Posted on 05/15/2006 4:08:09 PM PDT by NYer
"Catholics Are Victims of an Offense"
ROME, MAY 15, 2006 (Zenit.org).- The press office of the Opus Dei Prelature sent this statement to ZENIT on Friday in response to comments by the director of the soon-to-be-released film "The Da Vinci Code."
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On Thursday the Italian press published interviews with Ron Howard, director of "The Da Vinci Code" film. In statements attributed to him, Howard said that "to deny the right to see the film is a fascist act," and also "to tell someone not to go see the film is an act of militancy and militancy generates hatred and violence." The Opus Dei is mentioned several times in these interviews. The phrases seem to refer to recent statements by Church authorities.
I would ask Ron Howard to keep calm and express himself with respect.
It is not wise to lose sight of the reality of the situation: This film is offensive to Christians. Howard represents the aggressor, and Catholics are victims of an offense. The one offended cannot have his last right taken away, which is to express his point of view. It is not the statements of ecclesiastics or the respectful request of Opus Dei -- to include a notice at the beginning of the film that it is a work of fiction -- which generates violence. It is rather the odious, false and unjust portrayals that fuel hatred.
In his statements, Howard also repeats that it is simply a film, an invented story, and that it must not be taken too seriously. But it is not possible to deny the importance of the movies and literature. Fiction influences our way of seeing the world, especially among young people. It is not right not to take it seriously. Artistic creativity certainly needs a climate of freedom, but freedom cannot be separated from responsibility.
Imagine a film that says that Sony was behind the attacks on the Twin Towers, which it promoted because it wanted to destabilize the United States. Or a novel that reveals that Sony paid the gunman who shot the Pope in St. Peter's Square in 1981, because it was opposed to the Holy Father's moral leadership. They are only invented stories. I imagine that Sony, a respectable and serious company, would not be happy to see itself portrayed in this way on the screens, and that it would not be satisfied with an answer such as "Don't worry, it's only fiction, it mustn't be taken too seriously, freedom of expression is sacred."
In any case, those who have taken part in the film's project have no reason to be concerned. Christians will not react with hatred and violence, but with respect and charity, without insults or threats. They can continue to calculate tranquilly the money they will make on the film, because the freedom of financial profit seems to be in fact the only sacred freedom, the only one exempt from all responsibility. They will probably make a lot of money, but they are paying a high price by deteriorating their prestige and reputation.
I hope the controversy of these months will not be sterile but serve to reflect on the relative character of financial profit when high values are involved; on the importance of fiction; on responsibility, which always supports and protects freedom.
[The statement added:]
The plan of Opus Dei's Communication Office in regard to this case may be found on the Web page www.opusdei.org, which explains in detail its position over these months.
[From] Manuel Sánchez Hurtado, in charge of relations with the international press, at the Opus Dei's press office in Rome
I watched part of the show on EWTN the other night that had the guy (which one I couldn't tell you lol) from Opus Dei on. It was very good. Even better was the Life on the Rock episode and they really very politely tore "Code" to shreds lol
However, this "fiction" is being seen as FACT by a large segment of the population, including some of the members of my family. I have the rebuttal material now, and I am glad the debunkers are out there. As to the protestations of the Church, I don't care either way.
Unfortunately those of us in the Catholic religion have been doormats for so long, I find it refreshing that some are willing to fight for what they believe in. To say that the Church has been living a lie for 2000 years is a bit over the top. (According to Dan Browne's book. ) It wouldn't be so bad if the masses did research and understood positions. Unfortunately we know that's not the case. How else do you explain Algore actually even competing in the 2000 election, or John Kerry for that matter. ; )
I would rather have people stand up for something, rather than be apathetic.
I appreciate your candor though.
God Bless!
That's quite a statement.
The inquisition was to stop the advancement of Islam in its tracks. The Muslims went into Constantinople bent on coverting or killing Christians. The Mideast was Christian long before it became Islamic. (Look at your history...)
The anniversary of that event is coming up on May 29. France was divided in two by the 100-years war at the time. The English along with their Burgundian allies controlled two thirds of what eventually became modern day France.
Joan of Arc, a 16-year old peasant from Lorraine, convinced the French Dauphin Charles VII, to make her a military commander in order to expell the English. The French army was retreated south of the Loire. The English had invested Orleans and were beseiging the town, the last natural barrier to English domination of France. Thanks to Joan's leadership, French forces won a decisive victory at Orleans and broke the 9 month long seige.
