What side of Da Vinci debate are you on?

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Have you ever heard a fellow Catholic say the Da Vinci Code blasphemy “is just a work of fiction,” and that there is no need to protest against it? I have. And when I do, my blood pressure goes up…

If you’re still wondering, here’s a Catholic mom’s account to consider:

"My daughter has Multiple Sclerosis, the progressive type which is anticipated by doctors to limit her 37 year-old life. She read *The Da Vinci Code * and since that time, has turned away from the Bible as ‘the words of men, not God’ and strongly verbalizes the theories supported in the book regarding Jesus and his ‘marriage to Mary Magdalene’ who is the ‘head of the church,’ and has stated it should be Mary, the mother of Jesus, whom we should worship. It is such a twisted view of biblical history that I am helpless to counter it!

“As a result of this hideous travesty of the right of free speech, my daughter is missing the chance to know Jesus in her last years due to the insanity spewed forth by this ‘harmless fiction.’ I support all efforts to protest against those who attempt to mold and malign the words and life of Jesus to suit themselves and their questionable agendas.”

This is not a single, isolated case. I know of many others. We must do something, as a Catholic community.

Consider signing this protest petition to Columbia Pictures, the producer of the upcoming Da Vinci Code movie. Go to…

tfp.org/student_action/php/da_vinci.php

Thanks and God bless!
 
You’ll only feed the publicity machine with this. Caution, discretion, and dismiss it… it’ll go away. It just this years hot button.

The DVC was just a page turning book. Noy particularly great, but entertaining, and I never took it as anything but fiction. Pity weak minded fools will fall down the slope to beieve it as gospel though.

I’d forget about it if I were you. In fact it’s been about 18months since I’ve read the pulp, and it’s already starting to fade from the recesses of my own memory. It’s junk food for the mind.

emp
 
The Jesus/Magdalane connection is not Dan Brown’s. That entire theory was put forth in a non-fiction bood “Holy Blood, Holy Grail” which I read over ten years ago. The author is very meticulous though I don’t agree with his theory. He is currently sueing Brown for copyright infringement.

The world is full of people with weird ideas and they have every right to speak about them. Yes, it is true that many people are very gullible. But people have to take responsibility for what the believe. If you chose to believe this and you think the research shows that it is true, that’s fine. If you want to look deeper into it, don’t believe it, that’s fine too. It’s not our job to tell people what to believe.

More to the point, why pick on DVC? The are alot of religions that do not believe Jesus was the Christ. Should we take away their rights to discuss their beliefs? We’d have the Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddists, and that’s just the main large groups. Regulation of ideas simply results in stagnation. Only the free discussion of ideas and ideals brings forth fruit.
 
There is an important distinction to be made here between innocent ideas, on one hand, and blasphemy, libel or slander on the other.

In the case of The Da Vinci Code, we’re dealing with a case of blasphemy which is harming the good image and reputation of Our Lord and the Catholic Church – at least in the eyes of millions of people.

You call that freedom of speech? Please spare me.
 
A work of fiction can contain blasphemy and the Da Vinci Code does to a great extent. Every believer in Christ should be outraged at the insults its applies to Christ.

Now if we were radical Islamic worshipers, we would be obligated to call a religious war on all participants in writing, publishing, and distributing the book and the movies as well as the movie’s actors, producers, and director. Ron Howard should be thankful that the Catholic Church is not as depicted in the movie, because it is was, he would have been assassinated by albino monks a long time before film shooting was completed.
 
T.A.Stobie:
A work of fiction can contain blasphemy and the Da Vinci Code does to a great extent. Every believer in Christ should be outraged at the insults its applies to Christ.

Now if we were radical Islamic worshipers, we would be obligated to call a religious war on all participants in writing, publishing, and distributing the book and the movies as well as the movie’s actors, producers, and director. ** Ron Howard should be thankful that the Catholic Church is not as depicted in the movie, because it is was, he would have been assassinated by albino monks a long time before film shooting was completed**.
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Great point. The fact he can produce the movie is proof the book is fiction. I’ll use it more often.

But I do think sometimes when we pick out something as the “offense” of the month (DaVinci, Brokeback, remember Last Temptation of Christ 20 years ago?), we enhance their monetary reward by creating controversy which only leads to more scandalous books and movies.
 
T.A.Stobie:
A work of fiction can contain blasphemy and the Da Vinci Code does to a great extent. Every believer in Christ should be outraged at the insults its applies to Christ…
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It’s fiction. The dignity of Christ will manage.
T.A.Stobie:
Now if we were radical Islamic worshipers, we would be obligated to call a religious war on all participants in writing, publishing, and distributing the book and the movies as well as the movie’s actors, producers, and director. Ron Howard should be thankful that the Catholic Church is not as depicted in the movie, because it is was, he would have been assassinated by albino monks a long time before film shooting was completed.
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But we aren’t. Your point about the albino monks is a good one, though; perhaps melanoma killed them all?
 
