What would Jesus drink?

Coca Cola wasn't thrilled when an Italian movie, originally set to open today, featured Jesus of Nazareth gratefully accepting a ride near Emmaus as well as a freshing Coke.

Lawyers were dispatched. The distributor for the film has cancelled its release.

ROME — The Coca Cola Company has taken legal action against producers of a spirituality themed Italian film set in present day Israel in which Jesus drinks a can of Coke in the desert.

Titled "7 Km da Gerusalemme" (Seven Kilometers From Jerusalem) pic centers around a Milanese ad exec having a midlife crisis who makes a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

In the desert, near the biblical Emmaus, the Italo ad man gives Jesus a ride on his Jeep, hands him a Coke, and, while Jesus is quenching his thirst, says: "My God, what a testimonial!"

Coca Cola in a letter complained to producers Graziano Prota and Angelo Sconda demanding that the scene be cut because it is likely to give Coca Cola a negative image and complaining that use of their brand was unauthorized.

"We are not interested in this kind of product placement," a Coca Cola Italia spokeswoman said.

Too bad. Here at Oklahomily Central we consider ourselves fairly situated on the respectful side of the overall scale of devotion, and we rather suspect that Jesus would not hesitate to quaff a cold Coke if it gave Him the opportunity to minister to an ad executive (a type of human, in our experience, that could be considered "one of the least of our brothers"). Jesus, who said that it wasn't what a man ate or drank that polluted his character, is quite willing to use whatever materials are available - water, dirt, spittle - to teach and to touch!

Surely the soft drink giant doesn't think its product is unworthy, does it?

DISCLOSURE - The Oklahomilist is a Diet Coke addict, and freely admits that this dependency may color his commentary.