Joan went on to defeat English forces for the next 18 months. She led Charles to Reims where he was crowned King of France at the ancient capital. This was a tremendous psychological blow to the English. That along with her near miraculous skill as a military commander earned her the deep hatred of the English.
When she was captured during an assault on the town of Compeigne, she was sold to the Bishop of Beauvais who was a partisan of the English and Burgundian cause. The English paid all the expenses of her trial. Joan's fate was never in doubt. She was condemned to death as a relapsed heretic (for wearing men's clothes if you can believe that.)
25 years after her death when the English had been completely expelled, Charles VII petitioned the Pope to review her condemnation trial. A great inquiry was held that lasted 7 years but eventually found Joan entirely innocent of all charges. In addition, the original proceedings were found to be deeply flawed and in violation of Catholic legal statues. For example, Joan was not allowed legal representation, a clear violation of the rules of the Inquisition. She was also held in a civil prison and guarded by men rather than an ecclesiastical prison guarded by women as was required under law.
In the end Joan was entirely rehabilitated and her condemnation declared null and void.
On May 16, 1920, Joan was canonized in Rome.
Stop Islam by killing Jews, Protestants and Cathars. I don't think so. If the Catholic Church could bring back the Inquisition it would. Just like in Iran. Sorry to be so negative, but that is what the history shows us.
Judging from the reaction, Opie, if that's his real name (hey, did he ever finish high school?) seems a bit concerned about the cash proceeds. No reason to worry, you Hollywood homo, 44 million followers of fashion bought the trashy book, and they'll eagerly pay $9.50 each to to watch your porno.
I'm pretty sure it is only government who cannot sue for libel. I don't know how it would work when there is the disclaimer saying it is a work of fiction and yada yada yada. Obviously the defense couldn't try the truth defense, and with the work of fiction disclaimer they are admitting knowledge of falsity.
I am sorry my friend, but that's just wrong on so many levels.
You don't understand the faith my friend, but hopefully you will in time learn. If not, remember the good the faith has brought to millions.
Blessings to you!
Salem Massachussets wasn't exactly a bastion of Catholicism during the Witch Trials. The people of Salem were Puritans and would likely have regarded a Catholic as being on par with the reputed witches.
You, the guy in the flame retardant suit... take 5 minutes and list all the Catholic atrocities.
'can hardly be done in 5 minutes - where to start, well, here's some excerpts from Wikipedia - hardly an outfit with an ax to grind:
"The Inquisition was an institution within the Roman Catholic Church, charged with the eradication of heresy through peaceful conversion, but also sometimes by violent coercion. Heresy (from the Greek verb for, "to choose") is a natural obstacle to total control by a monarch or religious leader. If enough "heretics" decide to think for themselves, the absolute authority of the Crown and the Pope is threatened. .... Many groups suffered persecution by Papal inquisitions ... In the subsequent centuries there were Arius and his followers Arians and Manicheans; in the Middle Ages there were the Jews the Cathari and Waldenses; and in the Renaissance there were the Hussites, Lutherans, Calvinists, and Rosicrucians. Efforts to suppress heresies were initially ad hoc, but in the Middle Ages a permanent structure came into being to combat heresies. Roman Catholicism deemed it poper to convert, sometimes by violent means, people who maintained divergent opinions from their king and/or their Pope."
History>
"There were four Inquisitions; the Medieval Inquisition, the Spanish Inquisition, the Portuguese Inquisition and the Roman Inquisition. One would however be incorrect to presume that ... the inquisition was limited to these discrete events. (continued in Wikipedia link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inquisition
"The Cathars of Montsegur were massacred by crusaders in the employ of the Church of Rome.
"the Cathar defenders were burned en masse in a bonfire
"Catharism was for many years the prevalent form of Christianity in large areas of France, Spain and Italy. The Cathars called themselves the friends of God and condemned the literalist Church as the Church of the Anti-Christ. They claimed to be the living inheritors of the true Christian heritage that had persisted in secret and which still had large numbers of adherents throughout the world. Like the original Christians, the Cathars were vegetarians, believed in reincarnation and considered the Old Testament god Jehovah to be a tyrant... The Cathars were respected for their goodness, even by their opponents. The Catholic Bernard of Clairveaux writes: "If you interrogate them, no one could be more Christian. As to their conversation, nothing can be less reprehensible, and what they speak they prove by deeds. As for the morals of the heretics, they cheat non one, they oppress no one, they strike no one."
