Victories in the culture war (apart from public policy battles) may be few, but the long-running dispute with the Disney Co. may now have produced at least one. Disney has announced that its subsidiary film distributor Miramax will not produce a new film called Dogma set for premiere this spring. Dogma is yet another highly “original” film in the tradition of Disney's Priest, mocking the life or teachings of Christ. In Dogma, set in the contemporary world, the Virgin Mary and Joseph have sex and conceive a child, a daughter who works in an abortion clinic.  God is played by pop singer Alanis Morissette.  Comedian Chris Rock, just released from the Oscar awards show, plays a foul-mouthed 13th apostle, and a stripper named Serendipity compares the Catholic Mass to a bad sexual experience.
    Disney's Jiminy Cricket used to say, “Always let your conscience be your guide.”  Disney is nowhere near that old-time standard yet, but by dropping Dogma it may be shying away from a fight with religious and pro-family groups that has hurt the company in the past.—Washington Update, 801 G Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001