I am in the ignore the stupid book and it will go away.

A couple of times I have been asked about it and I tell people that it contains the same amount of truth as The Wizard of Oz. The Conspiracy of the Church is as credible as the Emerald City.

I am afraid that the more people protest, the more people will go see the movie. Remember, if the movie bombs, there won’t be another one.
 
Unfortunately, it probably won’t bomb. I have been able to use it though, as a starting point for discussions about mis-conceptions of the Catholic Faith. Some who don’t care to discuss theology will gladly discuss this trash, and hence theology, without knowing. It does not take long to then move on to other items of more substance.
 
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MrS:
Unfortunately, it probably won’t bomb. I have been able to use it though, as a starting point for discussions about mis-conceptions of the Catholic Faith. Some who don’t care to discuss theology will gladly discuss this trash, and hence theology, without knowing. It does not take long to then move on to other items of more substance.
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Good point,

And I for one have used the book to dicuss the Real Christ and the reality of the Catholic Church to people who have read the book. When they’re ready to believe the book… They say something like, “I loved that book.” And I’ll say, “I quite enjoyed it too. What did you like about The DVC?” And they’ll tell me, and I’ll say, “That’s great, but this is what really happened.” And then I can lay some Truth on them. I find it a great vehicle to actually discuss the Gospel.

emp.
 
Although it’s ridiculous, I say we have to debate the book. Disprove it. Fight lies with truth.
 
I say its rather malicious, or at the least arrogant, for claiming to be fact when it is indeed fiction.
 
Well, I think that much like Harry Potter, and quite possibly some of the bible itself, it is well written fiction, nothing more.

And before I get swamped for saying some of the bible is fictitious, how many of your actually believe that the world was creating in 4400BC, as can be deduced from careful reading of the bible?
 
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empacae:
Good point,

And I for one have used the book to dicuss the Real Christ and the reality of the Catholic Church to people who have read the book. When they’re ready to believe the book… They say something like, “I loved that book.” And I’ll say, “I quite enjoyed it too. What did you like about The DVC?” And they’ll tell me, and I’ll say, “That’s great, but this is what really happened.” And then I can lay some Truth on them. I find it a great vehicle to actually discuss the Gospel.

emp.
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This is exactly what the priest at my parish said. Take this as an opportunity to teach what the Catholic church IS.

And to “Koda”, the Jesus/Mary Magdalene connection was also part of “The Last Temptation Of Christ” from some years ago. I remember when that book came out. We were all told NOT to see the movie or read the book. I read/saw both versions and I am still strong in my faith.
Kathy
 
One other thing. The Last Temptation of Christ, I saw it over 15 yeras ago, and only saw it once. But if memory serves the entire movie happened within the dying moments of Christ on the cross. The movie graphically moved beyond heresy over the course of the picture only to snap it back again right at the end, and thus I thought was brilliant, and only occured in Jesus’ mind, That being His last temptation from the devil. He never succumbed to the Temptation, but the devil was tempting Him right there at the crusifixion. Though I don’t think I could sit through another viewing of it, but I don’t think I could see The Passion of the Christ a second time either.

emp.
 
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Ham1:
I am afraid that the more people protest, the more people will go see the movie.
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Exactamundo.

Suppose we start protesting and demanding that theaters not show the movie because it insults our religion. The media catches onto this, and then all of a sudden audiences are titillated with this new advertising angle of the forbidden:

“The DaVinci Code. The movie the Catholic Church doesn’t want you to see!”

Don’t give them the ammo.
 
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Irene:
I say its rather malicious, or at the least arrogant, for claiming to be fact when it is indeed fiction.
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I don’t think Dan Brown ever claimed TNC was fact.
 
Protest it no, but contest what it is putting forth yes. There are a lot of people who’ve had enough formation to not be lead astray, but not everyone has the same amount of formation. While I think there are going to be a handful of people who will agree with the theology of it, most will see it, assume one view is just as good as another, and fall into further apathy. You can see reviewers now lumping Passion of the Christ and Da Vince Code, saying that they are both proof that spirituality is in fashion. That seems like saying there are all kinds of stories on Creationism and Evolution so science news is really in fashion. If one cannot see there is a distintion between the two, one doesn’t really know the subject well. If people cannot see the distinctions in theology, Catholics need to up their formation when they get the chance.
 
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