It would be like St. Peter going to Rome and then spending his time there watching the gladiators in the Colliseum, or watching plays designed to mock the faith. The whole premise of this movie, the Illuminati and their persecution by the Church, is a lie. It never happened. I don’t think it would be wrong to watch the movie so we can discuss it with people - but I’d hate to be giving money to the people producing this garbage.
Funny how they don’t make movies slandering other religions like Islam or Hinduism - that would be politically incorrect. But it’s perfectly acceptable to make movies that are complete lies about Catholicism.
I wrote this piece and posted it in public places at the time when the Da Vinci craze was at its height. With similar kind of movies in Hollywood’s pipeline, I hope this would not be out of sync:
WHAT IS THE SENSIBLE ATTITUDE OF A CHRISTIAN
TOWARDS THE DA VINCI CODE?
Many things have been said and written about the Da Vinci Code. While almost all agree that it is a work of fiction, nobody disputes that it is superbly crafted. The more we hear the pros and cons of it in media, the greater is our eagerness to see the movie or read the book if we have not yet done so.
This preoccupation leads us to forget to ask the most important question as a Christian: What is the best decision as far as seeing the movie or reading the book is concerned?
Consider the following:
- By portraying Jesus as being married to Mary Magdalene, the novel denies the events of the Crucifixion, the Resurrection and, by implication, all the central tenets of Christianity re-volving around those events. Remember that although the story is fictional, the author claims that the historical portrayal about Jesus is authentic. In other words, the story claims that Christianity is not only a hoax but the biggest hoax in history. So stupendous is the hoax that the perpetrators of the conspiracy, which is continuing until our time, are willing to commit murders in order to cover it up.
- The story therefore is a grievous attack on our Christian religion.
- If you really believe in the divinity of Christ, then the book/movie makes a blasphemous claim about our savior.
- Had a similar movie been made against Islam, even with half as malicious a claim, we will surely have a war in our hand. This is not to advocate such a response –only to point out how the Muslims’ heart is more consistent than that of many of us Christians.
- If somebody makes a false accusation against a friend, the sensible response is indignation (and not pleasure) and, if possible, an effort to defend that friend.
- What kind of a friend of Jesus are we, when we pay just to see him being maliciously in-sulted while we sit comfortably, munching pop corn?
- If we see this kind of movie, we are rewarding the author and all those that make the movie possible. Therefore we are encouraging them to make another such project.
- Somebody said that if one losses his/her faith on the basis of a movie, maybe he did not have the faith worth saving in the first place. But I say, if one who claims to have strong faith sees the movie for no other reason than to enjoy it, then he/she may not have the faith after all.
In the gospel of St. Matthew, Jesus is quoted to have said that when He comes back to earth, he will separate the sheep from the goats. Theologians tell us that those who took the side of the goats did not have to be forced to go there. They just decide to be there. Small events like this, where we are to make a decision, can be considered as a “rehearsal” for that big event. Are we going to say YES to the movie and be a goat or are we going to say NO and be a sheep? And, to continue the analogy, in this case, Jesus would say to the goats, “and when, not just my little ones, but I, personally were insulted, you, not only did not defend me, but took pleasure in the spectacle instead!”
