"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
You're right, that is the important point. The Church never bothered to oppose things like "The Story of Maria Monk," a bit of Protestant anti-Catholic trash that circulated in the US in the 19th century and featured secret passageways between monasteries and convents, etc., because it wasn't worth bothering with.
This is being presented to the world as the truth, and Christians have the right to remind the world that it is NOT the truth.
That said, I don't think using European hate speech laws is a good idea, but at the same time, it might attract more attention and allow us to get the truth out.
Not a lie. He's just using the Oliver Stone/Bill Clinton method of turning a phrase. All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents and secret rituals in the novel may very well be accurate, but that says nothing about the accuracy of the story.
There's a difference.