Posted on 05/07/2006 8:05:47 AM PDT by dhuffman@awod.com
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - In the latest Vatican broadside against "The Da Vinci Code", a leading cardinal says Christians should respond to the book and film with legal action because both offend Christ and the Church he founded.
Cardinal Francis Arinze, a Nigerian who was considered a candidate for pope last year, made his strong comments in a documentary called "The Da Vinci Code-A Masterful Deception."
Arinze's appeal came some 10 days after another Vatican cardinal called for a boycott of the film. Both cardinals asserted that other religions would never stand for offences against their beliefs and that Christians should get tough.
"Christians must not just sit back and say it is enough for us to forgive and to forget," Arinze said in the documentary made by Rome film maker Mario Biasetti for Rome Reports, a Catholic film agency specializing in religious affairs.
"Sometimes it is our duty to do something practical. So it is not I who will tell all Christians what to do but some know legal means which can be taken in order to get the other person to respect the rights of others," Arinze said.
"This is one of the fundamental human rights: that we should be respected, our religious beliefs respected, and our founder Jesus Christ respected," he said, without elaborating on what legal means he had in mind.
A transcript of the documentary, due to be screened in Rome later this month just before the release of the film version of the best-selling book at the Cannes Film Festival, was made available to Reuters.
The book, written by Dan Brown, has sold more than 40 million copies.
Well, I for one enjoyed National Treasure. Not a great movie by any means, but certainly an entertaining one. I'll probably enjoy the Da Vinci Code as well, given I thought the book was fun (albeit a little annoyign at times).
if anything is going to be the death of catholicism, it won't be atheists or science. instead, it will be fellow catholics.
"The fictional story charges Jesus was secretly married and fathered a child for which there has never been any historical proof."
It's FICTION. As you said.
"The Catholic Church and its officials have a right to publicly denounce the book and movie as patently offensive to Christians."
They do have a right to condemn. The funny thing is the Catholic Church was quick to condemn this movie, quicker than they were to condemn the other scandals within the church. The other scandals were far more damaging to the Church than this little movie.
I will go see this movie. I know it is fiction. My faith is stronger than the script.
Har! I missed the opening and saw a part where Hanks was playing Senator Frist talking about the gas crisis. It was mildly amusing but decided sleep was a better alternative.
"hyposcrisy on many levels"
Oh, really?
For instance?
Hypocrisy or not, after Piss Christ and Mary in Elephant Dung, I am actually happy that the Church is responding to "art" that does not please the Church. The DC is nice fiction, but I don't see much evidence of truth.
If the facts don't fit
You must quit (the theatre).
I think, beyond the whole married with children thing, the theme in the book most offensive to devout Christians would have to be the notion that Christ was a mortal man, a mere prophet and not the Messiah. It then goes on to say, in a faux factual manner, that the Church decided to cover it all up (the humanity and family life of Jesus) in a meeting.
The impression I got from the book is that Dan Brown tried writing an essay first, then went back in and added dialogue and a plot as a means of disseminating his message. Sort of like the proto-Marxism that Tolstoy included in War and Peace. But beyond all that, I still enjoyed the read, even if Brown did use the term "sacred feminine" WAY too much.
For the record, I was raised Catholic. I'm not especially religious any more (and no, it wasn't the Da Vinci Code that sowed the seeds).
hence it is fiction
That's funny. Haven't watched the SNL in some time but occassionally I catch word of an amusing skit.
Much ado about nothing.
The book, written by Dan Brown, has sold more than 40 million copies.
Could that be the real irritant for the Church?
Perhaps they're not getting their "tithe" of the profits.
I doubt it. I wasn't disappointed because I was looking for a good mystery story and I got it in both of Brown's books. They were fun reads. If I am looking for anti-Catholic history, there's plenty out there in the non-fiction section.
BTW, I don't see the Catholic cardinals complaining about "State of Fear", which is exactly the same recipe: Take some facts, add some conspiracy theory and mix well with a fictional plot. Get real and quit looking for enemies in every work of fiction, or people may begin to wonder if there really is something to hide...
> The Da Vinci Code, book and movie, is an outrageous blasphemy of Jesus Christ.
Have you read it? How can you denounce a movie as offensive if it hasn't been released yet?
Your faith isn't worth beans if you feel threatened by a work of fiction.
Maybe you should join the cardinal, and sue the 7.5 million people who have bought The Da Vinci Code (times readers per copy...I was no. 4).
I am embarassed at this Cardinal's suggestion. This book is sheer fiction. The best thing the Vatican could do would be to ignore it. What is wrong with that bunch? They should have been at least this proactive in regard to their own pedophiles. We heard not a peep from them.
National Geographic/Time produced an excellent 2 hour documentary refuting every piece of alleged historical truth in the Da Vinci code. The book, as fact, is already blown out of the water. For those who WANT the truth.
It is a sorry shame...the silliness of people!
"All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents and secret rituals in this novel are accurate."
That is how Dan Brown starts his fiction..and that has led to the main problem...it is a lie!
As for hypocrisy - the hypocrisy stands with the Hollywood anti Christian establishment that seeks to offend every Christian...any time the opportunity presents itself...even in the form of the charlatan Brown.
The Roman Church has every right and indeed a responsiblity to defend the Lord and his flock and attack this worthless lying garbage. People can make up their own minds (they usually do) but the Pope can as well...and publicize it.
The Greek Orthoox Church has also debunked this trash.
http://www.goarch.org/en/ourfaith/articles/article9540.asp
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