Are You "Mainstream" Media If You Loved the Gay-Cowboy Flick?

December 28th, 2005 8:30 AM

New York Times writer John Leland reviews the growing phenomenon of Christian film criticism -- and how it now both evaluates the artistic and moral content. While it's nice to see the Times notice and even publicize conservative cultural efforts, Leland still employs the notion that the permissive liberal critics represent the "mainstream" of the media. They love the gay-cowboy flick "Brokeback Mountain," while the conservatives are cooler to it:

"Brokeback Mountain" has received overwhelming acclaim from mainstream critics, but elicited a different reaction from conservative Christian media: respectful and often laudatory, but finding biblical fault with the film's content."

I'm also dubious as to Robert Johnston's point that conservative Christians would have protested showing "Schindler's List" because of the nudity. Some might have protested the necessity of nudity to the storyline, but I doubt anyone suggested it "should not be shown." Did anyone?