"Despite this, the infamous Inquisition was set up by the Literalist Church specifically to eradicate the cathars, which it did with ferocious enthusiasm, burning alive men, women and children. From 1139 onwards the Roman Church began calling councils to condemn the heretics. Pope Innocent III declared that 'anyone who attempted to construe a personal view of God which conflicted with Church dogma must be burned without pity'.
"In 1208 he offered indulgences and eternal salvation, as well as the lands and property taken from the heretics, to anyone who would take up the crusade against the Cathars. This launched a brutal 30-year pogrom which decimated southern France. Twelve thousand people were killed at St Nazaire and ten thousand at Toulouse, to give just two examples.
"By 1215, the Council of Lateran established the dread Inquisition. During the next 50 years the toll of those killed by this infamous arm of the Church climbed to one million, more than in all of the other crusades against heresies combined.
********************and that was just the Cathars...
Then there were the Knights Templar and.so on. (Do you know why Friday the 13th is considered unlucky. I was the date, in 1307, that - by the Pope's orders - the Knights Templar were slaughtered. They had more lands, castles and money than the Pope and thought to have the Temple treasures...motive???and the leader was burned at the stake...)
One of the reasons artists, scientists and architects developed codes to communicate with others was to avoid becoming a human marshmallow on the stake.
Both Copernicus and Galileo were hauled before the inquisition, their books burned, forced to recant or burn...
The Church thought it had wiped out the Cathars - but there are Cathars even today.
It is suspicioned that Leonardo was a Cathar -
You have the Internet at your fingertips, which opens up the world of knowledge and history, of libraries and museums of the whole world and you don't even have to leave your chair.
P.S. You probably aught to not make assumptions based on no knowledge: you call me "guy" - I'm a white-haired great grandmother ;o)
Nice soft answer to a hard criticism. Good technique in a bad cause. The Catholic Church fell in love with secular power and hasn't learned the lesson yet. That it made amends to Joan of Arc and Galileo years after it murdered or imprisoned them is just a reminder of what the church did wrong. I live a few miles from a seminary where dozens of young men were homosexually molested, and the molesters were not turned over to the secular authorities for punishment. Rather they were hidden and moved away from the scene of their crimes. I cannot forget this as I drive by this place several times a week. This isn't the fault of a few people, it is a fault of the institution. The bishops and cardinals knew of this and did nothing. Jesus wept.
It brings about humility.
Yes... the church has not been perfect, but to point only the bad and miss the untold good it has brought to millions really is a travesty.
All Christianity stems from Catholicism. This cannot be ignored. You must also remember the untold number of Christians, Catholic as well as protestant, that have died for their beliefs also needs to be brough to mind.
To say that the church is evil, and would be willing to bring back the inquisition is not only far off the mark, but insulting to those who are Catholic.
My answers were not soft, but stem from a deep faith.
Had the eucharist at the Catholic Church already. I didn't know it was not OK with the Catholic Church (being raised as a Presbyterian) but did it anyway when I was young (kneeling right next to my best friend, and practicing Catholic Kelly Coyes). Now I happen to know my history a bit better. You should take the time to get the facts. It might change your opinion.
History? "Historians" are currently in the process of presenting Bill Clinton as a "great president"... History is politics my friend.
I'm not saying the Church has been lily white throughout it's 2000 year history... but it's still here and the likes of John Paul the Great is an exclaimation point of the history of the Church to this point in time.
Now I expect to hear you state the pedophilia scandal... a "Blip" in HUMAN history... and remember what the Church is...it's whole premise is based on forgiveness... from the confessional a priest can't disclose anything confessed to anyone...even murder...it's up to the truly repentant "sinner" to make amends...if they don't the priest is still bound by his office to say nothing...
Get in touch with objective reality my friend.
"Whadda we care?! Prestige? They'll fawn all over us in Hollywood. Reputation? We'll be the envy of the next Oscars."
Hint to Opus Dei: It's the Man Upstairs who counts.
Salem was PURITAN... I used it as an example of non Catholic atrocities in history.
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