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ABC Special Explores if Jesus Had Wife
Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^
| 10.30.03
| DAVID BAUDER
Posted on 10/30/2003 7:46:04 PM PST by mhking
NEW YORK ABC News correspondent Elizabeth Vargas concedes her network is stepping into a theological minefield with its one-hour exploration of whether Jesus Christ had a wife.
The ABC News special, "Jesus, Mary and DaVinci," is scheduled to air Monday at 8 p.m. ET.
"You can't talk about this subject without intriguing people or offending people," Vargas said Thursday. "We're trying to do it as respectfully as we can."
ABC screened the special for some reporters and religious leaders on Thursday. The program is based on the best-selling novel, "The DaVinci Code," which claims to be partly grounded on historical fact.
The book asserts that Mary Magdalene was Jesus' wife not a prostitute, as in some teachings and that she fled Jerusalem with his child following his crucifixion.
The story was kept alive for centuries by a secret society that included the painter Leonardo DaVinci, who supposedly inserted clues about it in his art, the book claimed.
The ABC special outlines the theories and speaks to several theologians who either discount the story or assert that it is possible.
The show unravels like a mystery perpetuated by secondhand gossip. Vargas said ABC found no proof that Jesus had a wife, but couldn't completely discount it, either.
Vargas, who was raised a Roman Catholic, said her own parents said to her, "Oh, my goodness, what are you doing?" when they found out she was working on the story.
She said she was never aware of the power struggles and political intrigue that went into how her faith is taught today.
"For me, it's made religion more real and, ironically, much more interesting which is what we're hoping to do for our viewers," she said.
It drew some immediate criticism, particularly from a representative of the Catholic League, who said ABC News relied too heavily on the opinion of Father Richard McBrien of Notre Dame, who believes Mary Magdalene's importance has been historically understated and that it's possible she was his wife.
"I think it was not sufficiently balanced," said Joseph DeFeo, policy analyst for the Catholic League. "The majority of the people who spoke believed in either the plausibility or the outright truth of (book author) Dan Brown's claims. The facts themselves scream out that this is a crackpot theory."
The show even drew criticism from Nikki Stephanopoulos, mother of ABC News correspondent George and the communications director for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. She the special might offend people who believe that women have a more prominent role in the church.
TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: arielsabar; catholiclist; epigraphyandlanguage; faithandphilosophy; godsgravesglyphs; gospelofjesuswife; harvard; hewasarabbi; jamescameron; jesuswife; karenking; letshavejerusalem; mariame; mariamne; marymagdalene; rabbismarry; religion; sectarianturmoil; simchajacobovici; talpiot; veritas; weddingatcana
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To: Wampus SC
I stand corrected; Thank You, Sir!!! Glory be to GOD!!!
To: mhking
the following post is based partly on fabrication:
Scholars have recently debated whether or not satan had a wife (known as Mrs. Satan.) it is possible that she is currently on the board of directors of ABC, and possibly on the democratic national committee. Although there is no evidence at all to support this theory, ABC News said that the theory could not be completely disproven.
102
posted on
10/30/2003 10:21:20 PM PST
by
drhogan
Jesus, Reagan, Bush, Republicans, etc. All trashed constantly by the networks. does anyone even watch these channels anymore?
103
posted on
10/30/2003 10:26:48 PM PST
by
Norse
To: mhking
And Mel Gibson's rendition of "The Passion of Christ" is "controversial"?
104
posted on
10/30/2003 10:30:29 PM PST
by
Jeff Chandler
(mislead, misled, lie, lied, failed, failure,leaked, revenge, etc., etc., etc..)
To: stands2reason
Not Capetian, I got the lines mixed up.. As I said before, I'm brain-dead---I got 2 hours sleep last night and I have a cold. Sue me.
105
posted on
10/30/2003 10:38:00 PM PST
by
stands2reason
(REWARD! Tagline missing since 10/21/03. Pithy, clever. Strong sentimental value.)
