Posted on 05/17/2006 5:54:17 AM PDT by governsleastgovernsbest
by Mark Finkelstein
May 17, 2006
If the Da Vinci Code was already feeding the flames of controversy with its challenge to the basic tenets of Christianity, actor Ian McKellen managed to throw a refinery tank's worth of gasoline on the fire on this morning's Today show, asserting that the Bible should carry a disclaimer saying that it is "fiction."
Matt Lauer, on his second day "On The Road With The Code," was in Cannes for the film festival, where the Code will have its debut. It has already been screened to some critics, who have given it decidedly mixed reviews.
As I reported here yesterday, NBC reporter Melissa Stark timidly dipped a toe in the sea of controversy when yesterday she interviewed Code director Ron Howard, asking how he reacted to the controversy the movie has created . . . for the Church! Sounding more like the Delphic oracle than a Hollywood director, Howard offered up some ambiguous prose about it being healthy thing for people to engage their beliefs.
Lauer took the bull of controversy more directly by the horns when he interviewed the cast and director Howard today. Said Lauer:
"There have been calls from some religious groups, they wanted a disclaimer at the beginning of this movie saying it is fiction because one of the themes in the book really knocks Christianity right on its ear, if Christ survived the crucifixion, he did not die for our sins and therefore was not resurrected. What I'm saying is, people wanted this to say 'fiction, fiction, fiction'. How would you all have felt if there was a disclaimer at the beginning of the movie? Would it have been okay with you?"
There was a pause, and then famed British actor Ian McKellen [Gandalf of Lord of the Rings], piped up:
"Well, I've often thought the Bible should have a disclaimer in the front saying this is fiction. I mean, walking on water, it takes an act of faith. And I have faith in this movie. Not that it's true, not that it's factual, but that it's a jolly good story. And I think audiences are clever enough and bright enough to separate out fact and fiction, and discuss the thing after they've seen it."
With the camera focused on McKellen, one could hear a distinctly nervous laugh in the background, seeming to come from either actor Tom Hanks or director Howard. McKellen's stunning bit of blasphemy is likely to test the adage that all publicity is good publicity.
Finkelstein, recently a guest on the Lars Larson Show, lives in the liberal haven of Ithaca, NY, where he hosts the award-winning public-access TV show 'Right Angle'. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net
Today Show/NewsBusters guaranteed-engine-starter ping.
PING!!!!
Evidently the film is a stinker. Good.
Ian obviously doesn't have the wisdom of Gandalf...
He is only saying what Brown, Hanks, and Howard are thinking, but are afraid to say.
Would this actor be so "courageous" to say the same thing about the Koran or does he prefer to keep his head?
Is Gandolf still waiting for God's endorsemnet of his homo lifestyle? Sounds like sour grapes.
I really think people are making a bigger deal out of this than is justified. If someone decides to take the word of Dan Brown (I think that is his name) over the Holy Bible, then they obviously aren't interested in the truth anyway.
Catholic ping!
Come on, guys, don't fall for this. They NEED the controversy now that the critics have panned this movie.
He's an actor. He reads the words others write. He's also a militant homosexual.
just another reason not to go see it.
McKellen, an open homosexual, has also said he always physically removes the passages from Leviticus that offend him .... from this work of fiction that is often found in hotel rooms! Hah! Think he tripped over his own tongue here.
The scary thing is, Brown throroughly believes his piece of fiction is factual, at least the conspiracy theory part. Brown believes tha Mary and Jesus were married and had a baby. Brown believes the gnostic texts are the true gospels more worthy than Mark, John, or Luke. Brown believes the Catholic church is covering up the truth.
Apparently Matt and the Today Show staff also feel the urgent need to fuel the fires.
If he said that about the Koran, there'd be a fatwa on him.
That's what I'm thinking too. And the actor's seem to be doing their best to alienate the ticket-buying audience.
Well, I wasn't going to go see it. Now I am REALLY still not going to see it. LOL.
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