Posted on 05/16/2006 5:45:12 AM PDT by governsleastgovernsbest
by Mark Finkelstein
May 16, 2006
Let's be clear: the Da Vinci Code portrays Christianity as a fraud and the Roman Catholic Church as a murderous conspiracy. As Archbishop Angelo Amato, the number two official in the Vatican doctrinal office which was headed by Pope Benedict until his election last year recently stated, if "such lies and errors had been directed at the Koran or the Holocaust they would have justly provoked a world uprising."
Yet the Today show has decided to offer the movie, scheduled for release this week, untold millions in free advertising by devoting hours of, um, worshipful coverage to it, and even sending Matt Lauer to Europe for the week where he will be "On the Road with the Code."
This morning we were treated to Matt exploring the Louvre, where the Code begins. We were told of a new wave of Code tourism, in which people plan travels around the world to explore the sites portrayed in the movie. NBC reporter Melissa Stark engaged in respectful, at times almost giddy, interviews with some of the films actors and with director Ron Howard.
Finally, some 47 minutes into this morning's show, Today timidly stuck its toe into the matter, as Stark made reference to the fact that the Da Vinci Code had stirred controversy.
So, just whom did Today choose to discuss the controversy? Archbishop Amato himself or another Vatican spokesman? William Donohue, whose Catholic League has written an open letter to director Howard? Perhaps Pat Buchanan, an MSNBC analyst and frequent Today guest who has written an outraged column about the Da Vinci Code? Nope. Today chose . . . Da Vince Code director Ron Howard himself! Howard made some vague, elliptical remarks about the movie encouraging people "to make some choices themselves and about what they feel and how they believe." Howard let us know that "I feel that kind of engagement is a healthy thing." Thanks for sharing, Ron.
Incredibly, Today never even told us what the controversy was all about. If they rely on the Today show, believing Roman Catholics would enter theaters unaware that the movie portrays their religion as a malevolent, murderous fraud.
Again, try to imagine a movie that, in the same way, treated Mohammed as a hoaxster and Islam as a murderous fraud of a religion. Do you think Today would devote days to celebrating the magnificence of the film and its themes and bury any criticism with some oblique comments from the movie's director?
As Buchanan said in his column: "the hoopla attending the release of 'The Da Vinci Code,' based on the Dan Brown novel that has sold 7 million copies in the United States, tells us something about whose God it is permissible to mock and whose faith one is allowed to assault."
Today Show/NewsBusters ping.
WE TOLD YOU SO!
"Again, try to imagine a movie that, in the same way, treated Mohammed as a hoaxster and Islam as a murderous fraud of a religion."
But that would be NON-FICTION and this is complete fiction.
Opie gone rotten.
"Howard let us know that "I feel that kind of engagement is a healthy thing." Thanks for sharing, Ron."
Go away, Opie, and take your anti-Catholic rubbish with you. Other than that, I have no strong feelings on the matter!
The Divinci Code is FICTION....FICTION.....NOT BASED ON FACT.... Just keep repeating that.
The Media is promoting Fiction as truth. Why, you might ask, to make money. The more hype, the more that will attend.
And compare that to how the MSM treated 'The Passion'. All the media could talk about is whether that film will envolk hatred towards Jews and whether it should be edited. Not much was said about how much buzz there was about the firm in the Christian community. Of course, the media talking to real Christians is like going to a war zone. The media just doesn't do it unless they think they can smear them.
Not uncommon in the MSM is it?
I disagree, it has little to do with money. It is just most in the media love to bash Christians. Most people in media are not about the money, it is about the agenda.
Not really.... Media follows Goebbels teachings...
Goebbels said that "If the lie is big enough and told often enough, it will be believed."
Michael Moore mislead in his documentary, that tried to destroy President Bush, and the French Believed it.
And the movies website, "sogreattheconofman" is disgusting. Once again the unbelievers/liberals accusing the Christians of what they themselves are guilty of.
Great point.
"The Divinci Code is FICTION....FICTION.....NOT BASED ON FACT.... Just keep repeating that."
At one of the facilities I visit, the receptionist is shocked that Catholics have believed lies for centuries.
"...And it says right here, at the beginning of the book that this is all true!"
Yeah, fiction for some becomes absolute truth for all too many others.
And anti-Christian
I'd appreciate it if someone would bump this thread to any Catholic ping lists.
Can't believe any sane person would go to see this revolting POS, fiction or not!
Isn't this the evening news?
Exactly... but try to read the first page... Dan Brown is trying to persuade the reader that stuff written in his book are factual despite the fact that it's just a novel...
Dan Brown is just an anti-christian individual just as Salman Rushdie is to Islam..
