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Da Vinci Code: Today Show Buries Criticism Amidst Millions in Free Advertising
Today Show/NewsBusters ^ | Mark Finkelstein

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."


TOPICS: TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: archbishopamato; catholicleague; davincicode; itsjustadumbmovie; mattlauer; melissastark; nbc; patbuchanan; ronhoward; todayshow
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1 posted on 05/16/2006 5:45:17 AM PDT by governsleastgovernsbest
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To: Behind Liberal Lines; Miss Marple; an amused spectator; netmilsmom; Diogenesis; YaYa123; MEG33; ...

Today Show/NewsBusters ping.


2 posted on 05/16/2006 5:45:44 AM PDT by governsleastgovernsbest (Watching the Today Show Since 2002 So You Don't Have To.)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest
From those of us who said protesting this stupid, hateful movie would do no good and only add to the publicity...

WE TOLD YOU SO!

3 posted on 05/16/2006 5:46:48 AM PDT by Darkwolf377 (Stay home in November if the sacrifices that protect your right to vote mean that little to you.)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

"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.


4 posted on 05/16/2006 5:47:21 AM PDT by Shimmer128 (I've seen the village, I don't want it raising my children)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

Opie gone rotten.


5 posted on 05/16/2006 5:47:25 AM PDT by CheyennePress
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

"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!


6 posted on 05/16/2006 5:47:38 AM PDT by Disturbin (Hey Hey, Ho Ho, The Illegals Have to GO)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

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.


7 posted on 05/16/2006 5:48:44 AM PDT by AmericanMade1776
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

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.


8 posted on 05/16/2006 5:50:26 AM PDT by Always Right
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To: AmericanMade1776
The Media is promoting Fiction as truth.

Not uncommon in the MSM is it?

9 posted on 05/16/2006 5:52:34 AM PDT by TYVets (God so loved the world he didn't send a committee)
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To: AmericanMade1776
The Media is promoting Fiction as truth. Why, you might ask, to make money.

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.

10 posted on 05/16/2006 5:53:40 AM PDT by Always Right
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To: TYVets

Not really.... Media follows Goebbels teachings...
Goebbels said that "If the lie is big enough and told often enough, it will be believed."


11 posted on 05/16/2006 5:55:00 AM PDT by AmericanMade1776
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To: Always Right

Michael Moore mislead in his documentary, that tried to destroy President Bush, and the French Believed it.


12 posted on 05/16/2006 5:56:23 AM PDT by AmericanMade1776
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

And the movies website, "sogreattheconofman" is disgusting. Once again the unbelievers/liberals accusing the Christians of what they themselves are guilty of.


13 posted on 05/16/2006 5:58:18 AM PDT by thirst4truth
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To: Always Right

Great point.


14 posted on 05/16/2006 6:01:23 AM PDT by Pharmboy (Democrats lie because they must)
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To: AmericanMade1776

The Media is promoting Fiction as truth.



Up is down.

Right is wrong.

Wrong is right.

Lemme summarize the world as we know it today.

- Islam is a religion of peace
- Christianity is a religion of hatred
- Mexicans illegally entering our country are victims
- The cure for Mexican Govt corruption is to take their people
- There were no WMD in Iraq
- Ted Kennedy is a statesman
- Hillary Clinton is happily married
- Republicans are for fiscal discipline
15 posted on 05/16/2006 6:05:58 AM PDT by Paloma_55 (Still MAD as HELL!!!)
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To: AmericanMade1776

"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.


16 posted on 05/16/2006 6:07:35 AM PDT by OpusatFR
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To: governsleastgovernsbest
There was an excellent show on the National Geographic Channel last night that not only debunked the entire Divinci Code theory of Christ's bloodline leading to French royalty, but is specifically demonstrated that the entire Prior of Sidon (Christ's family tree) matter was a hoax perpetrated in the mid-1950's that the author even admitted under oath was a complete fabrication.
17 posted on 05/16/2006 6:08:36 AM PDT by CWW (GOP 2008 Dream Ticket -- George Allen (Pres) and Mark Sanford (V.P.))
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To: Disturbin
"Go away, Opie, and take your anti-Catholic rubbish with you. Other than that, I have no strong feelings on the matter!

And anti-Christian

18 posted on 05/16/2006 6:09:36 AM PDT by standingfirm
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To: All

I'd appreciate it if someone would bump this thread to any Catholic ping lists.


19 posted on 05/16/2006 6:09:47 AM PDT by governsleastgovernsbest (Watching the Today Show Since 2002 So You Don't Have To.)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

Can't believe any sane person would go to see this revolting POS, fiction or not!


20 posted on 05/16/2006 6:09:59 AM PDT by FixitGuy
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