bones of Jesus Christ (and Mary mom and Mary Mags as well.) It's easy to dismiss this as a complete publicity grad for a movie, but there's something about this that irks me more than usual. Setting aside the easy headline of "King of the World discovers King of Kings" and the smiling circus that is sure to congregate on both sides of this story, there is an essence of real malice in waiting til Easter season to promote this to full effect. Cameron seems to be intentionally arrogant and combative in this and as someone whose face he's aiming to shove this in it's more than a bit annoying.

The interesting thing is, it doesn't have to be this way. Present your evidence, show your movie, and I'm more than happy to listen and see what you have found. My faith is strong enough to know that you are mistaken, but I would love to see what makes you think you've found Christ's skeleton (Can't you just see Jesus firing up the heavenly X-Ray machine, just to make sure His bones are still with Him, "Whew, Cameron, you had me worried.") I guess it just seems irresponsible and callous to treat this with so little tact and grace (whether you think it's true or not).

This also caught my eye in the article: "But film-makers Cameron and Jacobovici claim to have amassed evidence through DNA tests, archaeological evidence and Biblical studies, that the 10 coffins belong to Jesus and his family" (emphasis mine.) DNA tests, from what? One of the Da Vinci code descendants? Common sense says that calling anything proof in this case will require quite an intellectual stretch, yet here they stand dogmatically claiming to have it (Truth is, this is a nice look in the mirror when we get so dogmatic about "proving" faith issues.)

Don't get me wrong, J.C. (that would be the James Cameron, J.C., not the other.) is an amazing filmmaker. I've never understood the revisionist history on Titanic, it's a spectacular movie, and I still think it stands up as one of the best movies of all time. In fact, Cameron's skills are the reason this is just that much more frustrating. It's Micheal Moore all over again. Amazing style, compelling content, it's just that the substance feels so bitter and contrived.

In the end, I just get the feeling this will be another one of those things where they might as well have found a box of bones with "Jesus" written in sharpie on a post-it note stuck to it, and it would be just as viable proof. But I'm more than willing to give Mr. Cameron and crew the respect of actually watching the doc before I make that judgement about his beliefs. Too bad he decided not to do the same.

Comments? Questions? Bone to pick with James Cameron? All feedback welcome below :)