I hope Dan Brown will write another book entitled "Da Muzzie Code"... explaining the relationship of Mohammad and Gay Arabs...lol... sarc//
I think it's not an either/or proposition--- the media will hype and sensationalize to make money (most evident in sweeps), but always within their leftist parameters. of course, 99% of the time when making money conflicts with advancing leftism, they choose leftism.
I hope nobody who thinks this attempt to promote gnosticism is crap goes to see the movie. You don't have to, to be informed on it, since you can just read the book... Which is incredibly crappy anyway, with some of the flattest prose, one dimensional characters and contrived, predictable plots since "the Celestine Prophecy".
"This is not a novel to be tossed aside lightly. It should be thrown aside with great force."
---Dorothy Parker
It's Prior of Sion... not Sidon... but you're right, it was a hoax...
Hey, Ron, eff you!
Now, we return to our normal programming.
Anyone out there with some $$$ ? I picture a man under the influence of opium, walking up a mountainside, after raping a nine year old girl he appearantly calls one of his wives. Then sees a vision, who wouldn't at this point, of what he believes to be something sacred. This start of the movie would lead to the forming of the cult Islam. Plenty of 'peaceful' beheadings should be shown too.
"I disagree, it has little to do with money. It is just most in the media love to bash Christians. Most people in media are not about the money, it is about the agenda."
Howard, congratulations, you are now Ted Turner's favorite wet dream.
...And guess what Tom? I was the only one on the planet who defended Joe & the Volcano. You insensitive, balding, has been.
>>Opie gone rotten.<<
At least now we see that Opie and Hanks are just typical Hollywood a-holes.
--History Channel had it too--
Question for the rest of us: Is the popcorn for eating or throwing at the screen?
I'd like to ask Hanks and Howard when it was that they last attended a church service of any kind? Their God is the Almighty Buck. Period.
One reason they are avoiding "the controversy" is that they do not want to give away the whole plot to those who want to see the movie.
So what if their god is the almighty buck? At least their god exists. And if their "god" compels them to make a movie, instead of suppressing evidence about child molestation, justifying homophobia, or supporting repression of women's reproductive rights, then their god hasn't compelled them yet to do anything half as destructive as the Catholic church has so far.
Wow. So why don't you tell us all how you feel?
So, all Catholics are evil? Is that it? You have a lot to learn.
Now THAT'S an almighty buck!!! LOL!
: )
That's a code phrase for "saying it's wrong to suck babies brains out of their skulls so we can keep fornicating like crazed rabbits without consequences".
I just want to make it clear that you hate the Catholic church and love killing innocent children, Pfft.
How does a buck compel someone to make a movie? Assuming one worships the buck. Is it all knowing and all seeing? Does it compel one to be moral? Does the buck instill faith in itself or in man?
I knew you atheists would be along soon.
The lead in text on the move "Fargo" said it was based on a true story. It wasn't. It was all made up :~D
Oh and don't miss his code for "justifying homophobia", which is code for 'never question the motives of the gender-confused, because they're NOT harmful pedophiles like so many of you **racists** seem to think.'
"And anti-Christian"
Very true, I didn't mean to omit the others .....
"Let's be clear: the Da Vinci Code portrays Christianity as a fraud and the Roman Catholic Church as a murderous conspiracy"
Once again, the left is jealous of the Catholic Church because they are such a huge world-wide provider of health and human services, embarassing the liberals who can't gather nearly that much support by stealing money from taxpayers.
You're a Christophobe. How do ya like it?
Christophobe Columbus?
Hey maybe the movie studio's are behind these Da Vinci protests...just to get the extra ticket sales based on "bad publicity".
Reminds me of how well the Muslims did protesting against CARTOONS that they said were blasphemous....
"Muslim cartoon fury claims lives...The Danish embassy in Tehran was the scene of angry protests At least five people have been killed in Afghanistan as protests against European cartoons mocking the Prophet Muhammad swept across the country."
Oh, but THIS time it's DIFFERENT! See, that was a protest against defaming a religious figure and this time it's, well, different...;)
I have been argued with on this site because I called this stupid book anti-Catholic, illogical, boring, full of errors, and plain hateful.
But anyone who says that--threats of murder aside-- protesting the showing of this no-doubt boring movie is somehow right when protesting Muhammad cartoons was so wrong, well, I don't think they're thinking their position through.
Whoever pays money to see this junk deserves what they get. Whoever doesn't want to see it--don't.
Sometimes people just need to step away from their first emotional gut reaction and look at the entire picture. My faith isn't so fragile that it would be shaken by a work of fiction...I find it disheartening that in the days ahead we will be deluged but the MSM painting Christians otherwise.
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