Posted on 05/10/2006 7:13:23 PM PDT by Libloather
Official wants Da Vinci movie banned
Wed May 10, 8:51 AM ET
MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippine government should ban the controversial movie "The Da Vinci Code," a senior official in the mainly Catholic country said Wednesday, describing the religious thriller as blasphemous.
The film, based on the best-selling fiction novel of the same title, is due to open in Manila's cinemas next week.
"I think we should do everything not to allow it to be shown," said Eduardo Ermita, executive secretary to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, expressing his personal opinion as a "devout Catholic."
He told journalists the state's censors should take a closer look at its guidelines before giving the green light to the film whose central premise is that Jesus Christ sired a child by Mary Magdalene.
More than 80 percent of the Philippines' 85 million population are Roman Catholic. Along with Malta, the Philippines is one of only two countries in the world without a divorce law and frowns on the promotion of artificial contraception.
"In the name of many like you who love and revere the Son of God made Man, I strongly appeal to you that the showing of the film 'Da Vinci Code' be banned throughout our land," said a Roman Catholic archbishop in a letter to the chief censor this week.
Ramon Arguelles of the archdiocese of Lipa, south of Manila, said the movie was an affront to Christianity, reminding the censors that the government had imposed a ban on another movie, "The Last Temptation of Christ" in the 1980s.
Ermita said Arroyo, also a devout Roman Catholic, has not made any statement on the issue. She is due to return from a four-day state visit to Saudi Arabia Thursday.
"It's something that we should not be talking about," he said, referring to the movie's storyline. "We might get struck by lightning."
What an idiot. Does he not understand the concept of FICTION?
We're now anxiously awaiting the post that will reveal us another deeply held secret, that the only reason for the popularity of this piece of crap are the protests of the Catholic Church!
A bigger problem is that a lot of people who call themselves Christian, do not understand the concept of Fiction. Brown himself plays to this and manipulates it.
I have never seen Catholics so freaked in my life. The molestation charges didn't get this reaction, although it was fairly close.
I'd like to see some polls where Catholics will leave the church if they see this movie.
This is stupidty beyond belief.
Don't think for a second that I support this guy, but I would point out that Brown basically says that the facts are all true, and unfortunetly millions and millions of morons believe him.
These people take crap too seriously.
First we attacked Islam because they couldn't handle criticism, now are we suppose to attack Catholicism?
I'm ready to criticize if I must.
PING! This thread oughta make your day!
Too many are overreacting to this movie. Calling for a ban is absurd. By David Brown's own admission, this is a work of fiction.
I will not watch the movie in part because it attacks the Catholic Church. While I'm not Catholic, I regard the Church as a force for good and have great respect for its devout followers. But placing a ban on a film denies the individual to make his or her own choice.
The only legitimate way to undermine this movie is to refuse to pay money to see it.
How did the crazy old guy from Friday the 13th ("You're all doomed!") get appointed as the Philippine president's executive secretary?
He should have waited till next week, that would have been just in time for opening weekend. It'll probably still help a little though. You cant buy advertising like this.
The way the supposed documents upon which he trusts so deeply for the 'Grail truth in his novel' were planted in the French archives is a major bummer for Brown, but mwdiawhoredom won't make much of that fact.
(Shakes head) A lot of people have drunk the Kool-Aid
That's over the top. It's fiction. Angels and Demons on the other hand is not seen as anti-Catholic.
Well, that oughta bring 'em in, or I don't know Arkansas.
Oh believe me, it is, but a movie isn't being made about it...yet.
The local radio talk-show host has been taking calls asking why Catholics are so offended by this book.
I got about half-way through before it bogged down and got boring but it seems to me that Catholics would not be the only ones who would have reason to take offense. An overbearing theme in this book seems to be the whole "goddess" concept which would hit a discerning Protestant with just as bad taste in the mouth.
Well, there was that Crusades thing. Then the Spanish Inquisition. Then "The Exorcist""
I'm not Catholic, so I guess I just don't understand.
If only the book were better literature, like Umberto Eco's novels. It's always a shame when kitsch succeeds to such a degree.
But to be fair, I didn't see two out of the three you listed.
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