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!
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