To: F16Fighter
"Where will we be 20 years from now." I'm guessing: a) Civil War II b) WW III c) The Second Coming.
Current events are setting up all three.
To: drhogan
Scholars have recently debated whether or not satan had a wife (known as Mrs. Satan.) it is possible that she is currently on the board of directors of ABC, and possibly on the democratic national committee. Although there is no evidence at all to support this theory, ABC News said that the theory could not be completely disproven.
Mrs. Satan is a senator from NY.
To: mhking
Think they'll do a piece on the chief prophet of Islam, too?
Wonder how much they would dare to embroider out of whole cloth (lie) in that case.
To: ConservativeLawyer
Actually we are fighting WWIV.
The cold war which wasn't all that cold at times was WWIII. Thanks to Ronald Reagan, we won that war.
109
posted on
10/30/2003 10:59:05 PM PST
by
Grampa Dave
("If you don't like change, you're going to like irrelevance even less.")
To: cars for sale
It's just amazing how much heracy comes out of the seminaries.
110
posted on
10/30/2003 11:00:06 PM PST
by
Rockitz
(After all these years, it's still rocket science.)
To: mhking
This seems like a veiled attempt to flood the entertainment market with Jesus pieces so that "The Passion" will be devalued upon it's premier.
111
posted on
10/30/2003 11:04:35 PM PST
by
Rockitz
(After all these years, it's still rocket science.)
To: mhking
"We're trying to do it as respectfully as we can."
Yeah, right...
To: mhking
Read the Bible for the truth!
113
posted on
10/30/2003 11:06:52 PM PST
by
Salvation
(†With God all things are possible.†)
To: Grampa Dave
Agree with you about WW3. Surprising that more folks don't realize that the 46 year war with Communism was WW3.
The WOT is WW4,in my opinion. Before it is over, there will be a worldwide reordering of the politcal landscape.
114
posted on
10/30/2003 11:08:13 PM PST
by
exit82
(Sound off to your elected reps in DC: Capitol switchboard toll free number 1-800-648-3516.)
To: mhking; ikka; cars for sale
Sweeps week?
Are they using their witch's brooms?
115
posted on
10/30/2003 11:08:33 PM PST
by
Salvation
(†With God all things are possible.†)
To: Chancellor Palpatine
Chancellor, that was one of the funniest lines I've seen here on FR. Thanks for the belly laugh.
116
posted on
10/30/2003 11:09:12 PM PST
by
exit82
(Sound off to your elected reps in DC: Capitol switchboard toll free number 1-800-648-3516.)
To: narses; nickcarraway
the opinion of Father Richard McBrien of Notre Dame, who believes Mary Magdalene's importance has been historically understated and that it's possible she was his wife. Why is this man still a priest?
To: mhking
How about that scene where Christ is feeding thousands with a few fish and some bread, and in comes Reagan who says, "Christ Almighty, why are you feeding these bums, if they weren't smart enough to pack their own lunch, let them starve from their own stupidity".
Then Reagan later looks to cut John the Baptist's head off.
Sweeps!
118
posted on
10/30/2003 11:16:47 PM PST
by
A CA Guy
(God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
To: mhking
"Vargas said ABC found no proof that Jesus had a wife," And if my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle.
L
119
posted on
10/30/2003 11:18:34 PM PST
by
Lurker
(Some people say you shouldn't kick a man when he's down. I say there's no better time to do it.)
To: exit82
A lot of us so called cold war vets know that many times it wasn't so cold. It last 46 years as you noted, and cost us trillions. However, that was a great investment as the USSR went broke. If they had won, we wouldn't be here on Free Republic.
WWIV will have incredible geopolitical impact on the entire world. As GW has noted they are either with us or agains us. After Iraq, many learned what it meant to be against us.
120
posted on
10/30/2003 11:37:26 PM PST
by
Grampa Dave
("If you don't like change, you're going to like irrelevance even less.")
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