Ron Howard Attacked By William Donohue

Let the cable bookings begin!

Catholic League president William Donohue has hit back at director Ron Howard for Howard's defense of his upcoming summer blockbuster "Angels & Demons."

Howard wrote a blog for Huffington Post on Monday defending the film, "It's A Thriller, Not A Crusade," saying the May release is absolutely not an anti-Catholic movie and that Catholics will likely enjoy watching it.

Howard also hits back at years of Donohue's opinion and press releases railing against first "The Da Vinci Code" and now "Angels & Demons."

He writes, "I guess Mr. Donohue and I do have one thing in common: we both like to create fictional tales, as he has done with his silly and mean-spirited work of propaganda."

Like clockwork, Donohue has angrily responded, sending out a press release that says in part:

"Howard must be delusional if he thinks Vatican officials are going to like his propaganda -- they denied him the right to film on their grounds. Moreover, we know from a Canadian priest who hung out with Howard's crew last summer in Rome (dressed in civilian clothes) just how much they hate Catholicism. It's time to stop the lies and come clean."

The movie is out May 15.

Comments

[joelg69]

..Ah yes, William Donohue, THAT William Donohue who lost all his credibility a few years back defending pederast priests by outrageously defaming their victims.. well, we know what he's about..

[Veritas 2009]

I am 51, and disabled. It's difficult having grown up with Ron Howard, and having an affinity for him, to find myself having to criticize him. But just as would with any true friend, I do so now with Ron Howard.
Ron, you are way of course in making these movies which, fictional or not, portray the Roman Catholic Church in such a negative light. I am NOT a Roman Catholic, and I have fairly criticized their legitimate faults when necessary; but what YOU are doing amounts to a vengeful Jihad to utterly destroy that institution's credibility, despite the very good things they have done for centuries. Despite your considerable talent and achievements, by making yourself a political lackey for mean-spirited, woefully ill-informed men like Dan Brown, you've reduced yourself to the level of a Joseph Goebbels as far as film-makers go. And as he was infamous for his hate-inspiring propaganda films against the Jews; so will you be remembered for your "fictionalized", demonization of the Roman Catholic Church.

I full well realize many have congratulated you on your "boldness" for making these films; but I wonder... why have you not been so bold to produce a like portrayal of Islam? Surely you realize they pose a greater threat to liberalism than Roman Catholicism? And if scandalous histories are your interest; the history of Islam makes Roman Catholicism look like child's play.

In the end, I think you are a "paper tiger".

[Principaldad]

Have you read the book "Angels & Demons"? It is not "The Di Vinci Code". There is very little in this book that casts the Church in a bad light. There is reference to the Church's very real history of persecuting dissenting scientists. The reference is fictionalized, but it refers to a very real chapter in Church history. However, the book shows the modern Church in a more positive light. It is a very entertaining and very obviously fictional story (unlike The Di Vinci Code, which blurred fiction and non-fiction slightly). I see no reason to believe that the movie would be any different.

Unlike you, I AM a Roman Catholic. My church can weather any storm, even a storm that shines a fictional light on our rather checkered past. Howard's making of "Angels & Demons" is not "boldness". The story is not a political statement. It is merely a suspenseful piece of fiction.

[Agentlady007]

If America knows Ronny Howard from the TV sitcome days Of "The Andy Griffith" show the way the babies born in the early sixties did, and our parents, grandparents - brothers and sisters albeit fame oriented, we are talking on the same page of truth as we know it existed. Ronny has come a long way., It was frustrating to me when they kept putting him in front of the camera, a la Happy Days . because i would read articles about his directing ambitions and how he was contract bound for years.. It's always a thrill to see his films.

[Agentlady007]

There's a lot in the movie that shed rason to disbelkieve in the ancestors of Christ, if he was a real oer4son given supernatural powers to come to earth and prove we are immortal. I found the movie hard to conprehend the same way the original Star Wars was. I was more intrigued with the beauty of the roman scripture turned into symbolism than the real truth of what the movie proved in its story.

[dax49]

again, as a catholic, let me repeat- donahue speaks for No-One

[CatholicJoe]

And dax49 you speak for whom apart from yourself?
Dan Brown is a perpetrator and inventor of hate myths against the Catholic Church and Ron Howard is his lap dog who brings those hate myths to life on the screen. Do you expect Catholics to sit back and not respond?

[Veritas 2009]

Well said Joe. Ron is a real disappointment. I am a former Roman Catholic, now a retired Baptist Pastor; and I find this sort of anti-Catholic propaganda dressed up as "entertainment" beneath all honor & dignity.

[Ozy]

The Catholic Church is done. People need to defund thereaks in leadership and practice in their own homes.

[JePense]

Seriously, I really want to know.
When all that scandal was dominating daily headlines -- did the Catholic League speak up? Did they have anything to say about it?

[CatholicJoe]

JePense, you need to use that brain to think. The Catholic League is there to defend the Church from lies and misinformation. That is their purpose. Are you expecting us to believe that there is such a shortage of anti-Catholics willing to dump on the Church that the Catholic League needs to attack the Church as well?

[ckseek]

How is it that the Catholic church is still somehow relevant?

