Is Hollywood anti-Christian or anti-atheist?
Lawrence Krauss, a subject of the 2013 documentary "The Unbelievers," says that contrary to some Christians' beliefs, Hollywood is more hostile to atheists than Christians.
Krauss believes his documentary was not released in general theaters because people in the film industry did not think it would be popular while a plethora of religious movies - including "Noah" and "Heaven is for Real," a film about a boy who says he visited heaven during emergency surgery - will hit theaters soon.
"When a non-religious person - part of a growing minority in the United States and the rest of the developed world - points out that these stories are facile at best and demeaning at worst, they risk being condemned as 'strident,' or at least disrespectful of religious sensibilities," Krauss writes in The New Yorker. "But since piety is profitable, studio executives have carefully tended to their Christian audiences, especially after the success of Mel Gibson's 'Passion of the Christ,' in 2004."
Oscar-winning producer Gerald Molen's letter to the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences seems to prove Krauss' point. Molen worried about the reactions of Christians after the Academy withdrew the nomination of "Alone Yet Not Alone," a faith-based film, because of allegations that its theme song writer improperly campaigned for the song among members of the academy's song division, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
"Critics will pounce and accuse us of being out of touch and needlessly offending middle America by stripping this song - a song sung by a quadriplegic hero to evangelical Christians who has captured the imagination of the American people - of its nomination," says Molen.
Phil Cooke, a media producer and consultant, does believe secular society marginalizes Christianity, but he does not think it is as hostile to Christianity as some believe, reports The Blaze. He recommended that people of faith that are upset about inaccuracies in biblical films (like Noah) see the movies instead of boycotting them.
"Christians have to stop looking at Hollywood as the enemy and start reaching out," says Cooke.%3Cimg%20src%3D%22http%3A//beacon.deseretconnect.com/beacon.gif%3Fcid%3D153557%26pid%3D46%22%20/%3E</group>