How About a Little Vatican Rule 5?

Rule 5 for "How to Get a Million Hits on Your Blog in Less Than a Year"

Rule 5 actually combines four separate principles of blogospheric success:

A. Everybody loves a pretty girl . . .
B. Mind the MEGO factor. . .
C. Sex sells. . .
D. Feminism sucks . . .

So how does the Vatican get into the Rule 5 business? Well, for one, there are all those Madonna images.  But for today:

New Vatican women's initiative runs into immediate storm of criticism over video starring 'sexy blonde'

A new Catholic women's initiative rolled out by the Vatican is at the centre of a storm of criticism over a video starring a 'sexy blonde'.

The Internet promotional video, featuring blonde Italian actress Nancy Brilli, came under such ridicule that it was quickly taken down, it has been reported.
. . .
But the video soon sparked criticism from around the English speaking world.

'What were they thinking at the Vatican?' wrote Phyllis Zagano of Hofstra University in the National Catholic Reporter.

'Aside from the obvious - sexy sell has long gone by the boards in developed nations and is totally unacceptable in predominantly Muslim countries - the fact of the matter is that highlighting a stereotypical spokeswoman is not the way to ask for women's input.'

So is the Vatican just supposed to ignore the fact that pretty women exist, and that their attractiveness adds to the power of advertising for both men and women? They have a point of view to sell, and see a way to do it.

Wombat-socho has the giant "Rule 5 Sunday: Sick, Lame & Lazy Edition" ready at The Other McCain. Also linked in Proof Positives "Best of the Web*." 

More Nancy Brilli below the jump: