Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Defenders of the faith: Protesters will be there when 'Da Vinci' code opens
The Daily Herald ^ | Wednesday, May 17, 2006 | Jamie Sotonoff

Posted on 05/17/2006 5:24:30 AM PDT by 2Jim_Brown

Betty Christensen doesn’t know how many people will join her, but she plans to stand in protest Friday outside the Elk Grove Theatre as “The Da Vinci Code” debuts.

Rain or shine, she will pray the rosary, sing religious hymns and hold a sign that says, “Stop Blasphemy.”

“I’m going out there in defense of our Catholic faith and beliefs,” Christensen said. “What the movie and the book said … it’s all lies. It’s very offensive.”

Dodie Przybycien will do the same at the Woodridge Theater Friday, although the Clarendon Hills woman also will hand out fliers about Jesus and the Catholic Church.

“There are a lot of Catholics who will be going to see this, and they’ll say, ‘Oh, it’s just another way of looking at it.’ No it’s not! It’s blasphemy! Jesus did not marry Mary Magdalene. Get a grip, folks!” she said.

These protests — or “prayer vigils,” as organizers call them — will occur across the Chicago area this weekend. Some 1,000 demonstrations are planned nationwide.

Leading the effort is The American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property, a Catholic organization whose members believe Dan Brown’s “The Da Vinci Code” mocks Jesus and the Catholic Church.

“We’re not going to allow these types of attacks on religion — in our case on Catholicism — to go unchallenged,” said Preston Noell of Park Ridge, who coordinates the campaign in the Chicago area.

Listed among the targets is Regal Cinemas Round Lake Beach 18.

Come Friday, “The Da Vinci Code” will air on five screens for a total 18 showings at the theater. That eclipses the four screens afforded “Mission: Impossible III” but is fewer than the six screens for “Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith.”

Protests with prayer, hymns and rosaries might do more to fuel interest in the highly anticipated film rather than dampen it, manager Rick Roberts said.

“If people drive by and see people protesting, I think they would turn around and go, ‘Maybe we should see this,’” Roberts said.

While the protests are expected to be peaceful, local police departments say they will send an officer to make sure neither protesters nor moviegoers get out of hand.

Protests are just one way many Catholics and other Christians are countering the film’s controversy. They’re also coordinating educational campaigns, creating Web sites, publishing books and videos, and providing speakers for community groups. The idea is to spur discussion and make it “a teaching opportunity.”

Hype about a movie that rewrites the story of Jesus convinced Przybycien to say, “enough” and stand up for her faith.

“By being out there, I’m hoping people will think twice about seeing the movie,” she said. “They should realize it’s a story. It’s fiction.”

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

dailyherald.com


TOPICS: TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: catholic; church; davincicode; itsjustadumbmovie; protest
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-36 next last
We're going to join the prayer vigil on Friday at the River East 21/AMC Cinema on 332 East Illinois Street in downtown Chicago at 11 a.m. You are welcome to come and join us.
1 posted on 05/17/2006 5:24:32 AM PDT by 2Jim_Brown
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: 2Jim_Brown

I wonder if the Catholics will riot, burn Ron Howard in effigy, destroy the Danish embassy, and kill innocent on-lookers.


2 posted on 05/17/2006 5:27:48 AM PDT by Tulane
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tulane

Maybe not....
susie


3 posted on 05/17/2006 5:32:02 AM PDT by brytlea (amnesty--an act of clemency by an authority by which pardon is granted esp. to a group of individual)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: 2Jim_Brown

Didn't Christ make reference to a perverse generation????
(Matthew 17:17 and Luke 9:41)


4 posted on 05/17/2006 5:32:21 AM PDT by Just mythoughts
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tulane

Not likely. They will probably stand there and get insults hurled at them by all the anti- Christ movie goers.


5 posted on 05/17/2006 5:34:43 AM PDT by Nathan Zachary
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Just mythoughts

"Didn't Christ make reference to a perverse generation????
(Matthew 17:17 and Luke 9:41)"

I believe these things go in cycles.

People are naturally selfish and hate God because He demands they put Him and others before themselves. As the population turns more and more self-absorbed, destruction naturally follows. At some point, the society will collapse and it will be anarchy.

Those who survive, will remember that God allowed them to survive and will be faithful to Him. They will teach their children and they will obey. And so the cycle goes...


6 posted on 05/17/2006 5:37:06 AM PDT by Paloma_55 (Still MAD as HELL!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Tulane
I wonder if the Catholics will riot, burn Ron Howard in effigy, destroy the Danish embassy, and kill innocent on-lookers.

The liberal media is keeping their fingers crossed. You can count on the slightest act of vandalism or violence (should any happen at all) to be front page headline news with the press screaming, "See!!! Not just Muslims are violent!!!"

7 posted on 05/17/2006 5:37:23 AM PDT by Drew68
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Tulane
I wonder if the Catholics will riot, burn Ron Howard in effigy, destroy the Danish embassy, and kill innocent on-lookers.

If what I read is correct about this movie being a stinker in its own right..the only rioting will be done by movie goers demanding their money back..

8 posted on 05/17/2006 5:39:54 AM PDT by BerniesFriend
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Paloma_55
I will not disagree about the cyclical nature of things since the beginning, however, what is different this day from the beginning is the method of communication wherein a push of a button the whole world can be whispered to in an instant.
9 posted on 05/17/2006 5:41:50 AM PDT by Just mythoughts
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: 2Jim_Brown

This may not be the best strategy. According to early reviews from the Cannes Film Festival, the movie is awful. Many reviewers whistled and booed and at a key point in the movie, they erupted in laughter. Ignoring the movie is probably the best thing. Let it die of it's own absurdity and pomposity.


10 posted on 05/17/2006 5:43:59 AM PDT by Reaganesque
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2Jim_Brown

“There are a lot of Catholics who will be going to see this, and they’ll say, ‘Oh, it’s just another way of looking at it.’ No it’s not! It’s blasphemy! Jesus did not marry Mary Magdalene. Get a grip, folks!” she said."

Sounds like SHE needs to get a grip. It's F-I-C-T-I-O-N. It's a movie.


11 posted on 05/17/2006 5:44:39 AM PDT by Gone GF
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2Jim_Brown
Of all the strange "crimes" that human beings have legislated out of nothing, "blasphemy" is the most amazing.

ROBERT HEINLEIN



People must think GOD is so weak that they have to protect GOD.
12 posted on 05/17/2006 5:48:37 AM PDT by HuntsvilleTxVeteran ("Remember the Alamo, Goliad and WACO, It is Time for a new San Jacinto")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2Jim_Brown
"We're going to join the prayer vigil"

Good for you! If nothing else your actions will show opie and tom hanks that their participation in this project is disgusting to many people. By tying their names in w/ this piece of trash they have disappointed a lot of their fan base.

I'm not one that typically holds an artists' political views against them by way of a boycott (except of course for madonna) but these two deserve a special contempt.

Neither of them will ever make another nickel from me.

13 posted on 05/17/2006 5:51:17 AM PDT by Pietro
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2Jim_Brown

… it’s all lies. Exactly, it's fiction. Protesting will give it more than it's due. just my opinion. Nomex suit on.


14 posted on 05/17/2006 5:52:53 AM PDT by showme_the_Glory (No more rhyming, and I mean it! ..Anybody want a peanut.....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Gone GF; 2Jim_Brown
It's F-I-C-T-I-O-N. It's a movie.

It'll all be over in about a month. Try to hang in there.

15 posted on 05/17/2006 5:55:55 AM PDT by siunevada (If we learn nothing from history, what's the point of having one? - Peggy Hill)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Reaganesque
This may not be the best strategy. According to early reviews from the Cannes Film Festival, the movie is awful. Many reviewers whistled and booed and at a key point in the movie, they erupted in laughter. Ignoring the movie is probably the best thing. Let it die of it's own absurdity and pomposity.

EXACTLY! If this movie had been a well made anti-Christian movie, then we should be concerned. However, since it is so awful, we should just let it die out. Creating controversy is the only way for this movie to do well now. Don't play into their hands. Bad word of mouth will kill this movie IF we let it.
16 posted on 05/17/2006 6:00:44 AM PDT by NinoFan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: showme_the_Glory
"… it’s all lies. Exactly, it's fiction. Protesting will give it more than it's due. just my opinion. Nomex suit on."

I agree. Remember "The last temptation of Christ"? It caused the same type of uproar but then it actually came out, it sucked, and it was gone and forgotten in two months. The Christian Church is still going strong.

17 posted on 05/17/2006 6:06:30 AM PDT by joebuck
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: showme_the_Glory
I agree. The film critics in Cannes have already panned this movie, the highest and best way to make it go away is to ignore it. Some religious people protesting outside theaters just gives it publicity that it cannot buy.

If religious people who don't like the premise of this film worry about the poll numbers reporting how many folks think this is true, then it's just an indictment of their ability to get their own version of the truth out there.

18 posted on 05/17/2006 6:07:37 AM PDT by hunter112 (Total victory at home and in the Middle East!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: 2Jim_Brown
Betty Christensen doesn’t know how many people will join her, but she plans to stand in protest Friday outside the Elk Grove Theatre as “The Da Vinci Code” debuts.

That is sure to generate more free publicity for the movie.
19 posted on 05/17/2006 6:11:20 AM PDT by R. Scott (Humanity i love you because when you're hard up you pawn your Intelligence to buy a drink)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2Jim_Brown
How about using some of the factual information about the silliness within the Da Vinci code to give people the truth? I'm not against prayer--but the apostles used the truth of history to convince people of their faith in Christ. We should use that, too.

Here is a good place to start: Stand To Reason

20 posted on 05/17/2006 6:16:28 AM PDT by SoFloFreeper
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-36 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson