By Bob Harvey

OTTAWA – America’s defender of Catholic civil rights says Alanis Morissette’s nudity in videos and songs about oral sex disqualify her from playing God in a controversial film.

"If she’s playing God in this film, it certainly isn’t going to be very reverential," says Rick Hinshaw, the director of communications for the New York-based Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights.

"Our problem with her is her whole background. She sings about oral sex, and appears nude in the video Thank-you," he said.

Ms. Morissette grew up in a devout Catholic family in Ottawa and has told interviewers that she remained a virgin until she was 19 because she was taught that "if you’re a virgin, then you’re clean and men will love you."

When she did finally have sex, she says, she discovered "how beautiful and freeing and god-like it was."

Mr. Hinshaw and the League says Ms. Morissette is only one of many reasons it has protested the film Dogma as being bigoted and disturbing to Catholics.

This week, the Walt Disney studio agreed the film was potentially too offensive for a family-oriented company. It announced that it will not distribute the film, even though it was produced by a Disney subsidiary, Miramax.

Miramax’s co-chairmen, Bob and Harvey Weinstein, will buy the rights to the film and negotiate its distribution.

But the Catholic League says no matter who distributes the film, its, 450,000 members will continue to protest its showings.

In a statement, Kevin Smith, the director of Dogma and other films like Chasing Amy, says he himself is a Catholic and his latest picture is a satire and in no way blasphemous.

The plot revolves around two angels (Matt Damon and Ben Affleck) trying to get back into Heaven, and the efforts to stop them before they bring all existence to an end.

Mr. Hinshaw says the movie features a foul-mouthed 13th apostle (Chris Rock) who bears more resemblance to Howard Stern than to Peter or Paul. The film also shows Joseph and Mary having sex and portrays a descendant of theirs as a lapsed Catholic who works at an abortion clinic.

"The Catholic belief is that Jesus was the only child of Mary, that Mary and Joseph did engage in sexual relations, and that Mary was a virgin throughout her life," Mr. Hinshaw said.

League officials have read the film’s script and say much of the dialogue is also offensive. The Catholic Mass is described as so boring that it is like lousy sex, and the Catholic belief in Mary’s perpetual virginity is disparaged in a line that says, "Believing a wife never humped her husband – that’s just gullibility."

Ms. Morissette was unavailable for comment. She’s said to be interested in doing more acting, and might someday like to direct films. But she is committed to live concerts for most of this year, including a Canadian tour. She is also expected to perform in July at Woodstock 99, a concert to mark the 30th anniversary of the legendary rock festival.