This really surprised me when I read it, but also gave me great joy. Joe Eszterhas, the screen writer who penned the controversial movie “Basic Instinct,” is now Catholic (not to be confused with “Basic Instinct” director Paul Verhoeven, who is on the Jesus Seminar). While dealing with addiction to alcohol and tobacco in 2001, he prayed to God for help, surprising even himself, and had a “road to Damascus” moment. Now he lives in Geauga County (near Cleveland), in Bainbridge Township, and attends Holy Angels parish. He has written a book about his faith, Crossbearer: A Memoir of Faith (due out September 2nd), and has turned down high-dollar offers to write plots for sinister films like “Basic Instinct.” From the recent article in the Toledo Blade:
[Joe Eszterhas] went from doubting if he could make it through life without tobacco and alcohol, to knowing that he could “defeat myself and win.” He and Naomi have been faithfully attending Catholic Mass on Sundays ever since, and as the book title states, Joe carries the cross down the aisle. He asserts his nonconformity, however, by wearing jeans and Rolling Stones T-shirts when he does it. Despite the rebel attire, he says he carries the cross with more reverence than most.
Although he is a devout Catholic, Mr. Eszterhas writes bluntly of his disgust for priests who are pedophiles and bishops who have covered up for them. He and Naomi decided they could not, in good conscience, donate a dime to the church because of the clerical sexual abuse scandal. He also writes about the inner turmoil he felt when he took his boys to catechism classes or other church events and kept a protective eye on them the whole time, making sure they were never alone with a priest. And he complains about priests’ homilies being boring and pointless.
When Mr. Eszterhas visited a nondenominational megachurch, he heard a sensational sermon. But he felt empty afterward, missing Holy Communion and the Catholic liturgy. “It may have been a church full of pedophiles and criminals covering up other criminals’ sins … it may have been a church riddled with hypocrisy, deceit, and corruption … but our megachurch experience taught us that we were captive Catholics,” he wrote. Mr. Eszterhas told The Blade that despite his mixed feelings over the church and the abuse scandal, the power of the Mass trumps his doubts and misgivings. “The Eucharist and the presence of the body and blood of Christ is, in my mind, an overwhelming experience for me. I find that Communion for me is empowering. It’s almost a feeling of a kind of high.”
He said that living in the heartland, he sees how much Hollywood producers are out of touch with most Americans.
“I find it mind boggling that with nearly 70 percent of Americans describing themselves as Christians, and witnessing the success of The Passion of The Christ and The Chronicles of Narnia, that Hollywood still doesn’t do the kinds of faith-based and family-value entertainment that people are desperate to see,” Mr. Eszterhas said.
I tell you, this is pretty amazing, to hear the writer of “Basic Instinct” speaking of the power of the Eucharist and the allure, but ultimate vacuousness, of the megachurches. And he also laments Hollywood’s lack of family-friendly films! I pray that, while keeping his justifiable disdain for the 2-4% of priests who perpetrated child sexual abuse, and those bishops who covered up those nasty deeds, he move past his general suspicion of priests, coming to see the goodness and hard work of the majority of priests who have committed no crimes. Plus, the rate of sexual abuse is higher in other professions, including among teachers, so it seems unfair to single out priests.
I have friends in Geauga County, and it is not that far away, so maybe one day I will stop by and worship with Mr. Eszterhas.
4% of priests who perpetrated child sexual abuse
Was it that high? I thought it was 2% — the same as teachers and other categories.
Irenaeus,
The four percent figure I found is from the John Jay Study on the U.S. Bishops website. I believe that is also the figure we use when we do our sexual abuse prevention training (I will double check at work, my abuse-prevention facilitator binder is there). However, other researchers have come up with figures closer to 2%. Either way, the number is rather small, and compares favorably to other segments of the population (the figure I have for teachers is 5%, and I guarantee most folks who are suspicious of priests do not usually have that same level of suspicion of teachers). I will emend the post to say “2-4″ percent, since I think there is no consensus as to the exact numbers.
Well, you don’t need to change it — you’re obviosuly better informed than I. (I had it in my head that the John Jay study was 2%.)
I decided to change it because other studies show lower numbers, and based on the John Jay study (which analyzed accusations), it is estimated that 2-3 percent actually have perpetuated abuse, so 4% might be slightly high. I am looking at my facilitator materials right now, and this is directly from them.
Family Friendly Films? If there not as good as Pixar’s, please don’t waste your money making them.
Thank you,
Chad, who watches tons of movies.
Joe discussed his book and conversion story with me this past Saturday on “Catholic Radio 2.0!” Hear here: http://tinyurl.com/CR2pt0.
As I understand it, the 4% figure refers to the percentage of priests who have been credibly accused over the 40 years covered by the John Jay Study.
“Credibly accused,” of course, is not the same as “proven guilty.”
The actual guilty-as-charged figure is probably more in that 2-3% zone, same as for other communions.
Also, it’s worth noting that (AFAIK) no other communion has commissioned a study with anything approaching the rigor and breadth of the John Jay Study.
That’s a thought, Chad…maybe Pixar can remake The Song of Bernadette.
Just kidding.
I love Pixar, BTW.
What makes any number of abusers over 0.0% absolutely unacceptable is that, unlike teachers, coaches, scout leaders, priests represent the Catholic Church and ARE the Catholic Church to children. I know so many others who were abused that have left the Catholic Church because of it; I would also have left except for a series of ridiculously improbable events. This is the greatest tragedy of the scandals, that so many victims and their families, and their descendants, are outside the Church. “A tiny bit lower rate than everyone else” translates to complete failure for the Holy Catholic Church.
Jumping back on topic: do you think those poorly done Catholic movies (heard “Bella” was awful but didn’t see it) hurt the case for family-friendly movies? I just loved “The Incredibles”, especially the extra bit about the neighborhood barbeque-I’m a housewife, too.
[...] you won’t make ‘The Maccabees’ is the ugliest possible one. You hate Jews,” Eszterhas, a Jesus Seminar Catholic, wrote to Gibson. This was, however, after Warner Bros. rejected Eszterhas’ script, which Gibson [...]