Moore stirs row on religion

Right-wing critics of controversial film-maker Michael Moore call him many things: a socialist, a hypocrite, unpatriotic - and they even make unkind remarks about his weight.

But, with his new anti-capitalist film showing on United States movie screens last week, Moore has unveiled an unexpected trump card against conservatives who so vociferously attack him: Christianity.

Moore is a practising Catholic and has put religion at the core of Capitalism: A Love Story. Alongside the political arguments about inequality, Wall St corruption and failures of George W. Bush, Moore argues that capitalism is also fundamentally unchristian.

In the film he interviews several Catholic priests, who explain their belief that capitalism and the free market, by emphasising greed and the self over community, go against the Bible's basic tenets.

One priest, Dick Preston, tells Moore: "Capitalism is evil, immoral and contrary to the teachings of Jesus."

Moore also describes his own Catholic upbringing and includes a skit where free-market slogans are dubbed inappropriately - and hilariously - over scenes from a movie of Jesus' life.

The tactic appears to have unnerved many on America's right wing, used to attacking Moore as a symbol of leftwing secularism.

On a recent TV appearance on cable channel Fox News, Moore was interviewed by right-wing host Sean Hannity. Moore surprised Hannity by identifying himself primarily as a Christian, not a socialist.

He then asked Hannity when he had last been to church and what the subject of the sermon had been. The exchange left Hannity unable to answer and was an instant hit across the liberal blogosphere.

But many argue that the astonishment at Moore's gospel radicalism is misplaced. Though recent US political history seems to have been dominated by the rise of evangelical conservatism and its powerful grip on the Republican party, there is a parallel tradition of leftwing priests, especially with Catholics.

"Catholics have always had a strong tradition in labour and union issues in America," said Professor David O'Brien, a faith and culture expert at the University of Dayton, Ohio.

"There is not much in laissez-faire capitalism that is actually backed up by Catholic teaching,"

Cardinal James Gibbons was a famous advocate of union rights in the early 20th century. Daniel and Philip Berrigan were brothers and radical priests who opposed the Vietnam war. The black civil rights movement was led by clergy, most famously by Dr Martin Luther King.

Certainly the Rev Peter Dougherty appears to be in that tradition.

Dougherty, who conducted the marriage service for Moore's sister, has known the Moore family for a long time and was happy to appear in the documentary. He lives in Michigan and has seen the devastation of local industry and unemployment that often seems to provide the motivation for Moore. Dougherty said he had no qualms about launching a religious attack on capitalism. "There have always been people who questioned basing a society on greed. That is what capitalism is. It is based on the greed motive, a radical evil."

Moore's use of religious arguments in Capitalism: A Love Story also taps into wider issues happening at the fiery place where US politics and Christianity meet.

Though the past few decades appear to have been dominated by religious arguments over abortion and other social issues, those culture wars seem to have died down a little.

Among some evangelicals a strong environmental movement has grown up, seeing ecology and green issues in the light of religious arguments about conserving God's creation. Some churches and religious figures have taken a liberal stance on gay marriage.

But close watchers of Moore should perhaps not have been surprised by his inclusion of Christianity in his latest movie. In fact, he has long been open about his religious beliefs and his admiration for the liberal tradition of political activism in Catholicism. He has said that as a child he considered being a priest.

Dougherty, who loves Moore's films, even thinks the Oscar-winning film-maker may have missed his true vocation.

"Michael is a great preacher."

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