Mind Boggling.

[CatholicJoe]

ckseek,

Truth is always relevant, hence the voice who speaks the truth will always be relevant.

[JePense]

I'm not familiar with the Catholic League. What is its position on ordained priests raping altar boys and young girls?

[CatholicJoe]

JePense, I'm quite familiar with the Catholic League. They're in the habit of defending the Church against lies and misinformation from "Progressives". Just "google" their name and you'll find them.

From my understanding the Catholic League opposes all types of rapes.

Not sure about Planned Parenthood though. It seems they've been caught out a number of times hiding from police crimes of statutory rape.

[barrycourage]

TWO YEARS LATER I am still angry about the Catholic League's bullying a museum and its landlord to close an exhibit of a large chocolate Jesus sculpture.

They have no right to censor art and tell me what I may or may not view. If I were able to do so, I would have filed a class action suit against the League for compromising the constitutional freedom of religion rights of non-Catholics.

Here is a link to a picture of the sculpture:

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/ni/christfrontpage.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/ni/2007/03/chocolate_jesus.html&usg=__MtWpXHNF4OihIl-cryTu_GsSjDA=&h=425&w=338&sz=108&hl=en&start=35&um=1&tbnid=AWuLCFy_fbmqZM:&tbnh=126&tbnw=100&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dchocolate%2Bjesus%2Bsculpture%26ndsp%3D18%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DN%26start%3D18%26um%3D1

I rarely go to the movies and I didn't know about Ron Howard's film . But I am going to make a point of seeing it.

[barrycourage]

Hopefully a better, working link to the picture of the sculpture:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/ni/2007/03/chocolate_jesus.html

[CatholicJoe]

Gees barry what a cry baby you are. You complain about not seeing the chocolate man, but there it is in your own link.

And all this 2 years after the event. Get help. Have you heard of Dr Ray Guarendi?

[RichardD]

Ron Howard could not be happier that this loose cannon has gone off...again. Howard is a very good movie-maker and I do like his work. Nothing in the DaVinci Code was offensive to Catholicism since it was a fictioanl story. I will be delighted to spend a couple of hours watching a good story made into what I expect will be a very good film, made by an accomplished film-maker.
The Catholic League can get its knickers in a knot...for all that will mean.

[ghostdance]

There was nothing offensive to Catholicism since it was a fictional story? I'm not sure I understand the logic. If it were a true story it wouldn't be offensive to Catholicism, Catholicism would be what was offensive.

However, it being fictional doesn't make Catholicism not offensive, either.

Of course saying that is like complaining about "America" when you specifically mean an action by the American government. Some innocent bystander feels slandered and the action in question gets missed.

I'm sure there are good Christian Catholics. Just because the Vatican is a creepy patriarchal secret society of men in dresses doesn't mean I think any less of you. I just think your beliefs are as crazy as you would think mine were if I expressed them. That's just a given that has to be expected in interfaith dialogue.

[CatholicJoe]

"Nothing in the DaVinci Code was offensive to Catholicism" Good one Dick. Except for the fact that the story's author Dan Brown was continually saying that the underlying history as outlined in his book was factual.

[bantrybay]

Donoghue is a redical LOOSE canon. He is an embarassment but does accurately reflect the extremism of the Catholic Church.

[ptgkc]

Don't characterize the "extremism the Catholic Church" by this man. There are many open minded and free thinking individuals that struggle and work to move the Church away from such positions.

As a Catholic myself I will readily admit Mr. Donughue is the most embarrassing spokesperson I have had to endure. He should not hold the position that he does. He takes every statement regarding the Church as a personal attack and responds in kind. He often distorts others' positions to fit into a immoral or evil position that just doesn't exist.

I don't know his mind, but he certainly has the hubris and arrogance that makes him appear to me that he believes he is more important than any other Catholic official in the US - Bishop, Cardinal or even the Pope himself. His conduct in the last election with statements against Obama and Catholics Biden and Pelosi were beyond his normal role, but then at the same time while (rightfully) slamming Reverend Hagee, gave McCain a pass on his association with him.

[CatholicJoe]

So ptgkc so as a Catholic you agree with Catholic Pelosi that abortion is okay?

[livesimply]

They had a spy with his crew while filming the movie? Crazy. So what if he does or doesn't like the Catholic church? I don't really like his films so I won't be going to see it.

[stevezep]

If you don't think you'll like it, don't go see it. Nuff said.

[Panthro]

Making fun of the Catholic Church is about as easy as shooting fish in a barrel with an Uzi or Mac-10. It may actually be more fun too.

[CatholicJoe]

It's even easier to make fun of the anti-Catholic bigots commenting on the Huff Post.

[jadeba]

Donohue represents the worst of organized religion. He's one of those catholics who would sanction righteous killings (maybe I'm watching too much "Tudors"). I've seen this guy on tv - he's a mess.

[Montgriz]

There is never a shortage of people like this whacko....it has been true of the Catholic Church for centuries....bunch of closeted gays and pedophiles.

[Susan Emerson]

I am a practicing Catholic, but I maintain enough healthy skepticism that I figure anyone who can tick off the Catholic Church that badly must be doing something right!